10 biographies
Famous Bipolar Musicians
Bipolar disorder and music have been entwined for centuries - from Beethoven composing by mood to Axl Rose rejecting lithium. These are the musicians whose highs and lows shaped what we listen to.
Adam Ant
The 80s pop icon has spoken publicly about his bipolar diagnosis and hospitalisation.
Axl Rose
Diagnosed in 1989, the Guns N' Roses frontman rejected lithium - and the label itself.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Composed in bursts of euphoria and despair; a friend described symphonies written by mood.
Jimi Hendrix
The greatest guitarist who ever lived, and the volatile moods behind the music.
Kurt Cobain
Nirvana's frontman was reportedly diagnosed as bipolar, and the illness ran in his family.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Frantic productivity, reckless spending and black depressions - a case studied for centuries.
Sinead O'Connor
Diagnosed, then publicly told she had been misdiagnosed - a story about labels themselves.
Ozzy Osbourne
The Prince of Darkness confirmed his bipolar diagnosis on camera in 2011.
Sting
From The Police to solo stardom - Gordon Sumner's own account of dark depressions.
Tom Waits
Musician and actor whose growling persona masks a famously private struggle.