The 41 Best Music Biopics of All Time

• About: N.W.A

We aren't going in any particular order, so we'll start with the two we just mentioned. Straight Outta Compton was released in 2015, and captured the life and times of one of Hip Hop's greatest acts ever created—N.W.A., which boasted the band members Ice Cube (who was portrayed by his son O'Shea Jackson Jr.), Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), DJ Yella (Neil Brown Jr.) and MC Ren (Aldis Hodge). While the movie received plenty of great reviews at the time of its release, there still isn't enough credit given to its overall realism. Straight Outta Compton is probably one of the most raw, realistic, and gritty music biopics to date, and O'Shea Jackson Jr. portraying his dad only added to its realistic nature because it was almost like you were looking at late 1980s Ice Cube reincarnated.

If you haven't seen Straight Outta Compton yet, you absolutely have to. It's a must if you are a Hip Hop lover.

• About: Queen

Critics mostly called Bohemian Rhapsody a bad movie, and five years after its release I'm still struggling to understand why exactly. Everybody is of course entitled to their opinion, but I'm not seeing how you can watch Rami Malek practically become Freddie Mercury and still label this film as being bad. If you put the controversial elements that didn't really have much to do with the film itself aside, the critique was that Bohemian Rhapsody was a "superficial film." How? In the movie, Mercury marries a woman that he seemingly falls in love with at the time, but begins to realize he's actually gay leading to the end of their marriage. With that said, even with the demise of their marriage, Freddie's ex-wife still remains in his life because they care about each other if we're going by the movie. What's superficial in that? Freddie is also a perfectionist prick to his bandmates at times. What's superficial in that?

And if folks we're looking for a drawn out sad ending over Freddie being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, I think it's safe to say that's not what Freddie himself would have wanted considering he did not talk about his illness while he was alive, and spent his final years focusing on his art. I don't want to spoil too much (and maybe I already have), but I implore everybody who hasn't seen Bohemian Rhapsody yet to give the film a fair chance.

• About: New Edition

There's a reason why we didn't put "movies" in our headline. We aren't just sticking to feature films here, we're also exploring some overlooked mini-series. When it comes to music biopics as a whole, The New Edition Story is from a storytelling standpoint one of the most captivating biopics you're watch. In hindsight, you needed a little bit more than two to three to hours to tell the full story of New Edition, and it actually might be a good strategy in the future for artists/filmmakers/film companies to consider going down this route as well (even if there's already been a feature film) because it would allow more of the artist's story to be told. I think part of why some biopics get criticism is because there's only but so much you can tell in a couple of hours.

Back to the The New Edition Story, all of the New Edition members (Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, and Johnny Gill) were producers on the film, and the biopic was based on the group's rise to the top along with their trials and tribulations. Babyface, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis also contributed to the biopic, which is yet another reason to give it a watch.

• About: Selena

It goes without saying that Jennifer Lopez was brilliant as Selena. Absolutely brilliant. I recently rewatched this movie, and Lopez had Selena's facial expressions, mannerisms, sexiness, and girlish charm down to a T. It was also obvious that Lopez spent a lot of time studying Selena's performances because as we ended up seeing later with Lopez's own music career, their performance styles, dancing, and overall music as a whole is just very different from one another. The fun dynamics of Selena's family and the relationship with her husband are two more reasons why you should give the film a watch/re-watch. Ultimately what should be appreciated the most is that you walk away with a celebration of life for Selena as opposed to being sad over her tragic ending, and that's what makes this film such a great biopic.

• About: Loretta Lynn

1980's Coal Miner's Daughter was a biopic about the great Loretta Lynn as she developed her country music career in her early twenties. Sissy Spacek had the honor of portraying Lynn in this heartfelt film which didn't just focus on the successful music career element of Lynn's life, but also the more tough/challenging elements such as Lynn growing up in poverty and being married at the tender age of thirteen. Coal Miner's Daughter is a must-watch—especially if you are a Loretta Lynn fan because it gives good insight into the ups and down of becoming a huge music star. You also have to give major props to Sissy Spacek for her performance—there's a reason why she won an Academy Award folks.

• About: Mötley Crüe

If you're heavily into Mötley Crüe, then you'll appreciate The Dirt as it chronicles the 1980s rise of one of the rock bands to ever do it. Machine Gun Kelley stars as Tommy Lee, Iwan Rheon does the honors of Mick Mars, Douglas Booth portrays Nikki Sixx, and Daniel Webb stars as Vince Neil to round it all out. There's been questions as to just how factual The Dirt is seeing as though it's based upon a book that Nikki Sixx says "could have been embellished", but the visuals and music are epic enough to excuse the potential inaccuracies. We'll probably need to spin the block on another Mötley Crüe biopic at some point though as a just in case.

