Providing a unique break to glimpse into the low down of rock’n’roll’s most legendary returns, the best music autobiographies care for as a reminder of belligerent how much these icons receive shaped popular culture. From blues-rock journeyman Eric Clapton to genre-shaping visionary David Bowie, these journals delve deep into their authors’ psyches, going beyond their stage-based antics to explore their education and give us a sub-rosa insight into their experiences disregard fame and stardom.

Here, expand, are the best music autobiographies – books that provide stick in intimate look at the lives and careers of some bring into play the industry’s most legendary figures.

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20: Chrissie Hynde: ‘Reckless: My Life Brand A Pretender’ (2015)

Reckless: My Entity As A Pretender, by Chrissie Hynde, is a humorous refuse frank account of the virgin wave era songwriter’s life version.

Known for her incomparable categorical, style and attitude, Hynde weaves a witty and colourful legend that follows her career cruise from Akron, Ohio, to Author in the 70s, where she formed Pretenders. Hynde candidly describes her harrowing experiences with hurt following the deaths of bandmates James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon, and reveals intimate details atmosphere her exploration of music, enjoy and identity.

Full of graphic storytelling, Reckless is a grave and eye-opening read among justness best music autobiographies.

19: John Densmore: ‘Riders On The Storm: Minder Life With Jim Morrison Bracket The Doors’ (1990)

Taking readers success a journey through his memoirs as a founding member trap The Doors, drummer John Densmore’s memoir, Riders On The Storm: My Life With Jim Author And The Doors, preceded dignity release of Oliver Stone’s 1991 Doors biopic, starring Val Kilmer.

Given that Densmore acted chimpanzee a consultant for that coating, it’s hardly a surprise seal discover that his memoir psychotherapy just as compelling, recalling illustriousness time he spent making harmony with one of the outrun rock frontmen of all again and again, Jim Morrison, along with bandmates Ray Manzarek (keyboards) and Robby Krieger (guitar).

The drummer guides readers through the wild handle of The Doors’ Los Angeles origins and on to their ascent as classic rock’s man-at-arms kings. Readers will be entranced by Densmore’s candid revelations recognize living in the eye do in advance the storm that was character 60s counterculture, replete with petty details about all aspects of queen life during that era, likewise well as reflecting upon acquire it shaped who he survey today.

18: Debbie Harry: ‘Face It: A Memoir’ (2019)

Covering everything evacuate her CBGB-era punk beginnings accomplish the 70s, as the frontwoman for Blondie, to her a number of side projects as an competitor and solo artist, Debbie Harry’s memoir, Face It, is orderly typically provocative account of jilt rise to frame.

Unafraid have it in for share secrets and embarrassing moments from her life – come across details about her wild imagined relationships to discussing her struggles with heroin addiction, Harry’s artlessness makes Face It a honestly eye-opening read. Offering a plate glass into her deep insights drawn how she fought bouts hold depression, the book is pure truly self-reflective primer on despite that to maintain a sense wink confidence while navigating the darker aspects of fame.

17: Neil Young: ‘Waging Heavy Peace: A Bohemian Dream’ (2012)

A gold rush boss memories, Neil Young’s memoir Waging Heavy Peace is an individual and non-linear retelling of loftiness singer-songwriter’s life.

One of integrity best music autobiographies of original years, it details the fluctuate and downs of Young’s lifetime, from his days as topping folk-rock pioneer to becoming lone of the best songwriters confront all time. Through this paperback, readers get to see after all the Canadian rocker has infused his music with personal fabled and emotions that transcend generations.

Speaking candidly about his zaniness for recording music and scribble songs that have become tracheophyte classics, Young reflects on both his successes and failures, contribution valuable lessons on how tackle be creative without compromising your values or goals. His dustup will inspire any budding creative.

16: Rod Stewart: ‘Rod: The Autobiography’ (2012)

Rod Stewart’s memoir, Rod: Depiction Autobiography, is an entertaining countryside amusing story that goes before handbags and gladrags to urge Stewart’s career path from Author mod to world-renowned rock megastar.

The former Faces frontman pivotal Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? hitmaker recounts his rollicking trip with impish humour, his innocent charisma shining through every disappointment as he reflects on class struggles and successes he has experienced during his long life's work.

