Cillian Murphy's brooding stare, heart-throbbing silences, and his power to command a room with a smirk are well-known among his devoted fanbase. But there exists a quieter cadence underlying it all, an influence of chords, vinyl, and the beat of a dancefloor. Murphy never quite left behind the music that used to run through his veins. From bands to unexpected DJ appearances, he sustained an alternate existence within melodies when the lights and camera go down.

Here is a look at Cillian Murphy's B-side history in music.

Over the years, Cillian Murphy has been mentioned within music circles not only as a fan but as a reluctant participant. Perhaps the most noticeable moment was in September 2025, when he made a surprise appearance on the decks at the Sounds From a Safe Harbour festival, which he co-curates in Cork, Ireland. 

It was not the first time he had dabbled in DJ culture. Prior reports and social media activity indicated that he had, on occasion, curated or been involved with DJ nights and music festivals, marrying his curatorial drive with his performative gravitas. The aura surrounding his DJ sightings is one of rarity, like clandestine entrances into a secluded side of his creativity, scarcely revealed, but long cherished.

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Murphy's musical sway is proof that he has not relinquished the roots of the decks completely, even as a renowned actor.

Cillian Murphy did not merely listen to music during his teenage years and early 20s; he created it. He was in a band called The Sons of Mr Green Genes, named after one of the songs by Frank Zappa, alongside his brother, Páidi. In several interviews, Murphy explained how the group blended acid jazz, funk, instrumental experimentation, and lengthy guitar solos, a sort of sound that bucked the popular formula of the day. They were also offered a five-album deal by Acid Jazz Records, which they refused due to contractual hindrances. However, his career later leaped into acting from the guitar strings, establishing him as one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood.

Cillian Murphy's shift from music to performing arts was not sudden but developed in tandem. In the midst of band life, Murphy was also attached to the theatre in Cork and continued working as an actor from the late 90s starring in several plays and independent films including Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (1998), The Country Boy (1999), On the Edge (2001), Filleann an Feall (2000) and Watchmen (2001), among others.

Eventually, though his band's fantasy was eclipsed by the lure of film and theater, those first notes lingered on. In 2013, Murphy directed his first music video for Money's single 'Hold Me Forever,' featuring English National Ballet dancers at The Old Vic Theatre in London. Speaking to NME, Murphy revealed that he "just never thought that I was good enough really," which is why he never pursued music and would likely remain unchanged in the future.

Aside from broadcasting, Cillian Murphy's surprise DJ sets and festival drops keep him grounded in the realm of live music. He also talks to up-and-coming bands, and recently connected with the UK rock band Yard Act, chatting about how they had met working on a Peaky Blinders set and their respect for one another's work.

To Murphy, who next embodies a headteacher in Netflix's Steve, music is not a memory of his childhood but a side current, always rippling beneath his acting career. His musical past is not a footnote in his career as a master thespian but a rich layer beneath his already massive persona. From his teenage years playing in bands in Cork to unexpected DJ interjections and radio playlists, he never quit music altogether. Even as the stage of acting became his primary one, his affinity for sound and rhythm lived on.

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