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Credit: Netflix
It’s a familiar tune: a youngster overcomes adversity to become a musical genius, only to be destroyed by sex, drugs and rock’n’roll (probably). That’s the usual formula for a music biopic movie, but even when we know the story we still love to watch – and listen.
Something all music biopics have in common is that they combine cinematic spectacle with irresistible tunes, making them perfect for your home cinema setup.
No fewer than three films about iconic performers were nominated at the 2025 Oscars. A Complete Unknown features Timothee Chalamet as a young Bob Dylan, Maria sees Angelina Jolie play Maria Callas, and Better Man sees a CGI monkey take centre stage in the role of Robbie Williams.
Here are seven more great biopics of musical legends that put their own twist on the biopic formula, with beautifully crafted musical sequences and soundtracks reminding us why we love the stars taking centre stage.
Whether you’re a dedicated fan or learning about a star for the first time, they deliver moving stories and memorable performances. So grab some popcorn and turn up the volume, because these films deserve to be heard loud and clear.
Love & Mercy (2005)
This unconventional 2014 biopic switches between the classic 1960s heyday of the Beach Boys, starring Paul Dano as a young Brian Wilson, and the later years when the band’s musical mastermind, now played by John Cusack, faces his demons.
The recording sequences are mesmerising, placing us inside the studio as Wilson experiments with unique soundscapes to find the sound of the iconic Pet Sounds album.
Rent Love & Mercy on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
Unlike biopics that recount the whole life of a performer, this 2020 film about blues legend Ma Rainey takes a bold and fresh perspective by focusing on one night and one turbulent recording session.
Actors Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman were both Oscar-nominated, and the film took home the Academy Awards for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Costume Design.
That’s a sign of both the intense personal drama and meticulous period styling of this Netflix drama, which explores race and music in 1920s Chicago through carefully reconstructed live music sequences.
Stream Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix
Ray (2004)
Jamie Foxx’s Oscar-winning performance as Ray Charles captures both the genius and the struggles of the legendary soul musician.
This 2004 film’s meticulous recreation of Charles’ recording sessions and live performances make for incredible viewing (and listening).
Stream Ray on Sky or NOW TV
The Doors (1991)
Released in the same year as Oliver Stone’s other historical epic JFK, his 1991 psychedelic retelling of Jim Morrison’s tumultuous career is a sensory overload.
Val Kilmer delivered arguably a career-best performance, mastering Morrison’s voice and recording his own vocals for many of the performance scenes. The recreation of The Doors’ live concerts feels raw and electric.
Stream The Doors on Amazon Prime Video
What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)
Angela Bassett’s powerful portrayal of Tina Turner shows her journey through adversity to superstardom. Turner herself coached Bassett on her dance moves, adding an extra charge to live scenes capturing her electrifying stage presence.
Stream What’s Love Got to Do with It on Disney+
Yuli (2018)
This powerful biopic tells the story of Cuban ballet star Carlos Acosta’s journey from irrepressible but troubled youth to becoming a star of the stage.
The unflinching drama is interspersed with exhilarating ballet performances, including Acosta himself playing his own father in an extraordinary dance sequence.
Rent Yuli on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video
24 Hour Party People (2002)
This 2022 take on the vibrant music scene of Manchester from punk to rave follows the iconic Factory Records, and associated acts Joy Division and the Happy Mondays.
The throughline is Steve Coogan’s arch turn as label founder and media provocateur Tony Wilson, who frequently breaks the fourth wall to tell us which bits are real or made up.
This meta format and concert sequences capture the baggy, chaotic energy of the larger-than-life Madchester musicians.
Stream 24 Hour Party People on Amazon Prime Video or Plex
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