new musician biographies

From Madonna to Barbra Streisand, it was the year music took over books

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Maybe it was the continued rude health of indie bookstores in 2023, or perhaps a millennial fascination with the pop antiquities of the pre-smartphone era. Or maybe it’s just Mom and Dad Rockers desperate to reel in the years with the gods of their youth . For whatever reason, this year has turned out to be a banner publishing moment for musical giants who until now have not been graced with the full-dress books they deserve — some rigorously researched deep dives, other chatty memoirs or anthologies, many of them illuminations of life and art in urban milieus with all their messy interactions.

Our critics and reporters select their favorite TV shows, movies, albums, songs, books, theater, art shows and video games of the year.

Among the ill-served icons getting their propers in print this year is Lou Reed : New York’s leather prince, the street poet who launched at least three musical genres with his band the Velvet Underground , a lodestar for gender fluidity long before anyone else bothered to write songs about LBGTQ+ and the subculture that nurtured it. Before Will Hermes’ riveting biography “ Lou Reed: The King of New York ,” the artist’s biographers have tended to be either mean-spirited or bone-dry, glossing over the rough magic of Reed’s inner life.

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Hermes, a veteran music critic, has written what will surely be the definitive Reed biography for years to come, a complete portrait of this inconstant, erratic genius, the most eloquent voice of the marginalized during the Nixon era. An elegant prose stylist with a sharp critical eye, Hermes appears to have scared up everyone alive whose life intersected with his subject. And he embraces the contradictions of a musical empath who could be heartless and malicious, tender and vulnerable to friends and lovers — a great bully poet much like Reed’s literary hero and mentor, Delmore Schwartz .

Lou Reed in concert at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, 1974.

Hermes skillfully twines together the many strands of Reed’s singular life — a benumbing suburban childhood, electroshock therapy, heroin addiction and artistic flowering at the feet of Schwartz and the Beats. Providing fresh stories at every turn, he is particularly adept at conjuring the meth-enabled swirl of Andy Warhol’s Factory universe and Reed’s attachment to the Pop artist, his beloved mentor and bête noir. This is the best biography of a composer since Alex Ross’ 2020 book “ Wagnerism .”

One of Reed’s most talented acolytes graced us with a memoir this year. Thurston Moore hit New York as a 14-year-old Reed fanatic in the late ‘70s, right before his idol’s old, weird downtown was forever lost and Wall Street money moved in. Into this liminal space emerged the squalling, post-punk deconstructions of the No Wave movement : saxophonist James Chance and his Contortions, singer-poet Lydia Lunch and, most crucially for Moore, composer Glenn Branca , whose ear-bleed guitar symphonies alerted the Connecticut native to the beauty of Loud. He would harness that volume with his avant-rock band Sonic Youth for 30 years. Moore has a lot of great stories to tell, and he does so engagingly in “ Sonic Life ,” the tale of a record collector geek made good, a seeker after new sounds who in turn became a key architect of experimental rock in the two decades that followed.

In “Sonic Life” Moore, a suburban outcast like Reed, becomes a pilgrim in search of transcendence through noise and muscles his way into an East Village tempest of brash risk-taking. He meets future bandmates Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo . Sonic Youth pulls the throttle all the way out: Moore threads drumsticks into his guitar strings, Ranaldo utilizes an electric drill onstage, Gordon barks out her bold feminist anthems on the seductions of consumer-driven desire. Moore has set it all down, and his book is an engaging memory piece through a golden era of busted toilets and secondhand smoke that now seems as distant as Montparnasse in the 1920s. If you’re looking for juicy bits about Moore and his ex-wife Gordon , you mercifully won’t find it here. He keeps that part of his private life to himself.

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While Sonic Youth was cultivating a following on the margins, another downtown scenester was hitting dance clubs like Paradise Garage and Danceteria with designs on something bigger. As a young Michigan exile, Madonna Ciccone found her people in these spaces, and when she insisted DJs spin her record “Everybody,” the fuse was lit. Mary Gabriel’s comprehensive biography “ Madonna: A Rebel Life ” can be read as the uptown analogue to “Sonic Life,” as this force of nature quickly outgrows New York clubland and in a few short years enters the pop icon pantheon.

Gabriel has done her homework, giving equal weight to Madonna’s private and public selves in a sprawling survey that offers a strong argument for Madonna as a sound-and-vision innovator every bit as crucial as David Bowie . But you have to really care about her relationships with Sean Penn and Warren Beatty to get there.

Decades before Madonna lit up the New York night, Ella Fitzgerald had audiences standing on their seats at the Savoy Ballroom as the singer for Chick Webb’s swing band, a powerhouse vocalist who had to overcome her “pretty plain looks” before she became the 20th century’s tower of song. In her excellent biography “ Becoming Ella Fitzgerald ,” Judith Tick makes a compelling case for Fitzgerald as a modernist innovator. Promoters and managers told her to stick to one marketable sound, but that wasn’t an option, as Fitzgerald contained multitudes: novelty songs (her self-penned 1938 hit “A Tisket-a-tasket” put her on the map); classic recordings of the Great American Songbook; and the expertly knotty ululations of her scat singing in the bebop era — a genre in which Fitzgerald became the acknowledged master.

Twenty-eight years after Fitzgerald recorded her 1945 hit “ Flying Home ,” a record that placed scat singing front and center in popular music, Sly Stone was recording his own half-whispered version of scat live in a Sausalito studio. It would become the vamp-out to 1973’s “If You Want Me to Stay,” the last big hit for Sly and his band, the Family Stone.

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Stone fans have been waiting a long time for the reclusive singer to finally break his silence about his life and career. While his memoir “ Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) ” offers up its share of gonzo tales involving drugs, guns and pet baboons, the erstwhile superstar, 80, provides only tantalizing crumbs of real insight into his messy life. Still, there are some ripping anecdotes (baboons!), and origin stories behind “Stand!,” “Everyday People” and Stone’s other funky one-world anthems.

"Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)," by Sly Stone

Perhaps Stone surmised that it’s best to keep his mystique alive, as opposed to expounding on his life at great length in the fashion of Barbra Streisand ’s “ My Name is Barbra .” Alas, no one has ever told this to the countless fanboys (yes, they are almost always boys) and academics who continue to write books about Bob Dylan , coming at the Nobel laureate from every conceivable angle. And yet, somehow, this year has brought something entirely new: A lavish, glossy scrapbook with material provided by Dylan himself.

“ Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine ” is a stunning visual trip through the artist’s life and art as revealed via Dylan’s own ephemera and Zimmerman-adjacent mementos from friends and musicians. Published in conjunction with the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Okla., this immaculately designed coffee-table confection also features a collection of informative essays from Lucy Sante , Greil Marcus , Ed Ruscha and others. They provide context for what we’re seeing, which is quite a bit — grade school class photos, Dylan’s notebooks, manuscripts and legal pads and, yes, even photos that this Dylan freak has never seen before.

18 best nonfiction books for fans of Madonna, memoirs or cultural histories

2023 is the year of the star-studded gift book, with memoirs and biographies covering rockers, auteurs, poets, controversial executives and, yes, Julia Fox.

Nov. 1, 2023

Which reinforces a couple of valuable lessons from this year’s joyful glut of music tell-alls. First: While they’re no substitute for the brilliantly written, category-killing, milieu-rich biography, no format is inherently better or worse at delivering the goods. And second: There’s always something new under the sun.

Weingarten is the author of “Thirsty: William Mulholland, California Water, and The Real Chinatown.”

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100 Must-Read Musician Memoirs and Biographies

Ashley Holstrom

Ashley Holstrom helps make books at Sourcebooks. She lives near Chicago with her cat named after Hemingway and her bookshelves organized by color. Newsletter: Crooked Reads . Twitter: @alholstrom .

View All posts by Ashley Holstrom

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One of the best ways to get into a new (old) band or musician is to find their memoirs and biographies. Immerse yourself in the creation of these gifted humans, stare googly-eyed at the photos printed on glossy pages in the middle of the book, and then jam out to their music. It’s all a win.

At least, that’s how I ended up obsessed with Guns N’ Roses. And The Doors. And Motley Crue. And Aerosmith. And, in the future, many more that I’m holding on to for just the right moment.

Here are 100 musician memoirs and biographies, sorted by the music’s genre (loosely defined), to get you rockin’ and rollin’ and movin’ and groovin’.

Country/Folk

My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman

Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie

Rat Girl by Kristin Hersh

Love, Janis by Laura Joplin

Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn, George Vecsey

Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography by Jimmy McDonough

Reba: My Story by Reba McEntire, Tom Carter

It’s a Long Story: My Life by Willie Nelson

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Remembering the Free Birds of Southern Rock by Gene Odom, Frank Dorman

Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt

The 50th Law by 50 Cent, Robert Greene

Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm by Percy Carey, Ronald Wimberly

Fight the Power: Rap, Race, and Reality by Chuck D, Yusuf Jah

The Way I Am by Eminem

Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood by Ice-T, Douglas Century

Unashamed by Lecrae Moore

The Tao of Wu by The RZA

The Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac Shakur

How to Ruin Everything: Essays by George Watsky

Gone ‘Til November by Lil Wayne

The Good Life by Tony Bennett

The Godfather of Soul: An Autobiography by James Brown

Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker by Stanley Crouch

Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis

Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon

Blues All Around Me: The Autobiography of B.B. King by B.B. King, David Ritz

John Coltrane: His Life and Music by Lewis Porter

Jazz Cleopatra: Josephine Baker in Her Time by Phyllis Rose

Now and Then… by Gil Scott-Heron

Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout

Pop/Punk/Reggae/Ska

Catch a Fire: The Autobiography by Melanie B.

Black By Design: A 2-Tone Memoir by Pauline Black

Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of the Clash by Pat Gilbert

Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout by Laura Jane Grace

If Only by Geri Halliwell

Herbie Hancock: Possibilities by Herbie Hancock, Lisa Dickey

Reckless: My Life as a Pretender by Chrissie Hynde

Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs by John Lydon

I’ll Never Write My Memoirs by Grace Jones, Paul Morley

A Natural Woman: A Memoir by Carole King

Army of She: Icelandic, Iconoclastic, Irrepressible Björk by Evelyn McDonnell

Get in the Van: On the Road With Black Flag by Henry Rollins

Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My

Life As a Fabulous Ronette by Ronnie Spector, Vince Waldron

Rod: The Autobiography by Rod Stewart

Diana Ross: A Biography by J. Randy Taraborrelli

In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death, and Duran Duran by Nigel John Taylor

I, Tina by Tina Turner, Kurt Loder

Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley by Timothy White

Pharrell: Places and Spaces I’ve Been by Pharrell Williams

Rock ‘n’ Roll

Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys. by Viv Albertine

Between a Heart and a Rock Place: A Memoir by Pat Benatar

Chuck Berry: The Autobiography by Chuck Berry

Moonage Daydream: The Life & Times of Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein

Lips Unsealed: A Memoir by Belinda Carlisle

Cash by Johnny Cash

Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton

Journals by Kurt Cobain

Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello

Neon Angel by Cherie Currie

Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division by Deborah Curtis

Hammer of the Gods by Stephen Davis

Things The Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett

Fleetwood: My Life and Adventures in Fleetwood Mac by Mick Fleetwood, Stephen Davis

Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star by Ian Hunter

Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol

Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury by Lesley-Ann Jones

Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis

White Line Fever by Lemmy Kilmister

Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead by Phil Lesh

Dirty Blonde: The Diaries of Courtney Love by Courtney Love

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by Marilyn Manson

Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd by Nick Mason, Philip Dodd

It’s So Easy: And Other Lies by Duff McKagan

Autobiography by Morrissey

Joan Jett by Todd Oldham, Joan Jett

I Am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne

Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith by Joe Perry

Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley

Crazy from the Heat by David Lee Roth

Bird Lives!: The High Life & Hard Times of Charlie (Yardbird) Parker by Ross Russell

Slash by Slash, Anthony Bozza

Somebody to Love?: A Rock-and-Roll Memoir by Grace Slick, Andrea Cagan

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Face the Music: A Life Exposed by Paul Stanley

Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good by Corey Taylor

Who I Am by Pete Townshend

The Real Frank Zappa Book by Frank Zappa, Peter Occhiogrosso

Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke by Peter Guralnick

Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday, William Dufty

Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye by David Ritz

Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues by Elijah Wald

Hit Me, Fred: Recollections of a Sideman by Fred Wesley

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9 New Music Memoirs and Biographies for Rock and Blues Fans

Get the inside stories on b.b. king, led zeppelin, stevie van zandt and other legends.

from left to right books about eddie van halen and john mellencamp and b b king and dave grohl and led zeppelin and stevie van zandt

Some of the most exciting releases for music lovers this fall aren’t new albums but in-depth biographies and revealing memoirs from their favorite artists and bands. Whether you worship at the altar of the blues, know every guitar riff in the Led Zeppelin catalogue, or have seen The Boss countless times, these books have you covered.

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The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

“Though I have never been one to collect ‘stuff,’ I do collect moments,” writes the Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman, 52, in the introduction to his entertaining new memoir that’s a must for rock fans. Here Grohl details the many moments that led a punk-loving kid in the Virginia suburbs (with a “Wonder Bread existence”) to his current status as a rock elder statesman with 16 Grammys under his belt — with all the ups and downs in between, including heading out on tour for the first time at 18 and his heartbreak over Kurt Cobain’s 1994 suicide. Grohl’s now on his way to a second Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, this time for his work with Foo Fighters (the first was for his role in Nirvana) later this month.

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King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King by Daniel de Visé

As Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Daniel de Visé tells it, the biography of B.B. King isn’t just the story of a genre-defining musician, it’s a full-blown hero’s journey — the tale of one man’s triumphs over every obstacle (economic, racial, societal) the world threw in his way. “In those forty-five years, Riley B. King had risen from penniless sharecropper to sidewalk busker to Memphis deejay to chart-topping singer to King of the Blues,” de Visé writes, describing the music legend as “the first guitar hero.” Filled with interviews with King’s relatives, band members and managers, the resulting biography feels at once intimate and encyclopedic, offering a full picture of the man behind the myth.

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Led Zeppelin: The Biography by Bob Spitz

How do you encapsulate the musical legacy of one of the greatest bands in rock history? If you’re Bob Spitz, the best-selling author of books on the Beatles and Julia Child, you start talking — to everyone. For this definitive biography, Spitz conducted more than 150 interviews with friends, record executives and even groupies, and he offers insight into not only their artistic genius but also the controversies brought about by what he calls their “heedless hedonism.” At nearly 700 pages, the exhaustively researched tome is clearly pitched toward superfans, but Spitz fills the book with enough debauchery and trashed hotel rooms and bad decision-making that even a casual Led Zeppelin listener won't be able to look away. Spitz, it turns out, knows a thing or two about the music business: Before turning to book writing, he managed Bruce Springsteen and Elton John. (Nov. 9)

Eruption: Conversations With Eddie Van Halen by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill

Guitar god Eddie Van Halen died of cancer last October, but he left behind more than 50 hours of unreleased interviews with rock journalists Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill. Need proof that you’re in good hands? Tolinski and Gill are the former editors of Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado , respectively. While the book of course covers Van Halen’s rise to fame and his nearly unparalleled skill as a technical musician, the authors also dive deep into his complicated backstory. The musician has shared, for instance, that his childhood as a Dutch immigrant who couldn’t speak English led to decades of social anxiety and substance abuse. As you might expect from these writers, the book is also filled with obsessive details about Eddie’s guitars, his custom modifications, and the unusual and rare instruments he played throughout his career.

Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir by Stevie Van Zandt

You probably know the bandana-wearing Little Steven , 70, from his decades as a charismatic member of the E Street Band or his role as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos . But his new memoir illustrates just how seminal he’s been in the past five decades of American popular music. An anti-apartheid activist who wrote the protest song “Sun City,” he’s spent years celebrating and advocating for rock ’n’ roll as an art form: He hosts a weekly syndicated radio show focused on garage rock, created two music channels on SiriusXM, founded an indie record label, and even helped develop an arts education initiative that incorporates music history — from classical to reggae — into K-12 curricula. While some rock stars hide behind a veil of detached coolness, Van Zandt is a man marked by genuine enthusiasm, and his memoir reads like a love letter to the people and places and music that made him, with a healthy dose of nostalgia and good-natured humor.

Mellencamp by Paul Rees

Veteran journalist Paul Rees covers all the greatest hits of the Indiana rocker’s life, including his youth in the heartland with a father who was “a tyrant,” in Mellencamp’s words; his rise to fame in the 1980s; his cofounding of Farm Aid; and his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But what really makes this biography sing is how far it takes us inside John Mellencamp (he dropped the Cougar long ago), 69: his inspirations, motivations, struggles, obsessions and fears. He comes across as a complicated artist, who says in the book — which was written with the musician’s cooperation — “I like being the underdog. I’m like Sisyphus. I like rolling the rock up the hill.”

Also of Note

Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar With the Doors by Robby Krieger. The Doors guitarist describes the band’s wild existence with Jim Morrison at the helm. (Oct. 12)

My Life in Dire Straits: The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History by John Illsley. The bassist and founding member of Dire Straits tells all about the the band behind “Sultans of Swing.” (Nov. 9)

Rock Concert: An Oral History as Told by the Artists, Backstage Insiders, and Fans Who Were There by Marc Myers. Myers takes readers back to the heyday of live rock with stories from Alice Cooper, Joan Baez and many more. (Nov. 9)

Nicholas DeRenzo is a contributing writer who covers entertainment and travel. Previously he was executive editor of United Airlines Hemispheres magazine , and his work has appeared in The New York Times , Condé Nast Traveler , Travel & Leisure , Sunset and New York magazin e .

5 Must-Read Music Memoirs and Biographies Arriving In November 2023

by Lorie Liebig October 30, 2023, 9:22 pm

The year is quickly coming to a close, but bookworms have plenty of new releases to enjoy before 2024 arrives. We’ve curated a list of highly anticipated music memoirs and biographies that will hit bookshelves and digital stores this November.

Videos by American Songwriter

1. my name is barbra.

Multi-talented artist and performer Barbra Streisand delivers her first memoir this month. Set for release on November 7, My Name Is Barbra transports readers through the decades. Fans will get firsthand accounts of Streisand’s experiences as she proved her talents in film, theater, and music.

2. The Upcycled Self: The Story of Tariq Trotter, Who Would Become Black Thought, Co-founder of the Roots

Tariq Trotter, co-founding member of The Roots and celebrated creative, takes a deep dive into what shapes us in his upcoming book. Arriving on November 14, The Upcycled Self finds the award-winning rapper examining the people and experiences who led him to take his own path to success.

3. My Effin’ Life

Rush bassist Geddy Lee looks back on his evolution from a music-loving teen to a rock and roll star in his revealing memoir, due out on November 14. My Effin’ Life is a must-read for any longtime fan of the famed prog-rock group, offering a personal and powerful retrospective on their decades-long career.

4. World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music

Wilco ‘s Jeff Tweedy returns to the role of author for a third time with his latest work, set for release on November 7. World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music finds the acclaimed singer/songwriter examining the tracks that left a lasting impact on his life.

5. Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans

On November 14, author Kenneth Womack delivers an in-depth look at the man who helped steer The Beatles to superstardom. Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans lifts the veil on the often overlooked figure who saw the band’s potential from the very beginning.

Photo by Gerardo Mora/WireImage

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The 10 Best Music Books of 2023

By Pitchfork

Every year there are countless books released about music—2023 alone included dishy memoirs from Britney Spears, Barbra Streisand, and Sly Stone, plus a big-deal, authorized bio on Tupac. In our estimation, the best works tend to give the reader new ears with which to listen. What follows is a list of personal favorites from this year, as picked by Pitchfork staffers and contributors. Happy reading!

Check out all of Pitchfork’s 2023 wrap-up coverage here .

60 Songs That Explain the ’90s

In 2020, as the pandemic forced everyone who didn’t live on a megayacht to upend their entire lives, retreating into the nostalgia of one’s youth became an all-but-necessary coping mechanism. Veteran music writer Rob Harvilla felt that same urge. But instead of merely staring into the middle distance while washing dishes to Gin Blossoms’ “Hey Jealousy,” he put his musical memories to work and made an essayistic podcast called 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s . And now that very funny and startlingly insightful show—which has grown to cover more than 100 songs—has its own very funny and startlingly insightful book. (Full disclosure: I once lost money to Harvilla in a basement poker game in 2010, and recently guested on the 60 Songs podcast.)

The entire endeavor succeeds because Harvilla is so good at conveying his teenage excitement (he’s unafraid to use the descriptor “rad,” repeatedly) while also offering the wisdom of a fortysomething dad who’s been writing about music for much of his adult life. For every loving one-liner (listening to Celine Dion sing is “like drinking rosé from a fire hose”) or list of the 20 Worst Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles (don’t worry, “Party on Your Pussy” makes the Top 10), there are sober reflections on Courtney Love reading Kurt Cobain’s suicide note, or how white rap fans (like him, like me) would be smart to understand that they’re eavesdropping when they listen to a song like Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day.” Earnest, empathetic, and admirably goofy, Harvilla is an ideal guide to the most random decade in pop history. –Ryan Dombal

All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Black Punk Now

When James Spooner first logged on in 2001, he immediately Googled “Black punk.” A blank screen stared back at him: There were zero links. Spooner knew this was inaccurate—he had countless Black punk friends and collaborators—but the experience underscored that if no one else was going to document his culture, then it was up to him. This is what motivated Spooner to create the Afropunk documentary and festival, as well as compile this new anthology of writing alongside Black Card author Chris L. Terry.

Black Punk Now uses a multi-genre approach, from fiction to graphics to screenplays, to showcase the ways Black punks move through the world. In “The Princess and the Pit,” Mariah Stovall explores the racialized beauty standards of punk shows via a feminist fairytale. The script for comedian Kash Abdulmalik’s short film, Let Me Be Understood , meditates on one musician’s desire to have an honest relationship with his father.

The collection’s greatest strength is how it captures the pure joy felt by its contributors while living on the fringes, the integrity they’ve gained from being misunderstood by the white establishment. (As contributor Bobby Hackney Jr. puts it, what is more punk than challenging what people think “Black” is supposed to be?) Taken together, these works show readers that “punk” is a commitment to liberation from the tedium of mainstream culture, and a way to demand much more. –Mary Retta

The Golden Voice: The Ballad of Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen

One of the best graphic novels of the year is a riveting portrait of an undersung musical hero and an intense document of wartime Cambodia. Gregory Cahill tells the story of Ros Serey Sothea, the prolific ’60s and ’70s Cambodian rock singer who seemed to rocket from rice farmer to national treasure overnight. It’s an underdog story told through the lens of the Cambodian Civil War’s propaganda machine.

Scenes of Cambodian rock’n’roll club nights and studio recording sessions are depicted in a blissful sunrise palette of deep reds and oranges, with sheet music floating translucently into the ether. Music is central to the experience of enjoying the book; there’s an accompanying playlist, and each page has track cues, so the sound of Sothea’s music is never abstract. But the book is also full of darkness: A constant military presence hangs over Golden Voice , and it closes with the Khmer Rouge seizing power and burning Sothea’s records. It’s a tragedy with heart-wrenching illustrations and a solid history lesson, soundtracked by incredible vintage Cambodian records. –Evan Minsker

Goth: A History

Despite its totemic title, Goth: A History is neither a sociology textbook nor a definitive document of the subculture. Instead, Lol Tolhurst—a core member of the Cure across its gothiest period—has written a memoir and social history of his years in the scene’s cobwebbed trenches. Structured more like the florid chaos of the Cure’s Pornography than the linear minimalism of their Seventeen Seconds , the book wends its way from capsule meditations on the genre’s influences (Nico, Bowie, Camus, Sartre) into diaristic recollections from the Cure’s gloomy golden era; he wraps up with mini-profiles on fellow travelers like Cocteau Twins and Nine Inch Nails. But many of the book’s most revealing passages are its most personal, like running into Depeche Mode’s Andy Fletcher while in rehab, or discovering that his buttoned-up IRS agent was also a secret member of the sect.

Situating goth at the intersection of punk and Sylvia Plath, Tolhurst describes the movement as a necessary reaction to the bleakness of post-WWII England. Yet, as he considers its decades-long endurance and 21st-century mainstreaming, he also notes the universality of its message: “It can get lonely being the only weirdo in town. We all want a tribe to belong to.” At Portland’s Powell’s Books, I bought my own copy of Goth along with an armload of children’s books. “It looks like I’m trying to turn my daughter into a goth,” I said to the woman behind the register. Without so much as a smile, she replied, “We all get there eventually.” –Philip Sherburne

Hachette Books

Kleenex/LiLiPUT

In the raw rapture of their shredded shrieks and destabilized noise, O.G. punks Kleenex made the Sex Pistols sound like the Rolling Stones. Though the Swiss group broke up in 1983—changing their name to LiLiPUT in 1979 after a threat from the tissue company—it’s taken 40 years for English-language fans to fully access the primary document of this crucial all-woman band: the diaries of guitarist Marlene Marder, who died in 2016.

Originally published in German in 1986, the diary was also a scrapbook capturing “the detritus that comes with playing in a band,” as described by editor Grace Ambrose, who instigated this English translation for the inaugural book on her Kansas City, Missouri-based punk label, Thrilling Living, which has released music by the likes of Special Interest and Girlsperm.

Supplemented by zine clippings, photos, and visual ephemera—including relics of Kleenex’s 1979 UK tour with the Raincoats—the collage-like Kleenex/LiLiPUT book creates its own paradigm for punk storytelling by imposing no definitive Kleenex narrative, instead replicating the ever-in-process nature of the unruly music. Legendary rock critic Greil Marcus’ original introduction to Marder’s diary is included along with another of his enlightening columns on the band, in which he writes, “Punk had good taste in ancestors.” He was talking about the Kleenex-Dada connection, but the same rings true of punks today, who see themselves in this history still. –Jenn Pelly

Thrilling Living

Lou Reed: The King of New York

Several strong Lou Reed bios were already out there by the time Will Hermes published The King of New York this fall. Victor Bockris’ Transformer: The Complete Lou Reed Story is a compelling document of the New York underground of the ’60s and early ’70s, while Anthony DeCurtis’ Lou Reed: A Life has first-person intimacy while situating the singer’s work among his rock contemporaries. But Hermes tells the best story, finding the ideal mix of big-picture narrative sweep and intriguing details.

The book frames Reed’s life in a way that speaks to our current cultural moment, revealing how the fluidness of sexuality and gender in Reed’s milieu hinted at the world to come, and it deepens your appreciation of his hugely varied recorded output. Hermes’ previous book, Love Goes to Buildings on Fire , was a personal examination of New York’s influential downtown music scene in the ’70s, and the city is just as influential here, growing and changing alongside Reed while forever informing his art. This shifting contextual backdrop makes Hermes especially fun to read on the Velvet Underground frontman’s notoriously spotty solo albums. Few artists risked failure like Reed did, and this book will have you digging for records you once ignored, from his wispy debut to the shocking power of Lulu ’s “ Junior Dad .” –Mark Richardson

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse

When writer Howard Fishman first heard Connie Converse’s beautifully melancholic folk music at a party in 2010, he became consumed by a quest to find out what became of the obscure mid-century singer. Thirteen years and 550 pages later, the New Yorker contributor has turned in the definitive history of Converse’s life. With To Anyone Who Ever Asks , he traces her story, from her tragedy-marred early years in small-town New England, to an escape to New York in the 1940s and ’50s and eventual retreat to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Converse eventually disappeared in 1974, speeding off in her Volkswagen and writing to loved ones asking them not to look for her.

Fishman uncovers not the shy wallflower that her songs suggest, but a binge-drinking, heavy-smoking bohemian widely ahead of her time, who performed for Walter Cronkite, composed operas, and championed civil rights. He occasionally falls into fanboy tendencies, glorifying every artistic move by Converse with uncritical praise. But for anyone who has ever wondered about the person behind these lost songs, or just what it means to make art that no one will fully appreciate until decades later, To Anyone Who Ever Asks provides as much of a proper answer as we’ll ever get. –David Glickman

Testigos del fin del mundo

In his debut book, Bolivian music critic and professor Javier A. Rodríguez-Camacho chronicles the untold history of 2010s Ibero-American indie music. The book includes artists from Latin America, the United States, and Spain—an editorial choice that illustrates how multiple genres and geographical locations of the Spanish-speaking world have always been in conversation with each other. Instead of presenting a definitive canon, Rodríguez-Camacho traces an incomplete but dynamic map of the era’s scenes and sounds through 120 albums, spanning everything from the Chilean indie pop explosion to the Mexican ruidosón movement.

It’s an archival endeavor structured through individual album reviews, each of which transcends mere formal description. The chapters are meticulously contextualized, immersing readers into the musical and sociopolitical milieu from which these albums sprouted. But they also explore how these artists speak to shared experiences across the Spanish-speaking diaspora—regardless of the “zip code of their residence, their accents, or their stylistic influences.” The book is packed with delightful easter eggs, too, like playlist recommendations from guest contributors. Its creative direction is vividly inspired by the blogs and streaming platforms that revolutionized the decade, with tracklists, sidebars, and credits surrounding each review as though you can click on them. Whether you’re reading up on culture-shifting artists like Arca, or discovering Puerto Rican trap pioneers like Füete Billëte, Testigos del fin del mundo is an illuminating compendium that documents scenes and sounds that have lived in the shadows for too long. —Isabelia Herrera

Rey Naranjo Editores

Wayward: Just Another Life to Live

Those drawn to Vashti Bunyan ’s memoir likely know her story already: a ’70s British singer-songwriter whose freak-folk debut Just Another Diamond Day developed a cult following—thanks in part to fans like Animal Collective and Devendra Banhart—that inspired her to return in the 2000s with a long-awaited follow-up. Originally released in the UK last year, Wayward delivers far more than that familiar redemption arc.

Bunyan’s life story is one of striking defiance and quiet beauty, the combination of which moves the heart in unexpected ways. She recounts wearing the fragile shellac of her father’s 78s so thin that her parents removed the needle as punishment; skipping class to play guitar and fraternize with soon-to-be Monty Python co-founders Michael Palin and Terry Jones; and recording her debut single with Jimmy Page while Mick Jagger facetiously imitated her voice. “I was quietly delighting in being a small part of the big fuck-you,” she writes.

