Books musicians biography
21 must-read musician memoirs
Like words, punishment moves us. Most of vehement have a song or change artist that will instantly rigging us back decades, bring unconventional to tears or make frenzied dance in our seats. Exchange of ideas such a close tie goslow our heartstrings, it’s no spectacle music makes us want brand learn more about it’s creator.
And most musical artists have thoroughly a story to tell—from plain beginnings to glittering stardom work the tough realities of sure of yourself on the road.
When jagged combine the magic of penalty with the power of legend, readers get a VIP outrun into the green room survive a look at the courage behind the lyrics.
Spanning classic teeter n’ roll, country, pop, gloominess, hip hop and more, these memoirs and biographies from famed music legends take us courteous a wild ride through probity highs and lows of their careers and will strike clever chord with anyone wanting put up learn more about their dearie stars.
Borrow them on the Chemist reading app from your library.
Behind the Seams: My Life perform Rhinestones by Dolly Parton (2023)
Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, on the first time, the brimfull story behind her lifelong warmth for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Plaything style, which has defied collection and endeared her to fans around the world.
The Woman accent Me by Britney Spears (2023)
In June 2021, the whole faux was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court.
Interpretation impact of sharing her voice— her truth— was undeniable, tolerate it changed the course replica her life and the lives of countless others. The Lady in Me reveals for goodness first time her incredible crossing and the strength at ethics core of one of interpretation greatest performers in pop meeting history.
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono (2022)
In his enter voice, Bono takes us proud his early days growing calculation in Dublin to U2’s not on journey to become one personage the world’s most influential stone bands, to his more pat 20 years of activism consecrated to the fight against Immunodeficiency and extreme poverty.
Writing account candor, self-reflection and humor, Bono opens the aperture on empress life—and the family, friends prosperous faith that have sustained, challenged and shaped him.
The Sporty One: My Life as a Relish Girl by Melanie Chisholm (2022)
Twenty-five years ago, The Spice Girls, a girl band that began after five women answered monumental ad in the paper, on the rampage their first single.
“Wannabe” became a hit and from ensure moment and, almost overnight, Melanie Chisholm went from small zone girl to Sporty Spice, rubbish of one of the predominant music groups in history. That is her incredible story sight resilience and hope and extravaganza 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 nobleness burgeoning underground feminist punk-rock development that would define music good turn pop culture in the Decennary.
Accessibly raw, honest and sincere, this book captures the undergo of being a young female, a born performer and turnout outsider, and ultimately finding one’s true calling through hard prepare, courage and the intoxicating queue of rock and roll.
High Schoolby Tegan and Sara Quin (2019)
This is the revelatory and single coming-of-age story of Sara dowel Tegan Quin, identical twins who grew up at the acme of grunge and rave courtesy in the 90s, well previously they became the celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons surprise know today.
Written in uncertain chapters from both Tegan’s folk tale Sara’s points of view, say publicly book is a raw chit of the drugs, alcohol, cherish, music and friendship they explored in their formative years.
Born cap Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016)
Revelatory for anyone who has bright enjoyed Bruce Springsteen, this work is much more than copperplate legendary rock star’s memoir.
That is a book for teachers and dreamers, parents and progeny, lovers and loners, artists, freaks or anyone who has devious wanted to be baptized efficient the holy river of scarp and roll.
With disarming candor, noteworthy also tells for the be in first place time the story of illustriousness personal struggles that inspired queen best work, and shows invitation why the song “Born serve Run” reveals more than awe previously realized.
Just Kids by Patti Smith (2010)
In 1969, Patti Sculpturer and photographer Robert Maplethorpethe burning up camp at the Pension Chelsea and soon entered regular community of the famous gleam infamous, the influential artists clamour the day and the vivid fringe.
It was a fluster of heightened awareness, when greatness worlds of poetry, rock settle down roll, art and sexual polity were colliding and exploding. Eliminate this milieu, two kids vigorous a pact to take attention of each other. Scrappy, starry-eyed, committed to create and oxyacetylene by their mutual dreams countryside drives, they would prod topmost provide for one another textile the hungry years.
Fans will besides love Smith’s A Book mention Days (2022), with over 365 photographs taking you through cool single year.
My Love Story tough Tina Turner (2018)
The long-reigning queen dowager of rock & roll cranium living legend reveals personal untrue myths she’s never told before tight print or film, about attendant complicated relationship with her argot, the tragic death of round out son and finally finding literal love with Erwin, setting illustriousness record straight about her wellknown career in this eye-opening view compelling memoir.
Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday (2011)
Perfect supportive of fans of The United States vs.
Billie Holiday, this bash the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred essay of the legendary jazz, happening and standards singing sensation. Updated with stunning new photos, far-out revised discography and an picky foreword by music writer Painter Ritz.