• About: Ritchie Valens 

A lot of people are already familiar with the tragedy of Buddy Holly, but lost in that tragedy is the sad story of losing another budding entertainer who was also on that flight—Ritchie Valens, a rising Chicano Rock 'n' Roll star who captivated the world in the late 1950s. Lou Diamond Phillips starred as Valens in the 1987 film La Bamba, which covers Valens' short life and career as he became an overnight success in the music industry, while falling in love with a young woman whose parents did not approve of the relationship because he was Latino. If you want to learn more about Ritchie Valens, La Bamba is one of the best avenues to do so.

• About: The Doors

You also can't forget this 1991 biopic about The Doors, which is about Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) and his bandmates joining together to become an influential and highly popular rock group. Most bands/groups have gone through their fair share of ups and downs, and The Doors are no different. The biopic kind of zeroes in on Morrison completely as he encounters certain struggles along the way that impact his both his relationship with his bandmates, and the relationships within his personal life. Val Kilmer really does an excellent capturing the entire of essence of Jim Morrison, and its worth nothing that the two kind of eerily resemble each other. The Doors is another mandatory watch for anybody who's fan of the group and/or Morrison.

• About: Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston's story has admittedly been told in many different fashions in the decade-plus since her passing, and that also includes a biopic that came about ten years ago as well. As a result, I do think that was a big reason why I Wanna Dance with Somebody didn't perform that great at the box office—because there's been quite a bit of retellings in a relatively short time period in the grand scheme of things. Had I Wanna Dance with Somebody been the very first major Whitney remembrance project so to speak, I do think the film would have better received in that regard. In my opinion, Naomi Ackie did a good job as Whitney, capturing her New Jersey accent, mannerisms, and facial expressions.

The styling/fashion in the film was also done very nicely too, which is something to check out if you are into the 1980s decade as a whole (some parts of the film really did look like the 80s). Overall, I feel like this is a solid Whitney biopic to check out, and I think this is the kind of movie that will receive more appreciation as time goes on.

• About: TLC

Looking back, I think CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story is a film that could have definitely had a theater premiere. Nonetheless, this film is among one of the best casted biopics to date. Drew Sidora was T-Boz, Keke Palmer was Chilli, and Lil Mama was about as Left Eye as you can possibly get—at times you actually believed she was really Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez. The visuals are always super important in a biopic because you have to be able to imagine/reimagine/recreate these epic moments that remind you of the actual artist who's the topic. They nailed that with The TLC Story in many different elements from TLC's early days/performances, right down to how futuristic and cool the "No Scrubs" recreation looked.

Perhaps one day TLC's will receive a biopic that premieres in theaters (they deserve it), but this was done beautifully.

• About: Eminem

8 Mile is another biopic that was incredibly well done—especially when you look at the time period in which it came out. Biopics weren't nearly as popular in the year 2002 as what they are now, and yet this film opened No. 1 at the US box office. 8 Mile is basically a semi-retelling of Eminem's life and career up to that point, specifically focusing on the mid-1990s when he was just getting started as a battle rapper/MC in Detroit. The only real notable difference is that instead of the film using Eminem's real name, Marshall Mathers, they use the name Jimmy Smith Jr. (who goes by B-Rabbit). You also have to call out the rest of the cast (Brittany Murphy, Anthony Mackie, Mekhi Phifer, Kim Basinger, Taryn Manning, and more) as they all did a great job making it all come together.

8 Mile was and still is influential, and there's no denying that it set the tone for how future rap biopics would be approached.

• About: The Sex Pistols

1986's Sid and Nancy starred Gary Oldman as Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols and Chloe Webb as the girlfriend of Sid Vicious, Nancy Spungen, as the band set out and about on their first U.S. tour. To say Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen had a turbulent relationship is frankly an understatement, as their story is full of tragedy and mystery surrounding their respective demises (especially Nancy's). That said, Oldman and Webb played their characters to a T, and the movie is a very interesting one that will have you inevitably wanting to learn more about the two of them.

• About: James Brown

Chadwick Boseman (another great taken from us too soon) was the late, great, "Godfather of Soul" James Brown in 2014's Get On Up, which chronicled Brown's rise from being born into poverty in the early 1930s, to becoming a mesmerizing music legend who broke down doors and paved the way for others to follow in his footsteps. Boseman's portrayal of Brown will have you clapping in your seat at home as it's considered by many to have been one of his best roles. You'll also be more inclined to dive into the music and artistry of James Brown if you aren't already familiar.