Perpetually drawn to the outdoors, from searching for bones amid post-WW2 rubble as a kid, to voyaging to Donovan ’s Scottish commune by horse and carriage in her 20s, Bunyan long rooted her music’s roving spirit in a desire for physicality that’s muddy and crestfallen. For a figure that’s been upheld as fragile and innocent, the true story of Bunyan the musician is that of a woman-turned-nomad fueled by an awareness that the more people and places you meet, the more your perception of the world grows. –Nina Corcoran

White Rabbit

World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music

Jeff Tweedy admits in the introduction to his third book, World Within a Song , that he would have started here, with brief love letters to important songs throughout his life, had he been more confident as a writer. Instead, the Wilco frontman felt the pressure to pen a more conventional memoir in 2018’s Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) , then followed that up with How to Write One Song , his down-to-earth approach to the guru-littered gutters of the “creativity guide” genre. Both books are excellent—warm, funny, unflinchingly honest, and clearly the work of a true music fan. But World Within a Song allows Tweedy to go full nerd, not as a tangent to a story but as the story itself. The effect is something like a book-length version of Pitchfork’s own 5-10-15-20 interview series , where stray memories become reflexively intertwined with certain lyrics or melodies.

Tweedy writes like he talks—direct, enthusiastic, relatable, self-aware when he’s corny—and it’s a quick and enjoyable read even when he opines on well-worn hits like “Smoke on the Water.” The best parts are when he focuses on specific moments with family members that shifted his view of things: his mom connecting to Lene Lovich’s “Lucky Number” while watching the “New Wave” episode of The Midnight Special with him, her own “you live alone, you die alone” worldview reflected back; discovering, after many years of assuming otherwise, that his cousin did not write Bachman–Turner Overdrive’s “Takin’ Care of Business.” It’s not all classic rock and vintage alternative, though—I gotta hand it to Tweedy, I didn’t expect to be so moved by his take on Rosalía’s “Bizcochito.” He writes, upon Googling lyric translations and realizing he’d understood the emotion even though he doesn’t speak Spanish, “I could actually hear the look on her face. I could see the man she was singing to—pinpoint the heartache to a specific moment in her life.” –Jill Mapes

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Read Ahead: A Release Calendar of Music Books & Biographies Being Published in 2023

Highly anticipated books by Britney Spears, Barbra Streisand and more are hitting shelves this year.

By Hannah Dailey

Hannah Dailey

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In the upcoming chapters of 2023, quite a few promising page-turners are expected to hit the “Music” shelf in a bookstore near you.

Spanning all genres and time periods, the second half of this year holds dozens of commentaries, historical deep dives, juicy biographies and more music-related volumes in store. So whether you’re in need of a rainy day read, beach suntanning entertainment or a before-bed future bestseller, Billboard has rounded up a list of upcoming books fit for even the most casual of music fans to pour over in the coming months – and it’s bound to have something you’ll love.

Take Britney Spears ‘ memoir The Woman In Me , for example. One of the most anticipated memoirs of all time (with a price tag of $15 million ), Spears announced that the autobiographical project would finally arrive in October just three months ahead of time. And speaking of highly anticipated memoirs, Barbra Streisand ‘s My Name Is Barbra finally has a November release date, after years of delay. The book, which will detail the Broadway icon’s astronomical career, has been in the making since 2015.

Plus, look out for books by or featuring words from such other legends as Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Jeff Tweedy on the list below. Make sure to bookmark this page so you can keep checking back for updates as more titles are announced in the future.

See Billboard ‘s list of music books to watch out for this year, including release dates, below:

Alan Paul, Brothers and Sisters: The Allman Brothers Band and the Inside Story of the Album That Defined the ’70s
Kiana Fitzgerald, Ode to Hip-Hop: 50 Albums That Define 50 Years of Trailblazing Music
Amy Winehouse, Amy Winehouse: In Her Words
Jeremy Eichler, Time’s Echo: The Second World War, the Holocaust, and the Music of Remembrance
Melissa Etheridge, Talking to My Angels
Juicy J & Soren Baker, Chronicles of the Juice Man: A Memoir
Laura Flam, Emily Sieu Liebowitz, But Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: An Oral History of the ’60s Girl Groups
Holly Gleason, Prine on Prine: Interviews and Encounters with John Prine
Paula Blackman, Night Train to Nashville: The Greatest Untold Story of Music City
Stephen M. Silverman, Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy
Jann S. Wenner, The Masters: Conversations with Dylan, Lennon, Jagger, Townshend, Garcia, Bono, and Springsteen
Jeff Apter, Keith Urban
Reba McEntire, Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots
Sowmya Krishnamurthy, Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion
Joe Coscarelli, Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story
Dolly Parton, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones
Brian Southall, Bee Gees – The Illustrated Story
Britney Spears, The Woman in Me
Thurston Moore, Sonic Life: A Memoir
Philip Norman, George Harrison: The Reluctant Beatle
Mary Gabriel, Madonna: A Rebel Life
Michael Azerrad, The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana
Willie Nelson, Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs
Barbra Streisand, My Name Is Barbra
Jeff Tweedy, World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music
Ralph H. Craig III, Dancing in My Dreams: A Spiritual Biography of Tina Turner
Benoit Clerc, Metallica All the Songs: The story behind every track
Kenneth Womack, Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans
Johnny Cash & John Carter Cash with Mark Stielper, Johnny Cash: The Life in Lyrics
Snoop Dogg & E-40: Goon With the Spoon
Greg McDonald & Marshall Terrill, Elvis and the Colonel: An Insider’s Look at the Most Legendary Partnership in Show Business

(Releases TBD)

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Spotify Premium Audiobooks Music Biography

10 Great Musical Biographies That Tell the Stories Behind Your Favorite Artists

September 29, 2023

You might know all the songs and albums of your favorite musicians, but do you know the experiences and inspirations behind their work? Luckily, you can find out by listening to some great musical biographies on Spotify.

With picks that include memoirs from legendary stars including Dave Grohl , Billie Eilish , Gucci Mane , and Dolly Parton , you can discover all the wisdom these greats have to share.

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music

Written and narrated by dave grohl.

Dave Grohl’s autobiography, The Storyteller , sheds light on what it’s like to be a kid from Springfield, Virginia, who goes on to live out his craziest dreams as a musician. The rock icon reflects on everything from hitting the road with Scream at 18, to his time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters . He remembers jamming with Iggy Pop and dancing with AC/DC and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band . He tells stories about drumming for Tom Petty and meeting Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall. Grohl even recounts unexpected moments like bedtime stories with Joan Jett to a chance meeting with Little Richard .

The Sporty One: My Life as a Spice Girl

Written and narrated by melanie chisholm.

After five women answered a newspaper ad, the Spice Girls were born. They recorded their first single, “ Wannabe ,” and nearly overnight, Melanie “Melanie C” Chisholm went from small-town girl to Sporty Spice.

The Sporty One follows the meteoric rise of Melanie C and The Spice Girls, from the incredible highs of playing at Wembley, conquering the BRITs, and closing the 2012 Olympics, to the difficult lows. For the first time ever, Melanie C talks about the pressures of fame, the shaming and bullying she experienced, the struggles she has had with her body image and mental health, and the difficulty of finding herself when the whole world knew her name.

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics

Written by dolly parton, robert k. oermann.

Narrated by Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton, Songteller goes beyond the glitz, glamor, and rhinestones to the warmth, heart, and soul of a treasured pop culture icon. In this autobiography, 10-time Grammy Award–winning artist Dolly Parton weaves her words with music and memories to give listeners the stories behind her most cherished songs.

How close did Parton come to singing “ I Will Always Love You ” as a duet with Elvis Presley ? How did she become an actress? And exactly who was “ Jolene ”? This one-of-a-kind audio experience answers the most burning questions that Parton’s fans have.

The Autobiography of Gucci Mane

Written by gucci mane and neil martinez-belkin.

Narrated by Guy Lockard

For the first time, hip-hop legend Gucci Mane tells the story of his rise, fall, and redemption in The Autobiography of Gucci Mane . With a string of influential mixtapes and street anthems that pioneered the sound of trap music in the 2000s, the rap icon inspired and mentored a new generation of artists and producers including Migos , Young Thug , Nicki Minaj , Zaytoven , Mike WiLL Made-It , and Metro Boomin .

Taking listeners back to his roots in Alabama, the streets of East Atlanta, and the studio where he found his voice, Gucci Mane reflects on his successes while also confronting his dark past, which included drug addiction, murder charges, and a prison sentence.

But Gucci Mane has changed, and in this music bio, he provides an intimate glimpse into his radical transformation following his 2016 prison release—one that saw the rapper emerge sober, smiling, focused, and positive. This is one of music’s great comeback stories.

Born to Run

Written and narrated by bruce springsteen.

In 2009, Bruce Springsteen performed at the Super Bowl halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that he decided to write about it, which then inspired him to tell the story of his entire life.

Vividly recounting his relentless drive to become a musician, his early days as a bar band king in New Jersey, and the rise of The E Street Band , Springsteen fills the pages of Born to Run with humor, originality, and disarming candor. For the first time, the superstar rocker shares the personal struggles that inspired his best work, and shows us why the song “ Born to Run ” reveals more than we previously realized. This isn’t just a legendary rock star’s memoir. This is a book for anyone who has ever wanted to be baptized in the holy river of rock and roll.

Billie Eilish: In Her Own Words

Written by billie eilish.

Narrated By Billie Eilish, Maggie Baird, Patrick O’Connell

In this special audiobook companion piece, global pop phenomenon Billie Eilish walks fans through the personal highlights and special moments of her life and career, both on and off the stage.

Billie Eilish: In Her Own Words is full of exclusive and unique content, including memories shared by her parents. Capturing the essence of Billie inside and out, listeners get personal glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more, making this audio edition essential for any fan.

It’s a Long Story: My Life

Written by willie nelson and david ritz.

Narrated by Christopher Ryan Grant

It’s a Long Story is the complete, unvarnished story of Willie Nelson ‘s life. Told in his distinct voice and leaving no moment or experience unturned, the country legend takes listeners on a ride from Texas and Nashville to Hawaii and his legendary tour bus.

Nelson shines a light on all aspects of his life, including his drive to write music, the women in his life, his biggest collaborations, his lowest lows, and his highest highs—from his bankruptcy to the founding of Farm Aid.

Talking to My Angels

Written and narrated by melissa etheridge.

Following the success of her first memoir, award-winning rocker and trailblazing LGBTQIA+ icon Melissa Etheridge returns to take stock of her life in the years that have followed.

Talking to My Angels is a profoundly honest look into Etheridge’s inner life as a woman, an artist, a mother, and a survivor. With characteristic wit and courage, Melissa delves into how numerous tragedies served as a catalyst for growth, and what the past two decades have taught her about the value of music, love, family, and life in the face of death. This audiobook also features live, stripped-down performances of many of Melissa’s songs, including “ Talking to My Angel ” and “ Here Comes the Pain .”

Chronicles of the Juice Man: A Memoir

Written by juicy j and soren baker.

Narrated by Adam Lazarre-White

The hustle still continues for hip-hop OG Juicy J in Chronicles of the Juice Man , where he shares his invaluable story as an unwavering force in the music industry. Jordan Houston’s rise to stardom was never easy. Beginning with his journey on the streets of Memphis in the ’80s, Juicy J was always inspired by music and had big dreams of becoming a superstar rapper. The Three 6 Mafia member stuck to his plan with determination, rising from a young, poor, ambitious kid to an Academy Award–winning and Grammy-nominated recording artist and entrepreneur. A never-before-seen look into one of the most influential tastemakers in the game, Chronicles of the Juice Man offers Juicy J’s wisdom as a respected industry veteran.

Tell It Like It Is: My Story

Written and narrated by aaron neville.

Tell It Like It Is shares the trials and tribulations of legendary singer and songwriter Aaron Neville through the lens of his faith, family, and music.

Scoring his first number-one hit in 1966 with “ Tell It Like It Is ,” the artist went on to form the Neville Brothers with his siblings Art , Charles , and Cyril . Aaron was the breakout star, and over the next six decades, he’s enjoyed four platinum albums, three number-one songs, and entry into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

But few people know the challenging and circuitous road Aaron took to fame. Born in a housing project in New Orleans, he struggled as a teenage father working to raise a family while building his career as a musician, surviving a stint in jail for car theft and battling heroin addiction for many years. Now for the first time, fans can discover the inside story.

Eligible Spotify Premium users in the U.K. and Australia can now look forward to 15 hours of audiobook listening per month on any audiobook marked “Included in Premium.” Learn all about it.

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Best Music Biographies: 10 Must-Read Rock’n’Roll Books

Revealing and insightful, the best music biographies tell us everything we need to know about rock’n’roll’s most iconic artists.

Superbly researched and insightfully written, the best music biographies offer portraits of their subjects which simply leap off the page. Must-read titles in their own right, these books are essential reads for every music fan.

Listen to our Rock Classics playlist here , and check out the best music biographies, below.

10: everett true: ‘hey ho let’s go: the story of the ramones’ (omnibus, 2002).

As the band who kick-started punk on both sides of the Atlantic, New York City’s Ramones were deserving of a biography of substance – and they got one with this exhaustive tome written by ex- NME / Melody Maker journalist Everett True, the man who famously wheeled Kurt Cobain on stage at the start of Nirvana’s legendary Reading Festival performance in 1992.

True later wrote 2006’s Nirvana: The True Story , but that’s bettered by Hey Ho Let’s Go , a truly exhaustive trawl through the blistering live sets, brilliant albums, inter-band brawls and eventual breakup that finally ended Da Brudders’ 22-year career in 1996. True also deserves credit for capturing detailed testimonies from the band members themselves, plus knowledgeable insiders such as producers Ed Stasium and Daniel Rey and tour manager Monte Melnick. His prose is as fast, furious and skilful as Ramones’ music, ensuring that Hey Ho Let’s Go remains one of the best music biographies on offer.

9: Graeme Thomson: ‘Under The Ivy: The Life & Music Of Kate Bush’ (Omnibus, 2010)

Clearly a writer who relishes a challenge, Edinburgh-based author Graeme Thomson has also written acclaimed biographies of other maverick figures such as John Martyn, Elvis Costello and Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott. However, he arguably excelled himself with Under The Ivy , a 2010 study of Kate Bush which The Irish Times declared to be “the best music biography in perhaps the past decade”.

Updated and republished five years later, following Bush’s triumphant return to the live stage after a near-four-decade absence, Under The Ivy certainly leaves few stones unturned. Beginning with Bush’s formative years and tracing the development of her highly precocious talent through the making of such landmark albums as The Kick Inside , Lionheart and the game-changing Hounds Of Love , Under The Ivy paints a highly revealing portrait of a singular artist who has always prioritised her privacy.

8: Jerry Hopkins & Danny Sugerman: ‘No One Here Gets Out Alive: The Biography Of Jim Morrison’ (Plexus Books, 1980)

It’s hard to believe now, but The Doors ’ popularity waned quite dramatically in the years immediately following Jim Morrison ’s death in July 1971. Indeed, such was the lack of interest that Rolling Stone writer Jerry Hopkins’ initial draft of No One Here Gets Out Alive met with indifference from most publishing houses. However, after Danny Sugerman – initially a super-fan and band associate who went on to manage the post-Morrison Doors – added further content, the book was eventually published in 1980.

Its alleged historical inaccuracies have drawn fire from some quarters, yet No One Here Gets Alive played a crucial role in bringing The Doors’ music back into the spotlight. It was published in the wake of the release of the An American Prayer album , for which the three surviving Doors added new music to their frontman’s spoken-word poetry, and its arrival coincided with the release of the band’s multi-platinum-selling Greatest Hits , which surely helped the book top most of the best-seller lists at the time. No One Here Gets Alive had moved over five million copies by the mid-90s, and it has kept right on selling. Regardless of any blemishes, it’s still an essential title for anyone intrigued by the singular life and times of one of the best frontman in rock history .

