Here are my top five music biopic films so far.

For years, a glut of music biopics has made it difficult to choose the best. I’m thrilled to finally share my five favourite films and hope you’ll find time to watch them. Perhaps you’ll even sing along. Sorry Bohemian Rhapsody and Michael but they are not on the list.

5. La Bamba (1987)

The movie is based on the life of Ritchie Valens, a Latin American rock and roll pioneer, played by Lou Diamond Phillips. The film focuses on his early career, culminating in his rise to fame and ultimately his tragic death in the plane crash famously dubbed “The Day the Music Died”. This event was later immortalised in Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie”.

Why I like it: The film still holds up. It explores the struggles of Ritchie Valens and his family, offers a window into Hispanic musical culture, and of course gives you the song itself. Lou Diamond Phillips’ performance is the film’s anchor. While Ritchie Valens’ life was tragically short, his influence is undeniable. Ritchie Valens helped to inspire generations of latin acts like Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Carlos Santana, and Bad Bunny.

4. 8 Mile (2002)

You’ve got one shot, one opportunity, and plenty of opportunities to watch this movie. It’s semi-biographical of the real Slim Shady, Eminem. The film follows Detroit rapper Jimmy Smith Jr., known as B-Rabbit, as he navigates his hip-hop career and fights for respect on the battle rap circuit.

Why I like it: “Lose Yourself” is hands down the best soundtrack song in any music biopic; it won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and surprisingly, Eminem can act. The film interweaves autobiographical elements from Eminem’s life while remaining raw, entertaining, and genuinely gripping. It might technically be “fictionalised” but it’s Eminem playing himself as Eminem who happens to be B-Rabbit.

3. Love & Mercy (2014)

The film focuses on Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys, at two distinct points in his life: the younger Brian during the recording of Pet Sounds in 1966, played by Paul Dano, and the older Brian in the 1980s, played by John Cusack, as he struggles with his mental health.

Why I like it: I don’t think we’ve seen a biopic quite like this. Rather than following an artist from start to finish, Love & Mercy zeroes in on just two pivotal chapters. The sections on Brian Wilson’s intricate production of Pet Sounds are particularly captivating, offering a rare glimpse into creative genius under pressure.

Fun fact: the real Brian Wilson found the biopic so accurate that he had a brief dissociative experience, fearing actor Paul Giamatti, who played his therapist, was actually present.

2. Ray (2004)

After watching this biopic, Georgia will be on your mind for days. For two hours, Jamie Foxx transforms into Ray Charles, the most iconic musician of his era, performing classics like “Hit the Road Jack” and “Georgia on My Mind” as part of a sweeping three-act story.

Why I like it: When you realise Jamie Foxx isn’t playing Ray Charles but has become him, it’s a whole other story. For the majority of the film he performed as a blind man, wearing prosthetics to conceal his eyes. Add to that the fact that Jamie Foxx attended college on a music scholarship for classical piano, and you have method acting turned up to eleven.

Fun fact: Larenz Tate portrayed Quincy Jones in Ray and later Berry Gordy in the Michael Jackson biopic — two legendary producers, two first-name-only film titles.

1. Better Man (2024)

A biographical musical about a pop star, portrayed throughout as a CGI anthropomorphic chimpanzee. That pop star is Robbie Williams, and the film spans three decades, from his Take That days to his blockbuster solo career.

Why I like it: I’ve followed Robbie Williams since the 90s and have collected some of his albums, but the film still surprised me, revealing corners of his story I never knew. It handles both the small and the large moments of his career with real care. The CGI chimpanzee, against all odds, works beautifully, and the musical numbers are the highlight, especially the “Rock DJ” sequence. Better Man breaks every rule about what a music biopic should be. It wasn’t a box office success, but I have a feeling history will be kind to it, the Wizard of Oz of music biopics is the way I can describe it.