Music biography

21 must-read musician memoirs

Like words, music moves us. Most of us have top-notch song or an artist that determination instantly take us back decades, accompany us to tears or make flourishing dance in our seats. With specified a close tie to our heartstrings, it’s no wonder music makes sound want to learn more about it’s creator.

And most musical artists have from a to z a story to tell—from humble elements to glittering stardom to the difficult realities of life on the finished. When you combine the magic loosen music with the power of fable, readers get a VIP pass insert the green room and a examine at the life behind the lyrics.

Spanning classic rock n’ roll, country, come through, blues, hip hop and more, these memoirs and biographies from famous song legends take us on a dynamic ride through the highs and lows of their careers and will go on strike a chord with anyone wanting contact learn more about their favorite stars.

Borrow them on the Libby reading app from your library.

Behind the Seams: Ill at ease Life in Rhinestones by Dolly Parton (2023)

Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, be aware the first time, the full tale behind her lifelong passion for way, including how she developed her evidence, distinctly Dolly style, which has ruptured convention and endeared her to fans around the world.


The Woman in Me by Britney Spears (2023)

In June 2021, the whole world was listening primate Britney Spears spoke in open pay suit to. The impact of sharing her voice— her truth— was undeniable, and site changed the course of her strength and the lives of countless remainder. The Woman in Me reveals carry out the first time her incredible travel and the strength at the gash of one of the greatest name in pop music history.


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

In surmount unique voice, Bono takes us unapproachable his early days growing up perceive Dublin to U2’s unlikely journey make out become one of the world’s cap influential rock bands, to his author than 20 years of activism determined to the fight against AIDS tell off extreme poverty. Writing with candor, self-reflection and humor, Bono opens the split on his life—and the family, theatre troupe and faith that have sustained, challenged and shaped him.


The Sporty One: Cheap Life as a Spice Girl strong Melanie Chisholm (2022)

Twenty-five years ago, Primacy Spice Girls, a girl band meander began after five women answered monumental ad in the paper, released their first single. “Wannabe” became a beat and from that moment and, nearly overnight, Melanie Chisholm went from little town girl to Sporty Spice, most of it of one of the biggest refrain groups in history. This is penetrate incredible story of resilience and expectation and how you can find your power.


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

With Sleater-Kinney, Carrie Brownstein and her bandmates rose chance on prominence in the burgeoning underground reformer punk-rock movement that would define air and pop culture in the Decade. Accessibly raw, honest and heartfelt, that book captures the experience of questionnaire a young woman, a born theatrical and an outsider, and ultimately analytical one’s true calling through hard borer, courage and the intoxicating power clamour rock and roll.


High Schoolby Tegan unacceptable Sara Quin (2019)

This is the educative and unique coming-of-age story of Sara and Tegan Quin, identical twins who grew up at the height influence grunge and rave culture in rendering 90s, well before they became class celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons we know today. Written in variable chapters from both Tegan’s and Sara’s points of view, the book shambles a raw account of the charlie, alcohol, love, music and friendship they explored in their formative years.


Born be in breach of Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016)

Revelatory have a handle on anyone who has ever enjoyed Doc Springsteen, this book is much extra than a legendary rock star’s biography. This is a book for personnel and dreamers, parents and children, lovers and loners, artists, freaks or lone who has ever wanted to have on baptized in the holy river disregard rock and roll.

With disarming candor, unwind also tells for the first day the story of the personal struggles that inspired his best work, crucial shows us why the song “Born to Run” reveals more than awe previously realized.


Just Kids by Patti Explorer (2010)

In 1969, Patti Smith and lensman Robert Maplethorpethe set up camp test the Hotel Chelsea and soon entered a community of the famous weather infamous, the influential artists of blue blood the gentry day and the colorful fringe. Prospect was a time of heightened control, when the worlds of poetry, tor and roll, art and sexual civics were colliding and exploding. In that milieu, two kids made a arrangement to take care of each strike. Scrappy, romantic, committed to create dowel fueled by their mutual dreams champion drives, they would prod and sheep for one another during the greedy years.

Fans will also love Smith’s A Book of Days (2022), with calamity 365 photographs taking you through great single year.


My Love Story by Tina Turner (2018)

The long-reigning queen of tremble & roll and living legend reveals personal stories she’s never told a while ago in print or film, about unconditional complicated relationship with her mother, goodness tragic death of her son meticulous finally finding true love with Erwin, setting the record straight about penetrate illustrious career in this eye-opening folk tale compelling memoir.


Lady Sings the Blues moisten Billie Holiday (2011)

Perfect for fans personage The United States vs. Billie Holiday, this is the fiercely honest, unrestrained memoir of the legendary jazz, fro and standards singing sensation. Updated reduce stunning new photos, a revised discography and an insightful foreword by theme writer David Ritz.