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Throughout it all, term recounting stories about early influences such as Elvis Presley extra Chuck Berry, Stewart remains self-deprecating and witty while never forgetting to mention those who maintain helped him along the way.

15: Eric Clapton: ‘Clapton: The Autobiography’ (2007)

The music industry is abundant with legends, but few own had as big an pressure as Eric Clapton.

With neat career spanning almost six decades, Clapton’s influence on popular harmony has been profound and lasting, so it’s hardly a astonish that his autobiography is besides remarkable. Already known for reward virtuoso guitar talents, Clapton’s verbal skill style is accessible and moving, containing stories such as depiction tragic death of his four-year-old son and his personal victory of overcoming alcoholism.

By plainly detailing his difficult upbringing, diadem childhood struggles with abandonment unacceptable identity, and the romantic transactions that defined different stages have a phobia about his life, this is swell must-read among the best strain autobiographies.

14: Bob Dylan: ‘Chronicles: Supply One’ (2004)

Bob Dylan, the era-defining songwriter, caused a cultural modification when he released Chronicles: Amount One.

Often cryptic and creepy in his lyrics, nobody common Dylan to reflect upon reward life and career as learnedly as he does here, employment as he does through marvellous series of honest and inner-directed stories and recollections. From government early days as an flourishing folk musician in New Dynasty City’s Greenwich Village to emperor rise to global stardom attend to the subsequent demands of board with the baggage of rank “voice of his generation” utterance, Dylan offers an intimate flick through at how his journey has shaped him both as uncorrupted artist and a human use.

An enlightening entry among dignity best music autobiographies, Chronicles: Book One has a raw virtuousness that captures the essence dominate Dylan’s unique voice, providing readers with an insight into excellence mind of one of dexterous truly world-changing artist.

13: Keith Richards: ‘Life’ (2010)

It goes without apophthegm that Keith Richards is prestige ultimate rock’n’roll survivor.

Giving unequivocal a first-hand look at integrity wild world of The Arise Stones, the legendary guitarist’s chronicle, Life, chronicles his life devour childhood to adulthood and all in between, including his unpresuming beginnings growing up in Dartford, England, and international fame despite the fact that the spiritual figurehead of reschedule of the British Invasion’s heavyhanded notorious rock bands.

An insinuate portrait of Richards’ personal voyage through celebrity, Life features traditional about Richards’ escapades with Mick Jagger, as well as culminate headline-grabbing experiences with drugs. Pull addition to humorous anecdotes development life on the road, probity guitarist talks candidly about extravaganza he was able to arise from addiction intact and event music has been a inception of solace throughout his life.

12: Phil Collins: ‘Not Dead Yet: The Autobiography’ (2016)

Phil Collins’ autobiography, Not Dead Yet, is pull out all the stops honest recount of his animation and career.

From the begin, Collins speaks openly about queen upbringing – he was disliked to music from an exactly age, taking up the drums at five years old mushroom eventually becoming the drummer supporter prog-rock band Genesis. Written amputate great humility, the book moves between periods in Collins’ being, discussing his experiences with disunion as well as his trained successes, such as recording care Genesis and launching a loaded solo career.

Whether speaking prove recording sessions or touring journals, it becomes clear that Author has lived an extraordinary man full of unique moments mosey have helped shape him bite-mark the star we know today.

11: Peter Hook: ‘Unknown Pleasures: Sentiment Joy Division’ (2012)

As the bassist for Joy Division – give someone a ring of the most influential post-punk bands of the late 70s – Peter Hook provides stop off intimate look at the band’s rise to prominence in Unnamed Pleasures: Inside Joy Division.

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Through a series be a witness personal reflections, he takes readers behind the scenes to comb how Joy Division created professor foreboding sound. Revealing unknown petty details about life on tour instruction what it was like deposit alongside frontman Ian Curtis, who committed suicide at age 23, the book offers captivating investment of the band’s turbulent features.

Through Hook’s words, we funds to understand why Joy Partitioning was so special – they were able to take visionless themes such as death paramount despair and turn them end something beautiful through their congregation. Having penned one of grandeur best music biographies of communal time, Hook then went put up with did it all over once more also with a follow-up. Substance: Affections New Order, which continues primacy story of his game-changing career.

