Best Music Moments in Film

Michael, Whitney and more music legends on the big screen.

Music News, Jermaine Dupri Uncut - Black Music Month

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Best Music Moments in Film - June is Black Music Month and we're celebrating by throwing a spotlight on some of our favorite music moments in cinema.

Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls - Talk about beginner's luck. After losing American Idol to Fantasia Barrino, Hudson consoled herself with nothing less than an Oscar for this star-making performance. Upstaging Beyoncé and Eddie Murphy is no easy task, but Jennifer managed to find a way.(Photo: Courtesy Paramount Pictures)

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Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls - Jennifer Hudson went from runner-up on American Idol to the toast of Hollywood with her first film role as Effie White in Dreamgirls. It was not only Hudson's raw acting talent, but her heart-stopping rendition of the film's main song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" that made it clear a star was born. Hudson earned over two dozen awards for her debut performance, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Purple Rain (1984) - Pop icon Prince made his film debut in Purple Rain portraying aspiring music star The Kid. Navigating his family (terrorized by an abusive, failed musician father) and a cut-throat Minneapolis music scene, Prince delivered a solid performance as an actor. The Oscar-winning soundtrack turned Prince into an international superstar.  (Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

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Prince in Purple Rain - It's hard to tell where the album ends and the film begins, but one thing's for sure: Purple Rain is a cinematic odyssey that was way ahead of its time. The semi-autobiographical film showcased the breadth of Prince's talent as an artist, actor and musician and instantly achieved cult status. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

Sparkle - After a 15-year hiatus from the big screen, Whitney was finally ready to face the camera again for a remake of the 1976 film Sparkle. She produced the film and starred as the unsupportive mother to Jordin Sparks's aspiring singing star, admitting that she channeled her own mother, Cissy Houston, into the role. Sparkle is set to release in August of this year.

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Sparkle (1976) - This camp classic combined the spirit of the Motown era with a rags-to-riches story. It launched the career of Irene Cara, who went on to star in another musical classic, Fame. Sparkle struck a chord with mainstream audiences well beyond its time at the box office and prompted one famous fan, Whitney Houston, to spearhead a remake. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard - On the face of it, it may seem like playing a slightly spoiled, diva-ish pop star wouldn't be a huge stretch for Houston, but playing to type isn't always as easy as it looks. When you consider others who have tried to cross over from music to movies — Britney Spears, Mariah Carey — Houston's performance seems downright Oscar worthy.(Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures)

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Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard - While critics weren't kind to this story of star-crossed lovers, audiences spoke loudly in its favor. The Bodyguard spawned nearly half a billion dollars in ticket sales, several Oscars and some of the most iconic songs of Houston's career. It was Whitney at her peak, the way she deserves to be remembered. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

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Eminem in 8 Mile - Called a hip hop masterpiece by critics and connoisseurs of pop culture, this slightly modified biography of Eminem's life was one of the most successful R-rated films in history. Em won an Oscar for the title song "Lose Yourself" and earned universal accolades for his performance. Rather than becoming a self-indulgent memoir of an improbable rap star, 8 Mile was a touching portrait of the fringes of mainstream hip hop. (Photo: Universal Pictures) 

Cadillac Records (2008)  - In this film based on the story of Chess Records, Beyoncé continued her streak of heavy-hitting film roles. Here, she tackled a portrayal of heroin-addicted R&B pioneer Etta James. (Photo: Courtesy Sony Music Film)

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Beyoncé in Cadillac Records - Bey plays Etta James in this journey through the rise of blues, jazz and rock and roll in America. Based on the true story of Leonard Chess, a Polish immigrant who became a record executive and discovered some of the most iconic acts of the '40s, '50s and '60s, the film was called "a fascinating record of the evolution of Black musical style" by Roger Ebert.  (Photo: Sony Pictures)

The Wiz - A revisionist version of The Wizard of Oz, this film is an adaptation of the 1975 Tony-winning musical that brought down the house on Broadway. In the 1978 film version, starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, Dorothy — now a Harlem school teacher — isn't in Kansas anymore.(Photo: Courtesy Universal Pictures)

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Michael Jackson and Diana Ross in The Wiz - A musical re-imaginging of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of urban culture, The Wiz was one of the first Broadway productions with an all-Black cast. The feature film adaptation featured a star-studded cast including Ross, Jackson, Richard Pryor and Nipsey Russell. Sidney Lumet directed the film, with music by Quincy Jones. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

Ray (2004) - Actor and comedian Jamie Foxx was adamant on proving to the world that he was much more than Hollywood's funny guy, and he was successful by making an impact in the Ray Charles biopic, Ray. Playing a blind musician with such infinite soul is not easy for any actor, but Foxx made it seem effortless and the Academy seemed to agree. His performance earned him the coveted Oscar for Best Actor.(Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Jamie Foxx in Ray - Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for his portrayal of blind music legend Ray Charles in this sweeping biopic about the "Georgia on My Mind" singer. Critics called his performance "charismatic," saying that he did full-justice to Charles' life. Though Ray Charles was able to read a Braille version of the script for the biopic, which took 15 years to make, he sadly died just months before the premiere and never saw it go on to become a box office success.  (Photo: Universal Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Universal Pictures

What's love got to do with it. Angela Bassett Laurence Fishburne (Photo: Touchtone Pictures)

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Angela Bassett in What's Love Got to Do With It - Regarded as one of the greatest biopics ever made and a film so powerful many people associate the actors who played Ike and Tina Turner with their counterparts, What's Love Got to Do With It was a transformative film about music's most tumultuous relationship. Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne play Tina and Ike, respectively, and earned Oscar nominations for their gritty performances. (Photo: Touchtone Pictures)

Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues - The pressure was on for superstar Diana Ross when she made her long-anticipated feature film debut in this biopic about jazz great Billie Holliday. But the singer far exceeded expecations, earning herself an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe for the role.(Photo: Courtesy Paramount Pictures)

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Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues - Life imitates art in this biopic of Billie Holiday, one of the greatest singers of the last century. Diana Ross took on the daunting task of playing the jazz legend, deemed by many music critics to be "uncoverable" because of the power in her voice, and not only wowed audiences with her film debut but also recorded a cover album of Holiday's greatest hits, which went on to become Ross's best-selling record of her career. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)