Living & Entertainment

1993 Film Ranked the 'Best Music Biopic Movie' of All Time

Movie-goers are well aware that Hollywood has a habit of releasing films about the lives of famous musicians. Most recently, music fans have headed to theaters to watch Michael (2026), Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (2025), and A Complete Unknown (2024). However, some music biopics are simply more acclaimed than others. Rotten Tomatoes proved this by releasing a definitive ranking of the "50 best music biopic movies."

The list included films like Love & Mercy from 2014, 2019'sRocketman, 2002's The Pianist, Amadeus from 1984, Blaze from 2018, and Funny Girl, released in 1968. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the 1993 film about the late Tina Turner, What's Love Got to Do With It, is the best music biopic movie. Rotten Tomatoes reported that the movie, starring Angela Bassett as Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner, has a score of 97 percent on the website.

Angela Bassett Discussed Auditioning & Filming for 'What's Love Got to Do With It'

During a 2020 interview on the Tamron Hall Show, Bassett opened up about auditioning for the 1993 biopic. The actress said she didn't have the "name recognition" when she auditioned for the film.

"I went in like everyone else. It was a real audition. It wasn't as if they knew who they wanted. I went in like everyone else and auditioned," said Bassett on the talk show.

In a 2018 interview on Good Morning America, Bassett shared that it was difficult to play Turner, who died in 2023 at the age of 83, in What's Love Got to Do With It.

"I remember how strenuous and arduous it was, physically but also emotionally. Every day, it was like, you know, you had to just go in so deep emotionally," said Bassett, who received an Oscar nomination for her What's Love Got to Do With It performance.

Bassett also noted that the production of the film was relatively short because of Turner's touring schedule.

"Usually it takes nine months to a year between finishing a movie, and it being sweet and edited and put together, and then present it. But it was three months later to coincide with her world tour. It was crazy. But we did it," said Bassett in the 2018 interview.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 9:28 AM.

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