Behind the Music

VH1's Behind the Music is a documentary television series that has produced definitive biographies of popular artists including Guns N' Roses, Lil Wayne, Journey, and Green Day. The series began in 1997 with the intent of broadcasting detailed profiles of important names in music, showing the problems faced by the artists as well as the success. The series is narrated by Jim Forbes with a few exceptions. The musicians are chosen based on their estimated significance to the music industry. Most of the subjects depicted are people whose music influenced the industry but are no longer working because of death or retirement. Such artists include Huey Lewis and the News, John Lennon, and The Who. Many episodes, however, deal with subjects who are still working and currently advancing popular sound. These artists include 50 Cent, Beck, and Dr. Dre. Behind the Music has become the most well-known sources for music biography, establishing the format and tone often used in other retrospectives and profiles. MORE