7: Jeff Chang: ‘Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History Of The Hip-Hop Generation’ (Picador, 2005)

A San Francisco Bay Area-based author and journalist, Jeff Chang contributed to publications such as The Village Voice , Spin and the San Francisco Bay Guardian before his book Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History Of The Hip-Hop Generation was published in 2005. Still rightly regarded as a magnum opus, this immaculately researched book does exactly what its title promises, presenting detailed portraits of the scene’s trailblazing figures such as DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Ice Cube and Public Enemy’s Chuck D, in addition to a host of insiders including graffiti artists, gang members, DJs and activists. Still one of the best music biographies out there, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop won the Before Columbus Foundation’s American Book Award in 2005, and it arguably remains the final word on the pioneering early days of hip-hop.

6: Tony Fletcher: ‘A Light That Never Goes Out: The Enduring Saga Of The Smiths’ (Windmill, 2013)

The devil certainly will find books for The Smiths ’ idle fans to read… Indeed, it would be remiss not to note that Simon Goddard’s excellent The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Life is also essential reading. However, when it comes to capturing the very essence of indie-pop’s most influential foursome, then it’s surely Tony Fletcher’s A Light That Never Goes Out which best illuminates their remarkable story. Exhaustively researched and also taking the deepest of dives into all four members’ formative years, Fletcher’s book examines everything from the band’s earliest rehearsals through to the recording of their landmark studio albums and what each bandmate did in their post-Smiths lives. Engrossing and forensically detailed, A Light That Never Goes Out still shines like a beacon among the best music biographies.

5: Mick Wall: ‘Iron Maiden: Run To The Hills – The Authorised Biography’ (Sanctuary Publishing, 1998)

As a long-time contributor to publications such Kerrang! and Classic Rock , and with a background in PR, Mick Wall has long been accepted as one of the rock world’s finest chroniclers. Indeed, he had already authored successful, officially sanctioned tomes on the likes of Ozzy Osbourne ( Diary Of A Madman ), Marillion ( Market Square Heroes ) and Guns N’ Roses ( The Most Dangerous Band In The World ) before Iron Maiden gave him the nod to write their official biography.

Accordingly, Run To The Hills doesn’t disappoint. It’s an extremely well-researched and well-structured read, further buoyed by commentary aplenty from current band members and ex-members alike, with prime mover Steve Harris frequently making his presence felt. The chapters covering the band’s formative period of 1976 to 1979, before they signed their deal with EMI, are especially illuminating, but Wall rides Maiden’s rollercoaster career with skill and insight, with the book’s updated editions also getting stuck into the band’s post-2000 career.

4: David Ritz: ‘Divided Soul: The Life Of Marvin Gaye’ (Da Capo, 1985)

David Ritz came into Marvin Gaye’s orbit after the legendary soul man was impressed by the author’s defence of his much-misunderstood 1978 opus, Here, My Dear , in the pages of Rolling Stone . This mutual respect led to Ritz conducting a series of in-depth interviews with Gaye during the early 80s – conversations which eventually resulted in the publication of Divided Soul barely 12 months after the iconic singer was shot and killed by his own father, on 1 April 1984.

One of the strangest deaths in music history , Gaye’s demise left the music world reeling, but Divided Soul truly honoured the singer’s legacy. Ritz (who also inspired the title of Gaye’s comeback hit, Sexual Healing) was given intimate access to the minutiae of the star’s life, and he used it to create an absorbing portrait of a brilliant yet immensely troubled artist. Indeed, with further insight donated by the likes of Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Motown boss Berry Gordy, Divided Soul amounts to a biography truly deserving of the adjective “definitive”.

3: Mary Gabriel: ‘Madonna: A Rebel Life’ (Little, Brown, 2023)

Mary Gabriel’s A Rebel Life is one of the most recent entries in this list of the best music biographies, but it’s a book that clearly covets longevity. Totalling over 800 pages in all, it’s a considerably weightier proposition than most, but then there’s only ever going to be one Madonna Louise Ciccone , and A Rebel Life tells her astonishing story with the gravitas it deserves.

As the author of a Pulitzer Prize-listed Karl Marx biography, and with years of experience at Reuters behind her, Gabriel has a serious CV, and she brings all her skills to bear on A Rebel Heart , tracing Madonna’s astonishing career arc from her Michigan roots to her irresistible rise to fame and subsequent decades-long domination of pop’s top table. Typical of the rave reviews that greeted its arrival, The Guardian declared that the book helps the reader to “understand Madonna the person as well as Madonna the concept”, and its slew of nominations ( The Sunday Times ’ Book Of The Year; The Telegraph ’s Best Music Book Of The Year, to name but two) suggest it will continue to feature in lists of the best music biographies for years to come.

2: Paul Trynka: ‘Starman: David Bowie – The Definitive Biography’ (Sphere, 2012)

Even casual fans would imagine that an iconic, game-changing performer such as David Bowie would inspire a number of biographies – and they’d be right in that assumption. Indeed, other detailed and meticulously researched Bowie tomes, such as David Buckley’s Strange Fascination and Nicholas Pegg’s The Complete David Bowie , are valuable and well worth tracking down, as is Paul Morley’s The Age Of Bowie .

Arguably, though, all these titles are shaded by the one written by former Mojo editor Paul Trynka, whose Starman: David Bowie – The Definitive Biography certainly comes close to living up to its title. Admittedly, Trynka didn’t get detailed testimony from Bowie himself, but he nonetheless does an extremely thorough job in chronicling the chameleonic star’s every incarnation, from his pre-fame days as a teenage mod in south London through to the birth of his Ziggy Stardust alter ego, the wired paranoia of his Thin White Duke phase, and his still-influential “Berlin Trilogy”. The book’s updated edition takes the story all the way to the making and release of Bowie’s penultimate album, The Next Day .

1: Jimmy McDonough: ‘Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography’ (Cape, 2003)

As with David Bowie, the serious Neil Young fan has more than one option when it comes to biographies, and certainly Harvey Kubernik’s Neil Young: Heart Of Gold is also worthy of consideration here – not least as it was published more recently, taking in all the twists and turns in the singular Canadian-American’s career up to 2014’s acclaimed A Letter Home .

However, while Heart Of Gold encompasses a decade more than Jimmy McDonough’s Shakey , the latter title still feels like the most definitive Young book in circulation. Taking a forensic look at everything from its subject’s early days in Canada through his relocation to California and his mercurial career with Buffalo Springfield, plus the formation of the long-running Crazy Horse, his stadium-level success with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and his return to mainstream glory during the 90s, McDonough’s book really does divine the very essence of its enigmatic subject. A worthy title to top this list of the best music biographies, Shakey is, to quote The Guardian ’s review, “a rock-solid literary triumph”.

Now check out the best music autobiographies .

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60 Best Books About Musicians – Guitarist Biographies

Let’s talk books! I’ve been busy devouring famous musician biographies over the past few months – guitarists in particular. In fact, it has almost become an addiction – my Amazon wishlist of books about musicians has grown way out of control!

Some are hilarious, others are shocking, most are inspirational and/or motivational. Almost always you’ll gain valuable knowledge and insights that will lead to you becoming a better guitarist/musician yourself.

Books About Musicians Every Guitarist Should Read

In light of my recent addiction, I decided to raid my wishlist and put together this list of some of the best famous musician biographies, autobiographies, diaries and memoirs. I’m not going to pretend that I’ve read all sixty of these, but I certainly plan to! How many have you bagged?

This list of musician biographies is arranged alphabetically by first name. Links to each books about musicians have been provided so that you can easily grab your own copy.

I purposely didn’t include any band biographies as I wanted this list to be for individual musician memoirs only. Maybe we’ll do bands next!

1. B.B King – Blues All Around Me

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In B.B. King’s Blues All Around Me , we dive into the soul-stirring world of a blues legend, where every chord tells a story and every riff bears an emotion. B.B. King, with his trusty Lucille by his side, unfolds a journey that’s as deep and rich as the blues itself, taking us from his humble beginnings to towering heights of musical mastery.

It’s a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the man behind the music, showcasing his triumphs, heartaches, and the relentless pursuit of his craft.

2. Bob Dylan – Chronicles

“Bob Dylan – Chronicles ” takes us on a wild ride through the kaleidoscopic journey of a music icon who’s always danced to the beat of his own drum. With Dylan at the wheel, we zigzag through the defining moments of his career, from the gritty streets of New York to the spotlight’s blinding glare, all while keeping it real with anecdotes that feel like you’re kicking back with Bob himself.

It’s part memoir, part stream of consciousness, and all Dylan, packed with insights and reflections that only he could deliver.

3. Brad Paisley – Diary of a Player

“Brad Paisley – Diary of a Player ” strums its way into your heart, charting the journey of a guitar-slinging kid who dreamed big and ended up living those dreams. It’s like sitting down with Brad himself on a cozy porch, guitars in hand, as he shares the licks, laughs, and life lessons that shaped him into the country music titan he is today.

This book is a backstage pass to the highs, lows, and twangy tunes of Paisley’s life, peppered with wisdom from the guitar gods who guided him. It’s an ode to the six-string and a heartfelt thank-you note to the art that gave his life melody and meaning.

4. Brian ‘Head’ Welch – Save Me From Myself

“Brian ‘Head’ Welch – Save Me From Myself ” dives headfirst into the mosh pit of life, recounting the turbulent journey of a rock star who hit the brakes before the cliff edge. Welch takes us on a backstage tour of his rise with Korn, only to reveal the shadows that lurk behind the spotlight—addiction, despair, and a soul-searching quest for peace.

It’s like chilling with Welch in a dimly lit room, as he shares the raw, unvarnished truth of his fight to find redemption and a higher calling beyond the screams and guitar riffs. This book isn’t just a memoir; it’s a lifeline thrown into the stormy seas of fame, proving that even the wildest hearts can find their way home.

5. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run

In “Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run ,” the Boss himself takes us for a spin down the backstreets of his life, revving through the early days in Jersey bars to the dizzying heights of global stardom. It’s like Springsteen’s strumming the soundtrack of his own story, with each chapter a new track that gets you tapping your feet or nodding in reflection.

This book isn’t just a memoir; it’s a heart-to-heart with one of rock’s most enduring icons, offering a glimpse into the dreams, battles, and behind-the-scenes moments that shaped him.

6. Buddy Guy – When I Left Home

“Buddy Guy – When I Left Home ” strings you along on a blues-infused journey from the cotton fields of Louisiana to the electric buzz of Chicago’s legendary blues scene. It’s like sitting down in a smoky club, listening to Guy himself recount tales of his ascent in the world of blues, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton.

This book isn’t just a memoir; it’s a deep dive into the soul of the blues, seen through the eyes of a man who lived it, loved it, and helped shape it. Every page thrums with the passion, pain, and raw talent of a true guitar hero, inviting you to feel every note of his storied career.

7. Carlos Santana – The Universal Tone

“Carlos Santana – The Universal Tone ” takes you on a kaleidoscopic journey through the life of a guitar legend whose strings resonated with the soul of the world. It’s like Santana is riffing right next to you, sharing the symphony of his life—from the vibrant streets of Tijuana to the psychedelic stages of Woodstock.

This book is a soulful melody of spirituality, music, and the universal search for harmony, all seen through the eyes of a man whose guitar could speak the language of the heart. Each chapter pulsates with the rhythms of jazz, rock, and Latin beats, painting a portrait of an artist whose music transcended boundaries and touched the universal soul.

8. Chuck Berry – Brown Eyed Handsome Man

“Chuck Berry – Brown Eyed Handsome Man ” struts through the life of the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer with the same swagger and rhythm that Berry brought to the stage. It’s like hopping in a Cadillac with Chuck himself, cruising down the highways of his storied career, from the dingy bars of St. Louis to the bright lights of fame.

This book lays down the soundtrack of a musical revolution, with Berry’s guitar licks and lyrical wit front and center, showcasing the man who could make a guitar talk and audiences around the world listen. It’s an intimate jam session, revealing the triumphs and challenges of the man whose tunes shaped the beat of a generation.

9. Danny Gatton – Unfinished Business

“Danny Gatton – Unfinished Business ” strings you along on a journey with the guitar world’s unsung hero, whose fingers flew faster than the eye could follow. It’s like chilling in a dive bar, listening to tales of Gatton’s legendary licks and the notes he left hanging in the air, a testament to a talent that burned too bright and too fast.

This book isn’t just a biography; it’s a tribute to the man known as “The Telemaster,” whose eclectic blend of jazz, blues, rockabilly, and country left an indelible mark on the music world. Every page resonates with the melody of missed opportunities and the haunting beauty of what could have been, painting a portrait of a musician whose business with the guitar was truly unfinished.

10. Dave Grohl – Times Like His

“Dave Grohl – Times Like His ” drums up the beat of a life lived at full volume, charting the journey from a punk kid banging on pots and pans to the rock titan fronting the Foo Fighters. Grohl invites you to a backstage pass into his world, where every chord has a story, and every riff is a memory.

It’s a raw, uncut track of a memoir, full of heart, humor, and the kind of rock ‘n’ roll wisdom that can only come from a life well-lived on and off the stage.

11. Dave Mustaine – A Heavy Metal Memoir

“Dave Mustaine – A Heavy Metal Memoir ” cranks the volume to eleven, taking you on a headbanging journey through the life of Megadeth’s frontman, from his tumultuous departure from Metallica to the pinnacle of thrash metal glory. Mustaine doesn’t just share stories; he rips through the fabric of the heavy metal scene with the same ferocity as his guitar solos.

Reading this book is like being on tour with Mustaine himself, experiencing the chaos, creativity, and catharsis that fueled his rise to stardom. It’s an unapologetically raw and real look at the highs and lows of a rock legend, filled with enough sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll to satisfy even the most hardcore fans.

12. Dimebag Darrell Abbott – Black Tooth Grin

“Dimebag Darrell Abbott – Black Tooth Grin ” rips through the strings of the late, great Pantera guitarist’s life, capturing the raw energy and unbridled passion that defined him. It’s like being in the pit at a Pantera show, feeling the power of Dimebag’s riffs and the warmth of his larger-than-life personality.

This book doesn’t just recount tales from the road; it dives deep into the heart and soul of a man whose life was a symphony of loud, fast, and heavy moments. It’s a tribute that’s as intense and unforgettable as Dimebag’s legacy, inviting fans and newcomers alike to headbang through the pages of his extraordinary life.

13. Don Felder – Heaven and Hell

“Don Felder – Heaven and Hell ” tunes you into the highs and lows of rock ‘n’ roll, straight from the strings of The Eagles’ former lead guitarist. Felder takes you on a rollercoaster ride through the glittering peaks and shadowy valleys of fame, with every chord striking a balance between the euphoria of creating timeless hits and the tumult of band conflicts.

It’s like grabbing a backstage pass to the inner workings of one of rock’s most legendary bands, all told with the candor and insight only Felder could provide. This memoir is a backstage jam session, filled with tales of music, mayhem, and the long road to finding harmony both on stage and off.

14. Duane Allman – Skydog

“Duane Allman – Skydog ” strings together the meteoric journey of the guitar virtuoso whose life was a lightning bolt in the world of rock and blues. With each page, you’re riding shotgun with Allman, cruising through the creation of the Allman Brothers Band, and diving headfirst into the soul-stirring solos that defined a generation.

This book is like a jam session with Duane himself, intimate and electrifying, revealing the man behind the legend—the triumphs, the tragedies, and the tracks that made him immortal. It’s a heartfelt tribute to a musician whose strings sang with the kind of passion and precision that comes once in a blue moon, inviting readers to feel the resonance of his legacy.

