Vote on the musicians based on the merits of their books, not on the popularity of their music
Musicians have dabbled in many fields for a number of different reasons. You've seen them in movies and a few have tried their hand in fashion. What you may be a bit surprised to learn is that a number of your favorite singers have written children's books. Yes, you read correctly. Children's books. It may seem extremely unfashionable and even a bit lame, but hey, if you want to branch out and eventually build a younger follow, writing a kid's book There are some people on this list who are obvious inclusions, you're probably going to be surprised at some of the names on here.
We took the list compiled by NME, and added a couple more items. You won't be surprised to see kid-friendly (at least now) artists like Paul McCartney, LL Cool J and Madonna on this list. But you may raise an eyebrow at seeing Amanda Palmer, Daniel Johnston and Keith Richards on here. Either way, these rock stars have managed to expand their brand into the children's market, which is genius.
What musicians have written children's books? Take a look at this list and you'll see the best of the lot. Upvote the books you like, and downvote the books that aren't so good.
David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie, was an English singer-songwriter and actor. He was a leading figure in the music industry and is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his innovative work during the 1970s. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, with his music and stagecraft having a significant impact on popular music. During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at 140 million albums worldwide, made him one of the world's best-selling music artists. In the UK, he was awarded ten platinum album certifications, eleven gold ...more
Genres (Music): Rock music, Psychedelic pop, Electronic music, Protopunk, Glam rock
Albums: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, "Heroes"
Bob Dylan (born May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, poet, and visual artist who has been a major figure in popular culture for more than fifty years. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s, when songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963) and "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (1964) became anthems for the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war movement. His lyrics during this period incorporated a wide range of political, social, philosophical, and literary influences, defied pop-music conventions and appealed to the burgeoning counterculture.
Following his self-titled debut album in 1962, which mainly comprised traditional folk songs, Dylan made his breakthrough ...more
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Rock music, Folk music, Folk rock, Country rock
Albums: Highway 61 Revisited, Blood on the Tracks, Blonde on Blonde, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bringing It All Back Home
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and record and film producer who gained worldwide fame as bass player for the Beatles. His songwriting partnership with John Lennon remains the most successful in history. After the group disbanded in 1970, he pursued a solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda, and Denny Laine.
A self-taught musician, McCartney is proficient on bass, guitar, and keyboards. He is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing (mainly playing with a plectrum), his versatile and wide tenor vocal range (spanning over four octaves), and his eclecticism (exploring styles ranging from early ...more
Genres (Music): Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock, Classical music, Pop rock
Albums: Flaming Pie, Ram, McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Press to Play
Amanda MacKinnon Gaiman Palmer (born April 30, 1976), sometimes known as Amanda Fucking Palmer, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, author, and performance artist who was the lead vocalist, pianist, and lyricist of the duo The Dresden Dolls. She performs as a solo artist, and was also one-half of the duo Evelyn Evelyn, and the lead singer and songwriter of Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra.
Genres (Music): Dark cabaret, Soft rock, Alternative rock, Punk rock
Albums: Who Killed Amanda Palmer, An Evening With Neil Gaiman & Amanda Palmer, Theatre Is Evil, Several Attempts to Cover Songs by The Velvet Underground & Lou Reed for Neil Gaiman as His Birthday Approaches, Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under
Dame Julie Andrews, (born 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer and author. Andrews, a child actress and singer, appeared in the West End in 1948 and made her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend (1954). Billed as “Britain’s youngest prima donna”, she rose to prominence starring in Broadway musicals such as My Fair Lady (1956) playing Eliza Doolittle, and Camelot (1960) playing Queen Guinevere. In 1957, Andrews starred in the premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein's written-for-television musical Cinderella, a live, network broadcast seen by over 100 million viewers.
Andrews made her feature film debut in Mary Poppins (1964), and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance ...more
Albums: The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews: Broadway: The Music of Richard Rodgers, Camelot (1960 original Broadway cast), Greatest Christmas Songs, Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall
