Tune In to Our Favorite Music Memoirs

In the wake of highly anticipated concerts and album releases being cancelled or postponed, we’ve been finding solace in stories that follow our *other* favorite thing to listen to: music. In the following list, we’ve gathered a selection of pitch-perfect memoirs from music legends in a variety of genres and styles. By turns bold, brash, and moving, these listens shed light on the sold-out shows, backstage drama, and sometimes dark underbelly of the recording industry, while highlighting the charisma, creative energy, and pure artistry that had us hooked from the very first soundwave. —Alanna, Audible Editor

Born to Run

De: Bruce Springsteen

Narrado por: Bruce Springsteen

Duración: 18 h y 12 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 12-06-16

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 10,768 calificaciones

Written and narrated by The Boss himself, Audie Award winner Born to Run is a cornerstone of the rock autobiography genre. From his working-class childhood in Freehold, New Jersey, to headlining Super Bowl XLIII’s halftime show, Springsteen’s reflections on life, work, and music are as lyrical and authentic as the career-defining album that shares this title’s name.
Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics & Life

Words + Music, Vol. 3

De: Common, Awoye Timpo, NSangou Njikam

Narrado por: Common

Serie: Words + Music

Duración: 1 h y 21 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 08-04-20

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,196 calificaciones

A standout on this list, Common is a talent in so many fields: he’s a rapper, writer, activist, and actor, with a Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe to his name. It’s no wonder, then, that he was able to craft the absolutely stunning Bluebird Memories, a work that blends a variety of art forms with an emphasis on storytelling. In this performance, Common blends forms including poetry, conversation, and rap to tell his story. From his childhood spent longing for a loving father to his constant search for a better understanding of life, community, identity, and faith, the superstar bares his soul and offers listeners an invitation to do the same.
The Meaning of Mariah Carey

De: Mariah Carey

Narrado por: Mariah Carey

Duración: 11 h y 17 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 09-29-20

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 13,358 calificaciones

Much ink has been spilled on Mariah Carey, but in this memoir the legendary singer tells her story in her own words and voice for the very first time. Carey explores how she found her way out of darkness at different points in her life, and as you might expect, her evocative lyrics and powerful, soulful vocals introduce each chapter to bring context—meaning—to the music she’s written over the past 30 years. Fans will discover that many of the songs they know by heart describe real pain of isolation and fraught relationships within her complicated, mixed-race family. It’s a story of hope, faith, and resilience that—yet again—affirms Carey’s icon status.
Break Shot: My First 21 Years

Words + Music, Vol. 2

De: James Taylor

Narrado por: James Taylor

Serie: Words + Music

Duración: 1 h y 33 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 01-31-20

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 48,307 calificaciones

Few singer-songwriters are as beloved as James Taylor, and in this Audible Original, the folk icon explores his tumultuous youth with remarkable candor. Unearthing the trials of forging his way through addiction, mental illness, and a turbulent home life at the very outset of his career, Taylor shares intimate details of his life that paint his work in an entirely new light. An innovative audio performance read in Taylor’s own voice, Break Shot also features exclusive unreleased scores and recordings that fans of the "Fire and Rain" musician won’t want to miss.
Just Kids

De: Patti Smith

Narrado por: Patti Smith

Duración: 9 h y 50 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 07-26-11

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 5,191 calificaciones

Winner of the 2010 National Book Award for nonfiction, Just Kids is not only a triumph in rock memoir—it’s a triumph in memoir, period. In her own voice, punk poet laureate Patti Smith tells of her scrappy early days in New York as a budding artist, supported and enthused by her friendship with the late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. This listen is just as gorgeously written and performed as you’d expect—a delicate, breathtaking rumination on a generation of lost souls.
Beastie Boys Book

De: Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz

Narrado por: Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, various

Duración: 12 h y 41 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-30-18

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 7,558 calificaciones

Simultaneously trailblazing and rowdy, the eclectic sounds of the Beastie Boys have stayed with us long after their initial debut (as a hardcore band!) in 1981. Since then, the unlikeliest of hip-hop superstars have become a household name. In this stellar autobiography, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horowitz and Michael "Mike D" Diamond—alongside a star-studded cast of celebrity cameos—detail the band’s history and explore their indelible legacy, including moving tributes to their late bandmate, Adam "MCA" Yauch.
Face It

