Clint Eastwood Reveals His Ultimate Music Legends

Clint Eastwood’s name has long echoed through the corridors of cinema, but it’s not just the silver screen where he’s left his mark. Oddly enough, for many, the first musical association with Eastwood isn’t jazz or country, but the unmistakable beat of Gorillaz’s 2001 hit. That track, borrowing his name and a touch of spaghetti western flair, became a fixture of the early noughties, its hypnotic refrain—“I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad / I got sunshine in a bag”—spinning through radios and clubs alike. The song, a nod to Eastwood’s iconic film persona, soared to number four in the UK charts and eventually went double platinum. Yet, despite this pop culture link, few have paused to wonder about Eastwood’s own musical leanings.

Music, as it turns out, has been a constant companion for Eastwood since his youth. He picked up the piano as a boy, and by 1962, he’d even recorded a cowboy tune, ‘Rowdy’, for his role as Rowdy Yates in the television western Rawhide. This wasn’t a one-off; Eastwood would go on to shape the soundtracks of many of his films, often collaborating with his son Kyle, a respected musician in his own right. His forays into the music biopic genre are well documented—Bird, with its freeform structure, captured the life of Charlie Parker, while Jersey Boys brought the story of Frankie Valli and his band to the big screen, complete with much of the original Broadway cast. Eastwood’s affection for jazz is evident in the lively, sometimes showy pacing of these films.

Behind the Camera and at the Piano

Eastwood’s reputation as a Hollywood heavyweight is matched by his musical credentials. He’s not just an actor and director; he’s a genuine enthusiast, with a knack for weaving music into his creative projects. Over the years, he’s crossed paths with many of the industry’s greats, but when pressed to name the true giants of the music world, he doesn’t hesitate.

The subject came up during a conversation about Jersey Boys. When asked why he hadn’t tackled a Frank Sinatra biopic, Eastwood responded with characteristic brevity.

“Sure, like you’re suggesting there’s Frank Sinatra, and if you going to do top groups, what about the Beatles and the Stones and all that?”

In that moment, he made it clear: for him, two bands stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Icons Above All Others

It’s a choice that feels both obvious and revealing. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones—names that have defined generations, shaped the sound of modern music, and inspired countless artists. Eastwood’s picks are as solid as they come, reflecting a man who’s spent decades immersed in both the cinematic and musical arts. He seems to have anticipated the current wave of interest in these bands, with a much-talked-about set of Beatles biopics on the horizon, each focusing on a different member of the group. While Eastwood won’t be directing, it’s not hard to imagine him in the audience, quietly taking it all in.

Until those films arrive, there’s always that Gorillaz track to revisit—a reminder of how Eastwood’s influence stretches far beyond the world of film, touching the very heart of popular music.