List Rules Vote up the best biographical films about singers and musicians
There are tons of music biopics, but which are the best? This list includes popular movies about real musicians and singers, like What’s Love Got To Do With It, Why Do Fools Fall In Love?, Walk the Line, and La Bamba. Films have the ability to make us feel. They make us want to believe, be inspired, and live vicariously through the stories we see on screen. Music and musicians has have a similar ability, and we often feel connected to our favorite rock stars, making movies about their lives all the more enchanting.
Films that tell the story of Tina Turner, Kurt Cobain, Sid Vicious, and Ray Charles all tell tales that are fascinating, tumultuous, and likely more violent than our own. It is with a peek into the lives of these individuals that we can understand their motives, and thus their art, that much better. These movies vary in their genre but are all equally fascinating.
Vote up the best rock star biopics below or add one that you think is great but isn't already on the list.
list ordered by
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Walk the LineReese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, Ginnifer Goodwin
Johnny Cash and June Carter Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the early life and career of country music artist Johnny Cash. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, ...more
Ray Charles Ray is a biographical film focusing on 30 years in the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was written, produced and directed by Taylor Hackford, and ...more
Tina Turner What's Love Got to Do with It is a 1993 American biographical film directed by Brian Gibson, loosely based on the life of Tina Turner. It stars Angela Bassett as Tina Turner and Laurence ...more
Eminem 8 Mile is a 2002 American hip-hop biopic film written by Scott Silver, directed by Curtis Hanson, and starring Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Michael Shannon and Kim Basinger. The film ...more
Bohemian Rhapsody is a 2018 American-British biographical drama film directed by Bryan Singer. A chronicle of the years from the formation of Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) ...more
Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Robby Krieger The Doors is a 1991 American biopic about the 1960-70s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver Stone.
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128 57
Jankowskim added Straight Outta ComptonO'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell
NWA Straight Outta Compton is a 2015 American biographical film directed by F. Gary Gray. The group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and ...more
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143 67
La BambaLou Diamond Phillips, Joe Pantoliano, Brian Setzer
Ritchie Valens La Bamba is a 1987 American biographical film written and directed by Luis Valdez that follows the life and career of Chicano rock 'n' roll star Ritchie Valens. The film stars Lou Diamond ...more
Loretta Lynn Coal Miner's Daughter is a 1980 biographical film which tells the story of country music legendary singer Loretta Lynn. It stars Sissy Spacek as Loretta, a role that earned her the Academy Award ...more
Buddy Holly The Buddy Holly Story is a 1978 biographical film which tells the life story of rock musician Buddy Holly. It features an Academy Award-winning musical score, adapted by Joe Renzetti and ...more
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73 40
darron-portis added The TemptationsSmokey Robinson, Bianca Lawson, D. B. Woodside
The Temptations is a four-hour television miniseries broadcast in two-hour halves on NBC, based upon the history of one of Motown's longest-lived acts, The Temptations. Executive produced by ...more
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118 61
SelenaJennifer Lopez, Constance Marie, Edward James Olmos
Selena Selena is a 1997 American biographical musical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic ...more
Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire! is a 1989 American biographical film directed by Jim McBride and starring Dennis Quaid as pioneer rock 'n' roll star Jerry Lee Lewis. Based on a biography by Myra Lewis and ...more
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Ferry73 added Jersey BoysChristopher Walken, Francesca Eastwood, Steve Schirripa
Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons Jersey Boys is a 2014 American biographical musical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood based on the Tony Award-winning musical of the same name. The film tells the story of the musical group ...more
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Tom Islava added The Sound of MusicJulie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker
The Von Trapp Family Singers The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical drama film produced and directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 Broadway ...more
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61 54
Sid and NancyCourtney Love, Gary Oldman, Kathy Burke
Sid Vicious Sid and Nancy is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Despite failing to recoup its ...more
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48 18
Green BookViggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini
Green Book is a 2018 comedy-drama film directed by Peter Farrelly. A bouncer (Viggo Mortensen) at a New York nightclub takes a job as a pianist's (Mahershala Ali) chauffeur during a tour in the ...more
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51 41
Ferry73 added Get On UpDan Aykroyd, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
James Brown Get on Up is a 2014 American biographical drama film about the life of singer James Brown directed by Tate Taylor and written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. The film stars an ensemble cast ...more
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69 63
Cadillac RecordsBeyoncé Knowles, Elvis Presley, Emmanuelle Chriqui
Etta James Cadillac Records is a 2008 musical biopic written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the ...more
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51 54
NotoriousAngela Bassett, Anthony Mackie, Derek Luke
Biggie Smalls Notorious is a 2009 American biographical film about the life of Christopher Wallace, an American rapper better known by the stage name The Notorious B.I.G. The film stars Jamal Woolard as ...more
David Helfgott Shine is a 1996 Australian biographical drama film based on the life of pianist David Helfgott, who suffered a mental breakdown and spent years in institutions. It stars Geoffrey Rush, Lynn ...more
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31 37
चरणदास-का-हब्बार्ड-वेल्लेर added Love & MercyElizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti, John Cusack
Brian Wilson A 2013 biopic about the life of Beach Boys' frontman Brian Wilson
Billie Holiday Lady Sings the Blues is a 1972 American biographical drama film directed by Sidney J. Furie about jazz singer Billie Holiday loosely based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its ...more
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The RunawaysKristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Tatum O'Neal
Joan Jett The Runaways is a 2010 American drama film about the 1970s all-girl rock band of the same name written and directed by Floria Sigismondi. It is based on the book Neon Angel: A Memoir of a ...more
not on the list? add item #51
List Rules: Vote up the best biographical films about singers and musicians