A Memoir

De: Debbie Harry

Narrado por: Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Alannah Currie, Gary Valentine

Duración: 8 h y 57 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-01-19

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 955 calificaciones

Debbie Harry, the brash, bleached, effortlessly cool front woman at the helm of New Wave pioneer Blondie, is certainly familiar to most music aficionados. But in her memoir, Face It, Harry provides a glimpse into her highly private personal life, detailing moments that range from activism to addiction, all set against the backdrop of the grimy yet glamorous 1970s punk scene.
Me

Elton John Official Autobiography

De: Elton John

Narrado por: Elton John, Taron Egerton

Duración: 12 h y 28 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-15-19

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 8,186 calificaciones

In Sir Elton John’s official autobiography, Me, the popstar-turned-living-legend offers a revelatory look at the story behind his meteoric rise to fame. With narration from Taron Egerton, who delivered a Golden Globe-winning performance of John in the biopic Rocketman, this listen is at once uproarious and moving, exploring moments that range from larger than life—think disco-dancing with the Queen—to more intimate events, like getting sober and finding love.
More Myself

A Journey

De: Alicia Keys, Michelle Burford

Narrado por: Alicia Keys, America Ferrera, Bono, Clive Davis, Craig Cook, DJ Walton, Jay-Z, Krucial, Leigh Blake, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Swizz Beats, Terri Augelo

Duración: 9 h y 55 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 03-31-20

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 5,701 calificaciones

Alicia Keys is without a doubt one of the most impressive vocalists of her generation. Her control and range are tremendous, and her music rightfully topped the charts throughout the 2000s. But while her incredible talent is no secret, Keys has been rather guarded and private over the years. In this memoir, she shares the story behind her rise to fame, reckoning with her younger self’s need for perfection and likability and sharing a new dedication to openness. Narrated by the author—with the help of a few guests including Jay-Z and Michelle Obama—this listen is not only a candid autobiography, but a call for listeners to honor their authentic selves.
Chronicles

Volume One

De: Bob Dylan

Narrado por: Sean Penn

Duración: 5 h y 3 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-14-04

Idioma: Inglés

4 out of 5 stars 1,178 calificaciones

When Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 for his exquisite contributions to the American songwriting canon, naysayers questioned whether Dylan’s lyrical achievements directly translated to literary greatness. Those cynics may want to take a listen to Chronicles: Volume One, a memoir that illuminates Dylan’s career with rhythm and expression, intertwining taut observations with glimmering, imaginative prose.
The Baddest Bitch in the Room

(Explicit Version)

De: Sophia Chang

Narrado por: Sophia Chang

Duración: 8 h

Fecha de lanzamiento: 09-26-19

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,880 calificaciones

Though you may not know her by name, Sophia Chang is one of the most ferocious, fearless figures in the music industry. Striving past societal expectations, Chang shunned, then shattered, the "model minority" myth, managing hip-hop and R&B stars such as Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, and D’Angelo. In this Audible Original memoir, Chang illustrates the pivotal moments of transformation that preceded and followed her journey as one of the first Asian women working in the genre.
Ghost Rider

Travels on the Healing Road

De: Neil Peart

Narrado por: Brian Sutherland

Duración: 15 h y 54 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 04-24-13

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,879 calificaciones

Rush drummer and lyrical maestro Neil Peart passed away in 2020, leaving behind a legacy of musical influence and a legion of loyal fans. In Ghost Rider, Peart also demonstrated a skill for storytelling, chronicling a destination-free motorcycle journey across North America—an expedition that he hoped would bring him reprieve from grief and heartache in the wake of an unthinkable loss.
The 50th Law

De: 50 Cent, Robert Greene

Narrado por: 50 Cent, Robert Greene

Duración: 8 h y 16 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 09-08-09

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 6,699 calificaciones

In a cross-genre listen that’s part memoir and part self-dev, The 50th Law offers advice and accounts from Grammy-winning rapper Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent. With some help from best selling author Robert Greene, Jackson crafts a manifesto against fear and self-doubt, sharing inspirational anecdotes about the power of perseverance and the secrets behind his success.
Life

