A solid rags-to-riches tale is almost as popular in Hollywood as a great biopic. They also enjoy blending those elements with a piece of killer music. Telling the life narrative of a famous musician is the ideal approach to hitting all three. There doesn't seem to be an iconic singer whose ascent to popularity hasn't been exaggerated by Hollywood, from Bob Dylan to the Runaways to the Notorious B.I.G. to Queen.
Update August 30, 2023: This article has been updated to include even more musicians who deserve biopics, as well as updating information about projects that are currently in development.
Music biopics are more popular than ever. The best musician biopics frequently depict the typical vices associated with rock & roll life. But, it is only the beginning of their attractiveness. With several musical biopics already on the market, it's startling how few pop stars and musicians have had their stories recounted on the big screen. So, let's track down some big-name Hollywood scriptwriters and submit a list of well-known musicians who need their own biopics.
13 Kurt Cobain
Soaked In Bleach and Gus Van Sant's Last Days both tell dramatized versions of Kurt Cobain's life, but no movie has followed him from boyhood to the birth of Nirvana and ultimately to his untimely death. Cobain's impact on musical history alone should be enough to tell his entire story. Although we do have a documentary on his life, the legal repercussions from Courtney Love and the concerns surrounding how Cobain died could make an untainted biopic viable. However, followers of Kurt Cobain continue to aspire for an official biopic, which is why when Aaron Paul revealed that he would be interested in playing Kurt Cobain in a Nirvana biopic, fans went into a frenzy.
12 Bob Marley
Everyone can remember the first moment they heard a Bob Marley song. The musician and activist's music has a distinct style and message that appeals to both youngsters and adults. Few musicians have done a better job of representing their genre than Bob Marley. Marley's message of love and peace is definitely the sort of tale people need in the current political atmosphere, more than thirty years after his death from cancer.
Marley's political ambitions, turbulent relationships, and music would all combine to produce a fantastic film. To be fair, there have been countless attempts to bring Bob Marley's narrative to the big screen. Despite the fact that Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin McDonald developed a documentary about him, we believe there was a squandered opportunity. However, fans can get their hopes up, as a new Bob Marley biopic will star Kingsley Ben- Adir as the reggae icon.
11 Sam Cooke
Widely regarded as one of the most influential soul artists of all time and rightfully referred to as the "King of Soul", Sam Cooke left a massive and unparalleled impact on the music industry in his brief but massively impactful career. The celebrated singer released a whopping eleven studio albums between 1958 and 1964, introducing the world to uplifting and unforgettable songs like "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Twistin' the Night Away", and "Bring It On Home to Me" and showcasing his distinct vocals on every track.
Cooke's untimely death at just 33 years old is undeniably one of the music world's most devastating and perplexing tragedies, as the legendary performer was shot and killed by a motel manager on December 11, 1964 in what was initially considered a justifiable homicide, though his family has since contested the events surrounding his death. While Leslie Odom Jr. did a great job portraying Cooke in the fictional drama One Night in Miami..., he was not the main focus and an in-depth biopic spanning his whole life would be exciting to watch.
10 Dolly Parton
Few musicians are as universally beloved and adored like the one-and-only Dolly Parton, as the vivacious and bubbly country music icon has dazzled the masses for over fifty years. She is one of the best-selling female artists of all time and has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, connecting with people of all ages due to her charming down-to-earth personality and infectious positivity. Not only is Parton a massive figure in the music industry, but she is also an accomplished actress and philanthropist, having starred in hits like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Steel Magnolias.
Parton recently shared her own insight into who she thinks would be the best choice to star in her life's story, revealing to Mr. Nashville Talks host Larry Ferguson in 2022, "COVID hit and that changed my mind about a whole lot of things. "I'm thinking now that I might do my life story as a feature. Maybe possibly even a musical feature, so we're in talks about that. I love Kristin Chenoweth. She's just absolutely fantastic."
9 Donny Hathaway
He was the people's voice. His Gospel-inspired baritone was smooth as velvet, and became the rallying call of young Black people and several White people across our country, until he died far too early, at 33, from suicide and lengthy struggles with paranoid schizophrenia.
Donny Hathaway was among the first artists to make his lyrics and music clear. His compelling compositions and motivating songwriting established the groundwork for American Soul and R&B. For many people, he is the foundation on which music genre exists. And his story exemplifies how many people live in silence. That's a musician biopic suited for the big screen.