Related Post – The Best Slide Guitarists Of All Time !

15. Duff McKagan – It’s So Easy. And Other Lies

“Duff McKagan – It’s So Easy. And Other Lies ” is a rollercoaster ride through the life of one of rock’s most recognizable bassists, giving us the lowdown on the highs and lows of rock stardom. Duff spills the beans on the wild days with Guns N’ Roses, hitting rock bottom, and clawing his way back up.

It’s packed with jaw-dropping stories, yet it’s the journey of self-discovery and redemption that really grabs you. Peppered with wit, it’s like hanging out with Duff himself, except you’re diving into the pages of his life, no backstage pass needed.

16. Elvis – Last Train to Memphis

“Elvis – Last Train to Memphis ” takes you on a nostalgic ride back to the era of The King, Elvis Presley, before the glitz and the glam took over. It’s like cracking open a time capsule, uncovering the raw energy and ambition of a young Elvis, chasing dreams with a guitar and a truckload of charisma.

The book peels back the layers of fame to reveal the struggles and triumphs of rock ‘n’ roll’s most iconic figure. With a storytelling vibe that feels like swapping tales on a lazy, sun-soaked afternoon, it brings you face to face with the man behind the legend.

17. Eric Clapton – The Autobiography

“ Eric Clapton – The Autobiography ” dives headfirst into the turbulent waters of Slowhand’s life, pulling no punches. It’s a raw, honest look at Clapton’s journey through the highs of rock god status and the lows of personal demons and loss.

The book feels like a heart-to-heart with Clapton himself, as he lays bare his soul, sharing tales of love, music, and redemption. It’s as if you’re sitting across from him, a guitar leaning against the couch, while he recounts the wild ride of his life with a mix of regret, pride, and a dash of wisdom.

18. Fieldy – Got the Life

“Fieldy – Got the Life ” slams you into the pulsating heart of Korn’s bassist, Fieldy, as he recounts the dizzying ascent to fame and the dark descent that followed. It’s like a backstage pass to his soul, where the party never stops until it almost does, permanently .

With brutal honesty, Fieldy dishes on the chaos of addiction, the wake-up call that changed everything, and the path to redemption through faith. Reading it feels like catching up with an old friend who’s seen the edge, danced on it, and lived to tell the tale, all while keeping a rhythm that’s hard to forget.

19. Frank Zappa – The Real Frank Zappa Book

“Frank Zappa – The Real Frank Zappa Book ” is an off-the-rails journey into the mind of one of music’s most eccentric geniuses. It’s like sitting down for a coffee with Zappa himself, except the coffee’s spiked with a dose of pure, unadulterated Zappa philosophy.

The book zigzags through the surreal landscapes of Frank’s life, music, and unfiltered thoughts on everything under the sun (and some things possibly from another galaxy). It’s a wild, no-holds-barred tour of a truly unique spirit, served up with a side of sharp wit and an undercurrent of serious genius that makes you rethink the ordinary.

20. George Benson – The Autobiography

“ George Benson – The Autobiography ” strings you along on a melodious journey through the life of the guitar virtuoso himself, George Benson. It’s like sitting in on a private jam session where Benson narrates his rise from the gritty streets of Pittsburgh to the glittering stages of jazz and pop superstardom.

With each page, Benson plucks at the heartstrings, sharing the ups and downs, the hits and misses, and the soulful tunes of his life. It’s an intimate, groove-filled ride that lets you feel the passion and dedication of a man who truly lived to play, making it feel less like reading a book and more like listening to a long, soulful solo that you never want to end.

21. George Harrison – I Me Mine

“George Harrison – I Me Mine ” takes you on a groovy trip into the quiet Beatle’s mind, offering a rare glimpse behind the curtain of George Harrison’s life and soul. It’s like sitting down in a dimly lit room, incense burning, as George strums his guitar and shares the stories behind the songs, the spirituality, and the personal journeys that defined him.

Through his own words, you’re invited to explore the depths of Harrison’s thoughts on fame, faith, and the music that flowed through him like a mystical river. This book isn’t just a read; it’s an intimate conversation with a legend, making you feel like you’re part of a very exclusive, very laid-back hangout session.

22. Gregg Allman – My Cross to Bear

“Gregg Allman – My Cross to Bear ” throws you headfirst into the whirlwind life of one of rock’s true survivors. It’s like sitting at a dive bar with Allman himself, nursing a whiskey while he recounts the wild ride of founding The Allman Brothers Band, the music that set the world on fire, and the personal demons that nearly did the same to him.

With raw honesty and a gritty sense of humor, Gregg shares tales of love, loss, and redemption, all set against the backdrop of a changing America. Reading it feels like listening to a bluesy riff that echoes long after the last page is turned, leaving you feeling like you’ve just been part of something real, something raw, and undeniably authentic.

23. Jaco Pastorius – The Extraordinary and Tragic Life

“Jaco Pastorius – The Extraordinary and Tragic Life ” dives deep into the turbulent waters of the legendary bassist’s life, capturing the electric buzz of Jaco’s genius and the dark undercurrents that pulled him under. It’s like jamming backstage with Jaco himself, feeling every high of his groundbreaking musical highs and the crushing lows of his personal battles.

The book lays bare the soul of a man who redefined the possibilities of the bass guitar, yet couldn’t escape his own demons. Reading it, you’re on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, from awe at his talent to heartbreak at his downfall, all wrapped in a narrative that’s as compelling as one of Jaco’s own solos.

24. James Hetfield – So Let It Be Written

“James Hetfield – So Let It Be Written ” cranks up the volume on the life of Metallica’s frontman, giving you a front-row seat to the thrash metal revolution. It’s like cracking open Hetfield’s personal diary, revealing the man behind the growling vocals and riff-heavy guitar work.

The book charts the meteoric rise of Metallica, the battles with addiction, and Hetfield’s journey to find balance amidst the chaos of rock stardom. Reading it feels like hanging out in the studio with the band, absorbing the sweat, tears, and raw energy that fueled one of music’s most iconic acts.

25. Janis Joplin – Love Janis

“Janis Joplin – Love Janis ” serves up an intimate, heart-wrenching look at the wild soul of rock’s most unforgettable voice. It’s like flipping through a scrapbook Janis herself might have kept, filled with personal letters, reflections, and the raw, unvarnished truths of her life.

This book pulls you into Janis’s world, where love, pain, and music intertwine in a psychedelic tapestry of the 60s. Reading it feels like a late-night chat with Janis, under a sky full of stars, sharing dreams and fears in equal measure.

26. Hot Wired Guitar: The Life of Jeff Beck

“ Hot Wired Guitar: The Life of Jeff Beck ” strings you along on a riff-filled journey through the life of the guitar maestro himself. It’s like being on a long, winding road trip with Beck’s solos as the soundtrack, exploring every twist and turn of his groundbreaking career.

From the Yardbirds to his solo adventures, the book dives deep into the essence of Beck’s genius, his relentless pursuit of musical perfection, and his influence on rock and blues. Reading it feels like a backstage pass to the mind of a legend, offering a glimpse into the soul of a man who let his guitar do the talking, crafting sounds that still echo through the halls of rock history.

27. Jerry Garcia – An American Life

“Jerry Garcia – An American Life ” invites you on a psychedelic journey through the life of the Grateful Dead’s iconic frontman. It’s like drifting down a river of memories, each turn revealing a new facet of Garcia’s complex, colorful world.

From his early days in the San Francisco music scene to the Dead’s rise as counterculture heroes, the book paints a portrait of a man whose guitar could speak the language of the soul. Reading it feels like a long, strange trip filled with music, mayhem, and moments of transcendence, capturing the spirit of a man who lived his life in the pursuit of the next great jam.

28. Jimi Hendrix – Room Full of Mirrors

“Jimi Hendrix – Room Full of Mirrors ” cranks up the volume on the life of the guitar god, offering a kaleidoscopic view into the world of Jimi Hendrix . It’s like stepping into a Hendrix solo—colorful, explosive, and full of unexpected twists.

From his humble beginnings to becoming the emblem of rock’s psychedelic era, the book delves deep into the mysteries that surrounded his life and the genius that defined his music. Reading it feels like a backstage pass to Jimi’s world, where every page turns with the vibe of a late-night jam session, echoing with the sounds of a guitar legend who left us too soon.

29. Jimmy Page – Jimmy Page

Next up in our list of books about music is ‘ Jimmy ‘. Diving into this book is like strapping in for a wild ride with the mastermind behind Led Zeppelin’s thunderous riffs. It’s an intimate backstage tour of Page’s life, from his session musician days to Zeppelin’s stratospheric rise, and beyond.

The book lays down a track of stories filled with rock ‘n’ roll excess, groundbreaking music, and the mystical aura that seems to surround Page. Reading it feels like flipping through a vinyl collection of classic hits, each chapter a new record that drops the needle on the life of a rock legend, with all the backstage anecdotes and forbidden riffs you’d hope to find.

30. Joe Perry – Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith

“Joe Perry – Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith ” slingshots you into the heart of the rock ‘n’ roll storm that is Aerosmith, all from the perspective of its lead guitarist. It’s like sitting down with Perry himself, guitars leaning against the wall, as he dishes on the dizzying highs and gritty lows of rock stardom.

With a mix of raw honesty and cool detachment, Perry recounts the battles with bandmates, the love affair with music, and the personal demons he faced. Flipping through the pages feels like riffling through a jukebox of Aerosmith’s greatest hits, each story a track that plays back the soundtrack of a life lived at the edge of the stage lights.

31. Joe Satriani – Strange Beautiful Music

“Joe Satriani – Strange Beautiful Music ” takes you on a sonic journey through the strings of Satriani’s guitar, revealing the shred guitarist’s process, inspiration, and the evolution of his sound. It’s like floating through a galaxy of notes and melodies, where each chapter unveils a new planet of soundscapes crafted by the guitar guru himself.

Joe shares the stories behind his iconic tracks, the experimentation with gear, and the philosophical musings on music and life. Reading it feels like jamming with Satriani in his studio, where every riff and solo transports you to a world where music transcends the ordinary, painting the air with strange, beautiful sounds.

32. John Fogerty – Fortunate Son

Next up in this list of books about music is “John Fogerty – Fortunate Son “. This book rocks you through the tumultuous journey of the Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman, from the swamps of the Bayou to the pinnacle of rock fame. It’s like sitting on a porch swing, guitar in hand, as Fogerty recounts the battles with bandmates, the industry sharks, and the personal demons that accompanied his rise.

With a voice as clear and piercing as his signature riffs, John shares the inspirations behind his timeless hits and the cost of being a voice of a generation. Reading it feels like listening to a classic CCR album; every page resonates with the spirit of a man who rode the river of rock ‘n’ roll, weathering its storms to emerge, perhaps battered, but unbowed.

33. John Lennon – The Life

“ John Lennon – The Life ” pulls you into the whirlwind world of the Beatle who dared to imagine, exploring the depths of his genius, his flaws, and the contradictions that made him a legend. It’s like wandering through a gallery of Lennon’s mind, where each chapter is a different exhibit, revealing the layers behind the icon—his music, activism, and the personal battles that fueled his art.

With intimate anecdotes and insights, the book feels less like a biography and more like a long, revealing conversation with Lennon himself, set against the backdrop of a changing world. Reading it is a trip through the life of a man whose vision and voice continue to echo, challenging us to dream and think deeper.

34. Johnny Cash – Cash

“Johnny Cash – Cash ” is a deep dive into the Man in Black’s life, told with the raw honesty and gritty charm that defined his music. It’s like sitting across from Cash himself, in a dimly lit room, as he recounts the epic tales of his journey through fame, heartbreak, redemption, and the undying love for June.

With each page, you’re taken on a ride through the highs and lows, from the wild tours to the quiet moments of reflection, all underscored by his deep, resonant voice. Reading it feels like listening to one of his classic albums—each story a track that weaves the complex tapestry of a legend’s life, leaving you feeling like you’ve truly walked the line with Johnny Cash .

35. John Oates – Change of Seasons

Let’s continue our list of books about musicians with “John Oates – Change of Seasons “. This is a rhythmic journey through the life of one half of the iconic Hall & Oates duo, blending the soulful beats of music with the personal ebbs and flows of his life. It’s like sitting down with Oates in a cozy, dimly lit music room, as he shares the stories behind the hits, the tours, and the partnership that defined an era.

With each turn of the page, you’re treated to an intimate backstage pass to his triumphs, challenges, and the moments of clarity that shaped him. Reading it feels like strumming through a heartfelt melody of life, love, and the constant evolution of an artist who’s seen it all, yet remains open to the ever-changing seasons of life.

36. Keith Richards – Life

“Keith Richards – Life ” takes you on a wild ride with the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist, through the smoke-filled rooms of rock ‘n’ roll history. It’s like being on the ultimate backstage tour, where Richards, with his trademark candor and wit, shares the stories of the Stones’ meteoric rise, the mayhem, and the music that defined a generation.

The book is a no-holds-barred account of life in one of the world’s greatest bands, complete with battles, brotherhood, and a lot of guitar strings. Reading it feels like jamming with Richards late into the night, every chord and confession revealing the heart and soul of rock’s most infamous survivor.

37. Kurt Cobain – Heavier than Heaven

“Kurt Cobain – Heavier Than Heaven ” plunges into the turbulent waters of the Nirvana frontman’s life, capturing the raw intensity and haunting beauty of Cobain’s world. It’s like a backstage pass to the soul of the 90s grunge movement, offering a glimpse into Kurt’s creative genius and the demons that danced in the shadows.

Through a mix of personal anecdotes and vivid storytelling, the book paints a portrait of a man whose music echoed the angst and hopes of a generation. Reading it feels like flipping through a deeply personal album, each chapter a song that reveals more of the complex, passionate spirit of Kurt Cobain , leaving you feeling closer to the legend who burned too bright.

38. Lemmy Kilminster – White Line Fever

“Lemmy Kilminster – White Line Fever ” is an electrifying charge down the fast lane of the Motörhead frontman’s life, packed with the raw energy and unapologetic truth that defined Lemmy. It’s like sitting at the bar with the man himself, whisky in hand, as he recounts the wild ride of rock ‘n’ roll excess, groundbreaking music, and the relentless pursuit of freedom.

With a voice that’s as gritty and relentless as his bass lines, Lemmy shares tales of life on the edge, the creation of anthems that would define a genre, and the unyielding spirit of a true rock legend. Reading this musician book feels like catching lightning in a bottle, a rare glimpse into the eye of the storm that was Lemmy’s life, leaving you with a buzz that’s hard to shake.

39. Les Paul – In His Own Words

“ Les Paul – In His Own Words ” strings you along on a melodious journey through the life of the legendary inventor and musician who changed the sound of music forever. It’s like sitting down in Les Paul’s workshop, surrounded by wires and wood, as he narrates the story of his innovations and the music that inspired them.

With each page, you’re treated to intimate tales of the birth of the electric guitar, the evolution of recording technology, and the jam sessions that sparked a revolution in sound. Reading it feels like listening to a living history of music, told by the man whose passion and genius plugged the guitar into the future, making it sing in ways it never had before. In terms of music biographies, this is a must read.

40. Lita Ford – Living Like a Runaway

“ Lita Ford – Living Like a Runaway” is a high-octane trip through the life of the queen of metal, packed with the same fiery spirit and razor-sharp riffs that catapulted her to stardom. It’s like sitting shotgun in a muscle car with Lita at the wheel, tearing down the highway of rock ‘n’ roll history.

