The season-one finale, 'The Last Waltz,' is named as an homage to Martin Scorsese's concert film of the same name.

Many episode titles allude to rock albums and songs, such as 'Filthy Lucre' (Sex Pistols), 'Turn the Page' (Bob Seger, also covered by Metallica), and 'The Land of Rape and Honey' (Ministry), while episodes '...And Justice for All' and 'The Unforgiven' are named after Metallica songs.

Hank Moody's fictional novels South of Heaven, Seasons in the Abyss, and God Hates Us All are all named after Slayer albums, and the books Crack the Sky and Blood Mountain by fictional author Richard Bates share their names with Mastodon albums.

The character Atticus Fetch, a rockstar played by Tim Minchin, has a name that is a play on Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird.

The main character Hank Moody has been likened by critics to writer Charles Bukowski, and is even directly compared to Bukowski by other characters within the show, echoing Bukowski's alter ego Henry 'Hank' Chinaski.

Zakk Wylde, guitarist for Black Label Society and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist, made a cameo as a guitar-shop employee in an episode titled 'Suicide Solution,' referencing the Ozzy Osbourne song.

Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee had a cameo performing a solo piano version of the band's song 'Home Sweet Home' at the end of the episode 'Lights, Camera, Asshole.'

The character Lew Ashby, a record producer, is believed to be based on real-life producer Rick Rubin, and the scenes set in Ashby's house were actually filmed at Rubin's real home.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers filed a lawsuit against Showtime in November 2007 over the show's title, arguing it caused confusion with their 1999 album and song 'Californication'; the suit was reportedly settled out of court by 2011.

Showtime countered the band's lawsuit by noting the term 'Californication' appeared in Time magazine in 1972 and that creator Tom Kapinos was inspired by a 1970s bumper sticker reading 'Don't Californicate Oregon.'