Keanu Reeves Names His 10 Favorite Bands

Keanu Reeves has identified 10 bands that shaped his musical tastes, revealing a strong connection to punk rock, alternative music and post-punk. In a 1996 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor discussed the groups that influenced him while he was developing his own musical identity as the bassist for Dogstar.

According to Far Out Magazine, Reeves named Fugazi, The Ramones, Exploited, Discharge, Elvis Costello, The Clash, Violent Femmes, Joy Division, Minor Threat and Bad Brains as his all-time favorites. His selections reflect the range of music that informed his approach to songwriting and performing.

Reeves also discussed Dogstar's sound during the interview, explaining that the band's music combined accessible melodies with less conventional lyrical themes.

"Our songs are kind of deceiving. They have a pop aspect to them, but the lyrics are not poppy," Reeves said.

He emphasized that Dogstar was developing its own musical identity rather than attempting to imitate established artists.

"We're not trying to copy anyone's sound: We're doing our own thing. Hopefully, people will like it," he said.

Reeves formed Dogstar in 1991 with musicians who pursued their own careers alongside his acting work. The band remained active until 2002 before eventually returning to the music scene.

Dogstar released two albums during its original run: Our Little Visionary in 1996 and Happy Ending in 2000. According to Far Out Magazine, both records received a moderate response from listeners.

The group also performed with opening acts that later achieved wider recognition, including Rancid and Weezer. Far Out reported that Weezer played its first show as an opening act for Dogstar.

Reeves described the band's progression from informal rehearsals to touring during a 2017 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, recalling how songwriting led the group to perform its material live.

"You know, we started in a garage, and then you end up starting to write songs, and then you're like 'Let's go out and play them!', and then you're like 'Let's go on tour!', and then…you're playing," Reeves said.

Dogstar's early name was Small Fecal Matter before the musicians changed it to BFS, which stood for Big Fucking Shit or Big Fucking Sound. They eventually adopted the name Dogstar after reading Sexus by Henry Miller.

Guitarist Gregg Miller discussed Reeves' role in the band in a 1995 interview with The Orlando Sentinel, describing the actor's relationship with the bass guitar and his position within the group.

"Keanu just loves playing bass," Gregg Miller said. "He's not the frontman of the band, although he's the focus of the band. We're faced with that, but I've been doing (music) my whole life, and Rob and Bret have been doing it for a while."

Miller also defended the band's ability to perform independently of Reeves' celebrity status, emphasizing that the musicians believed they could deliver an entertaining live show.

"We've had this opportunity, but it's not like we have this break, and we don't deserve it. We feel that we can put on an entertaining show. Otherwise, we'd just play in the garage for our friends," he said.

Reeves has also expressed admiration for Alvvays, highlighting his interest in melodic songwriting, inventive arrangements and the interplay between bass guitar and drums. His more recent musical preferences demonstrate that his listening habits extend beyond the punk and post-punk bands he identified in 1996.