Songs that mention other artists

[KeithE4Phx]

The 1967 autobiographical Creeque Alley by the Mamas and Papas, mentions Roger McGuinn and Barry McGuire ("still gettin' higher") in the chorus.  They also mention John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky of the Lovin' Spoonful, plus themselves, in the lyrics.

[KeithE4Phx]

"The Seeker" by the Who - mentions Bob Dylan and the Beatles.

Not a musician, but "I asked Timothy Leary, but he couldn't help me, either."  Leary is also the subject of the Moody Blues' Legend of a Mind.

[dlsterner]

Mojo Nixon - Don Henley Must Die mentions Don Henley and Sting

Mojo Nixon is also responsible for "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with my Two Headed Love Child" and "Elvis is Everywhere"  (the Debbie Gibson song also mentions Tiffany)

I believe "Don Henley Must Die" also mentions Henley's bandmate Glenn Frey.  "Don Henley Must Die ... Don't let him get together with Glenn Frey"

[Roadgeekteen]

Billy Joel is mentioned in Deja Vu by Olivia Rodrigo.

[roadman65]

The Commodores song Nightshift mentions Marvin Gaye.

Hey Hey My My by Neil Young mentions " The King."  Of course it's Elvis.

[Brian556]

"Tim McGraw" Tayor Swift
"Marvin Gaye" Charlie Puth /Megan Trainor
"Good Time" - Owl City -  Lyrics: "What's up with the Prince song inside my head?"

[Throckmorton]

   
From the nearly completely obscure files:
   
The Animals, on the album Animalism, covered "Shake" by the great Sam Cooke.   
   
Eric Burdon works in a mention of Sam and also Otis Redding, who had previously covered the song.   
   
   

[Throckmorton]

   
Pure Prairie League in the song "You're Between Me" refs McKendree Spring.   
   
   

[Throckmorton]

   
There's a few references to other artists on Tom Waits' Nighthawks at the Diner.   
   
In "Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)" there is a mention of Chuck E. Weiss and also George Perkins.   
   
Incidentally, Chuck E. Weiss is the Chuck E in Rickie Lee Jones' "Chuck E's in Love".   
   
There's another mention in "Nighthawk Postcards" and you really need to hear it to do it justice but it goes like this: "The el train tumbled across the trestles and it sounded like the ghost of Gene Krupa with an overhead cam and glasspacks."
   
Same album.
Song: "Putnam County"
Line: "As Bubba and the Roadmasters moaned in pool hall concentration   
and knit their brows to cover the entire Hank Williams songbook...   
whether you like it...or not."   
   
   

[MinecraftNinja]

The Clash - London Calling mentions the Beatles.

[Roadgeekteen]

Taylor Swift in Kanye West's Famous.

[amroad17]

The end of the New Radicals song "You Get What You Give" mentions "Fashion shoots with Beck and Hanson, Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson/You're all fakes, run to your mansions..."
Alan Jackson mentions George Jones in "Don't Rock the Jukebox".

[Ned Weasel]

"Californication" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Edit: Oh yeah, how could I forget "Pennyroyal Tea" by Nirvana?

[1995hoo]

"Miles Davis and the Cool" by the Gaslight Anthem (obvious who it mentions, which it does as early as the first line of the song)

[Henry]

Another obvious reference: Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger (this one is about Mick)

[roadman65]

Does Elton John's Empty Garden count? It's a tribute song to John Lennon and the coda reads " Hey Johnny, Won't you come out to play in your empty garden?"  Which does not say his name, but implies it.

[ethanhopkin14]

Train

"Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio?"

[1995hoo]

"Johnny Bye Bye" by Springsteen–"The man on the radio said Elvis Presley died." (I believe "Come On (Let's Go Tonight)" from the compilation album The Promise has an almost identical lyric, though I haven't heard that song in a while.)

[amroad17]

Confederate Railroad had a song called "Elvis and Andy" in 1994--of course referring to Elvis Presley and Andy Griffith.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

George Harrison's version of "Far East Man" starts with a spoken shoutout to Frank Sinatra, who had recently covered Harrison's "Something" and had a minor hit with it.

[NWI_Irish96]

Weird Al Yankovic had a song called Still Billy Joel to Me that he didn't put out because Billy Joel objected

"Weird Al"'s song "Word Crimes":

You should never
Write words using numbers
Unless you're seven
Or your name is Prince

He also had two songs "The Brady Bunch" and "Couch Potato" that rattle of large numbers of TV shows/stars.

One more "Weird Al" entry: his various polka medleys have references that originally appeared in other songs: Devo, Amadeus, Slim Shady

[golden eagle]

The Commodores song Nightshift mentions Marvin Gaye.

Hey Hey My My by Neil Young mentions " The King."  Of course it's Elvis.

And Jackie Wilson.

"Slow Jams" by Jamie Foxx, Twista and Kanye West mentions Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Ready For the World, New Edition and Michael Jackson.

Pink's "Don't Let Me Get Me" mentions Britney Spears.

LA Style came out with "James Brown Is Dead" in the early 90s. Would've been appropriate when he actually died in 2006.

[US 89]

Miley Cyrus's "Party in the USA" mentions both Jay-Z and Britney Spears.

[jp the roadgeek]

The Commodores song Nightshift mentions Marvin Gaye.

Hey Hey My My by Neil Young mentions " The King."  Of course it's Elvis.

And Jackie Wilson.

And of course Van Morrison did the song Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile

The Righteous Brother's Rock & Roll Heaven mentions Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, and Jim Croce, among others.

[ethanhopkin14]

The Commodores song Nightshift mentions Marvin Gaye.

Hey Hey My My by Neil Young mentions " The King."  Of course it's Elvis.

And Jackie Wilson.

And of course Van Morrison did the song Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile

The Righteous Brother's Rock & Roll Heaven mentions Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, and Jim Croce, among others.

Speaking of Van:

"I'm Real Real Gone" mentions Wilson Picket, Solomon Burke, James Brown and Gene Chandler.

His version of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" the spoken word bridge he mentions Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong and Hank Williams.

"Cleaning Windows" he mentions Jimmy Rodgers, Blind Lemon, Sonny Terry, Brownie Mcghee, Muddy Waters, Christmas Humphries and Jack Kerouac (although writers).