Highest-Grossing Musician Biopics

Home gross: $14.4 million

Gary Busey obtained an Oscar nomination for finest actor for taking part in the extremely authentic singer/songwriter who died at age 22 in a 1959 airplane crash. Joe Renzetti gained an Oscar for finest adaptation rating. The soundtrack reached No. 86 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $23.7 million

Naomi Ackie starred on this movie, which was directed by Kasi Lemmons. Stanley Tucci co-starred as Clive Davis, who signed Houston to Arista Data in 1983 when she was simply 19. Davis oversaw her great rise however was unable to forestall her tragic fall. The movie is titled after Houston’s 1987 single that topped Billboard’s 2023 record of The five hundred Greatest Pop Songs: Workers Listing.

Home gross: $24.3 million

Jennifer Hudson performed Aretha Franklin on this biopic, which tracked her rise from singing in her father’s church’s choir to her unquestioned standing because the Queen of Soul. The soundtrack reached No. 151 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $24.3 million

Renée Zellweger gained an Oscar for finest actress for taking part in Judy Garland on this biopic. The irony: Garland by no means gained a aggressive Oscar, regardless of two nominations, one in the identical class wherein Zellweger gained. Judy wasn’t an ordinary biopic, however a take a look at the final yr of her life, when she arrived in London within the winter of 1968 to carry out a sequence of sold-out live shows.

Home gross: $30.7 million

The late, nice Chadwick Boseman starred as James Brown on this biopic, which was directed by Tate Taylor and produced by Taylor, Brian Grazer, Mick Jagger and Victoria Pearman. Viola Davis, Craig Robinson and Octavia Spencer had supporting roles. The movie soundtrack reached No. 61 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $34.4 million

Val Kilmer starred as The Doorways’ charismatic lead singer Jim Morrison on this movie that was directed by Oliver Stone, who additionally co-wrote the screenplay. The movie additionally starred Kyle MacLachlan as keyboardist Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as lead guitarist Robby Krieger and Kevin Dillon as drummer John Densmore. The movie adopted Morrison from his days as a UCLA movie scholar to his premature demise in Paris at age 27 in 1971. The movie shared its title with the title of The Doorways’ traditional 1967 debut album. The soundtrack reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $35.3 million

Rising star Jennifer Lopez starred as Tejano music star Selena, who rose from cult standing to performing on the Houston Astrodome. The movie contains her stunning homicide at age 23 by the hands of former fan membership president Yolanda Saldívar. The soundtrack reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $35.9 million

Geoffrey Rush gained an Oscar for finest actor for taking part in pianist David Helfgott, who suffered a psychological breakdown and spent years in establishments. The movie was nominated for seven Oscars, together with finest image. The soundtrack reached No. 59 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $36.8 million

Jamal Woolard starred as Christopher Wallace (a.ok.a. The Infamous B.I.G.) on this biopic. After rising to the highest of the rap music world, Biggie was shot to demise at age 24 in 1997. Angela Bassett, Derek Luke and Anthony Mackie additionally starred within the movie. The soundtrack reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $39 million

This was the less-celebrated, however nonetheless common, sequel to 1968’s Humorous Woman. Barbra Streisand reprised her Oscar-winning position as Fanny Brice and James Caan performed showman Billy Rose. The movie spawned an Oscar-nominated tune, “How Fortunate Can You Get.” The movie soundtrack reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $39.1 million

Angela Bassett obtained an Oscar nomination for finest actress for taking part in the indominable Tina Turner on this biopic. Laurence Fishburne obtained an Oscar nod for finest actor for taking part in her abusive husband Ike Turner. The movie drew its title from Turner’s largest hit, which topped the Billboard Sizzling 100 for 3 weeks in 1984 and gained Grammys for document and tune of the yr. The movie soundtrack reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $44.9 million

