Musicians with Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a diagnosis in psychiatry referring to periods of extreme, often inappropriate, and sometimes unpredictable mood states.

Many famous people are believed to have been affected by bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression), based on evidence in their own writings and contemporaneous accounts by those who knew them.

It is often suggested that genius (or, at least, creative talent) and mental disorder are linked and numerous studies have suggested that there is a correlation between creativity and bipolar disorder, although it is unclear what the relationship is between the two.

Simply, there is a link between “madness” and “genius“.

Famous musicians

Jeff Buckley
Ludwig van Beethoven, composer
Alohe Jean Burke, musician, vocalist
Rosemary Clooney, singer
DMX Earl Simmons, rapper and actor
Ray Davies
Lenny Dee
Gaetano Donizetti, opera singer
Peter Gabriel
Jimi Hendrix
Kristen Hersh (Throwing Muses)
Phyllis Hyman
Jack Irons
Daniel Johnston
Otto Klemperer, musician, conductor
Oscar Levant, pianist, composer, television
Phil Ochs, musician, political activist, poet
John Ogden, composer, musician
Jaco Pastorius
Charley Pride
Mac Rebennack (Dr. John)
Jeannie C. Riley
Alys Robi, vocalist in Canada
Axl Rose
Nick Traina
Del Shannon
Phil Spector, musician and producer
Sting, Gordon Sumner, musician, composer
Tom Waits, musician, composer
Brian Wilson, musician, composer, arranger
Townes Van Zandt, musician, composer