- Jazmine Olivia Joplin is named after the singer-songwriters Olivia Newton John and Janis Joplin.
- Jazmine shares the same birthday as Janis Joplin of January 19th.
- Jazmine's Stand Limelight is named after the song Limelight by the Canadian progressive rock band Rush.
- Limelight's special abilities, Sunglasses at Night, Another Light, and Shooting Star, are named after the songs Sunglasses At Night by Corey Hart, Another Light by Red Vox, and Shooting Star by Bad Company respectively.
- The title of The Lighted Stage is in reference to the first lyrics of Limelight.
- The fashion company MAISON's (originally named "Maison D'ouleur") is the French translation of the name of the anthem for the House of Pain
- The psychoactive drug known as the Gypsy Eyes is named after the song Gypsy Eyes by Jimi Hendrix.
- The wine containing Gypsy Eyes is called "Travail d'Amour", a French translation of the album title for {{W}|UB-40}}'s album Labour of Love, which contained a cover of the song Red Red Wine
- Alexa Zivojinovic is named after Canadian musician Alex Zivojinovic of the band Rush. Alex's professional surname of "Lifeson" is also used as Alexa's undercover surname at Maison.
- Alexa's Stand Private Eyes is named after the song Private Eyes by Daryl Hall and John Oates.
- Alexa's birthday of November 7th is the same day that the song Private Eyes topped #1 on global music charts.
- The nickname of the "Square Biz Killer" is a reference to the song Square Biz by Tina Marie.
- Maison's headquarter's is located on a street named Electric Avenue, named after the song Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant.
- The first ending song used for the audiobook is Marigold Sky by duo Daryl Hall and John Oates.
- Martin Rossi's Stand Hotel California is named after the song Hotel California by American rock band The Eagles.
- The codename of the CIA subdivision known as La Cantina is in reference to the song La Cantina by Lil Rob.
- The Three Days Grace period caused by the artificial Gypsy Eyes is named after the American nu metal band Three Days Grace.
- Theodore Carnaby's Stand Sharp Dressed man is named after the song Sharp Dressed Man by American rock band ZZ Top.
- The diner where Jazmine and Calvin have their first fight is called Tom's Diner, and is a reference to the song Tom's Diner by the singer and songwriter Suzanne Vega.
- At the diner, Calvin plays two songs on a juke box: Gin House Blues by The Animals and You Really Got Me by The Kinks.
- Calvin James is named after Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., more commonly known as the American rap artist Snoop Dogg
- Calvin shares the birthday of October 20th with Snoop Dogg.
- Calvin's Stand Gin And Juice is named after the song Gin And Juice by Snoop Dogg.
- Mickey Finn's Stand Dangerous Toys is named after the band Dangerous Toys.
- Mina Moore's Stand Piece of Mind is named after the song Piece of Mind by the American rock band Boston.
- Beefeater has a tattoo on his chest that reads "C.R.E.A.M." (Cash Rules Everything Around Me), a reference to the song C.R.E.A.M. by the Wu-Tang Clan.
- Beefeater's Stand Money Talks is named after the song Money Talks by AC/DC.
- Beefeaters's birthday of September 21st is the same day that the song Money Talks was released on the album Razor's Edge.
- Ashton Upmann's Stand Time in a Bottle is named after the song Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce.
- Crow N. Royal's Stand Counting Crows is named after the band Counting Crows.
- In Eloise Margot's first appearance, she is seen wearing a Raspberry colored beret in reference to the song Raspberry Beret by Prince.
- Eloise Margot is named after the the band Electric Light Orchestra. Her nickname "Elo" is also in reference to the acronym ELO which is usedto represent the band.
- Eloise's birthday of June 27th is when the album Xanadu was released, the soundtrack of the movie by the same name and by Electric Light Orchestra.
- Eloise Margot's Stand Witchy Woman is named after the song Witchy Woman by The Eagles.
- The alternate ghostly versions of Eloise created by Witchy Woman are referred to as Summer Dreams in reference to the song One Summer Dream by Electric Light Orchestra.
- An application of Witchy Woman's Summer Dreams where Eloise stacks multiple version sof herself under the hat is called Strange Magic, in reference to the song Strange Magic by Electric Light Orchestra
- The alternate ghostly versions of Eloise created by Witchy Woman are referred to as Summer Dreams in reference to the song One Summer Dream by Electric Light Orchestra.
- Jaeger Meister's Stand Trapt is named after the American rock band TRAPT
- The Fortunate Sons and their collective Stand Fortunate Son are in reference to the song Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
- Dr. Elfmann Von Weirdscience is named after Danny Elfmann.
- Weirdscience's surname is a reference to Weird Science by the band Oingo Boingo, which Danny Elfmann was the lead singer of.
- Steiner Optic's birthday of May 20th is the release date of the song Every Breath You Take by The Police.
- Steiner Optics's Stand Dream Weaver is named after the song Dream Weaver by Gary Wright.
