History Main / RottenRockAndRoll

* In ''Film/{{Joker}}'', the first thing Arthur does after becoming the Joker is dancing insanely on the stairs to the backdrop of Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll (Part 2)" (fittingly, Glitter [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Glitter#Sex_offences has become infamous for his own crimes]]).[[note]]By the way, no, [[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2019-10-11/joker-gary-glitter-rock-and-roll-part-2 Glitter does not receive any royalties for his music,]] including "Rock and Roll", today. He sold off the rights years ago.[[/note]]

* As both a case of BigLippedAlligatorMoment and EarlyInstallmentWeirdness before the show took a DarkerAndEdgier tone in the Season 2 finale, the villain Megabyte from ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' overhears that Dot is throwing her brother Enzo a birthday party. He sends out his forces and a massive tank to crash the party... only for the tank to transform into a stage where Megabyte dramatically emerges with an electric guitar, rocking out with Hack and Slash as accompanying drums. After being joined by Bob (having turned Glitch into a bass), he gives the guitar Enzo as his birthday gift, remarking that he "always wanted to do that."

* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] and [[{{Reconstruction}} Reconstructed]] in ''Toys/EverAfterHigh''; Raven Queen wants to play a soft acoustic guitar ballad she wrote for the annual talent show, but the DeanBitterman does not approve because the song is "too nice" for a student he is counting on to become the next [[Literature/{{SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs}} Evil]] [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen]]. By showtime, Raven reaches a compromise: play the song but as a rock ballad. It turns out to be as big a hit with the audience as the Headmaster.

* Vulturon the Condorroid (aka Condorrock the Vulturoid) in ''VideoGame/MegaManZxAdvent'' is one of the Pseudoroid bosses, a vulture robot who fights with an electric guitar and has a crazy rockstar personality.

** Since 2017, the Darkmoon Faire has an undead band, the Blight Boar, playing in a concert cave adorned with graves and the like, the Cauldron of Rock. The Death Metal Knight is a (Death Knight class) boss who seeks to disturb concerts at the place and can be fought by players.

* ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'' features a rock-loving tribe of trolls, whose leader, Queen Barb, who wants to destroy all other music genres, including pop, funk, classical, country and techno. The rock trolls have grey and black colors and an aggressive demeanor, opposed to the bright colors and cheery attitude of the pop troll protagonists.

* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' features the CardCarryingVillain Lord Hater, #1 superstar. Rocking the galaxy with his electric guitar. He even has a BraggingThemeTune rock song!

* ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'', appears to be Rotten Rock & Roll: TheMovie based on its trailer. It features a troll from a rock-loving tribe who wants to destroy all other five music genres: pop, funk, classical, country and techno.

* Characters like Slimyscaly and Daveybird from ''Creator/RandleSimRacing'' always have Rock as their themes and favorite music, definitely played up when they're villains.

* In ''{{Disney/Moana}}'', Tamatoa the GiantEnemyCrab sings the David Bowie-esque "Shiny" about how much he loves treasure and how fabulous he is. This is the only rock-style song in the movie.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'', the titular VillainProtagonist underscores his appearances with heavy metal songs like "Highway to Hell" by Music/{{ACDC}}, "Crazy Train" by Music/OzzyOsbourne and "Welcome to the Jungle" by Music/GunsNRoses. [[spoiler: This continues even after his HeelFaceTurn, so it's sort of a subversion.]]

Supertrope to RockMeAsmodeus, where rock music is associated with {{Satan}} himself. FreakyElectronicMusic is a SpiritualSuccessor, as electronic music has the same violent and rebellious association as rock and roll had in the past. CreepyJazzMusic, on the other hand, precedes ''both''. Often counts as an AnachronisticSoundtrack if the work takes place before the 1950s. Compare and contrast ThePowerOfRock, where rock and roll is used to defeat the villain. May overlap with MusicalAssassin, if playing rock music ''is'' the main tool of the villain, and with AutobotsRockOut, if the villains' rock music theme is heard when the heroes fight them. Compare AllDrummersAreAnimals, where drummers of rock bands are portrayed as savage and beastly, although not necessarily evil. Contrast ScaryMusicianHarmlessMusic, where the musician only ''looks'' the part in a DarkIsNotEvil vein. See also SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll, where rock stars or fans adopt a more realistic libertine lifestyle. Can overlap with AllBikersAreHellsAngels, as the biker subculture is heavily associated with rock music.

* In ''Discworld/SoulMusic'' [[spoiler: the main antagonist is the "Music With Rocks In" itself, manifesting through a magical guitar. The music turns young bard Imp Y Celyn into TheRockStar, and then attempts to kill him young so that he'll become a legend.]]

* ''Trolls: World Tour'', the sequel to ''WesternAnimation/{{Trolls}}'', appears to be Rotten Rock & Roll: TheMovie based on its trailer. It features a troll from a rock-loving tribe who wants to destroy all other five music genres: pop, funk, classical, country and techno.

