20 musicians who deserve their own biopic

Not too many artists can say they have a music resume as massive as Stevie Wonder. He was 11-years-old when he signed his first record deal, became the youngest artist to top the Billboard Hot 100, helped orchestrate Martin Luther King’s birthday as a national holiday, and has won countless awards including 25 Grammys and became a Rock & Hall of Fame honoree. Wonder’s musicianship, songwriting, and humanitarian initiatives deserve for his story to be told to the world. 

For an artist to earn the title known as the Godfather of Metal, it’s safe to say your contributions to music have had an astronomical impact. Although Ozzy Osbourne started his career as a founder and lead vocalist for the rock band Black Sabbath, he also saw an equally lucrative career as a solo artist. However, he was known to be a bit controversial with his lyrics were seen to have a potentially negative impact on young listeners, and went through several lawsuits with his former band. 

From music to acting, LL Cool J has a career spanning nearly four decades, and to this day, he still shows audiences why he’s one of the best. LL was the first rapper signed to Def Jam, not only did he help transform hip-hop into a worldwide phenomenon, but he also established the record label as a prime home for hip-hop artists. Throughout his acting career, he’s appeared in films like Deep Blue Sea and In Too Deep, and starred in TV shows like In The House and NCIS: Los Angeles. 

Many artists dream of the type of longevity and influence that Mariah Carey continues to have throughout her career. She started her career as a background vocalist before signing a record deal. With a career spanning over three decades, she's released 15 albums, starred in films, won countless awards including six Grammys, and is one of the best-selling artists of all time. Not to mention, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and is often referred to as the Queen of Christmas, due to the yearly popularity of her hit song "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Carey is also well-respected in the industry due to her being a pioneer in helping to bridge the worlds of R&B and hip-hop. 

Prince was always the type of artist who moved at the beat of his own drum. He knew just how to turn heads with his blend of flamboyancy and effortless amounts of cool, he beamed with confidence every time he stepped in a room or on stage. One of the cool things about him is how his music was genreless, he could easily make music catered to funk, soul, pop, and rock fans. 

You can't talk about country music without mentioning Dolly Parton. With a career spanning nearly six decades, she's released over 40 solo albums, won 11 Grammy Awards, holds two Guinness World Records, and even has her theme park: Dollywood. In addition to being one of the biggest names in country music, people always praise Parton for her business and philanthropic initiatives. She's an advocate for education and literacy through her Dollywood Foundation, has been a longtime supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, and has helped make donations to several efforts. 

Jay Z has the type of rags-to-riches story that people love to learn about, and not just any type of story, he became hip-hop's first billionaire. He was a high school dropout who grew up in the projects and sold drugs as a teenager. But it was music career that changed his life completely. He started his own record label, released 13 solo albums, started a clothing line, launched a sports agency, became part owner of an NBA team, held a majority stake in a music streaming service, and so much more. Although his career started as a rapper, he's also well known for his many business ventures. 

Queen Latifah has built her career as a rapper, singer, and actress—she's the epitome of a triple-threat entertainer. She's been in the industry for over 35 years, releasing seven solo albums, starring in TV sitcoms like Living Single and movies like Bringing Down The House, and securing wins at the Grammy Awards and the Golden Globes. On top of that, she's been a longtime spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics, and even hosted her own daytime talk show. She's the type of artist who truly helped open doors for other women rappers to follow and doesn't believe in boxing herself into just one thing. 

Donny Hathaway started his career as a songwriter and session musician working for artists like Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, and The Staple Singers. Once he signed his record deal, he recorded a few albums including a duets album with frequent collaborator Roberta Flack. Although Hathaway was highly successful, he suffered from bouts of mental health, which ended up resulting in the singer taking his own life. As society continues to learn new ways of talking about mental health, sometimes telling a story like Hathaway’s could help someone else who might be suffering. 

Aerosmith consists of Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Joey Kramer, and Tom Hamilton, and they are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands in music history. Just like any other artist, the band has gone through challenges in their career, including break-ups and make-ups, but that just shows how resilient they are as a team. Not only did they help establish hard rock in the '70s, but one of their standout career highlights was how they bridged rock with hip-hop when they teamed up with Run-D.M.C. on the track "Walk This Way." With a career spanning over five decades, they've sold over 150 million records, making them the best-selling American rock band in history.