• About: The Jacksons

At some point there will probably be another biopic or mini-series done about The Jacksons, but The Jacksons American Dream is forever cemented as being the standard. Long before New Edition conquered the mini-series world, The Jacksons did so through An American Dream, a five hour miniseries that aired on ABC. Two things here—when we say An American Dream was brilliantly cast with everybody acting their arse off—this was brilliantly cast with everybody acting their arse off. Secondly, when we say Angela Bassett deserves her flowers—she deserves her flowers. To put it succinctly, Angela Bassett did the thing, and unless we somehow missed it, she didn't receive an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Mrs. Katherine Jackson which is a shame.

We're saying all of this just to say The Jacksons American Dream is one of those biopics that you don't just watch one time and that's it.

• About: Édith Piaf

Legendary French singer Édith Piaf has some of the most beautiful songs created, which is why a biopic on her life and career was important. Released in 2007, La Vie En Rose starred Marion Cotillard as the singer in a retelling about her rise to fame after being discovered at the age of 19 while singing on a street corner. With that rise to fame also came many trials and tribulations that made Piaf another figure that had tragic experiences as the cost of celebrity. Through it all, however, you come out of it with an appreciation for her work, artistry, and talent. Marion Cotillard also very much deserved the Best Actress award she was given at the Oscars a year later.

• About: The Four Season

Clint Eastwood is the director behind 2014's Jersey Boys, which explores the early career of The Four Seasons from singing in their neighborhood to becoming music stars. John Lloyd Young starred as Frankie Valli, Erich Bergen was Bob Gaudio, Michael Lomenda was Nick Massi, and Vincent Piazza starred as Tommy DeVito. The Four Seasons produced many notable songs including "My Mother's Eyes," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Sherry," and more, but like a lot of groups, they had their fare share of internal problems that. accompanied the fame. Clint Eastwood never disappoints in his storytelling, making Jersey Boys a movie that you should bookmark.

Also coming out in 2014 was Love & Mercy, a biopic based on Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, who was the leader and co-founder of the group. Starring Paul Dano and John Cusack as Wilson in two different parts of his life and directed by Bill Pohlad, Love & Mercy is a honest look into what can happen in the music industry once you stop performing/touring, and ultimately a story of triumph as Wilson turns it around and takes his life down a different direction. Dano and Cusack each brought their own unique depth to their portrayals of Wilson, which was necessary to differentiate the different "Brian Wilson's" so to speak. Love & Mercy remains an awesome film, with awesome actors, and an awesome director.

• About: Miles Davis

A Don Cheadle performance should be enough of a selling point to want to watch this biopic but aside from that, Miles Davis is a musician that should also be given his flowers because he truly didn't get enough of it while he was here. Miles Ahead focuses specifically on the time period directly after Davis disappeared from the music industry for five years, which ultimately led to him working with a music reporter to recover session tapes that were stolen from him. Cheadle captures the essence of Davis in a rather genius manner that makes you forget that it's Don Cheadle you're watching, not Miles Davis, which is what makes it an incredible watch.

• About: Wladyslaw Szpilman

Adrien Brody stars as a talented Polish Jewish radio station pianist named Wladyslaw Szpilman struggling to survive in Warsaw during the years 1939 - 1945. Szpilman has a tough life were things just seem to keep getting progressively worse from the start of World War II, to being forced into the Warsaw Ghetto, to being separated from his family and having to jump from ruin to ruin in order to survive. The Pianist is told beautifully from a filmmaking and acting standpoint (which is why it's critically acclaimed), but it's also a very heavy watch that makes you realize that sometimes a person's true potential is sadly never fully reached because of the circumstances in their lives that are out of their control.

• About: Ian Dury

2010's Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll delves into the story of Ian Dury, a rock star who overcame the initial challenge of getting polio at a young age to becoming one of the founders of punk rock in the 1970s. Punk Rock music as we know it (both what it was in the past and what's evolved into over the years) wouldn't be the same without Ian Dury. So if you consider yourself a fan of the genre you should definitely give this a watch.

• About: Charlie Parker

We've got another Clint Eastwood biopic on the list, this time with 1988's Bird, which saw Forest Whitaker portraying bop saxophonist pioneer Charlie Parker. Bird moves back and forth Clint Eastwood style between different time periods of Parker's life, while also giving a clear of his artistry through scenes of Parker improving on stage and navigating through different venues. Bird is a movie that gets lost in the filmography of Whitaker at times, which is a shame because he was magical in it. Serious acting chops were needed to portray Parker, and Whitaker gave just that and then more.