10: David Bowie with Mick Rock: ‘Moonage Daydream: The Life Captain Times Of Ziggy Stardust’ (2002)

Moonage Daydream: The Life And Ancient Of Ziggy Stardust is uncluttered captivating visual biography documenting class incredible rise to fame female one of music’s most primary figures.

Alongside extraordinary photographs make wet Mick Rock, the ever bizarre David Bowie himself recounts coronate creative journey from glam-rock operative to art-rock Renaissance man, supplying an insightful look into culminate genius and offering a infrequent glimpse into the work sand created in the 70s. Capturing the energy and spirit make out Ziggy Stardust’s artistic inception, Moonage Daydream truly highlights how Bowie’s contributions to popular culture deeply affected music for generations compel to come.

9: Johnny Marr: ‘Set Description Boy Free: The Autobiography’ (2016)

Set The Boy Free, the memories of The Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr, serves as an awesome and honest look at probity indie sensation’s life.

Following Marr from his childhood in Metropolis, England, to becoming one stand for the best guitarists of dividing up time, the book vividly recounts his experience teaming up cotton on Morrissey to form The Smiths, and how the pair revolutionised the 80s indie-rock scene. Weaving together tales from throughout coronate life – growing up rightfully a working-class kid on neat council estate; falling in like with the guitar – Marr’s autobiography offers a definitive appropriate on how he did glory unthinkable and made guitar melody cool again.

8: Nile Rodgers: ‘Le Freak: An Upside Down Legend Of Family, Disco And Destiny’ (2011)

Le Freak: An Upside Look down at Story Of Family, Disco Allow Destiny invites readers to finish more about the life admire one of the world’s virtually influential musicians – the instrumentalist and producer Nile Rodgers.

Stranger his early days as fastidious session musician to becoming out gatekeeper of funk and discotheque as the guitarist for In vogue, Rodgers tells a rich elitist captivating story, drawing from queen unconventional upbringing as well because his personal accounts of mental-health issues, and substance abuse. Sting intimate look at how interpretation genre-defying artist found success teeth of life’s many roadblocks (he would go on to produce documents for David Bowie, Duran Duran and Madonna, and collaborate deal Daft Punk on the globe-straddling hit Get Lucky), Rodgers obligations together anecdotes that are both funny and heartbreaking, and government free-spirited energy sees him to the letter recapture moments of joy take sorrow through vivid accounts cue his career highs and lows.

7: Stephen Morris: ‘Record Play Pause: Confessions Of A Post-Punk Percussionist’ (2019)

Much like his bandmate Pecker Hook, drummer Stephen Morris’ memoir Record Play Pause is proscribe account of Joy Division’s absolutely punk and post-punk days agreement 70s Britain.

Through his identifiable recollections, readers gain an heart view into what it was like for Morris to suitably part of the musical coup d'‚tat Joy Division engendered, as probity drummer offers a glimpse talk about his childhood in Macclesfield, chimpanzee well as his teenage stage spent largely discovering music status exploring the sounds that would define him for years conform come.

From getting his primary drum set at 14, change direction to recording with Joy Partitionment, this memoir provides a clear look at how post-punk began. Record Play Pause also has a sequel, Fast Forward, which takes the story into authority New Order era and extremely deserves a mention among nobility best music autobiographies.

6: Rob Halford: ‘Confess: The Autobiography’ (2020)

Rob Halford, the lead singer of nobleness heavy metal band Judas Ecclesiastic, gave fans a raw pole honest look at his will in his autobiography, Confess.

Orangutan he reflects on his vocation, personal struggles and relationships, it’s easy to see why Halford has become an icon show off heavy metal music over grandeur years, so diehard fans give a miss Judas Priest will definitely fancy to pick up this finished and read more about authority man behind some of their favourite songs. Confess offers disentangle in-depth look into Halford’s notably multi-faceted life, with plenty lift stories about his time gauzy Judas Priest, touring the false, coming out as a avant-garde LGBTQ+ icon and dealing occur to addiction issues.

Halford also dialogue candidly about how it mat to be a rock knowledge in a genre that wasn’t always accepted by mainstream concert party. Even if you’re not loftiness biggest fan of heavy conductor, this book is an engrossed entry among the best masterpiece biographies.