** Bowser gets a rock {{leitmotif}} in ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''. It starts out with pounding drums, and then the electric guitar comes in. The song has an oddly calm, controlled mood that helps Bowser seem more threatening.

** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' has [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9RsfOvRjYM Dharkon's theme]], a ProgressiveRock piece that's much more chaotic and sinister than [[AngelicAbomination Galeem's]] more majestic orchestral theme.]]

* I-no from VideoGame/GuiltyGear is a sadist heavy metal musician who's a DungeoPunk take on the HotWitch archetype, complete with pointy hat and ability to fly. Bonus points for one of her finishing moves literally destroying your eardrums.

Supertrope to RockMeAsmodeus, where rock music is associated with {{Satan}} himself. FreakyElectronicMusic is a SpiritualSuccessor, as electronic music has the same violent and rebellious association as rock and roll had in the past. CreepyJazzMusic, on the other hand, precedes ''both''. Often counts as an AnachronisticSoundtrack if the work takes place before the 1950s. Compare and contrast ThePowerOfRock, where rock and roll is used to defeat the villain. May overlap with MusicalAssassin, if playing rock music ''is'' the main tool of the villain, and with AutobotsRockOut, if the villains' rock music theme is heard when the heroes fight them. Compare AllDrummersAreAnimals, where drummers of rock bands are portrayed as savage and beastly, although not necessarily evil. Contrast ScaryMusicianHarmlessMusic, where the musician only ''looks'' the part in a DarkIsNotEvil vein. See also SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll, where rock stars or fans adopt a more realistic libertine lifestyle.

* The first thing the Joker does is dancing insanely on the stairs to the backdrop of Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll (Part 2)" (fittingly, Glitter [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Glitter#Sex_offences has become infamous for his own crimes]]).[[note]]By the way, no, [[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2019-10-11/joker-gary-glitter-rock-and-roll-part-2 Glitter does not receive any royalties for his music,]] including "Rock and Roll", today. He sold off the rights years ago.[[/note]]

** The theme song of Death Metal, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwenX1q621w Metalmancy]]'', is, of course, a fast-paced heavy metal song, occasionally punctuated by Death Metal himself casting a spell with a MetalScream. And '' Crypt of the [=NecroDancer=]'' is a RhythmGame; that rapid-fire metal tempo means the player needs to be able ''think fast'' in a battle with Death Metal.

* ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}: While not a straight up villain, Susie starts off as antagonistic and violent - even before she ends up in the Dark World, she's enough of a bully for her classmates to fear her - and her theme consists of a short guitar riff. The theme later gets a remix during [[spoiler: her fight with Lancer in the basement/dungeon]], which happens right before [[spoiler: she makes a full HeelFaceTurn]].

* Creator/MartinScorsese is well know for his love of using rock and roll in his various gangster movies, usually to set the stage for new twists and developments. In particular he has a fondness for Music/TheRollingStones song "Gimme Shelter", which shows up in ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', (when Hill first begins selling cocaine and making real money) ''Film/{{Casino}}'', (as Nicky's infamy grows) and ''Film/TheDeparted''. (During mob boss Costello's EstablishingCharacterMoment.) [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q9S9my8zR0 See here]].

* In ''Theatre/ADzsungelKonyve'', a Hungarian stage musical adaptation of ''Literature/TheJungleBook'', the songs are of various genre from ragtime to hip-hop. The VillainSong sung by Shere Khan is a hard rock song with electric guitars.

* In ''VideoGame/LollipopChainsaw'', each of the bosses are based on different genres of music. 3 of them are based on sub genres of Rock: Syd is based on Punk Rock, Vikk is based on metal, and Lewis Legend is based on Classic Rock.

** The theme song of Death Metal, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwenX1q621w Metalmancy]]'', is of course a fast-paced heavy metal song, occasionally punctuated by Death Metal himself casting a spell with a MetalScream. And '' Crypt of the [=NecroDancer=]'' is a RhythmGame; that rapid-fire metal tempo means the player needs to be able ''think fast'' in a battle with Death Metal.

* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] and [[{{Reconstruction}} Reconstructed]] in ''Toys/EverAfterHigh''; Raven Queen wants to play a soft acoustic guitar ballad she wrote for the annual talent show, but the DeanBitterman does not approve because the song is "too nice" for a student he is counting on to become the next [[Literature/{{SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs}} Evil]] [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen]]. By showtime, Raven reaches a compromise: play the song, but as rock ballad. It turns out to be as big a hit with the audience as the Headmaster.

* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' features the BigBad Lord Hater, #1 superstar. Rocking the galaxy with his electric guitar.

** The theme song of Death Metal, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwenX1q621w Metalmancy]]'', is of course a fast-paced heavy metal song, occasionally punctuated by Death Metal himself casting a spell with a MetalScream. And CryptOfTheNecrodancer is a RhythmGame; that rapid-fire metal tempo means the player needs to be able ''think fast'' in a battle with Death Metal.