Summary of Western Songs That Inspired the JoJo Series

Get BackThe Beatles

Get Back (Remastered 2009)

The Beatles, the most important group in the history of popular music.

In 2023, their final new song “Now And Then” was released, reaching No.

1 in the UK and becoming a hit around the world—a fresh reminder of their enduring popularity.

Did you know that the word “Jojo” appears in the lyrics of their classic 1969 song “Get Back,” written under the leadership of Paul McCartney? It’s famous for being considered the original inspiration for “JoJo,” but in fact, there’s even a scene in the original work where the song title appears exactly as is.

Unfortunately, that was only in the magazine version of its publication in Jump; the song title was removed in the tankobon (collected volume) edition.

If you’re interested, be sure to look it up!

Tout, tout pour ma chérieMichel Polnareff

Tout, tout pour ma chérie

Michel Polnareff is a singer-songwriter from France.

As an artist who has served as a judge on globally famous audition shows, many of you may already know him.

If you’re a JoJo fan, you’ve probably noticed this already: yes, he’s the inspiration for the popular character Jean Pierre Polnareff.

His signature song, “Tout, tout pour ma chérie,” is a refined piece that conveys Polnareff’s chivalrous spirit, so be sure to check it out.

Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)David Bowie

Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (2017 Remaster)

David Bowie is a legendary artist who, beyond his music, wielded immense influence across a wide range of fields—including his innovative style, philosophy, and ideas, as well as fashion and art.

In the realm of manga, he had a particularly significant impact in Japan from the 1970s to the 1980s, especially on the design of characters in shoujo manga.

Naturally, Bowie’s song titles are also referenced in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

In Part 7, the Stand of Dr.

Ferdinand is named “Scary Monsters,” which is both the title of an album Bowie released in 1980 and its title track.

Bowie’s vocals sung in a Cockney accent and Robert Fripp of King Crimson on guitar make it a fantastic and stylish song—be sure to check it out!

Born This WayLady Gaga

Lady Gaga – Born This Way (Official Music Video)

Lady Gaga is the most powerful pop star in the music scene since the late 2000s, highly regarded as an actress as well, and wields immense influence not only in music but across various cultures and social spheres.

She is also known for being fond of Japan, and it would be no exaggeration to say she is one of the most famous American musicians in contemporary Japan.

Her smash hit “Born This Way” appears as the name of the Stand belonging to Yasuho Hirose in Part 8 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, JoJolion.

While JoJo’s Western music references are often associated with hard rock and progressive rock, Part 8 draws inspiration from a wide range of genres, including modern pop artists like Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

This breadth reflects Araki-sensei’s tastes and makes it all the more fascinating.

Rock And Roll All NiteKISS

Kiss – Rock And Roll All Nite (From Kiss eXposed)

Kiss is a hard rock band that represents America—well-known among many listeners in Japan too.

They’re known as the band whose name inspired Hermes Costello’s Stand, “Kiss.” One of their classic songs is Rock And Roll All Nite.

This track is included on Destroyer, regarded as one of their landmark albums, and it lets you fully savor the atmosphere of the 1970s hard rock scene.

The RockThe Who

The Who – The Rock

The Who, whose name is etched alongside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones as one of the three great British bands the nation proudly presents to the world.

Despite being a legendary band that set countless milestones with their unruly performances and a musical range that goes far beyond rock, it’s a bit unfortunate that their recognition in Japan is somewhat modest compared to other UK rock bands of the same era—likely because they never made it to Japan as The Who.

The piece introduced here, The Rock, is a six-and-a-half-minute-plus instrumental track included on the groundbreaking rock opera album Quadrophenia, a work that has made its mark on music history.

For fans of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, The Rock also appears as the Stand name of Tamami Kobayashi in Part 4, Diamond Is Unbreakable.

Like A VirginMadonna

Madonna – Like A Virgin (Official Video)

Madonna, the “Queen of Pop,” is the most successful female artist in history and a living legend who remains active even in her late sixties.

The title track of her masterpiece album Like a Virgin, which sold 21 million copies worldwide, is a signature song of early Madonna.

Produced by Nile Rodgers, with Chic’s rhythm section Tony Thompson and Bernard Edwards, it’s an ’80s mega-hit in which Madonna’s cute vocals shine.

In JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, the name “Like a Virgin” also appears in Part 6, Stone Ocean, as the name of bracelet-type handcuffs used to prevent escapes.