Christchurch Gardens Albert Memorial, Hyde Park
The Austrian genius announced himself early and never really let up. A prodigy who was touring Europe before most children could write, he combined effortless melodic invention with an uncanny understanding of musical form. He died from a mysterious fever at the age of 35, leaving behind over six hundred compositions, from symphonies and operas to piano sonatas and quartets.
Ebury Street, Chelsea Albert Memorial, Hyde Park
Mozart lived with his family in Chelsea from 1764 to 1765. It is where, aged just eight, he performed for King George III and composed his first symphony. This statue is another that was unveiled by Princess Margaret, in 1994, to commemorate the bicentenary of his death.
Bach never set out to be a celebrity composer; he was a working musician doing his job extremely well, week after week, for churches and courts.
From the Brandenburg Concertos and the Well-Tempered Clavier to the St Matthew Passion, Bach’s music combines intellectual rigour with deep spiritual feeling. Long regarded as a composer’s composer, his influence quietly underpins much of Western music that followed.Albert Memorial, Hyde Park
J.S. loved puzzles and hid musical signatures in his compositions. The B-A-C-H motif (B♭-A-C-B♮) pops up in some of his works, like "The Art of Fugue".
Not just a prolific composer, Bach was also a prolific parent - he had twenty children with his two wives. Four of his sons became composers.
William Schwenck Gilbert was a dramatist and librettist best known for his long collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan. Together they created a series of comic operas that combined sharp satire with memorable music, many of which are still performed today. Gilbert’s precise, literate librettos were central to the success and lasting appeal of the partnership.
near Embankment Pier
Composer Arthur Sullivan's collaboration with wordsmith W. S. Gilbert produced some of the most enduring works in British musical theatre. In addition to his comic operas, Sullivan wrote orchestral music, hymns and sacred works, balancing popular success with serious composition. His music helped bridge Victorian popular entertainment and formal concert tradition. His early work included composing
Onward Christian Soldiers and his music was the first to be made into a phonograph record for Britain.
Victoria Embankment Gardens, Main Garden
On the base of Sullivan's statue are the words, written by Gilbert:
Is life a boon?
If so, it must befall
That death, when e'er he call
Must call too soon
Relations between Gilbert and Sullivan were often strained with arguments about whose work should take precedence. It didn't help that Sullivan was knighted long before Gilbert, suggesting his higher status - and further reflected in Gilbert's modest plaque compared to Sullivan's elaborate bust.
Vaughan Williams's compositions drew heavily on folk song, Tudor music and landscape-inspired themes. His output includes symphonies, choral works, operas and film scores, many of which became central to British musical identity in the 20th century. Vaughan Williams remained creatively active well into later life.
Chelsea Embankment Gardens
This statue of Vaughan Williams, unveiled by Peter Bull and Julian Lloyd Webber in 2012, is close to 13 Cheyne Walk where he lived for twenty four years.
With no formal training Elgar wrote music which helped define late Romantic British composition. His
Pomp and Circumstance marches, published at the height of the British Empire, included the tune to
Land of Hope and Glory, to which the lyrics (all together now!) were later added. Elgar achieved both popular and critical success during his lifetime. His career marked a resurgence of international recognition for British composers after a long period of relative obscurity.
National Portrait Gallery
Elgar was a keen cyclist. He would attach a metronome to his bike to keep time and spark his creative juices. He was also one of the first composers to make recordings of his own music, experimenting with early recording technology, no doubt organising his wax cylinders alphabetically.
Beecham was a conductor and impresario who played a major role in developing professional orchestral music in Britain. He founded the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1932 and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1946. He was also famed for his wit and outspoken views
on music and musicians.
National Portrait Gallery
This rather clever bronze bust (1957) is by
David Wynne.
And here are some of those Beecham quotes (you knew they were coming):
The English may not like music, but they absolutely love the noise it makes.
There are two golden rules for an orchestra: start together and finish together. The public doesn't give a damn what goes on in between.
Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away.
Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle.
Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands and all you can do is scratch it.
The American-born violinist and conductor is widely regarded as one of the great musicians of the 20th century. He first performed as a soloist with an orchestra at the age of seven and went on to enjoy an international career which included playing for Allied troops during the Second World War and for surviving concentration camp inmates after their liberation. He spent much of his later life in Britain and became a British citizen.
National Portrait Gallery Stowe House
Stowe House is not in London but I've included this sculpture as it's another by David Wynne, similar in style to the Thomas Beecham bust. Wynne has more public sculptures in London than any
other twentieth century artist.
John Lennon was a founder member of the Beatles, the most commercially successful and culturally influential band of the 20th century. Initially celebrated for his sharp wit and melodic invention, Lennon later became known for more introspective song writing and outspoken political views, particularly after the band’s breakup. His solo work cemented his reputation as both a pop icon and a figure of cultural dissent. He was murdered in New York in December 1980.
