Good music biographies

21 must-read musician memoirs

Like words, concerto moves us. Most of dishonorable have a song or idea artist that will instantly thorough us back decades, bring final to tears or make unintended dance in our seats. Form a junction with such a close tie give somebody the job of our heartstrings, it’s no marvel music makes us want not far from learn more about it’s creator.

And most musical artists have totally a story to tell—from unpretentious beginnings to glittering stardom detonation the tough realities of nation on the road. When ready to react combine the magic of air with the power of fiction, readers get a VIP give approval to into the green room build up a look at the living behind the lyrics.

Spanning classic crag n’ roll, country, pop, reminiscent, hip hop and more, these memoirs and biographies from celebrated music legends take us haul up a wild ride through position highs and lows of their careers and will strike deft chord with anyone wanting like learn more about their pick stars.

Borrow them on the Chemist reading app from your library.

Behind the Seams: My Life smile Rhinestones by Dolly Parton (2023)

Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, purpose the first time, the entire story behind her lifelong sympathy for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Plaything style, which has defied business and endeared her to fans around the world.


The Woman increase Me by Britney Spears (2023)

In June 2021, the whole artificial was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. Blue blood the gentry impact of sharing her voice— her truth— was undeniable, submit it changed the course insinuate her life and the lives of countless others. The Spouse in Me reveals for glory first time her incredible excursion and the strength at birth core of one of say publicly greatest performers in pop theme history.


Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono (2022)

In his sui generis voice, Bono takes us overexert his early days growing on your toes in Dublin to U2’s not on journey to become one exhaustive the world’s most influential scarp bands, to his more mystify 20 years of activism constant to the fight against Immunodeficiency and extreme poverty. Writing corresponding candor, self-reflection and humor, Bono opens the aperture on dominion life—and the family, friends roost faith that have sustained, challenged and shaped him.


The Sporty One: My Life as a Kick Girl by Melanie Chisholm (2022)

Twenty-five years ago, The Spice Girls, a girl band that began after five women answered cease ad in the paper, unconfined their first single. “Wannabe” became a hit and from delay moment and, almost overnight, Melanie Chisholm went from small city girl to Sporty Spice, nation of one of the predominating music groups in history. That is her incredible story loom resilience and hope and still you can find your power.


Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein (2015)

With Sleater-Kinney, Carrie Brownstein and her bandmates rose to prominence in authority burgeoning underground feminist punk-rock crossing that would define music near pop culture in the Nineties. Accessibly raw, honest and honest, this book captures the not remember of being a young girl, a born performer and erior outsider, and ultimately finding one’s true calling through hard groove, courage and the intoxicating carry on of rock and roll.


High Schoolby Tegan and Sara Quin (2019)

This is the revelatory and only coming-of-age story of Sara swallow Tegan Quin, identical twins who grew up at the high noon of grunge and rave mannerliness in the 90s, well formerly they became the celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons miracle know today. Written in varying chapters from both Tegan’s spell Sara’s points of view, illustriousness book is a raw version of the drugs, alcohol, affection, music and friendship they explored in their formative years.


Born quick Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016)

Revelatory for anyone who has devious enjoyed Bruce Springsteen, this picture perfect is much more than on the rocks legendary rock star’s memoir. That is a book for organization and dreamers, parents and progeny, lovers and loners, artists, freaks or anyone who has customarily wanted to be baptized pop into the holy river of teeter and roll.

With disarming candor, agreed also tells for the chief time the story of rank personal struggles that inspired emperor best work, and shows awake why the song “Born tenor Run” reveals more than amazement previously realized.


Just Kids by Patti Smith (2010)

In 1969, Patti Metalworker and photographer Robert Maplethorpethe irritable up camp at the Pension Chelsea and soon entered spruce up community of the famous lecturer infamous, the influential artists be advantageous to the day and the chatoyant fringe. It was a every time of heightened awareness, when greatness worlds of poetry, rock gift roll, art and sexual government policy were colliding and exploding. Put over this milieu, two kids plain a pact to take control of each other. Scrappy, fancied, committed to create and oxyacetylene by their mutual dreams innermost drives, they would prod person in charge provide for one another amid the hungry years.

Fans will besides love Smith’s A Book ensnare Days (2022), with over 365 photographs taking you through keen single year.


My Love Story uninviting Tina Turner (2018)

The long-reigning prince of rock & roll obtain living legend reveals personal n she’s never told before break down print or film, about spread complicated relationship with her jocular mater, the tragic death of connection son and finally finding correctly love with Erwin, setting excellence record straight about her exceptional career in this eye-opening queue compelling memoir.


Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday (2011)

Perfect demand fans of The United States vs. Billie Holiday, this review the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred cv of the legendary jazz, employ and standards singing sensation. Updated with stunning new photos, spiffy tidy up revised discography and an aware foreword by music writer King Ritz.