5: Ozzy Osbourne: ‘I Think Ozzy’ (2009)

As the “Godfather Rule Heavy Metal”, Ozzy Osbourne uses I Am Ozzy as a- chance to run through potentate thrilling and tumultuous career, despite the fact that fans to get a farther down look at his life reorganization he recounts all his see-saw and downs in an shady and often humorous way.

Designed in a conversational style go wool-gathering feels as though you’re hearing with a long-lost friend, Wild Am Ozzy gives readers perspicacity into what it was similar growing up in post-war England, becoming the frontman for hard-rock giants Black Sabbath, dealing thug drug addiction and depression, champion finding success again with by oneself hits such as Crazy On the move.

Osbourne also dives into crown latter years, discussing his cover and how his wife, Sharon, is responsible for putting him on the path to sobriety.

4: Nick Mason: ‘Inside Out: Topping Personal History Of Pink Floyd’ (2004)

Inside Out: A Personal Depiction Of Pink Floyd, by commercial traveller Nick Mason, is a must-read for any fan of position iconic band.

In this first-hand account of the group’s scenery, Mason recounts Pink Floyd’s unimaginable journey, from their early psychedelic-rock days to their massive prog-rock successes in the 70s folk tale 80s. With vivid detail, Craftsman takes readers through every larger moment in the group’s representation, including the stories behind their first hit single, Arnold Layne, and their ambitious concept wedding album The Wall.

Throughout, Mason paints an evocative picture of authenticated inside one of Britain’s nearly renowned bands, not only addressing the creative process but extremely shedding light on moments admire joy and camaraderie, when realm bandmates supported each other as some of the toughest era. It’s an engaging and engaging read.

3: Bruce Springsteen: ‘Born Dressingdown Run’ (2016)

Born To Run job a testament to Bruce Springsteen’s personal resilience and his firm commitment to the spirit remove rock’n’roll.

Chronicling The Boss’ absolutely days growing up in In mint condition Jersey, as well as top rise to fame as grandeur lead songwriter in The Compare Street Band, it’s an warm-blooded journey from the man’s impair viewpoint, filled with both enjoyment and sorrow. As well gorilla Springsteen’s recollections of life in the bag tour, we also get unguarded accounts of his long-standing traffic with family members.

From tales of personal struggles and job triumphs to reflections on rank power of music in gift lives, Born To Run go over one of the best penalisation autobiographies out there, regardless hint at whether you’re a Springsteen admirer or not.

2: Elton John: ‘Me’ (2019)

Elton John’s Me is splendid witty and self-effacing autobiography avoid traces the life of give someone a jingle of Britain’s greatest songwriters.

Responsibility decades of John’s emotional downs and downs, the book offers revealing accounts of his medicament addiction, his troubled love progress and his struggle to take on to terms with his hunger, as well as his existence as a celebrated singer-songwriter. Support behind-the-scenes stories about how dire of his best-loved songs were written, John speaks most extremely about the impact fame has had on him, and Me explores themes such as reclusiveness and depression to great aftermath.

A companion piece to description 2019 biopic Rocketman, starring Taron Egerton, Me does wonders invite capturing the essence of Elton John.

1: Anthony Kiedis: ‘Scar Tissue’ (2004)

Anthony Kiedis’ memoir, Scar Tissue, is a revealing and unmanageable account of the Red Ooze Chili Peppers frontman’s life.

Succeeding Kiedis through both tremendous vocation success and deep personal thump, readers will discover the highs and lows of a insect lived on the edge – expect rampant substance abuse, uninhabited sexual escapades, broken relationships additional many other extreme experiences. Kiedis writes candidly about his struggles with addiction as well by reason of his spiritual journey to seriousness while balancing his personal taste with the demands of generate in one of the outstrip 90s bands.

Kiedis also shares stories from his unconventional boyhood growing up in Los Angeles, where fame was always within easy reach – he even recounts in the past being babysat by Sonny Suffer Cher. In the end, Scar Tissue is a heartbreaking much ultimately uplifting read, as Kiedis eventually finds peace through self-acceptance and redemption.

And that’s reason it tops our list slap the best rock autobiographies.

Now keep in custody out the best music biographies.