De: Keith Richards, James Fox

Narrado por: Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley

Duración: 23 h y 5 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-26-10

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 5,739 calificaciones

Practically synonymous with the rock autobiography genre, Keith Richards’s Life is a rollicking, unfiltered look at the life and times of a classic rock paragon. Beyond crafting some of our favorite guitar riffs for the Rolling Stones—from the dreamy, drawn-out whine of "Gimme Shelter" to the jaunty build of Jumpin’ Jack Flash—the legendary wild man also shares a great deal of insight on the frenzy of fame, bandmate quarrels, and life on the road. Narrator Johnny Depp, who worked alongside Richards in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, effortlessly captures the author’s slow, measured drawl.
Girl in a Band

A Memoir

De: Kim Gordon

Narrado por: Kim Gordon

Duración: 7 h y 14 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 02-24-15

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 2,020 calificaciones

Underground alt-darlings Sonic Youth spearheaded the experimental noise rock movement in New York, skyrocketing bassist and founding member Kim Gordon into the limelight. Gordon, a stylish, rough-around-the-edges artist unafraid to trample over uncharted territory, details the band’s history, her position as a role model for young women in the alt-scene, and the moments that defined her personal life in this earnest, fan-favorite memoir.
Tranny

Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout

De: Laura Jane Grace, Dan Ozzi

Narrado por: Laura Jane Grace

Duración: 6 h y 49 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 11-15-16

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 1,629 calificaciones

Laura Jane Grace is best known as the front woman of Florida-founded punk band Against Me! and her solo project, Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers. But in her memoir, Tranny—named to reclaim the slurs hurled at her over the course of her life—Grace offers a far more intimate look at her life, detailing her search for identity, beating back repression and despondency along the way. Built upon journal entries that date back to her childhood, Tranny details the difficulties and excesses of the rock lifestyle, pitfalls made all the more complicated by an ongoing search for self-discovery.
Miles

The Autobiography

De: Miles Davis

Narrado por: Dion Graham

Duración: 16 h y 56 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 02-01-12

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,316 calificaciones

In terms of musical legends, there’s no one quite like the late, great Miles Davis. Davis was the most influential and acclaimed artist in jazz, a genius who always seemed to be ahead of the curve on each new development or style. In Miles, Davis is more candid than ever, starkly detailing his struggles with addiction, his battle for sobriety, and the crippling violence of racism in both the music industry and America at large.
My Love Story

De: Tina Turner

Narrado por: Heather Alicia Simms, Tina Turner - introduction

Duración: 8 h y 8 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-16-18

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,151 calificaciones

With a decades-spanning career and relentlessly energetic stage presence, Tina Turner is nothing short of an icon in the worlds of rock, soul, R&B, and pop. In My Love Story, Turner rebuffs years of tabloid coverage, taking control of the narrative and detailing moments of her life, ranging from the heartbreaking to the chart-topping. Unafraid and as spirited as ever, Turner offers listeners her hard-won understanding of how to draw boundaries in overcoming domestic abuse and how to find love and joy again.
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl

A Memoir

De: Carrie Brownstein

Narrado por: Carrie Brownstein

Duración: 7 h y 4 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-27-15

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,706 calificaciones

When they first hit the scene in Olympia, Washington, in the early ’90s, Sleater-Kinney found their niche in the Riot Grrrl movement, an underground punk subculture that rejected patriarchy in all forms—beginning with the male-dominated scene. Since then, Sleater-Kinney has moved on to indie rock, but one thing remains consistent: guitarist Carrie Brownstein bounding around the stage, tying everything together with slick riffs and distinct vocals. In the lyrically named Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, Brownstein shares her history with the label-resistant band, crafting a raw, genuine memoir in the process.
The Beautiful Ones

De: Prince

Narrado por: Esperanza Spalding, Adepero Oduye, Dan Piepenbring

Duración: 3 h y 4 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-29-19

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,077 calificaciones

The tragic loss of Prince in 2016 struck a global nerve—after all, there was something about the physically diminutive superstar with an enormous presence that felt eternal. For fans, The Beautiful Ones is a must-listen, a memoir that unravels the famous persona to reveal Prince Rogers Nelson, an observant, bright-eyed boy from Minnesota. While the Purple One passed away before completing this pop autobiography, this listen is fleshed out with the inclusion of scrapbooks of writing and the original treatment for his definitive film, Purple Rain—resulting in a touching reminder of the talent, spirit, and unbridled genius Prince brought into this world.