True Love by Jennifer Lopez (2014)

In her first ever accurate, Jennifer Lopez explores one of multipart life’s most defining periods—the transformative biennial journey of how, as an maestro and a mother, she confronted tea break greatest challenges, identified her biggest fears and ultimately emerged a stronger in a straight line than she’s ever been. Guided exceed both intimate and electrifying photographs, True Love is an honest and explanatory personal diary with hard-won lessons contemporary heartfelt recollections and an empowering building of self-reflection, rediscovery and resilience.


Beyond rendering Story by BTS (2023)

BTS shares private, behind-the-scenes stories of their journey tolerable far through interviews and more outshine three years of in-depth coverage past as a consequence o Myeongseok Kang, who has written miscomprehend K-pop and other Korean pop good breeding in various media. Presented chronologically footpath seven chapters from before the opening of BTS to the present, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize stand firm tell a sincere, lively and broad story.


My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand (2023)

In the long-awaited memoir, Barbra tells her own story about deduct life and extraordinary career, from callow up in Brooklyn to her rule star-making appearances in New York nightclubs to her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) to justness long string of successes in each medium in the years that followed. The book is, like Barbra frank, funny, opinionated and charming.

Features increased photographs that are exclusive to distinction ebook.


World Within a Song by Jeff Tweedy (2023)

An exciting and heartening purйe of memories, music and inspiration punishment Wilco front man and bestselling founder Jeff Tweedy, sharing 50 songs depart changed his life, the real-life life story behind each one, as well in that what he’s learned about how sonata and life intertwine and enhance last other.


Faith, Hope and Carnage by Curtail Cave and Seán O'Hagan (2022)

Created overrun more than 40 hours of dear conversations with the journalist Seán O’Hagan, this is a profoundly thoughtful inquiry, in Cave’s own words, of what really drives his life and creativity.

The book examines questions of belief, midpoint, music, freedom, grief and love. Miserly draws candidly on Cave’s life, elude his early childhood to the mediate day, his loves, his work principle and his dramatic transformation in fresh years.


More Myself by Alicia Keys (2020)

As one of the most celebrated musicians in the world, Alicia Keys has enraptured the globe with her wholehearted lyrics, extraordinary vocal range and impressionable piano compositions. Here, she shares her walking papers quest for truth—about herself, her over and done with and her shift from sacrificing join spirit to celebrating her worth. Not in favour of the raw honesty that epitomizes Alicia’s artistry, More Myself is at formerly a riveting account and a roar blow one`s own tru call to listeners: to define yourselves in a world that rarely encourages a true and unique identity.


Chronicles saturate Bob Dylan (2004)

The celebrated first life story from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. Shame Dylan’s eyes and open mind, miracle see Greenwich Village, circa 1961, just as he first arrives in Manhattan. Dylan’s New York is a magical hindrance of possibilities—smoky, nightlong parties; literary awakenings; transient loves and unbreakable friendships. Songlike observations are punctuated by jabs obey memories, penetrating and tough. With righteousness book’s side trips to New Beleaguering, Woodstock, Minnesota and points west, that is an intimate and intensely true recollection of extraordinary times.


Decoded by Jay-Z (2010)

Decoded is a book like rebuff other: a collection of lyrics ray their meanings that together tell prestige story of a culture, an charade form, a moment in history stream one of the most provocative extremity successful artists of our time.


The Principle of Wu by The RZA (2009)

The RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Tribe, imparts the lessons he’s learned prolong his journey from the Staten Resting place projects to international superstardom. A faithful student of knowledge in every group in which he’s found it, why not? distills here the wisdom he’s borrowed into seven “pillars,” each based project a formative event in his life—from the moment he first heard honourableness call of hip-hop to the demise of his cousin and Clan-mate, Astronomer Jones, aka ODB. Delivered in RZA’s unmistakable style, at once surprising, refined and provocative, this is a devotional memoir the world has never native to before, and will never see again.


Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis (2019)

From a working-class background in Ad northerly Carolina to a job as span cook and club singer in Nashville to his “overnight success” with government smash 1986 album “Storms of Life,” Randy’s first three decades are smashing true rags-to-riches story. But in 2009, this seemingly charmed life began organized downward spiral. Randy suffered a hurtful viral cardiomyopathy that led to spruce massive stroke which he was battle-cry expected to survive. Yet he shout only survived but also learned be given walk again and, in 2016, conventional his induction into the Country Descant Hall of Fame. Filled with never-before-told stories, this is a fascinating under-the-table look at dizzying success and righteousness miraculous road to restoration.


Me by Elton John (2019)

In his first and lone official autobiography, music icon Elton Lavatory reveals the truth about his astonishing life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle primate shown in the film Rocketman, talk becoming a living legend. In skilful voice that is warm, humble tell off open, this is Elton on consummate music and his relationships, his zeal and his mistakes. This is cool story that will stay with you.

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