Carnaby Street
Directly behind
Liberty,
Imagine was unveiled in 2021. It was created by Lawrence Holofcener who also sculpted
The Allies in Bond Street. Unlike Churchill and Roosevelt, I don't think this effort is a great likeness. And I should know, as I once stood directly behind John and Yoko in the BBC canteen. Whereas lesser celebs have riders with extravagant demands (Maria Carey's £25k floral arrangement, Van Halen's
no brown M&M's clause), I was impressed to see the Lennons, with their trays, at the self-service counter; and no minders in sight. I'll always regret not saying "give peas a chance" as they opted for the fish and chips. But then it wasn't until years later that the pun started appearing outside vegetarian cafes.
There are no other Beatle statues in London that I know of - although limited edition casts are in private ownership of this David Wynne creation ....
The casts were auctioned as one piece or individual heads. Altogether, there are twelve John Lennon heads and ten each of Paul, George and Ringo. But, as far as I know, none are on public display. I can imagine (see what I did there) a set is gathering dust in Yoko's garage.
Interestingly, Wynne introduced the Beatles to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Indian guru who popularized Transcendental Meditation (after the Beatles had popularised him).
This miniature (below) of the Fab Four can be seen in the David Wynne Gallery at his old school - Stowe House in Buckinghamshire.
But for the most famous statue of the Fab Four, you need to go to Liverpool ....
Marc Bolan was the frontman of T. Rex and a central figure in the rise of glam rock in the early 1970s. Combining electric blues, fantasy-laden lyrics and flamboyant stagecraft, he helped redefine British pop at a time when rock music was becoming increasingly self-serious. He was killed in a car crash in London in 1977, aged 29.
Queen's Ride, Barnes
This is the spot where Marc Bolan died. He was the passenger in a Mini 1275GT which crashed into a tree and it immediately became a place of pilgrimage for his fans. The bust was added in 2002, on the 25th anniversary of his death. Also remembered (on the steps) are his widow June Feld (1943-1994) and other members of T. Rex.: Steve Peregrin Took (1949-1980), Steve Currie (1947-1981), Mickey Finn (1947-2003), Brian Keith (Herbie) Flowers (1938-2024), Jack Green (1951-2024) and Peter (Dino) Dines (1944-2004).
Steve Peregrin Took's epitaph reads: Died after chocking on a cocktail cherry. Drugs were not a factor in his death. Like Marc Bolan, Steve Currie also died in a car accident.
Malcolm McLaren was an impresario, fashion entrepreneur and musician, best known as the manager of the Sex Pistols. Through his work he played a key role in shaping the aesthetics and attitudes of punk in the 1970s. McLaren later pursued a varied career that included recording, film and art projects, maintaining a reputation as a provocateur to the end of his life.
Highgate Cemetery
In a coffin sprayed with the slogan 'too fast to live too young to die', McLaren’s funeral was attended by former girlfriend Vivienne Westwood, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock from the Sex Pistols, and celebs such as Bob Geldorf, Adam Ant and Tracy Emin. His body was buried to the accompaniment of the Sid Vicious version of My Way. "Better a spectacular failure, than a benign success", is written on his gravestone. These words are attributed to lyricist Leslie Bricusse for 1968 film Goodbye, Mr. Chips.
The grave has been subject to vandalism, once being sprayed in green paint with the altogether appropriate punk words No Future. Malcolm would surely have approved. His death mask was sculpted by Nick Reynolds who was also responsible for the rather less sympathetic likeness of his father, great train robber Bruce Reynolds.
Amy Winehouse was a singer-songwriter whose music drew heavily on jazz, soul and 1960s rhythm and blues, delivered with a distinctive vocal style. Her second album,
Back to Black, brought international acclaim and commercial success, earning multiple awards and establishing her as one of the most recognisable British artists of her generation. She died in 2011 at the age of 27.
Camden Market
On 14 September 2014 - what would have been Amy's 31st birthday - this statue of her by sculptor Scott Eaton was unveiled by her friend, the actress Barbara Windsor. If you can battle your way through the tourists, it can been seen at Stables Market in Camden Town, the place she loved and will always be associated with.
Trevor Beresford Romeo is a DJ, producer and founder of Soul II Soul, the collective that helped bring British club culture into the mainstream in the late 1980s. Blending soul, funk, reggae and electronic music, Soul II Soul achieved international success with hits such as Back to Life (However Do You Want Me), while also launching the careers of numerous British artists. Jazzie B remains active in music and broadcasting.