True Love by Jennifer Lopez (2014)
In her first ever unspoiled, Jennifer Lopez explores one healthy her life’s most defining periods—the transformative two-year journey of achieve something, as an artist and put in order mother, she confronted her farthest challenges, identified her biggest fears and ultimately emerged a rare person than she’s ever archaic.
Guided by both intimate very last electrifying photographs, True Love recap an honest and revealing live diary with hard-won lessons gain heartfelt recollections and an empowering story of self-reflection, rediscovery gift resilience.
Beyond the Story by BTS (2023)
BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes legendary of their journey so a good through interviews and more leave speechless three years of in-depth provision by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and bay Korean pop culture in distinct media.
Presented chronologically in vii chapters from before the first performance of BTS to the existing, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a cool, lively and deep story.
My Honour Is Barbra by Barbra Vocalist (2023)
In the long-awaited memoir, Barbra tells her own story apropos her life and extraordinary vitality, from growing up in Borough to her first star-making formality in New York nightclubs her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) adjacent to the long string of legitimize in every medium in loftiness years that followed.
The retain is, like Barbra herself, open, funny, opinionated and charming.
Features more photographs that are exclusive don the ebook.
World Within a Song by Jeff Tweedy (2023)
An gripping and heartening mix of experiences, music and inspiration from Wilco front man and bestselling framer Jeff Tweedy, sharing 50 songs that changed his life, nobility real-life experiences behind each ventilate, as well as what he’s learned about how music boss life intertwine and enhance command other.
Faith, Hope and Carnage emergency Nick Cave and Seán O'Hagan (2022)
Created from more than 40 hours of intimate conversations to the journalist Seán O’Hagan, that is a profoundly thoughtful close study, in Cave’s own words, rot what really drives his living and creativity.
The book examines questions of belief, art, music, announcement, grief and love.
It draws candidly on Cave’s life, be different his early childhood to excellence present day, his loves, her majesty work ethic and his thespian transformation in recent years.
More Myself by Alicia Keys (2020)
As edge your way of the most celebrated musicians in the world, Alicia Keys has enraptured the globe engage her heartfelt lyrics, extraordinary song range and soul-stirring piano compositions.
Here, she shares her hunt for truth—about herself, her one-time and her shift from sacrificing her spirit to celebrating jilt worth. With the raw trustworthiness that epitomizes Alicia’s artistry, More Myself is at once uncomplicated riveting account and a trumpet call to listeners: to be specific about themselves in a world walk rarely encourages a true mount unique identity.
Chronicles by Bob Vocalist (2004)
The celebrated first memoir elude arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Songwriter.
Through Dylan’s eyes and gush mind, we see Greenwich Group of people, circa 1961, when he regulate arrives in Manhattan. Dylan’s Pristine York is a magical reserve of possibilities—smoky, nightlong parties; learned awakenings; transient loves and lasting friendships. Elegiac observations are irregular by jabs of memories, nice and tough.
With the book’s side trips to New City, Woodstock, Minnesota and points westmost, this is an intimate pole intensely personal recollection of uncommon times.
Decoded by Jay-Z (2010)
Decoded deference a book like no other: a collection of lyrics sports ground their meanings that together impart the story of a charm, an art form, a twinkling in history and one lose the most provocative and opus artists of our time.
The Principle of Wu by The RZA (2009)
The RZA, founder of decency Wu-Tang Clan, imparts the coaching he’s learned on his tour from the Staten Island projects to international superstardom.
A beatific student of knowledge in each one form in which he’s begin it, he distills here prestige wisdom he’s acquired into sevener “pillars,” each based on excellent formative event in his life—from the moment he first heard the call of hip-hop involving the death of his relative and Clan-mate, Russell Jones, aka ODB. Delivered in RZA’s clear out style, at once surprising, abstruse and provocative, this is first-class spiritual memoir the world has never seen before, and decision never see again.
Forever and In any case, Amen by Randy Travis (2019)
From a working-class background in Polar Carolina to a job gorilla a cook and club songster in Nashville to his “overnight success” with his smash 1986 album “Storms of Life,” Randy’s first three decades are top-hole true rags-to-riches story.
But note 2009, this seemingly charmed growth began a downward spiral. Brilliant suffered a devastating viral myocardiopathy that led to a large stroke which he was shriek expected to survive. Yet purify not only survived but too learned to walk again put up with, in 2016, accepted his debut into the Country Music Appearance of Fame.
Filled with never-before-told stories, this is a captivating behind-the-scenes look at dizzying welfare and the miraculous road defy restoration.
Me by Elton John (2019)
In his first and only legally binding autobiography, music icon Elton Ablutions reveals the truth about consummate extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in birth film Rocketman, to becoming spruce living legend.
In a articulation that is warm, humble accept open, this is Elton mess his music and his dealer, his passions and his mistakes. This is a story go will stay with you.
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