- Cherilyn Jackson's surname is in reference to The Jackson 5.
- Cherilyn's nickname Sunny Cherr is in reference to Sonny & Cher
- Sunny's Stand Soulful Strut is named after the song Soulful Strut by Young-Hot Unlimited.
- The title of Chapter 9, "She’s Gone" is in reference to the song She's Gone by Daryl Hall & John Oates.
- Weston Archer's Stand is named after the album Moving Pictures, both by Rush.
- Moving Pictures's ability to capture objects in polaroid pictures a reference to the song The Camera Eye off the Moving Pictures Album
- Weston's birthday of February 12th is when the album Moving Pictures released.
- Zefir Tchaikovsky's Stand Sugar Plum Fairy is named after the classical piece Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
- Mudi is named after "Muddy", musician Tom Petty's alias while in The Traveling Wilburys.
- Mudi's Stand Handle With Care is named after the song Handle With Care by The Traveling Wilburys.
- The title of Chapter 11, "MAISON Comes Together! The Mission to Rescue JoJo" is in reference to the song Come Together by The Beatles
- MAISON's new fashion line "Dear Ms. Fantasy" is a reference to the song Dear Mr. Fantasy by the band Traffic.
- Dior Lancome is named after the American heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio.
- Dior's Stand Virtual insanity is named after the song Virtual Insanity by British singer Jamiroquai.
- Virtual Insanity's ability break apart objects into cubic divisions is in reference to the song Subdivisions by Rush.
- The White Rooms created by Virtual Insanity's subdivision ability is a reference to the song "White Room" by the band Cream.
- Virtual Insanity's ability break apart objects into cubic divisions is in reference to the song Subdivisions by Rush.
- The second ending song used for the audiobook is Photograph by the rock band Def Leppard.
- The title of Chapter 15, "Which is Which and Who is Who" is in reference to the lyrics of the song Us and Them by the British progressive rock band Pink Floyd.
- The nightclub Hungry like the Wolf is named after the song Hungry like the Wolf by the band Duran Duran.
- Kurt Duffy - a common patron of the Hungry like the Wolf nightclub - has the birthday of June 7th, which was the release date of the song in America.
- Kriss Kross & Sir Mix-A-Lot is named after the hip-hop artist Kriss Kross and Sir Mix-A-Lot respectively.
- All of the victims of the Square Biz Killers have names referencing singers or famous songs:
- Amelia Winemann is named after Amy Winehouse.
- Billie Fagan is named after Billie Holiday.
- Poppy Argo is named after Poppy and Mars Argo.
- Annie Perez is named after the fictional "Annie" in the song Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson.
- Dorothy Garland is partly named after Judy Garland.
- Karin Carpenter is named after Karen Carpenter, the lead vocalist of The Carpenters.
- Kurt Duffy's Stand Girls On Film is named after the song Girls On Film by Duran Duran.
- The title of Chapter 19, "Rockin' Down the Highway! It's a Race to the Marina!" is in reference to song Rockin' Down the Highway by The Doobie Brothers
- In the audiobook, the song Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie by Jay & The Techniques can be heard playing on Thunderbird's Radio.
- Dos Equis shares the birthday of April 9th with rapper Lil Nas X.
- Dos Equis's Stand Division Bell is named after the album The Division Bell by Pink Floyd
- Division Bell's ability to split objects into magnetically polar twins of themselves in reference to the Poles Apart from The Division Bell album.
- When Eloise is split apart by Division Bell, she is split into two polar opposites called Sweet Talkin' Woman and Evil Woman, a reference to the songs Sweet Talkin' Woman and Evil Woman by Electric Light Orchestra.
- Division Bell's ability to split objects into magnetically polar twins of themselves in reference to the Poles Apart from The Division Bell album.
- The title of Chapter 20, "For Whom the Bell Tolls! A Tale of Two Witches" is in reference to song For Whom the Bell Tolls by the American thrash metal band Metallica.
- The title of Chapter 21, "Ain’t it Fun? A Play Date with Dangerous Toys" is in reference to song Ain't It Fun by the band Paramore.
- Angus Tora's Stand Particle Man is named after the song Particle Man by the musical duo They Might Be Giants
- The title of Chapter 22, "Memories Are Made of This" is a reference to two similar song tiles: Memories Are Made of This by the singer Dean Marin and Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by the duo Eurythmics.
- MAISON's fashion line "The Children of Destiny: Surviving the Square Biz Killer" is a reference to the song Survivor by Destiny's Child.
- The evolution of Dream Weaver called Dream Weaver Reprise: Clockwork Angels is named after the album and song Clockwork Angels by Rush.
- The concept of reprisal is based on a reprise in music in which a certain previously played passage is repeated.
- Dr. Elfmann Von Weirdscience's Stand Maxwell's Silver Hammer is named after the song Maxwell's Silver Hammer by The Beatles.