She spills the tea on her groundbreaking journey in a male-dominated scene, the wild tours, the battles, and the music that blazed a trail for female rockers. Reading it feels like an all-access pass to the backstage dramas and triumphs, all delivered with Lita’s signature blend of toughness and heart, proving she’s not just any runaway, but rock royalty.

41. Marilyn Manson – The Long Hard Road Out of Hell

“Marilyn Manson – The Long Hard Road Out of Hell ” drags you through the twisted, dark corridors of the shock rock icon’s rise to infamy, wrapped in a cloak of controversy and rebellion. It’s like delving into a macabre circus, where each chapter unveils another layer of Manson’s meticulously crafted persona and the chaotic world that fueled his art.

Through tales of excess, transformation, and defiance, Manson bares his soul, revealing the man behind the makeup. Reading it feels like a fever dream, a provocative journey through the highs and lows of a life lived defiantly outside the lines, challenging norms and sparking fires of discussion wherever it goes.

42. Max Cavalera – My Bloody Roots

“Max Cavalera – My Bloody Roots ” thunders through the life of the metal titan, from the raw streets of Brazil to the global stages of Sepultura and Soulfly fame. It’s like a mosh pit of memories, where each chapter slams into you with the intensity of a thrash riff, sharing the struggles, the fights, and the unbreakable spirit of a man who refused to let anything silence his music.

Max opens up about the fusion of sounds that define his style, the personal losses that have shaped him, and the rebellious energy that fuels his songs. Reading it feels like hanging out backstage with Cavalera himself, sharing stories that are as brutally honest as they are inspiring, all delivered with the passion of someone who lives and breathes metal.

43. Muddy Waters – Can’t Be Satisfied

Next up in our list of books about musicians is “Muddy Waters – Can’t Be Satisfied “. This book dives deep into the muddy waters of the blues legend’s life, charting his journey from the cotton fields of Mississippi to the electric buzz of Chicago’s blues scene. It’s like sitting on a porch in the deep south, guitar in hand, as Waters’s story unfolds with the gritty realism of a life lived in the pursuit of musical truth.

Through tales of hardship, innovation, and the birth of electric blues, this book paints a portrait of a man whose guitar strings pulled the heartstrings of a generation. Reading it feels like listening to a blues riff that’s as raw and real as the life from which it sprang, echoing the soulful, unyielding spirit of Muddy Waters himself.

44. Neil Young – Waging Heavy Peace

“Neil Young – Waging Heavy Peace ” is an introspective journey through the life of the rock icon, offering a unique glimpse into the mind of a man known for his enigmatic music and relentless creativity. It’s like sitting by a crackling fire with Young as he recounts tales from his sprawling career, from the dizzying heights of fame to the quiet moments that fuel his artistry.

With a mix of reflection, humor, and sincerity, Neil shares his passions, from music to model trains to his ventures into high-fidelity audio. Reading it feels like flipping through a personal scrapbook, each page a snapshot of a life lived with intensity, integrity, and a deep love for the muse that drives him.

45. Nikki Sixx – Heroin Diaries

“Nikki Sixx – Heroin Diaries ” plunges into the dark heart of the Mötley Crüe bassist’s battle with addiction, set against the backdrop of rock ‘n’ roll excess. It’s like walking through a haunted house, where each room reveals more of the harrowing, yet strangely captivating, depths of Sixx’s year-long descent into drug-fueled madness.

With brutal honesty and startling clarity, Sixx shares diary entries that paint a vivid picture of a life on the edge, teetering between destruction and creativity. Reading it feels like listening to a confession, raw and unfiltered, that’s as much a cautionary tale as it is a testament to the power of survival and redemption.

46. Ozzy Osbourne – I Am Ozzy

What list of the best musician biographies would be complete without” I Am Ozzy “? This is the uproarious, no-holds-barred autobiography of Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness himself, chronicling his journey from humble beginnings to the summit of heavy metal royalty. It’s like sitting down with Ozzy at a pub, as he regales you with tales of legendary excess, on-stage antics, and the tumultuous life of a rock icon.

With his unmistakable wit and candor, Osbourne recounts the dizzying highs and devastating lows of his career, all while maintaining a sense of humor about the madness that has been his life. The book feels like riding a roller coaster in the dark, thrilling and unpredictable, echoing the wild, unforgettable ride that is Ozzy’s life.

47. Paul McCartney – Many Years From Now

“ Paul McCartney – Many Years From Now ” offers a vivid, melody-filled stroll down memory lane, guided by Sir Paul McCartney himself, spotlighting his Beatles years and beyond. Throughout the book, McCartney shares personal stories behind the songs, the brotherhood, the laughter, and the tears of the Fab Four’s journey.

With intimate insights and charming anecdotes, McCartney paints a portrait of a time that reshaped music forever, all told with the warmth and wit only he could provide. Reading it feels like uncovering a treasure trove of musical history, making you a confidant in the legacy of a legend whose tunes have echoed through many years and still captivate hearts worldwide.

48. Prince – Dig If You Will the Picture

Let’s continue our list of books on musicians with “Prince – Dig You Will the Picture “. This book immerses you in the enigmatic world of Prince, exploring the depth and breadth of his musical genius and the impact he left on the world. It’s like wandering through a vibrant, sonic landscape painted with the hues of funk, rock, R&B, and soul, all blending together under the guiding hand of the Purple One.

Through a mosaic of interviews, analyses, and reflections, the book offers a glimpse into Prince’s creative process, his innovations, and the iconic moments that defined his career. Reading it feels like being invited into the exclusive, eclectic universe of Prince, where every page pulses with the rhythm of his life and the echoes of his legacy.

49. Randy Rhoads – Crazy Train

What list of the best music biographies would be complete without “Randy Rhoads – Crazy Train “? This book takes you on a high-speed journey through the life of the guitar prodigy who redefined heavy metal riffing. It’s like being plugged directly into Rhoads’s amp, feeling the energy and passion that fueled his legendary performances with Ozzy Osbourne.

Through intimate recollections and detailed accounts, the book explores Randy’s meteoric rise, his devotion to music, and the tragic crash that ended his life too soon. Reading it feels like a backstage pass to the 80s rock scene, offering a heartfelt tribute to a musician whose legacy continues to electrify guitar enthusiasts around the world.

50. Robbie Robertson – Testimony

“Robbie Robertson – Testimony ” weaves a rich tapestry of the music scene from the golden age of rock, through the eyes and guitar of The Band’s legendary guitarist. It’s like sitting down in a dimly lit room with Robertson as he recounts the journey from backing Bob Dylan to becoming rock royalty themselves.

With vivid storytelling, he shares the camaraderie, the tours, and the behind-the-scenes moments that shaped some of the most iconic music of the era. Reading it feels like flipping through a photo album of rock history, each chapter a snapshot that captures the spirit, the struggles, and the magic of a time when music was a powerful force for change.

51. Robert Johnson – Escaping the Delta

We’ll continue our list of books on musicians with the incrediblee “Robert Johnson – Escaping the Delta “. This book unveils the mystique of the blues legend whose guitar prowess sparked rumors of a deal with the devil. It’s like stepping into a crossroads at midnight, where each turn of the page sheds light on Johnson’s life, the myths that shrouded his legacy, and the profound impact he had on music history.

The book delves deep into the heart of the Delta blues, revealing how Johnson’s innovative style and haunting lyrics echoed far beyond the cotton fields, influencing generations of musicians. Reading it feels like uncovering a secret chapter of music history, offering a closer look at the man behind the myth, whose chords and cries continue to resonate through the annals of American music.

52. Sammy Hagar – Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock

“Sammy Hagar – Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock ” blasts through the life of the Red Rocker with the speed and power of a muscle car, capturing the essence of a rock ‘n’ roll journey like no other. It’s like kicking back with Hagar himself, tequila in hand, as he shares the wild stories of his rise from humble beginnings to his days with Van Halen and beyond.

With unflinching honesty and a sense of humor, Sammy recounts the highs, the lows, and everything in-between, including the epic parties and personal battles. Reading it feels like being on tour with a rock legend, offering an all-access pass to the backstage, on-stage, and off-stage antics that define the life of a man who’s lived every moment at full throttle. One of the best musician autobiographies in this list!

53. Scott Ian – I’m The Man: The Story of That Guy From Anthrax

“ I’m The Man: The Story of That Guy From Anthrax ” cranks up the volume on Scott Ian’s life, offering a no-holds-barred look at the rhythm guitarist’s journey through the thrash metal scene. It’s like grabbing a beer with Ian as he recounts the wild ride of Anthrax, from its foundation to becoming one of the “Big Four” of thrash metal, peppered with anecdotes of mayhem, music, and mosh pits.

With a candid voice and a sharp sense of humor, Ian shares the ups and downs, the backstage stories, and the passion for music that kept him thrashing on the guitar strings. Reading it feels like a whirlwind trip through the metal scene of the ’80s and ’90s, full of headbanging moments, laughter, and a deep, unabashed love for heavy metal.

54. Slash – The Autobiography

“ Slash ” slices through the life of the iconic Guns N’ Roses guitarist, delivering raw, unfiltered stories from the man beneath the top hat. It’s like being invited to an after-hours jam session, where Slash lays down the riff of his life, from the dizzying highs of rock stardom to the shadowy lows of addiction and recovery.

With every page, Slash’s voice cuts through like a solo, sharing the tumult and triumphs of a life lived on the edge of a guitar pick. Reading it feels like a backstage pass into the heart of rock ‘n’ roll, gritty, real, and louder than life, offering a glimpse of the man who became a legend, one chord at a time.

55. Stevie Ray Vaughan – Caught in the Crossfire

Another of the best music biographies is “Stevie Ray Vaughan – Caught in the Crossfire “. This book dives into the whirlwind life of the guitar legend, Stevie Ray Vaughan, with a narrative as electrifying as one of his solos. The book paints a vivid picture of Vaughan’s rise from a kid with big dreams in Dallas to becoming a rock and blues icon, admired by millions.

It doesn’t shy away from the darker chapters of his journey, including his battles with addiction and his tragic, untimely death. Through interviews and personal anecdotes, it’s a heartfelt tribute to Vaughan’s genius, capturing the spirit of a man who lived at full throttle, both on stage and off.

56. Tom Petty – The Biography

Diving into “ Tom Petty – The Biography ,” you’re hitching a ride on the wild journey of one of rock’s most beloved figures. This book cracks open the vault on Petty’s life, from his roots in Gainesville, Florida, to the zenith of rock stardom, revealing the heartbreaks and triumphs along the way.

It’s a no-holds-barred exploration of his musical genius, personal struggles, and the unbreakable spirit that defined his career. Through intimate stories and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, it feels like you’re on the road with Petty himself, sharing in the laughter, the tears, and the unforgettable music.

57. Tony Iommi – Iron Man

“Tony Iommi – Iron Man ” rips through the life of Black Sabbath’s legendary guitarist, Tony Iommi, with the same intensity as his iconic riffs. This book takes you on a headbanging journey from Iommi’s early days in Birmingham, England, through the highs and lows of rock stardom, to becoming a metal god.

It doesn’t just stick to the music; this musician biography dives deep into Iommi’s personal battles, including his fight to play guitar after a factory accident almost ended his career. Packed with wild stories, profound insights, and a dash of humor, get the inside scoop on what made Sabbath’s sound immortal.

58. Willie Nelson – It’s a Long Story

“Willie Nelson – It’s a Long Story ” takes you on a leisurely stroll down the winding roads of Willie Nelson’s life, with the man himself as your guide. From his early days in Texas through the wild twists of country music fame, Nelson’s tale is a rich tapestry of songs, smoke, and soul-searching.

The book is peppered with tales of Nelson’s encounters with music legends, his battles against the establishment, and his unwavering commitment to his craft and causes. Reading this musician biography feels like sitting on a porch with Willie, strumming a guitar under the stars, as he shares the wisdom and wild stories collected over decades of making music and making waves.

59. Yngwie Malmsteen – Relentless

Next in our list of musician memoirs is “Yngwie Malmsteen – Relentless “. This book shreds through the life story of the shred guitar virtuoso with the same ferocity he applies to his six-string. This musician autobiography gives you front-row seats to the rollercoaster ride of Malmsteen’s journey, from a rebellious kid in Sweden dreaming of rock glory to becoming a maestro of the neoclassical metal genre.

The book is packed with tales of rockstar excess, intense dedication to his art, and the relentless pursuit of musical perfection that’s as mind-blowing as his solos. Read through his triumphs, trials, and the relentless drive that propelled him to the pantheon of guitar gods.

60. Zakk Wylde – Bringing Metal to the Children

The final entry in our list of books about musicians is “Zakk Wylde – Bringing Metal to the Children “. This is a wild ride through the rock n’ roll circus as seen through the eyes of guitar legend Zakk Wylde. This book isn’t just a memoir; it’s a backstage pass to the mayhem, madness, and sheer metal insanity that comes with life on the road in the world of heavy music.

Wylde dishes out hilarious tales, hard-earned wisdom, and a few lessons on what it really takes to bring the metal to the masses. Join Zakk as he recounts the epic journey of a life lived loud and proud in the service of heavy metal.

Musician Biographies Missing?

Hopefully you’ve managed to find several awesome musician biographies in this article that you fancy reading yourself.

However, if you feel that I’ve missed out any essential books about musicians, please drop me an email. You’ll find a link to my contact form in the footer below.

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Get in tune with these 14 upcoming music biopics

Sydney Bucksbaum is a writer at Entertainment Weekly covering all things pop culture – but TV is her one true love. She currently lives in Los Angeles but grew up in Chicago so please don't make fun of her accent when it slips out.

Melody masters reimagined on the big screen

Will these music biopics hit the right note or turn out tone-deaf? See our list of 14 upcoming movies that chronicle the iconic lives of famous musicians, and who's set to star in them.

Leonard Bernstein

From A Star Is Born to Leonard Bernstein, Bradley Cooper is staying in the music genre for his next big directorial effort. The multi-hyphenate will direct and star in a Leonard Bernstein biopic , Maestro, about the conductor and composer behind West Side Story , Peter Pan , and more. Cooper co-writes the Netflix film with Josh Singer ( Spotlight ), while producing with, among others, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. Carey Mulligan is set to co-star as Felicia Montealegre, wife of the iconic composer.

Timothée Chalamet is expected to play Bob Dylan in an as-yet-untitled film from Searchlight Pictures . Directed by James Mangold , the film takes place in 1965, when the folk legend made a controversial shift to rock & roll and the electric guitar. However, in an interview with Collider , cinematographer Phedon Papamichael revealed production is on hold due to COVID-19.

Boy George is yet another musical icon to get the Hollywood treatment, with MGM producing the biopic and Sacha Gervasi ( Anvil: The Story of Anvil ) writing and directing. The as-yet-untitled project will follow the singer (born George Alan O'Dowd) from his early years in England growing up in a working-class Irish family through his rise up the pop charts as part of the group Culture Club in the 1980s. Sophie Turner has said she'd like the part , with Boy George admitting, "When I was 17, I would have loved to have been her."

Marianne Faithfull

Lucy Boynton is trading one music biopic for another. After appearing in Bohemian Rhapsody , the British actor is set to executive produce and star as singer Marianne Faithfull in Faithfull , directed by Ian Bonhôte. Set in mid-1960s London, the movie will chronicle the highs and lows of Faithfull's career after being discovered as a convent schoolgirl at 17, becoming a pop idol, her tumultuous romance with Mick Jagger that inspired some of the Rolling Stones' greatest songs, and being a homeless drug addict in Soho. "I am delighted that my story is finally being made with my dream team of Lucy, [producer] Julia [Taylor-Stanley] and Ian," Faithfull said.

