The Note Recommends: 12 Best Music Biopics
If you love music and movies, then you’ll be all over our list of the best music biopics of all time.
Words by Tobias Handke
Image by Universal Studios
The music biopic has had something of a resurgence of late. Queen, Elvis Presley and Elton John have all featured on the big screen recently, with Amy Winehouse the latest superstar to be given the biopic treatment. Back To Black charts the rise and fall of Winehouse, who tragically succumbed to alcohol addiction in 2011.
While debate rages about whether the project is necessary (many are worried it will sensationalise Winehouse’s addiction issues), it got us thinking about our favourite music biopics. Below is a look at the best music biopics available to stream now, including movies about a country outlaw, hip hop superstars and a comedic genius.
WALK THE LINE (2005)
Joaquin Phoenix is Johnny Cash in this fascinating look at the country legend’s life. Directed by James Mangold (Cop Land, Ford v Ferrari) and based on two Cash autobiographies, I Walk the Line charts the life and times of the great Johnny Cash. The film highlights the major moments that shaped his life, from his brother’s accidental death in 1944 and Cash’s battles with addiction to his marriage to June Carter (a phenomenal Reese Witherspoon, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her powerhouse performance).
The acting from both Phoenix and Witherspoon is outstanding and even more hype-worthy considering both sing during the musical moments, adding a layer of authenticity to the film. It might be the Hollywood retelling of Cash’s life, but I Walk the Line is a fairly accurate portrayal of the Man in Black and a wonderful tribute to a country music icon.
8 MILE (2002)
The journey of Marshall Mathers III (aka Eminem) from white trash no-hoper to superstar rapper was a rags-to-riches tale ripe for the big screen. The biggest surprise when 8 Mile was announced was Eminem playing himself. Could the guy even act? Turns out he could, although playing himself wasn’t much of a stretch for the Real Slim Shady.
8 Mile was a box office smash that made over $242.9 million and earned an Oscar for Best Original Song (‘Lose Yourself’). A relatable story about wanting to escape poverty and make something of your life, it ends on a bittersweet note, although we all know things turned out alright in the end.
THE DOORS (1991)
It doesn’t matter that The Doors was a critical and commercial failure – it deserves a spot on this list purely for Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Jim Morrison. Like Phoenix in Walk the Line, Kilmer embodies the role, turning the Lizard King into a mystic figure in Oliver Stone’s LSD-soaked cult classic.
Kilmer took the role dead serious, losing a shit load of weight for Morrison’s early years and learning more than 50 Doors songs, with the other band unable to tell the difference between Kilmer’s and Morrison’s voices. Stone took several creative liberties, upsetting the remaining members of The Doors, but you soon forget about any inconsistencies watching Kilmer’s magnetic performance.
WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVICH STORY (2023)
The life story of Weird Al Yankovich was always going to be a little different, and that’s exactly what you get with this hilarious look at the king of parodies. The film itself is a satire of biopics and full of untruths, with Weird Al dating Madonna, getting into a shootout with Pablo Escobar and writing his first original song, ‘Eat It’, which is then parodied by Michael Jackson as ‘Beat It’.
The film is an absolute riot with Daniel Radcliffe’s performance as Yankovich one of the actor’s best. It might not tell the whole truth, but Weird: The Al Yankovich Story is exactly the type of movie you would expect from the man behind ‘Amish Paradise’ and ‘White & Nerdy’.
24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE (2002)
Here’s something a little different. Instead of focusing on a famous musician, 24 Hour Party People takes you into the 80s and 90s Madchester scene as seen through the eyes of Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan). A well-known TV identity who became the head of Factory Records, the movie spotlights the Manchester music scene and the bands that came from it – Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays and more.
The cast is a who’s who of the British film industry, with the likes of Shirley Henderson, Paddy Considine, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, Simon Pegg and Lennie James all featuring.
Hilarious, heartbreaking but above all entertaining, 24 Hour Party People is arguably Coogan’s greatest performance and an engrossing insight into one of the UK’s most treasured music periods. The soundtrack is mint too!