Demetrius Shipp Jr. starred as Tupac Shakur on this movie, with Jamal Woolard reprising his position as Christopher “The Infamous B.I.G.” Wallace from Infamous. Shipp’s father labored on music movies with 2Pac, who was shot to demise in 1996 at age 25. The movie drew its title from 2Pac’s 1996 double-disc album, his second to prime the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $47 million

Clint Eastwood directed and co-produced this movie adaptation of the blockbuster stage musical, which opened on Broadway in 2005. The biopic about The 4 Seasons starred John Lloyd Younger as Frankie Valli, Erich Bergen as Bob Gaudio, Michael Lomenda as Nick Massi and Vincent Piazza as Tommy DeVito. The movie didn’t get almost as a lot awards love because the stage musical did. The musical gained 4 Tony Awards together with finest musical and finest actor in a musical for Younger. The movie didn’t land a single Oscar nod. Valli and Gaudio served as govt producers of the movie. The soundtrack reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $51. 6 million

Tom Hulce obtained an Oscar nomination for finest actor for taking part in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, however misplaced to F. Murray Abraham, who had the showier position as Antonio Salieri, who was insanely jealous of Mozart’s expertise. The movie obtained 11 Oscar nominations and gained eight awards, together with finest image and finest director for Miloš Forman. Peter Shaffer additionally gained finest tailored screenplay for adapting his stage play, which had gained 5 Tony Awards in 1981. The double-disc soundtrack, credited to conductor/arranger Neville Marriner, reached No. 56 on the Billboard 200 and gained a Grammy for finest classical album.

Home gross: $52 million

“First he modified music. Then he modified the world” is the tagline for this movie, which was directed and co-written by Reinaldo Marcus Inexperienced. It’s based mostly on the lifetime of reggae legend Bob Marley, from his rise to fame within the mid-Seventies up till his demise in 1981. The movie stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley, with Lashana Lynch as his spouse Rita Marley and James Norton as Island Data founder Chris Blackwell.

Home gross: $52.2 million

Barbra Streisand gained an Oscar for her movement image debut wherein she performed Fanny Brice, a prime star of the vaudeville period. “My Man” and “I’d Slightly Be Blue,” each featured in Humorous Woman, had been hits for Brice within the Nineteen Twenties. Streisand gained finest actress in a tie (nonetheless the one one within the historical past of the class) with Katharine Hepburn, who gained for The Lion in Winter. “Howdy, beautiful,” Streisand started her speech, earlier than graciously including: “And I’m very honored to be in such magnificent firm as Katharine Hepburn.” Humorous Woman obtained eight nominations, together with finest image. The movie soundtrack reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and spent greater than two years on the chart.

Home gross: $54.2 million

Lou Diamond Phillips starred as Chicano music star Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a airplane crash that additionally claimed the lives of Buddy Holly and The Massive Bopper. The movie is titled after a Mexican people tune, which Valens fully reworked together with his rock and roll rendition in 1958. Valens’ model reached No. 22 on the Sizzling 100 in 1959. (It was not his largest hit. That was “Donna,” which reached No. 2.) The movie soundtrack, credited to Los Lobos, topped the Billboard 200 for 2 weeks in 1987. Los Lobos’ zesty recording of “La Bamba” topped the Sizzling 100 for 3 weeks and obtained Grammy nominations for document and tune of the yr.

Home gross: $67.2 million

Sissy Spacek gained an Oscar for finest actress for taking part in nation queen Loretta Lynn. The movie obtained seven Oscar nominations, together with finest image. Tommy Lee Jones, Beverly D’Angelo and Levon Helm had supporting roles. Ernest Tubb, Roy Acuff, and Minnie Pearl made cameo appearances as themselves. The movie was based mostly on a 1976 biography of Lynn by George Vecsey additionally titled Coal Miner’s Daughter. Each the e-book and the movie drew their titles from Lynn’s signature hit, which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Sizzling Nation Singles chart (because it was known as then) in December 1970. The soundtrack reached No. 40 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $75.3 million

Jamie Foxx gained an Oscar for finest actor for taking part in Ray Charles, the genre-bridging musician who lived as much as the label “genius.” The movie obtained six Oscar nominations, together with finest image. Taylor Hackford directed and co-produced the movie, and co-conceived the story. The soundtrack reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and gained a Grammy for finest compilation soundtrack album for movement image, tv or different visible media.