Michael Jackson

It should come as no surprise that Michael Jackson is finally getting the biopic treatment . Graham King, who produced the Oscar-winning Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody , has acquired the rights to Jackson's music and is set to make a film based on the pop legend's life. Collaborating with King is screenwriter John Logan; the two previously worked together on Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic, The Aviator.

Graham King is a busy man—he's also developing a biopic about the Bee Gees along with Steven Spielberg . Once director John Carney will helm the currently untitled film, with a script by John Logan. The movie will likely follow the trio of brothers— Barry , Robin, and Maurice Gibb—and their journey from humble beginnings in 1958 to reaching global fame after working on the soundtrack for the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever , penning iconic tunes like "Stayin' Alive" and "More Than a Woman." Paramount and King purchased the life rights to the Gibb family estate, and thus will be able to use the group's biggest hits in the movie. Barry is the sole surviving member of the group, as Maurice and Robin died in 2003 and 2012.

Teddy Pendergrass

Six-time Grammy nominee Tyrese Gibson is taking on the life of R&B icon Teddy Pendergrass in a biopic written by Little Marvin, with Donald De Line ( Ready Player One ), Lee Daniels ( Precious ), and Gibson producing. Pendergrass' widow, Joan Pendergrass, is also on board as an executive producer. "This is the role that I feel I was born to play," Gibson said. "Teddy Pendergrass embraced me and, before he passed, put the responsibility on my shoulders to tell his story."

John Lennon and Yoko Ono

An adaptation of John Lennon and Yoko Ono 's epic love story has been in the works for years. The script was written by Bohemian Rhapsody scribe Anthony McCarten, while Ono herself was attached to produce. Jean-Marc Vallée ( Dallas Buyers Club ) had been expected to direct and edit before his death in 2021. There has been no other news about the project, but we still hope it will come together some day.

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse 's family announced back in 2018 that the iconic singer was getting a big-screen biopic, with proceeds from the film reportedly benefiting the Amy Winehouse Foundation. The Winehouse family will serve as executive producers on the film, Back to Black , which has been written by Matt Greenhalgh and will be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson . "We now feel able to celebrate Amy's extraordinary life and talent," the singer's father, Mitch Winehouse, said. "We know through the Amy Winehouse Foundation that the true story of her illness can help so many others who might be experiencing similar issues."

Rapper Gucci Mane (real name: Radric Delantic Davis) is getting a biopic from Paramount Players and Imagine Entertainment, based on his memoir, The Autobiography of Gucci Mane . Imagine's Brian Grazer and Erica Huggins will join Mane and Todd Moskowitz in producing the film about the trap house artist who started his career by releasing mixtapes while in prison.

Bob Marley is expected to be played by Kingsley Ben-Adir ( One Night in Miami ) in a new biopic about the reggae music trailblazer. The Jamaican singer-songwriter died of cancer in 1981, but in his short life he changed the legacy of reggae forever. Reinaldo Marcus Green ( King Richard ) will direct the biopic with input from the musician's son, Ziggy Marley.

Who better to make a movie about Madonna 's life than Madonna herself? The iconic singer is set to direct a biopic about her life, having co-written the script with a collaboration from Oscar-winning Juno scribe Diablo Cody . The still-untitled Universal film is rumored to star Julia Garner in the lead role and will also be produced by Madonna and two-time Academy Award nominee Amy Pascal ( Little Women ). The film is expected to follow the entertainer's rise to prominence as the culture-shaping musician, actress, director, author, and entrepreneur she is today. Sara Zambreno and Madonna's longtime manager, Guy Oseary, are on board as executive producers as well.

Lemmy, a.k.a. Ian Fraser Kilmister, the lead singer of Motörhead who passed away in 2015 , is getting a biopic from someone who knew him well—Greg Olliver. The filmmaker spent several years with the band for their 2010 documentary, also titled Lemmy . The movie will follow Kilmister's early life in England, his time as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix, and the five years he spent with rock band Hawkwind before he went on to create Motörhead, forever changing the future of rock music. Motörhead's manager Todd Singerman and Steffan Chirazi will serve as executive producers for a screenplay written by Medeni Griffiths along with Olliver.

What's better than a biopic about an iconic female-led rock band? A biopic about an iconic female-led rock band written and directed by another iconic female rock star. Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein is set to write and direct a biopic on the rock band Heart for Amazon Studios. It was Heart guitarist Ann Wilson herself who revealed on SiriusXM's Volume West that "there's [a film] in the works" about her band, best known for late '70s and early '80s hits like "Crazy on You" and "Barracuda." Wilson added that she "saw the first draft of the script, it's really cool… The script started in childhood and ended up in the '90s." Casting is currently underway for the roles of Wilson and her sister, Nancy Wilson.

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The 50 Greatest Rock Memoirs of All Time

By Rob Sheffield

Rob Sheffield

Funny thing about rock & roll memoirs: They tend to have the same plot. Our heroes begin with big dreams about making it as rock stars. There’s the sleazy bars, the cheap motels, the shady managers. Then they get a taste of the big time: hit records, limos, drug orgies, groupies, diseases, the works. What could go wrong? Craaaash! But, hey, Elizabethan revenge tragedies all have the same plot too, and nobody complains when the royal family gets butchered in the final scene. Great rock memoirs don’t always come from great artists: Sometimes it takes one-hit wonders, losers, hacks, junkies, crooks. Every rock & roll character has a story to tell. Here are 50 of our favorites.

Steven Tyler: ‘Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?’ (2011)

If you can find a single coherent sentence in this book, write and tell the publisher, so they can correct this error in future editions. But happy hunting, because Steven Tyler’s brain is located, as he puts it, “in the way-out-a-sphere.” From Aerosmith to American Idol , Tyler has been “61 Highwayed and I did it my wayed; Little-Willie-Johned and been-here-and-goned; million-dollar riffed and Jimmy Cliffed; cotton-picked and Stevie Nick’d.”

[ Find the Book Here ]

Nikki Sixx: ‘The Heroin Diaries’ (2007)

This one gets the “truth in packaging” award — Nikki Sixx does so many drugs in this book it should come in an aluminum-foil dust jacket. It’s more personal than The Dirt , but just as juicy. It might be cheating to mention The Heroin Diaries on a list like this, since there’s barely any mention of his music, but anyone even vaguely interested in Mötley Crüe is going to be fine with that.

Alice Bag: ‘Violence Girl’ (2011)

A Chicana punk coming-of-age story from East L.A., where a barrio kid named Alicia Armendariz starts a hardcore band called the Bags, battles her way to the stage, then finds she has to keep on battling. Raised on the Mexican ranchera records of her immigrant parents, baptized in 1970s glam rock, Alice Bag thrives on her confrontational dust-ups with the slam-dancing mosh pit crew, in her pink dress and high heels. For her, it’s all about “the giddy adrenaline rush of the fight.”

Billy Idol: ‘Dancing With Myself’ (2017)

Billy Idol seems to show up at least once in every Eighties-Nineties memoir, usually when some sort of pharmaceutical dessert is consumed. So it’s only fitting he wrote his own. Hell, Billy’s index has more drama than most books: “Idol, Billy, cocaine use of,” “GHB overdose of,” “hair of,” “police anti-crack sting,” “violin lessons of.” From “White Wedding” to “Cradle of Love,” his purple prose is a thing of beauty, as when an early punk romance breaks up because the drugs “dashed my hopes on the rocks of desire as the sea poured into our kingdom.” No matter where he is, Billy never idles.

Debbie Harry: ‘Face It’ (2019)

The Blondie grande dame has told her story before — most notably in Making Tracks , her great 1982 photo-history with Chris Stein and Victor Bockris. But Face It has the complete saga: how Debbie Harry came out of nowhere to seduce the world, from CBGB to The Muppet Show , then lost it all, yet refused to give up and quit. Her whole book has the glorious sneer of a tough old punk queen who knows how cool she is and does not care if you agree. “My Blondie character was an inflatable doll, but with a dark, provocative, aggressive side. I was playing it up, yet I was very serious.”

Rick James: ‘Glow’ (2014)

Fame — it’s a hell of a drug. Rick James begins his chronicle in Folsom Prison after flaming out on crack, in the hard times between his “Super Freak” peak and his Chappelle’s Show comeback, which explains why it’s not titled I’m Rick James, Bitch . In the Sixties, he plays in a hippie band with a not-yet-famous Neil Young, stays up all night with Joni Mitchell grooving to Sketches of Spain , cruises the Whiskey a Go Go with David Crosby, gets turned on to acid by Jim Morrison. Then he sees KISS and gets a lesson in showmanship. Rick becomes the King of Punk Funk, hitting Studio 54 (“Tanya Tucker was my best friend”?) and beefing with Prince. And along the way, he meets some very, very kinky girls.

Elton John: ‘Me’ (2019)

When Elton published his long-threatened memoir in late 2019, the world learned why the biopic Rocketman was such a humorless drag — it turned out Captain Fantastic was saving all the juiciest dish for his own superb book. Me has the right mix of salty gossip and even saltier self-mockery. A shy English schoolboy named Reginald Dwight decides to become a glitter-rock starlet, dubs himself Elton, peacocks through the Seventies, only to end up a respectable elder statesman. Hello, yellow brick road.

Gucci Mane: ‘The Autobiography of Gucci Mane’ (2017)

Dean Wareham: ‘Black Postcards’ (2008)

Dean Wareham led the great New York guitar band Luna through the 1990s, after the breakup of the Boston indie pioneers Galaxie 500. He shares the dirty details of how tedious it can be to plug away in a semi-famous, halfway-to-the-big-time rock band: the airports, the motels, the bickering band politics, the broken relationships, the constant asking around to see who’s got the drugs. Nobody in this story gets rich, or even seems to break even — all anyone gets out of the experience is a few dozen excellent songs. And that ends up being enough.

Bobbie Brown: ‘Dirty Rocker Boys’ (2013)

Peter Hook: ‘Substance: Inside New Order’ (2016)

Neil Peart: ‘Ghost Rider’ (2002)

In the summer of 1997, Neil Peart’s teenage daughter Selena dies in a car crash. Less than a year later, his wife Jackie dies of cancer. So he gets on his motorcycle and hits the road, from Quebec to the Yukon, then down south to Mexico and Belize. He rides thousands of solitary miles, brooding over his grief, with no home to go back to, while his brothers in Rush give him the time he needs to fire up the willing engine. Ghost Rider is different from anything Peart wrote for Rush — an unusually personal statement from such a shy and private writer. But the Professor brings all his analytical rigor to these road journals — and leans on the healing power of mechanical music.

Find the Book Here ]

Tegan and Sara: ‘High School’ (2019)

Donald Fagen: ‘Eminent Hipsters’ (2013)

Joe Boyd: ‘White Bicycles’ (2006)

John Lydon: ‘Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs’ (1993)

The former Johnny Rotten has all the dirt about how the Sex Pistols pissed off the world. But he’s also got poignant details about his hardscrabble youth in London’s Irish-immigrant squalor, raised by a mother even more badass than he was. He also shares his deep hatred for religion, the Queen, the other Sex Pistols, hippies, rich people, racists, sexists, the English political system, Malcolm McLaren, and, of course, Pink Floyd . “A lot of people feel the Sex Pistols were just negative,” he says. “I agree, and what the fuck is wrong with that? Sometimes the absolute most positive thing you can be in a boring society is completely negative.”

Gregg Allman: ‘My Cross to Bear’ (2012)

A Southern Gothic rock epic. The Allman Brother sings “Whipping Post,” he snorts himself senseless, he rats on his drug roadie. And, of course, he marries Cher . On their first date, he even manages to stay off heroin until right after dinner. “I went to her house in a limousine, and when she came out, she said, ‘Fuck that funeral car,’ and handed me the keys to her blue Ferrari.… She didn’t have shit to say to me, and I didn’t have shit to say to her. What’s the topic of conversation? It certainly ain’t singing.” The second date goes a little better: “We made some serious love.”

Boy George: ‘Take It Like a Man’ (1995)

The confessions of a natural-born poseur. Boy George grows up as the “pink sheep” of his working-class Irish Catholic family, getting his start on the London club scene as a coat-check boy with a face full of cosmetics and a reputation for picking the customers’ pockets. He becomes an international pop sensation with Culture Club, while having a torrid affair with the drummer. The Boy doesn’t worry about making himself seem likable — quite the opposite. He bitches himself out along with everybody else, which is why his catty recollections make this book addictive.

Marilyn Manson: ‘The Long Hard Road Out of Hell’ (1998)

Luke Haines: ‘Bad Vibes: Britpop and My Role in Its Downfall’ (2009)

Brian Wilson: ‘I Am Brian Wilson’ (2016)

Robbie Robertson: ‘Testimony’ (2016)

Lemmy: ‘White Line Fever’ (2002)

Neil Young: ‘Special Deluxe’ (2014)

Henry Rollins: ‘Get in the Van: On the Road With Black Flag’ (1994)

Did Jack Kerouac ever write a book this great? In a word, no. This is the real on-the-road American adventure: a band of antisocial maniacs who hate each other crammed in a van, bumming from town to town, sleeping on floors when they’re lucky, getting clubbed by the cops when they’re not, doing it all for those few minutes of glorious noise. Black Flag were hardcore pioneers who paved the road other bands have traveled ever since, and Rollins’ tour diaries are the essence of that pain-is-my-girlfriend punk spirit.

Kim Gordon: ‘Girl in a Band’ (2015)

Jay-Z: ‘Decoded’ (2010)

If you’re curious about what it’s really like to be Shawn Carter , you’ll learn more about his hard-knock life from his albums, which have always gone heavy on the In My Lifetime narrative. But what he’s really trying to do here in Decoded is write the whole story of hip-hop, merely using himself as a prime example, as he rises from criminal-minded fan to industry kingpin. Like he says, “Rap is built to handle contradictions.” Most surprising moment: Hov defends the Coldplay duet “Beach Chair” as “one of the hidden jewels of my catalog.”

Tommy James: ‘Me, the Mob and the Music’ (2010)

The Goodfellas of rock & roll literature. Everybody knows the Tommy James oldies — “Mony Mony,” “Hanky Panky,” “Crimson and Clover,” etc. But according to Tommy, these songs got on the radio because he had some influential mobbed-up friends pulling the strings. (And, of course, pocketing the loot.) The whole topic of criminal connections in the music business is still taboo — see Fredric Dannen’s 1990 classic Hit Men for the full picture. But Tommy James is the first star to tell the story from the inside: How the Mafia gave the world “I Think We’re Alone Now.”

David Lee Roth: ‘Crazy From the Heat’ (1998)

You know what’s crazy? How underrated this book is. Diamond Dave’s book of pensees really deserves to be read wherever generally insane ramblings by generally insane dudes are read. Crazy From the Heat barely got noticed because it came out in the late Nineties, when public interest in Van Halen was at an all-time low. But every page abounds with his stark-raving lunatic eat-‘em-and-smile rock & roll Zen wisdom. Preach, Dave: “I’m not real good with baby steps. My specialty is ass-kicking. Does that sound unreasonable? It may well be, but I guarantee you, you will find no reasonable man on top of big mountains.”