RAY (2004)
If you want to win an Oscar, star in a biopic. That’s exactly what Jamie Foxx did in 2004, winning Best Actor for his incredible performance as Ray Charles. Ray depicts the life of the blind rhythm and blues musician as he struggles with heroin addiction and infidelity while his career soars. Ray also addresses the civil rights movement and Charles’ issues with the state of Georgia.
Foxx is fantastic as Charles, but he’s ably backed by a talented support cast including Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Terrance Howard and Wendell Pierce. Although there are several factual inconsistencies throughout, Ray is a top-notch biopic well worth your time.
AMADEUS (1984)
Although a movie about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart doesn’t exactly sound exciting, thanks to an engaging and funny script, brilliant direction from Miloš Forman and a star turn by character actor F. Murray Abraham as the title character, Amadeus is a thoroughly entertaining snapshot of the classical composer’s life.
Unlike your standard biopic, Amadeus hones in on the fierce rivalry between Mozart and Italian composer Antonia Salieri (Tom Hulce). Funny and tender with a Mozart-heavy soundtrack, Amadeus was a surprise hit that went on to win an incredible eight Oscars, proving no matter how boring the subject matter might seem, a good script and captivating performances can result in a hit.
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON (2015)
Hip-hop biopics are more miss than hit (All Eyze on Me and Notorious anyone?), but the outlier is Straight Outta Compton. The second highest-grossing music biopic of all time centres on a group of African American men who changed hip-hop forever, collectively known as N.W.A.
Produced by original members Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, the flick is a vibrant yet violent look at rap and American society in the 80s and how five young men from Compton showed America what was really happening in the projects.
Straight Outta Compton is an entertaining telling of the N.W.A. story with both Dre and Cube unsurprisingly coming out as the real winners, with no mention of Dre’s abusive relationships or highly publicised assault of Dee Barnes. Shout out to Paul Giamatti who absolutely slays as the group’s ruthless manager Jerry Heller.
CONTROL (2007)
No film captures Joy Division’s Ian Curtis like photographer turned filmmaker Anton Corbijn’s Control. Based on the book Touching From a Distance by Curtis’ widow Deborah, this black-and-white shot biopic focuses on Curtis’ struggle with epilepsy and depression and his affair with Belgium journalist Annik Honoré.
Sam Riley, a then-unknown, is tremendous, while Samantha Morton as Deborah and Alexandra Maria Lara as Honoré offer great support as the two love interests tear Curtis apart. As you would expect, the soundtrack is magical while the cinematography is breathtaking, with Control a tearful tribute to one of the world’s great songwriters.
WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? (1993)
Arguably one of the greatest voices of all time, Tina Turner lived one hell of a life. Although she had great success at the backend of her career, making it to 83 before passing in 2023, a biography of her life was released way back in 1993.
Based on her memoir, I, Tina, What’s Love Got Do With It? focuses on the early part of Turner’s career and her turbulent marriage to Ike Turner. It details the control Ike had over Tina before she finally broke free, struggling as a cabaret singer for several years before hitting the big time with the release of hit single ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’
Angela Bassett won a Golden Globe for her performance as Turner, and although Tina wasn’t happy with some of the changes made to the script, the film stands as a testament to the power of a strong-willed woman with utter belief in herself. Inspiring stuff.
I’M NOT THERE (2007)
There’s much excitement for the forthcoming Timothée Chalamet-led Bob Dylan biopic, but before that hits the big screen check out Todd Haynes’ inventive take on the Dylan legacy. Instead of casting one actor to play Dylan, Haynes goes for six (Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw), with each portraying Dylan at different stages in his career.
It sounds wacky, but somehow it works, with Blanchett’s drugged-out 60s Dylan and Ledger’s Blood on the Tracks era performance particularly noteworthy.
SID AND NANCY (1986)
The Romeo & Juliet story of the punk generation, Sid and Nancy centres on the destructive relationship between Sex Pistols frontman Sid Vicious and partner Nancy Spungen. Played respectively by Gary Oldman and Chole Webb, the duo’s doomed coupling is set against a backdrop of Joe Strummer tunes, heroin addiction and the demise of the Sex Pistols.
Stories persist of Sex Pistol’s member John Lydon meeting director Alex Cox after seeing the film and telling him he should be shot, but the overwhelming response to Sid and Nancy was positive, with Oldman’s performance alone making this worth a watch.
