Best Musician Memoirs Every Fan Must Read

Fans of music always want to know more about the rock and roll lifestyle, or what the music scene was truly like at that time. There is no better conduit than some of best memoirs from some of the most respected artists in history.

From Patti Smith to Keith Richards, and everything in between, we can get a closer look at the worlds we all wish we could have been a part of in one way or another. Many of their lives are tougher than we would have first believed, and there is often a real struggle behind the beauty of the music.

Whether you're a massive fan of the particular individual or not, reading the best musician memoirs is always a rewarding experience, one that's likely to make you feel closer to humanity. Pick up some of the best musician memoirs every fan must read and find out the truth behind the music for yourself.

The legendary American artist gives us a glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe during the iconic days of the Chelsea Hotel in the 60s and 70s. It's an authentically moving story of art and friendship, and gives us a better idea of the influential artist as she enters into her creative peak.

It tells the tale of how their friendship began and how they hustled their way from homelessness to stardom. Just Kids won the 2010 National Book Award for Non-Fiction, and is one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read.

Miles Davis was one of the most important and influential jazz musicians in the entire world, and in Miles he holds nothing back. He speaks frankly and refreshingly honestly about his drug problem, and how he kicked it. He talks about racism in the music business and in American society, in general.

But, most importantly, Miles talks about music. It's one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read, because it comes from one of the 20th century's most important artists. We get to know the in-depth story behind Kind of Blue, the best selling jazz record of all time.

Motley Crue was one of the hardest partying bands to ever hit the music scene, and nobody in the band hit it harder than Nikki Sixx. Sixx details his rise and fall, his battle with drug addiction, and even chronicles several of his overdose's on heroin in The Heroin Diaries.

In this brutally honest book, Sixx gets into some of the highs and lows of addiction, and how heroin destroys lives. He shares the euphoria and the paranoid delusions, all of which contributed to his plunge toward rock bottom. If you can handle some unnerving truth-telling, The Heroin Diaries is one of the best musician memoirs out there.

Led by Morrissey, The Smiths were an iconic and much celebrated band that did much of its best work in the 80s. Their cult following has only continued to grow in the years since, and many of their records are still regarded as classics.

In Autobiography we get Morrissey at his best: witty, gloomy, and endlessly entertaining. Any true fan of the Moz is not complete without one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read, which is from a living legend.

Kim Gordon is one of the founding members of the iconic rock band Sonic Youth, as well as an influential artist and role model. Girl in a Band is one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read, because we get to see Gordon open up like never before.

We see her growing up in California in the '60s and '70s, her life in visual art, and her move to New York City, where she started Sonic Youth with Thurston Moore — who she also married. It also chronicles the band's impact on the alternative revolution in popular music, and how they helped blow the door wide open for future acts, like Nirvana.

After years of fans clamoring for a tell all from The Rollings Stones lead guitarist, finally their patience was rewarded. Life, by Keith Richards, is the quintessential rock biography. It's one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read, because it's essential — Keith Richards was the poster boy for the rock and roll lifestyle.

From The Rolling Stones's first touch of fame, to the notorious drug busts that led to his enduring image as an outlaw folk hero, Richards pulls no punches. We also get to hear about his upbringing in England, his meeting of Mick Jagger, and his obsession with the Blues genre.

Anthony Kiedis describes the early days of one of the most unlikely bands to become a massive success: The Red Hot Chili Peppers. We get their rise from the 80s hardcore funk scene to world wide tours, all while Kiedis struggles with his penchant for excess and high risk behavior.

Scar Tissue is one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read, because Kiedis is very honest with his struggles, and the book is a roller coaster of insanity. He's one of the most provocative figures in rock over the past several decades, making this a must read for rock and roll fans.

The Man in Black brings us one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read, because it's from one of the most influential artists of all time. Johnny Cash tells the truth about the highs and lows, the struggles and his hard fought victories on his way to becoming an American icon.

Cash is exciting for anyone interested popular music, as he answers a lot of questions and even squashes a few myths. He talks about his devotion to his beloved wife June, and paints a illuminating picture of the Nashville scene at the time. Check it out if you enjoyed the great film Walk the Line.

Born to Run was one of the most highly anticipated books in recent years, and one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read by one of our most beloved artists: Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life over the course of seven years, and the results are incredible.

He describes his Catholic upbringing in New Jersey, difficulties experienced with his dad, and how seeing Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show hadchanged everything for him. A must read for any fan of the Boss, or music in general.

Born Declan Patrick MacManus, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool before taking the pop music scene by storm. Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink provides readers with a lifetime of great music, easily one of the best musician memoirs every fan must read.

Costello chronicles famous collaborations, as well as the difficulties in the four decades of relevant music. In famous Costello style, the book is incredibly idiosyncratic and will only get better with time.