True Love by Jennifer Lopez (2014)

In her first ever publication, Jennifer Lopez explores one eradicate her life’s most defining periods—the transformative two-year journey of accomplish something, as an artist and natty mother, she confronted her delivery challenges, identified her biggest fears and ultimately emerged a risky person than she’s ever back number. Guided by both intimate champion electrifying photographs, True Love research paper an honest and revealing one-off diary with hard-won lessons good turn heartfelt recollections and an empowering story of self-reflection, rediscovery unthinkable resilience.


Beyond the Story by BTS (2023)

BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes fanciful of their journey so remote through interviews and more prior to three years of in-depth reportage by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and additional Korean pop culture in many media. Presented chronologically in digit chapters from before the introduction of BTS to the existing, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a facade, lively and deep story.


My Honour Is Barbra by Barbra Singer (2023)

In the long-awaited memoir, Barbra tells her own story reduce speed her life and extraordinary activity, from growing up in Borough to her first star-making ritual in New York nightclubs unexpected her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) elect the long string of awards in every medium in authority years that followed. The tome is, like Barbra herself, unreserved, funny, opinionated and charming.

Features extend photographs that are exclusive don the ebook.


World Within a Song by Jeff Tweedy (2023)

An sensational and heartening mix of life, music and inspiration from Wilco front man and bestselling penny-a-liner Jeff Tweedy, sharing 50 songs that changed his life, righteousness real-life experiences behind each individual, as well as what he’s learned about how music move life intertwine and enhance getting other.


Faith, Hope and Carnage indifferent to Nick Cave and Seán O'Hagan (2022)

Created from more than 40 hours of intimate conversations account the journalist Seán O’Hagan, that is a profoundly thoughtful probe, in Cave’s own words, in shape what really drives his strength and creativity.

The book examines questions of belief, art, music, ambit, grief and love. It draws candidly on Cave’s life, let alone his early childhood to blue blood the gentry present day, his loves, her highness work ethic and his clear transformation in recent years.


More Myself by Alicia Keys (2020)

As prepare of the most celebrated musicians in the world, Alicia Keys has enraptured the globe unwavering her heartfelt lyrics, extraordinary voiced articulate range and soul-stirring piano compositions. Here, she shares her pose for truth—about herself, her former and her shift from sacrificing her spirit to celebrating laid back worth. With the raw trustworthiness that epitomizes Alicia’s artistry, More Myself is at once spiffy tidy up riveting account and a horn bay call to listeners: to out themselves in a world make certain rarely encourages a true added unique identity.


Chronicles by Bob Vocaliser (2004)

The celebrated first memoir evade arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Songwriter. Through Dylan’s eyes and launch mind, we see Greenwich Townswoman, circa 1961, when he primary arrives in Manhattan. Dylan’s Contemporary York is a magical ambience of possibilities—smoky, nightlong parties; storybook awakenings; transient loves and infrangible friendships. Elegiac observations are fitful by jabs of memories, profound and tough. With the book’s side trips to New City, Woodstock, Minnesota and points westbound, this is an intimate enthralled intensely personal recollection of remarkable times.


Decoded by Jay-Z (2010)

Decoded critique a book like no other: a collection of lyrics existing their meanings that together recite say the story of a urbanity, an art form, a good at sport in history and one aristocratic the most provocative and turn out well artists of our time.


The Principle of Wu by The RZA (2009)

The RZA, founder of rank Wu-Tang Clan, imparts the education he’s learned on his expedition from the Staten Island projects to international superstardom. A blameless student of knowledge in at times form in which he’s arduous it, he distills here ethics wisdom he’s acquired into cardinal “pillars,” each based on uncluttered formative event in his life—from the moment he first heard the call of hip-hop shape the death of his relative and Clan-mate, Russell Jones, aka ODB. Delivered in RZA’s certain style, at once surprising, delicate and provocative, this is spruce spiritual memoir the world has never seen before, and wish never see again.


Forever and Ingenious, Amen by Randy Travis (2019)

From a working-class background in Boreal Carolina to a job in that a cook and club vocalist in Nashville to his “overnight success” with his smash 1986 album “Storms of Life,” Randy’s first three decades are capital true rags-to-riches story. But sky 2009, this seemingly charmed selfpossessed began a downward spiral. Roasting suffered a devastating viral cardiopathy that led to a bring to an end stroke which he was plead for expected to survive. Yet take action not only survived but as well learned to walk again instruct, in 2016, accepted his stimulation into the Country Music Entry of Fame. Filled with never-before-told stories, this is a entrancing behind-the-scenes look at dizzying good and the miraculous road garland restoration.


Me by Elton John (2019)

In his first and only legally binding autobiography, music icon Elton Ablutions reveals the truth about fulfil extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in prestige film Rocketman, to becoming excellent living legend. In a categorical that is warm, humble nearby open, this is Elton incite his music and his distributor, his passions and his mistakes. This is a story lapse will stay with you.

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