Last Updated on July 27, 2026 by Christian Adams
Have you ever wondered why there’s been a two-decade wave of rock star memoirs and autobiographies on the bookshelves and in our virtual bookstores? We’ve compiled the ultimate list of the best rock memoirs to demonstrate the incredible variety of musicians who’ve added “author” to their resumés. But first, let’s understand why this phenomenon is happening.
Why Are There So Many Rock Star Memoirs?
I discuss the subject in greater detail in “What’s With the Rock Star Memoir Boom?“, but here’s the extremely abridged version.
- Many classic and alternative rock stars are aging (or have aged) out of productivity, and a memoir is a good way to “set the record straight”, so to speak. Most of these guys are older than me, so they’re in what’s called “An Age of Reflection”.
- Few artists are making money on album sales anymore, so “diversification” is the key. Merchandise and touring are critical to sustainability for musicians and artists. A book is one more (viable) marketing tool.
- Publishing companies smelled blood in the water and shifted to new, faster publishing methods, adopting an audiobook version of the streaming model.
- People love all the greasy details of addictions and shattered relationships. Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll are as popular as ever.
The Seminal Rock Star Memoir
The commonly accepted first true rock star memoir, i.e., meaning an insider’s account written contemporaneously or soon after the events, is Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star by Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople.
Published in 1974, Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star was groundbreaking (at the time) for its candid, unglamorous account of life on the road. Hunter’s hilarious narrative detailing a 1972 tour of the U.S. effectively set the template for the countless rock memoirs that would follow in the decades since.
Meanwhile, several years ago, I helped a guy ghostwrite his memoir about the Nashville jingle scene in the ’70s and ’80s.
The Gold Standard of Rock Memoirs
I got hooked on autobiographies by David Lee Roth’s 1997 book, Crazy From the Heat, which, in my opinion, is the Gold Standard of rock star journalism and possibly one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Rules of Engagement
I always have a set of parameters before researching a list.
- The book must include the direct involvement of the subject, i.e., the artist must be listed as the main author (with a few exceptions, keep reading).
- The words “memoir” and/or “autobiography” do NOT need to be in the title, but it’s helpful.
- We’re mainly looking at books published since 1970 (with a few exceptions, keep reading).
- Books like How Music Works by David Byrne (2017), which is kinda-sorta memoir-adjacent, are generally not acceptable for these purposes.
150+ Best Rock Memoirs & Autobiographies: The Ultimate List
I’ve shelved these books loosely by genre for easier access and navigation. Note: This list is far from complete.
1960s Pop, Psychedelic & Rock Artists
Chronicles: Volume One by Bob Dylan
Many Years from Now by Paul McCartney
Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme by Mary Wilson
Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy by Mike Love
Searching for the Sound: My Life in the Grateful Dead by Phil Lesh
Deal: My Three Decades of Drumming, Drugs, and Disaster with the Grateful Dead by Bill Kreutzmann
Testimony by Robbie Robertson (The Band)
Somebody to Love? A Rock-and-Roll Memoir by Grace Slick
Riders on the Storm: My Life With Jim Morrison and the Doors by John Densmore
Been So Long: My Life and Music by Jorma Kaukonen
Cat On The Road To Findout by Cat Stevens
Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock ‘N’ Roll Survivor by Al Kooper
Takin’ Back My Name: The Confessions of Ike Turner by Ike Turner
Classic Rock
Play On: Now, Then, and Fleetwood Mac: The Autobiography by Mick Fleetwood
Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll by Ann & Nancy Wilson
Long Train Runnin’: Our Story of the Doobie Brothers by Pat Simmons & Tom Johnston
Through the Eye of the Tiger: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Life of Survivor’s Founding Member by Jim Peterik
Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young
Special Deluxe: A Memoir of Life & Cars by Neil Young
Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith by Joe Perry, David Ritz, et al.
Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton
Heartbreaker: A Memoir by Mike Campbell, Ari Surdoval, et al.
Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Memoir by Steven Tyler
Rod: The Autobiography by Rod Stewart
Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life by Graham Nash
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
The Mayor of MacDougal Street by Dave Van Ronk
Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music by John Fogerty
Conversations with Tom Petty by Paul Zollo with Tom Petty
Thanks a Lot, Mr. Kibblewhite by Roger Daltrey
Long Time Gone by David Crosby
Let Love Rule by Lenny Kravitz
Ronnie: The Autobiography by Ronnie Wood
My Life in Dire Straits by John Illsley
X-Ray: The Unauthorized Autobiography by Ray Davies
Do You Feel Like I Do? by Peter Frampton
Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades in Rock ‘N’ Roll by Lou Gramm
Pop Rock
A Head Full of Music by Cliff Richard
Stories to Tell: A Memoir by Richard Marx
Still Alright: A Memoir by Kenny Loggins
Change of Seasons: A Memoir by John Oates
What a Fool Believes: A Memoir by Michael McDonald
Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and by Bernie Taupin
Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt
Me: Elton John Official Autobiography by Elton John
Hard Rock
Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart
Traveling Music: The Soundtrack to My Life and Times by Neil Peart
My Effin’ Life: From Holocaust Roots to Rock and Roll Stardom by Geddy Lee
Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock by Scott Shepherd, Sammy Hagar, et al.