8 Prince
Prince's musical legacy encompasses both albums and films. Purple Rain is among the most well-known musical films of all time, and it was loosely inspired by Prince. While his death surprised many, there are not too many discussions about adapting his life narrative for the big screen. It's difficult enough to imitate Prince's melodic vocals, but there are plenty of actors who would be up to the task.
7 Frank Sinatra
"Ol' Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra is undisputedly one of the most popular and iconic entertainers of the twentieth century, having taken the world by storm with smooth and effortlessly cool vocals and his larger-than-life presence. Sinatra's personal and professional life has been the subject of the public's fascination for decades, as the crooner was a legendary ladies' man, Oscar-winning actor, and central member of the Rat Pack, and a biopic centering on his sensational career would no doubt be a major box office draw.
Sinatra is also known to have had ties to the mafia, and the FBI even kept records of the musician, resulting in hundreds of documents over nearly five decades of his life. Though there have been smaller depictions of Sinatra on the big screen, none have chronicled his early years in Hoboken all the way to his Hollywood reign and subsequent death at 82 in 1998. Martin Scorsese at one point had been planning a biographical film about the Grammy winner, but the director has since moved on from the project due to conflicts with the Sinatra estate. Filmmaker Bill Condon (Beauty and the Beast) is currently working on a television miniseries about Sinatra that hopefully will see the light of day.
6 Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin is among the most well-known musicians who have never had an official biopic. Joplin's life was fictionalized in the popular movie The Rose, starring Bette Midler, as a part of the notorious 27 Club with Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. Amy Adams has been linked to a biopic that has stalled in active development but will possibly move forward in the coming years. Hollywood studios would love to make movies about Janis Joplin's climb to stardom and its untimely end.
5 Amy Winehouse
While creating one of the finest records of the century, the most talented young musician of a generation battled addiction. Since Amy Winehouse's terrible untimely death at 27, a biopic about her has been in the works. Just as her fame was flourishing, the British singer and songwriter died of alcohol intoxication. Winehouse was unusual among vocalists of the twenty-first century, inked and trendy with a throwback twist, and her persona has influenced many contemporary artists. With multiple documentaries on her already out, fans keep hoping for an official biopic on this talented but unfortunate singer's life.
4 Beastie Boys
Trailblazing hip hop group Beastie Boys were known for their innovative and playful approach to rap, and consisted of members Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz. Their 1986 debut album Licensed to Ill became the first rap record to top the Billboard 200 chart, and they continued to dominate the industry with an additional seven albums and released smash hit songs like "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" and "Sabotage".
After seven platinum-selling albums, 20 million sold records, and three Grammy Awards, Beastie Boys officially disbanded following the death of founding member Adam Yauch in 2012. Spike Jonze's 2020 live documentary Beastie Boys Story depicted their inspiring story via interviews and footage, but a genuine biopic chronicling their epic journey would be a massive treat for music lovers everywhere.
3 Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Judkins was a champion from the start. Since birth, he has been blind. Stevie was accepting his first recording contract at the age of 11, when most of us were attempting to handle fifth-grade homework. Despite this, he had to struggle for what he was meant to have.
Civil liberties, overcoming adversity, and a vehicle accident rendered him incapacitated. It's not for nothing that he was nearly single-handedly responsible for MLK's birthday being a federal holiday. Stevie Wonder is one of the few musicians who deserves to have the details of his life made public.
2 Leonard Cohen
Revered for his exceptional skills with the pen and his inspiring perspective on themes like love, betrayal, redemption, and mortality, Leonard Cohen is one of the most phenomenal poets and writers of all time and had an illustrious career spanning nearly fifty years. Cohen bared his soul to the public and his words touched the hearts of listeners all across the world, with his most famous song "Hallelujah" being ranked on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list. The soulful folk musician's uplifting story is definitely worthy of a biopic, as his impeccable lyricism and refreshing views continue to touch the masses.
1 Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye lived a miserable existence despite being among the most acclaimed musicians in the world, and also being highly gifted and skilled. He regularly struggled with drugs, married and divorced twice, and had a wild father who eventually killed him. Despite this, his music was inspiring and wonderful. There was a report in 2008 about F. Gary Gray directing a Marvin Gaye biopic, but nothing came out of it. The man died far too soon, yet his legacy will live on. People require his story, energy, and voice on screens to reinstate his charm.