Characters of The Simpsons have had the pleasure of meeting some of the world's most famous individuals. The Simpsons has cast many guest stars over the years, including comedians, TV personalities, athletes, and musicians.
Popular bands have made appearances on The Simpsons such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cypress Hill, and The White Stripes. Other musicians, including Johnny Cash, have lent their voices to unique characters in the past. Some musicians have only one line in the episode, while others are an essential part of the story.
10 Elton John Performs For Apu And His Wife
After 10 years on the air, Sir Elton John guest-starred on The Simpsons in the season 10 episode I'm With Cupid. In the run-up to Valentine's Day, Apu goes on a romantic rampage and surprises Manjula with several gifts. When organizing a special message with a skywriter, Apu bumps into Sir Elton John at the Springfield airport.
After the skywriter plane loses control and comes close to the ground, Apu saves Elton John's life. To return the favor, Elton performs Your Song for the lucky couple with lyrics changed to "my gift is my song and this one's from Apu."
9 Lionel Richie Sings With Homer
In the season 19 premiere, Mr. Burns treats Homer to a free dinner in Chicago. The two fly there in Mr. Burns' private plane. Once airborne, Homer begins to enjoy the luxurious amenities, including the musical stylings of Lionel Richie.
Lionel Richie voices himself and sings a rendition of Say You, Say Me about beer for Homer's amusement. They then sing together and replace every word with "beer." Richie appears again at the end of the episode when he refuses to let go of his American Music Awards.
8 Dolly Parton Saves The Day
American singer Dolly Parton voices herself in the season 10 episode Sunday, Cruddy Sunday. After discovering that their Superbowl tickets are fake, Homer and his friends force their way into the stadium. Shortly after, the group finds themselves in the stadium's detention cell.
As luck would have it, Dolly Parton walks by and happens to be an old friend of one of the inmates. Dolly uses her extra-strength makeup remover to bust them out of Superbowl jail before heading off to the halftime show. Dolly Parton doesn't have much screen time, but The Simpsons managed to include the Queen of country music.
7 James Brown Has An Iconic Voice
Bart's Inner Child first aired in 1993 and features the voice of James Brown. After the citizens of Springfield take a leaf out of Bart's book, they begin to exhibit a carefree attitude and mirror his way of thinking. To commemorate the town's new lifestyle, James Brown is invited to sing at the Do What You Feel Festival.
The godfather of soul performs his 1965 song, I Got You (I Feel Good), before the stage collapses and the band fall to the floor. James Brown comedically discovers the root of the problem with his iconic voice.
6 Britney Spears Steals The Show
In the season 11 episode The Mansion Family, singer-songwriter Britney Spears appears in the opening scene. She presents the Springfield Pride Awards where outstanding members of the community are recognized for their achievements. The event is hosted by Britney Spears and The Simpsons' news anchor, Kent Brockman.
Spears' presence is a hit with the residents of Springfield and she steals the show. She introduces the award for 'Springfield's Oldest Resident' by talking about today's youth-obsessed culture. Moments later, Britney Spears narrates the highlights of the resident's past.
5 50 Cent Invites Bart On His World Tour
Curtis James Jackson III, otherwise known as 50 Cent, voices himself in Pranksta Rap. In season 16's Pranksta Rap, Bart takes a shine to rap music and begins to write his own lyrics. After going to the rap concert Murder 4 Life, Bart ends up obtaining the microphone and spontaneously impressing the crowd with his lyrics.
Bart gets a ride home with the performers and sees 50 Cent in a nearby limousine. The two briefly exchange words and Bart is even invited on 50 Cent's world tour, which he declines because of school. 50 Cent doesn't get much dialogue, but due to his recognizable voice, it's obvious that the character is voiced by the man himself.
4 Chris Martin Interacts With Homer And Bart
In season 21, the lead singer of Coldplay voices himself. During the episode Million Dollar Maybe, Homer buys a winning lottery ticket but decides to avoid telling Marge about the prize money. Instead, he spends the money on new appliances, home improvements, and concert tickets.
When Bart hears about Homer's winnings, they rent out a concert hall and have Coldplay perform to them privately. There is an animated version of the group on stage but only Chris Martin verbally interacts with Homer and Bart. After Bart pauses the performance for a bathroom break, Homer interrupts the show again to question Martin.
3 Lady Gaga Is An Important Character
The American singer, songwriter, and actress Lady Gaga plays a crucial role in Lisa Goes Gaga. The Lady Gaga Express stops in Springfield and the fabulous freighter transforms into a stage. The Simpsons go to the concert. Lisa had a bad day at school, and it's not long before Lady Gaga senses that one of her fans is upset.
Throughout Lisa Goes Gaga, Lady Gaga shows off her vocal talents and has a lot of dialogue. Gaga is an important character. Without her, the story would be bland and wouldn't entail many interesting events. Before she leaves Springfield, Lisa and Lady Gaga put on a final show together. Gaga voices herself from start to finish.
2 Sting Helps Springfield Celebrities To Make A Music Video
In Radio Bart, viewers learn the meaning of the boy who cried wolf. Bart plays a prank on the entire town and fools everyone into thinking that the innocent Timmy O'Toole has fallen down a well. However, the tables are turned when Bart gets trapped and the residents no longer feel like helping.
During Radio Bart, Sting meets with Springfield celebrities to make a Band Aid-style music video entitled We're Sending Our Love Down The Well. At the end of Radio Bart, Sting makes another appearance as he kindly helps Homer and Marge to dig Bart out of the well.
1 George Harrison Was The First Beatle To Appear On The Simpsons
The season 5 premiere, Homer's Barbershop Quartet, tells the story of Homer's musical days in 1985. Homer's vocal band, The Beesharps, featured Barney, Apu, and Principle Skinner. Their fame was brief but their successful album earned them an award and invitations to sophisticated events.
George Harrison was the first Beatle to appear on The Simpsons. Harrison is seen introducing himself to Homer at a Grammy Awards afterparty. Harrison pops up again later in Homer's Barbershop Quartet as The Beesharps reunite for one last performance. Harrison drives past in his limousine after showing his distaste for the group.