DMX was always the type of artist who would tell his story with raw emotions. Although he had a successful career in music and film, DMX was candid about the child abuse he endured, struggling with drug addiction, and legal troubles. One thing that always stood out about him is his faith and spirituality, and he made sure to showcase that in his music and live performances. Unfortunately, he lost his life at the age of 50, however, the impact that he had on hip-hop fans will live forever. 

Diana Ross is a true music diva who helped make Motown one of the most iconic music labels to thrive. She started her career as lead singer of one of the best-selling girl groups The Supremes, before venturing into a solo career. In addition to her music career, she's starred in films such as Mahogany, The Wiz, and Lady Sings the Blues. One of the aspects that always stood out about Ross' aura is how she's always going to give people glamourous looks and beauty moments that people love to emulate—it's no wonder she's known as one of the last standing divas. 

To see how much hip-hop has grown over the last five decades, people should be thanking Kurtis Blow for being one of the genre's first pioneers. Not only was he the first rapper signed to a record label, but his single "The Breaks" became hip-hop's first gold-selling song. In addition to his music career, he helped establish hit songs for other acts such as The Fat Boys and Run-D.M.C. 

With a career spanning over six decades, Cher is known as an icon who helped redefine the pop music landscape. She first got her start singing alongside her ex-husband Sonny Bono and one of their major hit songs was "I Got You Babe." In addition to their music, they also had a variety show The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, that aired for three years. Throughout her career, Cher continued to reinvent herself with acting and trying new things musically. Not to mention, she also helped popularize the use of auto-tune. 

Patti LaBelle, crowned as the Godmother of Soul, has dazzled audiences for over six decades. From her start as the lead singer of girl group LaBelle to her legendary solo career, Patti has helped redefine the sound and look of soul music. Patti is a powerhouse vocalist who knows how to move any audience with her vocal performances. Throughout her career, she's been known for her hit songs like "Lady Marmalade," "If You Only Knew," and "New Attitude."

When people think of legendary names in the country music scene, Willie Nelson always comes to mind. Not only did he help usher in the outlaw country subgenre (a genre noted as a rebellion to the typical Nashville country sound), but he was also the co-founder of Farm Aid, a benefit concert that raises funds for family farmers. With a career spanning over six decades, Nelson has won 15 Grammy Awards, and some of his biggest hit songs include "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" and "On The Road Again." 

Duke Ellington is one of the world's greatest jazz musicians and composers to ever live. Not only did he revolutionize the genre, but he was a visionary who pushed the big band sound into the jazz orchestra. He also used his music as an advocate for social justice and fought against racism. In fact, it was in 1961 when Ellington included a non-segregation clause in his contracts and believed in only playing for integrated audiences. 

Smokey Robinson is one of the most recognizable voices from the Motown era. He started in the industry as the lead singer of the group The Miracles, before venturing into his solo career. Some of the group's hit songs include "Shop Around," "Going to a Go-Go," and "The Tears of a Clown." Robinson also built his career writing songs for artists like Mary Wells, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and The Jackson 5. With over six decades in the industry, Robinson has established his career as a singer, songwriter, and record executive. 

Frank Sinatra had a love for big band, swing, pop, and jazz, and he had a velvety voice that was perfect for it. With a career spanning over 50 years, Sinatra accomplished quite a bit including pioneering the concept album, forming his own record label, and advocating for Black artists to get the respect and pay that they deserved. In addition to his music career, Sinatra also ventured into the film world and was a huge advocate for civil rights. Sinatra is one of the best-selling artists of all time who brought a certain essence of cool and debonair to his aura. 

Although there have been biopics created about Janet Jackson's iconic family, there's never been one created to tell her own story. Jackson worked hard to carve her lane, moving from acting and then into singing, easily defining pop music that many artists have been inspired by. Jackson is one of the industry's best-selling artists, who broke records with her multimillion-dollar label contracts, and put the world on notice by releasing albums such as Control, Rhythm Nation 1814, and The Velvet Rope. She's known as a cultural icon through music, dance, fashion, women's empowerment, and social activism. Although she's faced challenges and public scrutiny, Jackson is still one of the most influential artists of our time.