The production of movies focusing on the lives of famous musicians has skyrocketed in recent years.

These films, known in Hollywood as music biopics, focus on musicians who were household names during their distinctive decades. 

The 1997 film, “Selena,” focuses on Selena Quintanilla’s rise to fame, and her relationships with her family, and briefly touches on the singer’s tragic death. By focusing on her personal life, Hollywood gives the audience a look at the person behind the voice.

As the 21st century rolled in, Hollywood continued bringing musicians’ personal lives to the silver screen with the release of “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018), “Elvis” (2022), and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” (2022).

But what makes these films so entertaining to the audience? These films aim to preserve the history that influenced the music. Film creators work to shed light on the origins of what makes a specific musician special by taking a popular artist and displaying their struggles to a major audience. 

“I don’t think these directors aim to make them more popular, it was just an attempt to tell their stories,” explains Jackson Fleming, 12. “Come thirty years from now, new generations won’t know who Elvis or Queen was, so by making movies about them, you’re giving the generation a window into what the times were like.”

These films not only provide insight into the artist’s history but offer a glimpse into the historical events of the time. In the long term, these biopics will allow future generations to understand the musical influences of those who came before. 

“I watched ‘Walk the Line,’ which was about Johnny Cash,” says Ms. Janice Lee, the high school choir teacher. “I wasn’t a Johnny Cash fan, but the movie made me appreciate him more.”

The movie industry will continue to bring famous performers to theaters. On Valentine’s Day of 2024, a music biopic titled, “Bob Marley: One Love” was released into theaters. From Madonna and Eddie Murphy, Hollywood is continuing its trend of producing musical biopics.