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A Guide to Every Famous Musician Who’s Shown Up on Game of Thrones

4 minute read
Updated: | Originally published: ;

Warning: This post contains spoilers for all seasons of Game of Thrones.

From Ian McShane as Septon Ray in season six’s “The Broken Man” to Jim Broadbent’s upcoming multiple-episode arc as an archmaester of the Citadel in season seven, Game of Thrones is known for scoring big-name guest stars. However, the HBO drama has also been able to slip several appearances by famous musicians into the background of pivotal scenes such as the Red Wedding and the battle of Hardhome.

Here are the best cameos by singers and bands that may have been tough to spot.

Dr. Feelgood

Season 1, Episodes 2, 9, 10 and Season 2, Episode 9: The Kingsroad, Baelor, Fire and Blood, and Blackwater

Since Wilko Johnson’s stint as royal executioner Ser Ilyn Payne was less of a cameo and more of a full-on role, the Dr. Feelgood guitarist definitely takes the award for most important musician appearance. After all, he was the one who chopped off Ned Stark’s head.

Snow Patrol

Season 3, Episode 3: Walk of Punishment

Snow Patrol lead singer Gary Lightbody showed off his vocals as one of the Bolton soldiers seen singing “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” while transporting the captive Brienne and Jaime to Harrenhal. The use of that particular Westerosi folk song also provided some serious foreshadowing for Brienne’s battle with a certain beast later in the season.

Coldplay

Season 3, Episode 9: The Rains of Castamere

Coldplay member Will Champion can be spotted as the drummer in the band who plays at the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, a.k.a. the Red Wedding. His seconds-long cameo comes just after Walder Frey announces that it’s time for the bedding ceremony—you know, before everyone gets murdered.

Sigur Rós

Season 4, Episode 2: The Lion and the Rose

As the band at Joffrey Lannister’s wedding to Margaery Tyrell, Sigur Rós had the opportunity to perform what is considered by many to be Thrones‘ most iconic song, “The Rains of Castamere”—a version of which is also included on the season four soundtrack. Of course, this also meant they got to be rudely shooed off stage by the soon-to-be-dead king himself.

Mastodon

Season 5, Episode 8: Hardhome

While it’s hard not to focus on watching the Night’s King raise thousands of Wildlings from the dead at the end of “Hardhome,” Mastodon members Bill Kelliher, Brent Hinds and Brann Dailor also appear in the final scene as three newly created wights.

But don’t think that getting brutally killed off made the heavy metal band enjoy the experience any less. “I watched my best friends Brent and Bill murdered right in front of me as I myself was stabbed in the stomach and had my throat slit multiple times, and I didn’t mind at all,” Dailor told Pitchfork.

Of Monsters and Men

Season 6, Episodes 5 and 6: The Door and Blood of My Blood

When Arya is watching the Stark-Lannister saga play out in the Braavosi production of “The Bloody Hand” she attends during her time with the Faceless Men, Of Monsters and Men are the stage musicians performing the show’s musical accompaniment.

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran and Maisie Williams in Game of Thrones
Ed Sheeran and Maisie Williams in 'Game of Thrones'Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO

Season 7, Episode 1: Dragonstone

Ed Sheeran made a much buzzed-about cameo in the season seven premiere, appearing as a nameless Lannister soldier who shows Arya some rare generosity during her journey through the Riverlands. The “Shape of You” singer’s guest spot was originally teased during Thrones South by Southwest panel when showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss revealed they had included him as a gift to Maisie Williams—who plays Arya. “For years we were trying to get Ed Sheeran on the show to surprise Maisie and this year we finally did it,” Benioff said.

Bastille

Samir Hussein

Season 7 (Rumored)

The indie pop band will reportedly make an appearance as Wildlings in a battle scene of the final episode of season seven, according to fansite Watchers on the Wall. While this cameo has yet to be officially confirmed, frontman Dan Smith did tell Vogue that the group was scheduled to visit the Thrones‘ set earlier in the year.

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Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com