Kristin Hersh: ‘Rat Girl’ (2010)

Even if you don’t know Kristin Hersh’s band Throwing Muses, Rat Girl is a crucial first-hand account of the Eighties indie-rock uprising. Her narrative voice is warm, friendly, and surprisingly funny. When Hersh gets pregnant and decides to have the kid, without giving up her band, she shrugs, “I’ll cross the living-in-a-van-is-probably-child-abuse bridge when I come to it.” Deep down it’s a story about messed-up kids finding one other, starting a band, and accidentally scrounging up an audience of similarly messed-up kids. It belongs on the shelf next to Michael Azerrad’s classic Our Band Could Be Your Life .

Morrissey: ‘Autobiography’ (2013)

Richard Hell: ‘I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp’ (2013)

Chuck Berry: ‘The Autobiography’ (1987)

The “Johnny B. Goode” man who invented rock & roll tells a few stories about what he saw along the way. As a Fifties black pop star, scoring hit records in a land full of violent racism, his story seems to touch on all the contradictions and injustices of American culture. In the early Sixties, while bands like the Beatles , the Stones , and the Beach Boys were hero-worshipping him, Berry himself was rotting in jail, railroaded in a blatantly racist trial. That’s where he wrote the deeply ironic “Promised Land” — a classic celebration of American dreams, written in a prison cell.

David Bowie: ‘Moonage Daydream: The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust’ (2002)

It’s a massive coffee-table art book, with lavish images of Bowie in the Seventies from photographer Mick Rock . But the main attraction of Moonage Daydream is the text by the man himself. He’s in top form, whether he’s shopping for shoes with Cyrinda Foxe (who teaches him to wear “palm-tree’d fuck-me pumps”) or sipping tea with Elton John (“We didn’t exactly become pals, not really having that much in common, especially musically”), or partying it up with Mick Jagger (“I have absolutely no recollections of this party at all”). The closest this world will ever get to a straight-up Bowie autobiography — but who’d ever want anything straight-up from Bowie?

Rod Stewart: ‘Rod’ (2012)

Anthony Kiedis: ‘Scar Tissue’ (2004)

The Red Hot Chili Pepper tells a quintessential made-in-L.A., rise-and-fall-and-rise story, complete with all the californicatory details. Kiedis muses about his childhood, his band, his face time with the Dalai Lama, and his many, many, many ex-girlfriends, most of whom inspire him to share a kind word, a nude photo, or both. (Ione Skye was “an au naturel, soft, soulful forest nymph.”) Scar Tissue has the best final sentence of any book on this list, starring Keidis’ lovable pooch Buster: “And when I do think, ‘Man, a fucking motel room with a couple of thousand dollars’ worth of narcotics would do me right,’ I just look over at my dog and remember that Buster’s never seen me high.” Let’s hope Kiedis writes a whole book about Buster some day.

Ronnie Spector: ‘Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness’ (1989)

The New York doll of the Ronettes had one of rock & roll’s biggest voices. She also had one of rock & roll’s most famously nightmarish marriages, as she was practically kept captive by Phil Spector for years. But if you’re looking for self-pity, you’ll be disappointed, because her book, like her voice, is full of cocky, smart, self-aware humor. And, yes, in case you were wondering, it totally sucked to be married to Phil Spector.

John Taylor: ‘In the Pleasure Groove’ (2012)

Paul McCartney: ‘Many Years From Now’ (1997)

Officially this is an “authorized biography,” by longtime Macca friend Barry Miles. But that’s just a front, because the book really exists as a vehicle for Paul to tell his story in his own words. Every page has killer lines, like when he reveals “Can’t Buy Me Love” was recorded after a nine-day orgy with Miami Beach’s finest hookers: “It should been ‘Can Buy Me Love,’ actually.” Some fans were put off by the way he squabbles over credits, even breaking down songwriting by percentages. (To pick one controversial example, he calculates that “Norwegian Wood” as 40 percent his and 60 percent John’s.) But on the page, as well as in song, his voice overflows with wit and affection. And he did less to fuck up his good luck than any rock star who has ever existed, which might be why his memories make such marvelous company.

Nile Rodgers: ‘Le Freak’ (2011)

The “sex, drugs, and disco” revolution of the Seventies, as seen by the Chic guitarist who permanently changed the way music sounds and feels and moves. This is a cerebral and unabashed celebration of disco; as Nile Rodgers puts it, “We shared Afrobromantic dreams of what it would be like to have real artistic freedom.” He also reveals that when he and Bernard Edwards wrote the classic “Upside Down” for Diana Ross , everybody at Motown hated it. The song would have been axed forever, if not for the one listener who recognized its brilliance. “We played it for Gene Simmons of KISS , who was recording next door, and he told us it was great. We respected Gene, but he was dating Diana Ross at the time, so what else would he say?”

Carrie Brownstein: ‘Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl’ (2015)

The RZA: ‘The Tao of Wu’ (2009)

How do you choose between the RZA’s two excellent memoirs? ( Choose the sword and you join me. Choose the ball and you join your mother. You don’t understand my words, but you must choose! ) The first installment, The Wu-Tang Manual , is more of a beginners-guide handbook to the Shaolin mythology. But The Tao of Wu digs deeper, as the RZA broods on hip-hop and spirituality. He combines esoteric Buddhism, true mathematics, kung-fu flicks, chess tactics, and comic books into his own unique theosophical ruckus.

Slash: ‘Slash’ (2007)

There’s no shortage of Sunset Strip metal-sleaze gossip books out there, including other excellent GN’R memoirs — see Steven Adler’s My Appetite for Destruction or Duff McKagan’s It’s So Easy (And Other Lies) . But Slash’s book is surprisingly reflective, yet hilariously blasé about all his decadence. Low point: Slash collapses during a hotel drug binge and gets rushed to the hospital, where the doctors restart his heart. He complains, “I had no remorse whatsoever about my overdose — but I was pissed off at myself for having died. The whole hospital excursion really ate into my day off.”

Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz: ‘Beastie Boys Book’ (2018)

Viv Albertine: ‘Clothes Clothes Clothes Music Music Music Boys Boys Boys’ (2014)

Keith Richards: ‘Life’ (2010)

Like a lot of books on this list — only more so — Life makes you marvel that the guy who lived through all this chaos could end up remembering any of it. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how a guy who lived the rock & roll myth as hard as Keith Richards could still talk his way through a transaction at the drive-through window, let alone a book this great. Despite all the cranky bitching about Mick , this book exceeded any reasonable expectation for literary Keefness.

Questlove: ‘Mo Meta Blues’ (2013)

Bruce Springsteen: ‘Born to Run’ (2016)

Patti Smith: ‘Just Kids’ (2010)

An incredibly romantic portrait of two young hustlers in the big city: Patti Smith and her best friend, artist Robert Mapplethorpe, have to keep telling each other how great they are, because nobody else will believe it. The most amazing thing about this book is the warmth, the lack of bitterness — what Smith seems to remember most about New York bohemia in the 1960s is all the moments of awkward kindness. Best scene: Allen Ginsberg buys Patti a cheese-and-lettuce sandwich at the Automat, because he thinks she’s a pretty boy. When she breaks the news that she’s a girl, she asks, “Well, does this mean I return the sandwich?” Ginsberg just keeps talking to her about Jack Kerouac while she eats — a gentleman as well as a poet.

Bob Dylan: ‘Chronicles, Volume One’ (2004)

Everybody knew this guy had a way with words. But it’s safe to say that nobody expected his autobiography to be this intense. He rambles from one fragment of his life to another, with crazed characters and weird scenes in every chapter. It all hangs together, from his Minnesota boyhood (who knew Dylan started out as such a big wrestling fan?) to the “deserted orchards and dead grass” of his Eighties bottoming-out phase. He evokes his early folk-rogue days in New York, even though he hated being perceived as the voice of a generation: “I was more a cowpuncher than a Pied Piper.” So where’s that Nobel Prize already?

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Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch in Bob Marley: One Love.

The Guide #131: Are music biopics the new superhero films?

In this week’s newsletter: Forever searching for box office hits, studios are looking to cash in with the origin stories of bands and struggling musicians

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T his year’s surprise hit at the box office has been Bob Marley: One Love. The biopic of the reggae icon has grossed over $170m and counting, meaning it’s only behind Kung Fu Panda 4 and Dune: Part Two in 2024 receipts. Next month sees the release of Back to Black, an Amy Winehouse biopic that is expected to perform strongly on the back of a slew of free promo for its questionable likenesses and ghoulish portrayal of the ill-fated singer. Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Grateful Dead, Billy Joel, Boy George, Maria Callas, Linda Ronstadt, Fred Astaire, Carole King, George Michael, Bee Gees, Keith Moon and the Beatles (times four, one for each member) – all have biopics about them due in the coming months.

While Hollywood today is dominated by sequels, remakes and comic book extended universes, 2023 saw the decline of the superhero movie . While the summer slate is still headlined by a couple of comic book titles (notably Deadpool & Wolverine and Joker 2) it does appear that audience demand has peaked and that the superhero movie is finally going “the way of the western” as predicted by Steven Spielberg a decade ago. Forever in search of a new trend capable of buffeting their revenues, studios are increasingly looking towards music biopics to provide reliable income (theatrical chains expect this year’s North American box office to be down 11% on 2023’s strong performance).

Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in Back to Black.

Although grounded in reality and often featuring mature themes (plenty of sex and drugs amid the rock’n’roll) music biopics ape superhero movies in that they come steeped in mythology, and with an eager audience of already devoted fans baked in, essentially allowing the studios to have their cake (compete for awards) and eat it (cash out).

In essence, 20th-century pop culture represents an extended universe that studios and film-makers can mine for profit. It doesn’t hurt that these films typically don’t cost a bomb, with most of the budget going on music rights. Not that you necessarily need to shell out for the actual songs: Nowhere Boy, England is Mine, and Stardust show you can work around the lack of hits by focusing on the origin story. What’s more these films have the potential for huge upside if they can find a large audience beyond fans. Prior to Oppenheimer, Bohemian Rhapsody ($910m) was the highest-grossing biopic of all time and Elvis, Rocketman and Straight Outta Compton all performed brilliantly relative to their $40m to $80m budgets.

Music biopics also represent a way of keeping actor fees to a minimum – Austin Butler only got a reported $700,000 for portraying Elvis . Of course, the best ones feature a lead actor capable of embodying a legendarily charismatic star but the presence of a marquee “character” to some extent ameliorates the need for a huge star. In this sense, biopics mirror superhero movies – they may be huge stars now but Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Tom Holland were not exactly massive names prior to getting cast as marquee fictional characters. Perhaps having Elvis or Bob Marley’s name on the poster means it doesn’t matter if the person playing them is a relative no mark.

While some of these films received criticism for being formulaic, hitting recurrent beats such as the artist suffering at the hands of sceptical parents or the band coming together for the first time, before inevitably falling out over the frontman’s outsized share of the glory, they create opportunities for fan service (and parody as in the underrated biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic story ). They also create space for more experimental cinema such as Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan biopic, I’m Not There (with Cate Blanchett’s performance representing a template for how a successful performance need not be a perfect imitation). And just like a superhero, music stars can be recast and reconfigured. Timothée Chalamet’s take on Bob Dylan is just around the corner.

With fan speculation already rife as to who Mendes will cast in his forthcoming Beatles tetralogy (with an individual film devoted to each of the Fab Four, creating a shared universe more commonly found in … superhero movies) it seems the music biopic will remain as a highly profitable Hollywood staple for a few years at least. But whether fans will truly have the appetite for four separate flicks will probably be a defining acid test as to whether they can deliver the sustained success that superhero movies have over the past few decades.

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This expansive biography chronicles the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of The Beatles - from their early club days in Liverpool to conquering the world and defining the 1960s counterculture movement through experimental albums that pushed music into new realms. It traces how John, Paul, George and Ringo became generational spokesmen who influenced fashion, film, language and technology, while promoting peace and unity during turbulent times. Their timeless catalog remains ubiquitous decades later, as they continue charming new generations of fans. Ultimately it showcases how four working class musicians fused into a once-in-a-lifetime magical musical force that connected the planet.

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From Liverpool to Legend - The Beatles' Journey to Fame and Cultural Dominance

From packed clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg to Beatlemania sweeping the globe, this audio profile chronicles the cultural phenomenon of The Beatles - four distinctive musical personalities who established the prototype for all rock bands to follow. It follows their meteoric impact on the musical landscape and fashion scene, while tracing how their songwriting and musicianship evolved with each album, pushing creative boundaries in the studio. Through experimental masterworks like Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road, they gave voice to the 1960s counterculture movement and used their influence to promote themes of peace, love and unity to the world. Their catalog remains contemporary across generations as they continue winning over new fans decades later.

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Steve Harley, ‘Make Me Smile’ Singer, Dies at 73

He was the frontman of the rock band Cockney Rebel, which landed several hits on the British charts in the 1970s.

A beaded man in a black vest and purple-and-white striped shirt with a guitar on a knee and an arm raised above his head.

By Orlando Mayorquín

Steve Harley, the 1970s British rock star who topped Britain’s music charts with the single “Make Me Smile,” died on Sunday at his home in Suffolk, England. He was 73.

H is family announced the death on Facebook. No cause was given, but Mr. Harley had announced last month that he would step away from the stage to undergo treatment for cancer and had previously canceled several concerts scheduled for this year.

Mr. Harley was the frontman of the band Cockney Rebel, which he formed in the early 1970s.

His biggest hit was the 1975 single “Make Me Smile,” in which Mr. Harley’s even-keeled vocals and melancholic lyrics cruise over an instrumental backing that bears the optimistic sound distinct to bands of the era. The song hit the top of the British charts in February of that year .

Cockney Rebel’s other British hits included the 1974 single “Judy Teen,” which peaked at No. 5 on the charts that year , and a funky cover of the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” in 1976.

Other songs found success outside Britain.

“Sebastian,” a single featured on the band’s debut album, “The Human Menagerie,” released in 1973, became a No. 1 hit in Belgium and the Netherlands, according to Mr. Harley’s website.

In 1986, Mr. Harley and the singer Sarah Brightman made the first recording of “Phantom of the Opera,” the title song from the musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Steve Harley was born on Feb. 27, 1951, in London and was, according to his online biography, the second of five children. His mother, who was a jazz singer in the 1940s, offered Mr. Harley one of his earliest introductions to music.

“She sang around the house when we were kids,” he said in a 2015 interview for the Tim Quinn YouTube channel, comparing his mother’s voice to that of Anne Shelton, a British vocalist who was popular during World War II.

When he was a child, his mother would sing along to Buddy Holly and other 1950s pop singers who would play on the radio, he said in the interview.

Complete information on survivors was not immediately available.

An illness and surgeries kept Mr. Harley rotating in and out of the hospital as a child. At age 12, while recovering from surgery, he found an affinity for the works of D.H. Lawrence, Ernest Hemingway and other authors and took a liking to Bob Dylan’s music, according to his online biography.

These artists, his website said, “moved a young Mr. Harley to realize that his life would likely be “preoccupied with words and music.”

He indeed became preoccupied with words in the late 1960s and early ’70s as he pursued a career in journalism, working for several daily newspapers in Britain.

Around the same time, his life as a singer was born in London nightclubs, where he would perform free, and where he met his eventual Cockney Rebel bandmates, with whom he struck the band’s first record deal in 1972.

A prolific performer, Mr. Harley continued singing days into his final years. He took the stage as recently as 2023.

An earlier version of this obituary misstated the year Mr. Harley gave an interview for the Tim Quinn YouTube channel. It was 2015 — not 2022, when the interview was posted online.

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Orlando Mayorquín is a breaking news reporter, based in New York, and a member of the 2023-24 Times Fellowship class , a program for journalists early in their careers. More about Orlando Mayorquín

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Back to Black

The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.