There are so many iconic musicians who deserve a biopic— even more than legendary pop star Michael Jackson. The King of Pop’s rise to fame has been retold countless times in documentaries, which made Michael feel like a tired story long before it ever came out. When you factor in the controversies of his career, he becomes even less of an ideal choice for a biopic. However, there are many major artists with less controversial careers and life stories that have rarely been shared with the world. They don’t even require the blockbuster budgets of movies like Michael or Bohemian Rhapsody, as many of them would thrive as smaller indie-style productions.
Hollywood tends to retell the same rise-and-fall stories of famous musicians, but there are several who would break that mold and offer something fresh to the biopic format. From Tom Petty to Reba McEntire, these eight music icons revolutionized the music industry in a similar way to Michael Jackson, and they each continue to inspire countless artists today, making them perfect candidates for a biopic.
8
Karen Carpenter
Karen Carpenter
Redferns
Karen Carpenter and Michael Jackson both suffered from the burden of fame, but Michael barely approached the subject matter at all. Carpenter’s life story sheds light on the many pressures that women face in the music industry, which is why a cinematic depiction of her career could channel the emotional weight of the best musical biopics, like Judy and Elvis. In the same areas where Michael fell short and didn’t always resonate personally, a Karen Carpenter biopic could prove to have a lasting impact with audiences.
7
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Corbis
It’s hard to believe that Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain has never had his story told in the form of a biopic. He is among the most influential artists of the modern era, and he’s more relevant today than he’s ever been. Similar to Michael Jackson, Cobain had a tumultuous relationship with the media— another major omission of Michael, which deserves to be depicted on-screen. It would be impossible for a Kurt Cobain biopic not to explore the unwanted attention he received at the height of his fame, which would present a weighty lesson about tabloid gossip and celebrity worship.
6
Tom Waits
Tom WaitsGetty Images
While many musical biopics like Michael follow a predictable structure, it wouldn’t feel right for a film about Tom Waits to follow such a familiar formula. Michael Jackson’s biopic often felt fluffy and played it safe, but a genre-bending artist like Waits deserves a genre-bending movie. From his career in the 1970s performing in clubs around Los Angeles, to Waits’ unexpected career as an actor, he invented a mythology for himself that’s comparable to the King of Pop.
Although Michael Jackson also had a surreal persona, Michael chose to ground his story and humanize him, which unfortunately diminished some of the magic in the process. However, a film about Waits’ career would be required to blur the line between truth and fiction, which would give the singer-songwriter a “larger than life” depiction.
5
Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Alamy Stock Photo
I don’t think there are many artists who redefined rock and roll like Tom Petty. His influence on the genre is comparable to Michael Jackson’s impact on pop music, but he has yet to receive the credit he deserves in the form of a biopic. Petty’s approach to his craft is comparable to the King of Pop, which includes the artistic integrity he displayed time and time again.
Of course, we’ve always been aware of Jackson’s perfectionism, but Petty’s commitment to excellence isn’t as well-known. Whereas Michael depicted elements of his life that were already widely documented, a Tom Petty biopic would tell us a lot we never knew— from the moment he met Elvis on a movie set as a kid to the time he almost recruited Dave Grohl to his band.
4
Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Getty Images
Keith Moon always had a reputation for being a force of nature, with wild antics ranging from driving a car into a pool to trashing hotel rooms and destroying his drum kit at the end of concerts. However, Moon’s intense persona was just one layer of his personality, as he struggled with feelings of isolation and constantly looked for ways to cope. Michael missed a major opportunity as the film barely scratched the surface of who Michael Jackson truly was, beyond the persona he invented for himself when he was performing. Although Michael wasn’t an in-depth biopic, a movie about Moon could explore a more complicated side of him that was never fully known by the public.
3
Neil Young
Neil Young
Retro Photo Archive
Michael tried to paint the King of Pop as an upbeat story about his rise to fame, leaving out heavy details of Jackson’s life in the process. A Neil Young biopic wouldn’t require that level of selective editing, because his career avoided such explosive scandals. However, that doesn’t mean he always played it safe throughout his career, as Young’s uncompromising politics helped inspire others to take a stand for their beliefs. Michael was largely constrained by what the movie couldn’t depict, like Jackson’s social activism, which he was famous for, but a biopic about Young could explore how big a priority activism was throughout his career.
2
Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Getty Images
Even though Reba McEntire has basically played herself on TV, she’s never had her own biopic. Much like the characters she’s brought to life, Reba’s upbringing on a ranch in Oklahoma makes her instantly relatable to her fans. It was definitely a far cry from the high-pressure environment that Jackson knew as a kid.
In fact, McEntire’s childhood was the exact opposite of Jackson’s upbringing in the Jackson Five, as her father never pushed her into show business, and she willingly chose to perform alongside her sisters at local rodeos in a group they called The Singing McEntires. Reba’s story feels like an alternate universe version of Michael, which is why a biopic about her life would present an insightful contrast between the King of Pop and the Queen of Country.
1
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks
Redferns
Stevie Nicks’ early career was full of breakups, which informed some of her most beloved songs with Fleetwood Mac. Unlike the King of Pop, Nicks had a lot of real-life inspiration behind many of her lyrics, which would be the perfect material for a biopic. The combination of her vulnerable songwriting and her enduring cultural impact makes her the top candidate for a musical biopic. On top of that, a film about Stevie Nicks’ life would also offer a rare chance for a woman’s journey to be front and center within a genre that has historically prioritized male artists.
As movie studios continue to look for artists with careers deserving of the biopic treatment, these eight beloved performers stand above the rest and even rival the life story of Michael Jackson. Their stories of innovation, heartbreak, and resilience have the potential to resonate with audiences across multiple generations.
Release Date
April 24, 2026
Runtime
130 minutes
Producers
Graham King, John Branca, John McClain