Home gross: $83.5 million

Michael Finley starred as Bart Millard, the lead singer of the up to date Christian band MercyMe. Millard wrote the tune about his relationship together with his father, performed by Dennis Quaid. The tune reached No. 71 on the Sizzling 100 and charted for 18 weeks. On the 2018 Dove Awards, the movie, which additionally starred Hint Adkins and Cloris Leachman, gained inspirational movie of the yr.

Home gross: $96.4 million

Taron Egerton gained raves for his efficiency as Elton John, with Jamie Bell taking part in his collaborator, Bernie Taupin. However the actors had been handed over for Oscar nods, whereas the true factor, Elton and Bernie, gained Oscars for finest authentic tune for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Once more.” The movie drew its title from John’s 1972 hit, which reached No. 6 on the Sizzling 100 – his highest rating to that time. (Many larger hits had been in his future.) The soundtrack reached No. 50 on the Billboard 200.

Home gross: $119.5 million

Joaquin Phoenix obtained an Oscar nomination for finest actor for taking part in nation legend Johnny Money, whereas Reese Witherspoon gained finest actress for taking part in his spouse, nation star June Carter Money. The movie obtained 5 Oscar nominations. The screenplay, written by James Mangold (who additionally directed the movie) and Gill Dennis, was based mostly on two Money autobiographies — 1975’s Man in Black: His Personal Story in His Personal Phrases and 1997’s Money: The Autobiography. The movie drew its title from Money’s 1956 hit, “I Stroll the Line.” The soundtrack reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and gained a Grammy for finest compilation soundtrack album for movement image, tv or different visible media.

Home gross: $151 million

Elvis is Baz Luhrmann’s biopic of Elvis Presley, from his childhood to turning into one of many best pop music stars of all time. The movie additionally explores his advanced relationship together with his supervisor, Colonel Tom Parker, performed by Tom Hanks. Along with directing the movie, Luhrmann co-wrote and co-produced it. That is Luhrmann’s sixth movie, following Strictly Ballroom (1992), Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Australia (2008) and The Nice Gatsby (2013). On Aug. 23, 2022, Elvis overtook The Nice Gatsby to turn into Luhrmann’s highest-grossing movie within the U.S. and Canada.

Home gross: $161.2 million

Ice Dice was performed by his real-life son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., on this N.W.A biopic, which additionally starred Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E, Neil Brown Jr. as DJ Yella and Aldis Hodge as MC Ren. Paul Giamatti was featured as N.W.A’s supervisor Jerry Heller. The members of N.W.A had been concerned within the manufacturing of the movie, together with Ice Dice and Dr. Dre as producers. Eazy-E’s widow, Tomica Woods-Wright, was additionally a producer, whereas MC Ren and DJ Yella served as artistic consultants. The movie drew its title from N.W.A’s debut album, which reached a brand new peak on the Billboard 200 (No. 4) following the movie’s launch.

Home gross: $216.4 million

Rami Malek gained an Oscar for finest actor for taking part in Queen’s charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury. The movie additionally starred Gwilym Lee as guitarist Brian Might, Ben Hardy as drummer Roger Taylor and Joe Mazzello as bassist John Deacon. Might and Taylor served as consultants on the movie, which targeted on the interval from the band’s formation in 1970 to their triumphant efficiency at Stay Assist in Wembley Stadium in 1985. The movie obtained 5 Oscar nominations, together with finest image, and gained 4 awards, greater than another movie that yr. The movie drew its title from Queen’s most well-known tune, which reached No. 9 on the Sizzling 100 in 1976 and No. 2 in 1992 after it was featured within the box-office smash “Wayne’s World.” The Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.