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Michael might not have wowed the critics, but the musical biopic about the King of Pop has been a hit with audiences. 

So far, the movie – which stars Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaffar Jackson in the title role – has taken in more than $614 million at the global box office. Some industry experts are predicting a total haul of $1 billion for the film, which was directed by Antoine Fuqua. If that happens, it will surpass the current title-holder for most successful musical biopic at the box office, 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody. 

Michael’s box office dominance isn’t surprising, given just how popular the “Beat It” singer remains years after his death (and despite his many personal controversies). Most biopics about musicians don’t make quite the splash that movies like Michael or Bohemian Rhapsody do. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth watching. Here are six hidden gem musician biopics you can stream right now on Netflix. 

‘Bob Marley: One Love’

If you missed this biopic about Bob Marley when it was in theaters in 2024, you can stream it now on Netflix. Kingsley Ben-Adair plays the iconic reggae musician who died in 1981. Like Michael, it received middling reviews from critics but was an audience favorite, with a 90% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

‘I Am Woman’ 

You’re probably familiar with Helen Reddy’s 1971 feminist anthem “I Am Woman.” But you might not know Reddy’s story, which is chronicled in this 2019 film. Tilda Cobham-Hervey plays Reddy, who moves from Australia to New York with her 3-year-old daughter, intent on becoming a professional singer. She eventually finds success, but struggles with personal problems, including a troubled marriage that threatens to derail her career. 

‘Roxanne Roxanne’

Chanté Adams plays pioneering hip-hop artist and “Roxanne’s Revenge” rapper Roxanne Shanté in this 2018 Netflix movie, which also features Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali in a supporting role. In a review, Variety called it “a skillful and ironically gripping coming-of-age movie: a hip-hop anti-biopic.”

‘Maria’

Any movie with Angelina Jolie in the title role isn’t exactly under-the-radar. But even though Maria, a 2024 biopic about opera singer Maria Callas, earned strong reviews from critics, it was snubbed at the Oscars and might have been overlooked by many viewers. However, that doesn’t mean this movie from Spencer and Jackie director Pablo Larrain isn’t worth checking out, particularly for Jolie’s performance as the famous diva. 

‘Kneecap’ 

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This unconventional biopic chronicles the rise of Kneecap, an Irish hip-hop trio from Belfast. (The members of the group play themselves in the film.) Kneecap raps in Irish, making their performances an inherently political act in a part of the U.K. where the native language was once banned, leading to its near-eradication. 

Kneecap leaves Netflix on June 1.

‘The Dirt’ 

If you’re in the mood for some old-fashioned ‘80s sleaze, look no further than The Dirt, Netflix’s 2019 movie about hair metal rockers Mötley Crüe. The movie – which is based on Neil Strauss’ 2001 oral history of the band – stars Douglas Booth as Nikki Sixx, Colson Baker as Tommy Lee, Daniel Webber as Vince Neil, and Iwan Rheon as Mick Mars. The movie features plenty of scenes involving the rock-and-roll debauchery the band was infamous for, along with touching on the darker moments in their history, including Neil’s involvement in a fatal drunk driving accident and Sixx’s near-fatal heroin overdose. 

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