It turns out a lot of musicians have entered American Horror Story over the years.
When the eerie strains of the American Horror Story theme song first slithered into our ears back in 2011, who would’ve guessed that the FX horror anthology would become a revolving door for musicians moonlighting as actors?
It’s a match made in, well, not heaven, but somewhere more sinister. From the sepia-toned flashbacks of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” music video to Lady Gaga’s vampiric turn, the Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk creation has been a siren call to those with a penchant for the macabre and melodious.
Charlie Clouser, the former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist, reworked César Dávila-Irizarry’s 1998 creation into what is now the iconic AHS theme song. But let’s not stop at the opening credits.
Lady Gaga’s undead Countess in ‘Hotel’ not only won her a Golden Globe but also had fans thirsting for more of her dramatic flair. Then there’s Stevie Nicks, twirling her way through ‘Coven’ and ‘Apocalypse’ as herself, sprinkling a little Fleetwood Mac magic along the way. And who could erase the image of ’80s heartthrob Rick Springfield in ‘Cult’ from their minds?
The list goes on, with Connie Britton and Emma Roberts crooning their way onto the Billboard charts, proving that their talents are as diverse as an ‘AHS’ plot line. Britton’s Nashville duets have country fans swooning, while Roberts’ Unfabulous tunes had tweens bopping before she became a Murphy-Falchuk series regular.
But wait, there’s more! Maroon 5’s Adam Levine took a detour from his honeymoon for a nightmarish stay in ‘Asylum’, while Broadway legend Patti LuPone brought her Tony Award-winning pipes to ‘Coven’ and ‘NYC’ Mare Winningham, though not a Billboard regular, showed her musical mettle alongside her AHS characters, from Rubber Man’s mom to a haunted laundress.
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Let’s not forget the late, great Leslie Jordan, who, in between cracking us up, graced the Christian Albums chart with “Company’s Comin'”. His AHS roles ranged from a warlock to a ghost hunter to a personal assistant with the unfortunate job of body disposal.
And then there’s the parade of Glee alumni. Darren Criss brought his photogenic charm to ‘Hotel’, while Matthew Morrison showed us his dark side in ‘1984’.
Sandra Bernhard, the comedian with a discography as sharp as her wit, played a Satanic priestess and an investigative writer. And let’s not overlook the Night Stalker himself, portrayed by Zach Villa, whose band with Evan Rachel Wood could give you chills in the best way.
As AHS continues to unfurl its tentacles into new seasons (the second half of season 12 premieres this month), it’s clear that the show’s love affair with the musically inclined is far from over. Expect to see more famous artists pop up in series!