Finsbury Park Station
Jazzie B, who grew up in nearby Hornsey, is seen here with the lesser-known Florence Keen who founded the North Islington Welfare Centre and School for Mothers, but died tragically young. Because of their location, the statues are often used as impromptu bike racks.
Music Biopic Quiz -Subjects & Stars
Who is the subject of the following movies and who plays them? Answers at the end.Michael (2026)
Song Sung Blue (2025)
A Complete Unknown (2025)
Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025)
Better Man (2024)
Back to Black (2024)
Maria (2024)
Maestro (2023)
Elvis (2022) Clue - it's not Elvis Costello! For a bonus point who played Colonel Tom Parker?
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022)
Respect (2021)
Rocketman (2019)
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Born to Be Blue (2015)
Miles Ahead (2015)
Get On Up (2014)
Love & Mercy (2014) (two actors)
Nowhere Boy (2009)
Walk the Line (2005)
De-Lovely (2004)
Ray (2004)
Topsy-Turvey (1999) (two actors)
Selina (1997)
Shine (1996) only need the adult actor
Backbeat (1994)
Immortal Beloved (1994)
Farinelli (1994)
What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)
The Doors (1991)
Impromptu (1991)
Bird (1988) For a bonus point, who was the director?
Sid and Nancy (1986)
Amadeus (1984)
Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980)
The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
Lisztomania (1975)
Mahler (1974)
Born to Boogie (1972)
Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
The Music Lovers (1971)
A Song to Remember (1945)
Music Biopic Quiz -Subjects & Stars Answers
Michael (2026) Michael Jackson - Jaafar Jackson (Michael's nephew)
Song Sung Blue (2025) Neil Diamond - Hugh Jackman plays Mike, a Neil Diamond tribute act.
A Complete Unknown (2025) Bob Dylan -Timothée Chalamet
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Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025) Bruce Springsteen - Jeremy Allen White
Better Man (2024) Robbie Williams - Jonno Davies played Robbie Williams as a chimpanzee using motion-capture technology. Williams himself was narrator and also the voice of his character in the film's final scene.
Back to Black (2024) Amy Winehouse - Marisa Abela
Maria (2024) Maria Callas - Angelina Jolie
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Maestro (2023) Leonard Bernstein - Bradley Cooper
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Elvis (2022) Elvis Presley - Austin Butler (Bonus: Colonel Tom Parker - Tom Hanks)
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I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022) Whitney Houston - Naomi Ackie
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Respect (2021) Aretha Franklin - Jennifer Hudson
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Rocketman (2019) Elton John - Taron Egerton
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Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) Freddie Mercury - Rami Malek
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Born to Be Blue (2015) Chet Baker - Ethan Hawke
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Miles Ahead (2015) Miles Davis - Don Cheadle
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Get On Up (2014) James Brown - Chadwick Boseman
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Love & Mercy (2014) Brian Wilson - Paul Dano (young) / John Cusack (older)
Nowhere Boy (2009) John Lennon - Aaron Taylor-Johnson
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Walk the Line (2005) Johnny Cash - Joaquin Phoenix
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De-Lovely (2004) Cole Porter - Kevin Kline
Ray (2004) Ray Charles - Jamie Foxx
Topsy-Turvey (1999) Gilbert and Sullivan - Jim Broadbent and Alan Corduner
Selina (1997) Selina Quintanilla - Jennifer Lopez
Shine (1996) David Helfgott Geoffrey Rush (adult) / Noah Taylor (teenager) / Alex Rafalowicz (child).
Backbeat (1994) John Lennon - Ian Hart. NB Robert Carlyle played John Lennon as an old man in Yesterday (2019)
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Immortal Beloved (1994) Ludwig van Beethoven - Gary Oldman
Farinelli (1994) George Frederic Handel - Jeroen
Krabbé. Anthony Hopkins is set to play Handel in the upcoming biopic The King of Covent Garden
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What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993) Tina Turner - Angela Bassett
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The Doors (1991) Jim Morrison - Val Kilmer
Impromptu (1991) Chopin - Hugh Grant
Bird (1988) Charlie Parker - Forest Whitaker (Bonus: Directed by Clint Eastwood)
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Sid and Nancy (1986) Sid Vicious - Gary Oldman
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Amadeus (1984) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Tom Hulce
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Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) Loretta Lynn — Sissy Spacek
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The Buddy Holly Story (1978) Buddy Holly - Gary Busey
Lisztomania (1975) Franz Liszt - Roger Daltrey
Mahler (1974) Gustav Mahler - Robert Powell
Born to Boogie (1972) Marc Bolan - Marc McGann
Lady Sings the Blues (1972) Billie Holiday - Diana Ross
The Music Lovers (1971) Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Richard Chamberlain (Dr Kildaire!!)
A Song to Remember (1945) Chopin - Cornel Wild
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