Whether you’re acting your age, playing yourself, or summoning the strength of a performer, our playlist of pop and rock songs about acting covers it all whilst shining a light on illusion, performance and dishonesty.
Songs About Acting
1. Queen – The Show Must Go On
Queen’s 1991 show-stopper, The Show Must Go On, tackles the world of theatre with an entrancing theatrical twist. This track embodies the age-old drama symbol of two masks representing comedy and tragedy
Its lyrics illustrating the acts of perseverance and putting on a show of positivity and progression despite the sincere heartache crippling the performer.
Queen clad every verse with stage references, from pantomimes and music scores to being on top of the bill, crafting an iconic rock anthem for those moments you’re forced to pull yourself together and make it through the night;
“The show must go on, inside my heart is breaking, my make-up may be flaking, but my smile still stays on.”
Whilst being amongst the most theatrical pop tracks to ever make waves on the charts, Queen’s message is rooted in vivid, depaiing reality, written as an insight into frontman Freddie Mercury’s coming-to-terms with a fatal HIV/AIDS diagnosis and continuing his live performances, keeping his illness private from the public.
2. The Beatles – Act Naturally
The Beatles take an unexpected country approach to their 1965 album track, Act Naturally, making way for a message of American fame and foolishness.
Act Naturally follows the story of a man letting the US film industry exploit his misery and turn it into gold, crafting a song for anyone thinking of putting their inescapable bad habits to good use;
“We’ll make the scene about a man that’s sad and lonely, and begging down upon his bended knee, I’ll play the part but I won’t need rehearsal, all I gotta do is act naturally … Well, I’ll bet you I’m gonna be a big star, might win an Oscar you can never tell, the movies gonna make me a big star ’cause I can play the part so well.”
This self-deprecating track is backlit by the natural blend of warmth, sadness and hope inherent to country music, whilst inadvertently making premonitions about the narcissistic, air-headed nature of reality TV and the talentless, unprofessional personalities it spawns;
“The biggest fool that ever hit the big time, and all I gotta do is act naturally.”
3. YUNGBLUD FT. Machine Gun Kelly & Travis Barker – acting like that
YUNGBLUD, Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker’s 2020 single, acting like that, is a pop punk track soaked in a gritty dance ambiance, their contrast of clear-skied pop and club-like claustrophobia creating a clever sonic reflection of their lyrical focus.
YUNGBLUD & co. centre upon the concept of immaturity and acting your age, telling the tale of an ex-girlfriend wasting her beauty by flickering ungracefully between relationships;
“Heard you hooked back up with your ex, and now you’re asleep on my doorstep, you’re way too hot to be acting like that,”
acting like that is a piece for when love and beauty become entwined with suffocating pain, inspiring you to rethink the way you’ve been acting in the disorienting wake of heartbreak.
4. Ashley Tisdale – Acting Out
As a child actor who found worldwide fame through the Disney channel, Ashley Tisdale’s song about acting comes from a captivatingly unique perspective; her lyrics giving us a fly-on-the-wall insight into the life of a young celebrity burdened with the pressures of maintaining a good brand image.
Like the semi-reckless, public personal growth displayed by other teen Disney stars like Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato, this Ashley Tisdale track is like ripping off the Band Aid, refusing to be restrained by the ideals of your company, school or society, whilst struggling and striving in a new era of independence.
Ignited with a dark yet optimistic ‘00s pop punk vibe, Acting Out is a song for anyone needing to let go of all they know in order to find themselves again, its double meaning alluding to acting the part before dropping the facade and acting out of line in a feat of self-exploration;
“Welcome to a new beginning, it’s time to start the show, no, I don’t think it matters, if it’s real or just a role … It’s another side of me, I’m acting out, set me free, I’m ready to show you this is what I need, it’s time to get dirty, I’ma show you what I’m talking about, it’s another side of me, I’m acting out.”
5. The Passions – I’m In Love With A German Film Star
The Passions’ 1981 post-punk single, I’m In Love With A German Film Star, captures that dreamy, smoke-stained atmosphere of spotting a mysterious figure across a dim-lit bar.
Clad with ethereal gothic flairs and a synth-pop ambience, The Passions mould their lyrics around the act of falling in love with a stranger who follows his own script, their subtle wordplay comparing the emotional aftermath of watching a gripping movie with love at first sight;
“I’m in love with a German film star, I once saw in a bar, sitting in a corner in imperfect clothes, trying not to pose for the cameras and the girls … Playing the part of a real troublemaker, but I didn’t care, it really moved me, it really moved me.”
This retro track remains as magnetic as at the time of its release, its original fascination evolving into a sonic time-capsule showcasing an otherwordly style of 80s futurism unmimickable by modern technology.
6. The Academic – Acting My Age
The Academic’s 2020 track, Acting My Age, is grounded in a colourful indie rock sound reminiscent of their genre’s mid-00s golden age.
Centred around the theme of winning back your ex’s heart through positive self-progression, this track uses the pain obscuring the past to propel into the future, conjuring unbreakable optimism whilst welcoming the better days ahead.
Acting My Age is a song for anyone still deeply in love with their ex, knowing that the only way to step forwards together is by admitting immaturity and selfishness before reworking your personality into one that can be respected;
“I never thought I’d tell myself it’s time to start acting my age, I know I’ve done some silly things, I’ve made a few mistakes on the way, but I’ve never been on CNN, I’ve never had to cover my face, I want to make it up to you, I’ve just got to start acting my age.”