• About: Aretha Franklin

It's been said that apparently Aretha Franklin herself wanted Jennifer Hudson to play her, and we can't think of anybody who would have been a better fit in terms of voice and acting chops (which Hudson proved much earlier on in her 2006 Dreamgirls role). Everything about Respect was perfect from the acting, to Aretha's music in the form of Jennifer Hudson's voice, to even the costumes and stage designs. Any and every lover of Aretha Franklin must see Respect. It's mandatory viewing.

• About: Buddy Holly

At some point there will probably be another biopic of some sort told in regards to Buddy Holly, but like we've said before, The Buddy Holly Story will always be cemented as the original and the standard. Gary Busey portrayed the Rock 'n' Roll Star in the 1978 film, in what's considered to be one of his most dynamic roles. Of note: The Crickets (the band Buddy Holly was in before going solo) was the first White act to perform at the Apollo Theater. This scene in the movie is by far one of the best and most entertaining as it documents the band getting off to a shaky start with the audience (who originally thought they were a Black act because of their name) to eventually winning them over. The Buddy Holly Story remains one of the best biopics to date.

• About: Elvis

Similar to Bohemian Rhapsody, there were some complaints from critics in regards to the film being "superficial," and how accurate it was from a retelling standpoint. Having seen Elvis three times, I think the strong spots were Austin Butler's portrayal of Elvis (his Academy Award nomination was much deserved), and Baz Luhrmann's infamous (or better yet famous) method of visual storytelling. If you know Baz Luhrmann, then you already knew that especially once the film got to the Vegas years it was going to be a stunning cinematic experience. That experience combined with Butler's performance is what really ropes you in for those three hours. And we must say, those three hours fly by fast.

• About: Franz Liszt 

A mixture between being a musical and a comedy, Roger Daltrey stars as composer and pianist Franz Liszt, who desperately wants to come his hedonistic ways with women, but simply cannot. Lisztomania is a different take on the biopic approach as it doesn't go down the dramatic biography route, but instead targets one area of a person's life and puts a comedic spin on it. Depending on who you talk to, some love Lisztomania while others can leave it on the table. Personally, we think it deserves the watch simply because of how funny it is.

• About: Héctor Lavoe 

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez starred as salsa singer Héctor Lavoe and his wife Puchi in the 2007 film El Cantante. Anthony doesn't get enough credit for being one of the greatest male voices and performers of the last thirty years or so, and that voice and showmanship is on full display in this film. Adding to that is the chemistry between Anthony and Lopez (who at the time were married), which only served to enhance the movie. In our opinion, El Cantante is a film that remains underrated.

• About: Etta James, Howlin Woff, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Little Walter

Cadillac Records kind of blurs the line between just being solely a musical and a musical biopic. Let us explain. Cadillac Records is not solely a story about Etta James and her life/career, rather she is a figure amongst many of her musical peers that are also documented. However, Etta's story is probably the most dynamic and remains the most talked about due to Beyoncé's awesome portrayal of her (which should have gotten her more nominations). In other words, we're kind of making an exception to our "pure music biopics" list, but we're also kind of not.

• About: The Temptations

Aint nobody comin' to see you Otis. The Temptations was another mini-series biopic that aired on NBC in 1998. Spanning four hours, the series starts from the beginning with the band's signing to Motown, goes into their years as platinum selling artists and one of the most popular on the Motown lineup, and then the not-so-great moments that happened afterwards. It's kind of funny because without the commercials these miniseries we've mentioned were around four hours or so, and when you factor in how a lot of films (not just biopics) nowadays are well surpassing the three hour mark, these miniseries can technically be classified as movies by 2020s standards.

• About: Mozart

Released in 1984, Amadeus starred Tom Hulce as the gifted Wolfgang Amadeus aka Mozart. The biopic zoned in Mozart and his rival Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) who are locked in fierce competition with another. Except Salieri is very jealous of Mozart, which ultimately results in him forming a plan to kill him. How that plays out? You'll have to watch the movie for that, but we will say that Amadeus was very successful, earning 53 Academy Award nominations (eight of which they won). The film has also since been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

• About: Bob Dylan

I'm Not There is technically a biopic about Bob Dylan, but at the same time it can get a little confusing if you look at the film solely from a biopic lens because it's multiple actors portraying Dylan at different stages of his life. It doesn't have the full start to finish story with one maybe two actors portraying a notable figure that we're used to. As such, some may refuse to call this a biopic and we would understand that viewpoint. What can't be denied, however, is the fact that I'm Not There is very entertaining. So even if you don't classify this as an "official music biopic," you can still watch it and just wait for Timothée Chalamet to do his thing in a couple years or so.