Rockers and Rollers: A Full-Throttle Memoir by Brian Johnson
Face the Music: A Life Exposed by Paul Stanley
Kiss and Make-Up by Gene Simmons
Punk
Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs by John Lydon
Anger Is an Energy by John Lydon
I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp by Richard Hell
Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As A Ramone by Marky Ramone
Commando: The Autobiography by Johnny Ramone
Legend of a Rock Star: A Memoir: The Last Testament of Dee Dee Ramone by Dee Dee Ramone
Til Wrong Feels Right by Iggy Pop
Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie
Adulterers Anonymous by Lydia Lunch and Exene Cervenka
Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys by Viv Albertine (The Slits)
Hard Stuff by Wayne Kramer (MC5)
Art Rock
All Gates Open by Rob Young and Irmin Schmidt (Can)
The Sound of the Machine: My Life in Kraftwerk and Beyond by Karl Bartos
All My Yesterdays by Steve Howe
Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rock Star by Rick Wakeman
A Year with Swollen Appendices by Brian Eno
The Individualist: Digressions, Dreams & Dissertations by Todd Rundgren
The Art of the Straight Line: My Tai Chi by Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson
Pictures at an Exhibition: The Autobiography by Keith Emerson
Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd by Nick Mason
Post-Punk and New Wave
Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina by Chris Frantz
Reckless: My Life as a Pretender by Chrissie Hynde
Art Sex Music, Part of: Faber Greatest Hits (12 books) by Cosey Fanni Tutti
Some Fantastic Place: My Life In and Out of Squeeze by Chris Difford (Squeeze)
Get in the Van by Henry Rollins
Earth to Moon: A Memoir by Moon Unit Zappa
Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol
The Sick Bag Song by Nick Cave
Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division by Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order)
All I Ever Wanted by Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go’s)
Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello
Rememberings by Sinead O’Connor
The Story of the Jesus and Mary Chain by Jim Reid and Julie Reid1
Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout by Laura Jane Grace
Alternative
Sonic Life: A Memoir by Thurston Moore
Set the Boy Free: The Autobiography by Johnny Marr
A Dream About Lightning Bugs by Ben Folds
South of the Pumphouse by Les Claypool
Not Dead & Not for Sale: A Memoir by Scott Weiland
Fahrenheit-182: A Humorous and Inspirational Memoir by Mark Hoppus (Blink-182)
Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums by Travis Barker (Blink-182)
Acid for the Children: A Memoir by Flea
Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success by Miki Berenyi (Lush)
Now You’re One of Us: The Incredible Story of Redd Kross by Jeff & Steven McDonald with Dan Epstein
Mother, Brother, Lover: Selected Lyrics by Jarvis Cocker (Pulp)2
Sing Backwards and Weep: A Memoir by Mark Lanegan
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney)
See a Little Light by Bob Mould
None of This Rocks: A Memoir by Joe Trohman (Fall Out Boy)
Tenement Kid by Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream)
Verse, Chorus, Monster! by Graham Coxon (Blur)
Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc. by Jeff Tweedy (Wilco)
Heavy Metal
White Line Fever: The Autobiography by Lemmy Kilmister
No Remorse: The Illustrated True Stories of Lemmy Kilmister and Mötörhead by Michael Moorcock3
What Does This Button Do?: An Autobiography by Bruce Dickinson
I’m the Man: The Story of Anthrax by Scott Ian
Dark Days: A Memoir by D. Randall Blythe (Lamb of God)
Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock (A Heavy Metal Memoir) by Stephen Pearcy
Into the Void: From Birth to Black Sabbath―And Beyond by Geezer Butler
Rainbow in the Dark: The Autobiography by Ronnie James Dio
Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir by Dave Mustaine
Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath by Tony Iommi
Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good by Corey Taylor (Slipknot)
Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir by Mark Morton (Lamb of God)
Hair Metal
Dirty Rocker Boys by Bobbie Brown4
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx
The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band by Motley Crue5
It’s So Easy: And Other Lies by Duff McKagan
18 and Life on Skid Row by Sebastian Bach
Ghost Notes: My Life in Poison by Rikki Rockett (Poison)6
Modern Rock
The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by Marilyn Manson
A Perfect Union of Contrary Things by Maynard James Keenan
Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Korn by Fieldy
With My Eyes Wide Open: Miracles and Mistakes on My Way Back to KoRn by Brian “Head” Welch
This Angry Pen of Mine: Recovering the Journals of Layne Staley
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl
Whatever It Takes by Tom Morello
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of the Black Crowes – A Memoir by Steve Gorman (Black Crowes)
Footnotes
- Technically, an oral history. ↩︎
- A memoir as told through Cocker’s lyrics, kinda sorta. I’d read it. ↩︎
- Not a true memoir, Moorcock’s book features testimony from Ozzy Osbourne, Chrissie Hynde, and Phil Campbell. Incredible read if you can find it! ↩︎
- The chick from the “Cherry Pie” video by Warrant, married to Jani Lane and later engaged to Tommy Lee. One of the taglines for the book is “Ever wondered what it’s like to fuck a rock star?” I’m not kidding. ↩︎
- Only a fool would believe anybody from the band physically wrote a word of this otherwise entertaining narrative. ↩︎
- Scheduled for publication on April 28, 2026 ↩︎
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