Summary
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer's real-life bands bring the music of the 1990s to life in Sunnydale's Bronze club.
- Bands like Sprung Monkey, Velvet Chain, and Cibo Matto added an extra layer of authenticity to the show's universe.
- From memorable moments with Michelle Branch to quirky tunes by Nerf Herder, music played a vital role in Buffy's storytelling.
The numerous real-life bands on Buffy the Vampire Slayer serve as a perfect time capsule for the 1990s. The series, which ran from 1997-2003, took place in the fictional town of Sunnydale, which had a club known as the Bronze. Despite the monsters roaming the town, the club attracted some great bands. While Buffy the Vampire Slayer is remembered for wonderful things, music is a vital aspect of the show that tends to get overlooked. The series even has two soundtrack albums.
Buffy features music by bands as varied as Rasputina, Azure Ray, The Sundays, and Alison Krauss. As for the Bronze, the local club would occasionally host musicians too famous to stop off in Sunnydale, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t delightful to see them become a part of the Buffyverse. There were fictional bands on the show (Oz's Dingoes Ate My Baby and Veruca's Shy). However, it was always fun when a real-life band showed up to play in Sunnydale, often promoting their most recent album.
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Season 1, Episode 1 - "Welcome To The Hellmouth"
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Song Titles |
"Believe," "Saturated," "Swirl," and "Things Are Changing" |
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Album Name |
Swirl |
Sprung Monkey has the honor of being the first band on Buffy the Vampire Slayer to play the Bronze. Sprung Monkey appeared in the pilot, “Welcome to the Hellmouth,” performing the song "Believe," but several other songs can also be heard as events unfold. Sprung Monkey's music was also featured in two other episodes in season 1. The band, originating from San Diego, was active from 1991 through 2002 and reunited in 2005. They have released five albums, the last in 2013.
Superfine
Season 1, Episode 4, “Teacher’s Pet”
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Song Title |
"Stoner Love" and "I Already Met You" |
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Album Name |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album |
Superfine played the Bronze in season 1, episode 4, “Teacher’s Pet.” Their song “Stoner Love” can be heard, but “I Already Met You” is more prominently featured while the Scoobies hang out in the Bronze. The track also appears on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album, which has 19 songs from throughout the series. Frontman Rob Grad was the bassist for 90s rock band Kik Tracee before joining Superfine, which he left in 2003. They only released one self-titled EP as a band.