• About: Notorious B.I.G

Christopher Wallace aka Biggie Smalls/Notorious B.I.G may not have been with us a long time, but he made his mark as being an all time rap legend who's place in music history will never be debated. Jamal Woolard took on the role of playing him in 2009's Notorious, which takes from it the beginning when he was trying to make it as a rapper, to becoming a superstar. The film also starred Naturi Naughton, Anthony Mackie, Angela Bassett, and Antonique Smith. To this day, Woolard's resemblance to Biggie throws us off. It's almost uncanny.

• About: Tina Turner

Angela Bassett is on this list for a third time, which should tell you something. Everything you've heard about this film is true—Mrs. Bassett played the hell out of Tina Turner, and what makes her performance even more impressive is that she didn't look like Tina. In order for most biopics to be believable, the actor has to bare some sort of resemblance or look like they could be the subject they are portraying. In the case of Bassett playing Tina Turner, that wasn't even needed as Angela played her so well that it makes you forget that they don't anything alike. That, our friends, is what you call a great performance. One that with all due respect should have gotten Bassett an Oscar.

• About: Bobby Darin

Kevin Spacey stars as Bobby Darin in 2004's Beyond the Sea that's about overcoming an early medical setback to become a successful musician as Darin contracts rheumatic fever as a boy which causes him to develop a weak heart as a result. Still determined to become a great musician with the time he has left, Darin makes a splash in the worlds of Pop and Jazz while still having to deal with the ups and downs of life and relationships. And yes, in case you were wondering, Kevin Spacey did actually sing in the film.

• About: Runaways 

If you want to learn more about The Runaways, the legendary group that helped pave the way for future female Rock groups, you can do so through The Runaways, which stars Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie. The two teen prodigies hit it big and embark on a world of rock fame, but encounter some obstacles along the way as they have to deal with the negative effects of shooting to fame so quickly. Again, a great film to watch if you arre a lover of Rock 'n' Roll.

• About: Ray Charles

As a kid in the 2000s, Ray was the very first biopic I ever watched, and I was completely captivated by the performance of Jamie Foxx. Foxx didn't just portray Ray Charles, he became Ray Charles in every aspect from the way he sang and moved, to his gestures, the way he walked, the way he talked, etc.—Jamie Foxx was Ray Charles from top to bottom, making his Oscar one of the most deserved the the history in the Academy. Period, point blank, end of story.

• About: Elton John

Before Elton John became one of the most successful recording artists ever and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, among other accolades, he was a young piano prodigy living in London. Rocketman recounts the star’s struggles with addiction and coming to terms with his sexuality. The film also highlights the memorable music, energetic performances and theatrical costumes that secured John’s immutable greatness in pop rock history.

• About: Johnny Cash

From humble beginnings on a cotton farm in Arkansas, Johnny Cash made an astonishing journey to become a country music icon. The 2005 film delves into many aspects of Cash’s life—his childhood trauma, Air Force service and troubling addictions—including his romance with June Carter, a role that won Reese Witherspoon an Academy Award.

• About: Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was an anomaly when it came to his uncanny ability to play the guitar. Andre 3000 of Outkast fame can also be considered a one of a kind artist whose music transcends conventional genre trappings. Jimi: All Is By My Side placed the lauded ATLien in its starring role and gave viewers an inside look at Jimi’s humble beginnings. Andre proved his acting chops were more than up to snuff as he portrayed Jimi to perfection and relived his earliest triumphs as a musician.

• About: John Lennon

While Nowhere Boy doesn’t get into much of John Lennon’s most memorable years alongside The Beatles, it does offer a closer look at his teenage upbringing. This film follows Lennon’s fruitful (and sometimes stressful) relationships with his mother Julia Lennon and his aunt Mimi Smith. It also gives viewers a look at what led to Lennon’s infatuation with rock ‘n’ roll music in the first place and the earliest incarnation of The Beatles.

Roxanne Shante became hip-hop royalty once she grabbed the mic and gave the world “Roxanne’s Revenge.” This groundbreaking moment is just one of the many instances that will keep your eyes glued to the screen during a viewing of Roxanne Roxanne. Watching Roxanne’s tough home life unfold is an eye-opening experience, as is her hip-hop ascension and early interactions with a future MC by the name of Nas.

• About: Bobby Brown

BET made sure to offer fans of the last entry on this list a worthy follow-up. And this time, it focused on R&B’s undisputed bad boy Bobby Brown. The Bobby Brown Story picks up right after the young singer gets kicked off the road tour due to his problematic behavior as a member of New Edition. This miniseries then gives us a look at the rise, fall, and subsequent redemption arc of Bobby Brown. To see a man like Bobby experience so much physical and mental anguish and still come out on the end of it all with his life still intact is amazing.