List Of Musicians In Addiction Recovery

From rock stars to rappers to country singers, countless musicians have battled alcohol and drug addiction. While addiction is a serious disease, you can recover from it. Here are some of the most famous musicians living in recovery. 

Eric Clapton

In the early 1970s, rock and blues musician Eric Clapton became addicted to heroin. At one point, he was spending about $16,000 per week on the drug. He eventually gave up heroin in favor of alcohol. 

In 1987, he entered rehab for his alcohol addiction and became drug-free. A decade later, he founded his own rehab center on the Caribbean island of Antigua.

Lana Del Rey

At age 14, singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey developed alcohol addiction. Her parents sent her to boarding school to get sober. However, she struggled to stop drinking and eventually started abusing other drugs as well. 

She then left the school to attend rehab. After becoming sober, she started working in outreach programs for people still affected by addiction.

Eminem

In the early 2000s, rapper Eminem started abusing prescription medications such as Valium, Ambien, and Xanax. 

He entered rehab in 2005 and got sober. However, he relapsed in 2007 while taking painkillers for a knee surgery. 

After he nearly died of a methadone overdose, he resumed his recovery journey. Eminem has now been sober for over 10 years.

Fergie

Grammy Award winner Fergie started abusing crystal meth in her early twenties. Like many people who use meth, she developed paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations. These experiences led her to seek addiction treatment. She has now celebrated over 20 years of sobriety. 

Lady Gaga

Early in her career, pop star Lady Gaga battled marijuana addiction. She abused the drug to self-medicate her chronic pain and depression. At one point, she was smoking up to 20 marijuana cigarettes per day. She also briefly struggled with cocaine abuse. 

Since then, she has been open about her recovery from addiction and other mental health conditions.

Elton John

Legendary musician Elton John got addicted to cocaine after first trying it in 1974. Soon after, he also developed alcohol addiction. After many years of destructive drug use, he finally checked into rehab in 1990. He has now been sober for more than 30 years. 

Demi Lovato

Singer-songwriter Demi Lovato started abusing opioids at age 13. She went on to experiment with other substances, including alcohol, cocaine, and heroin. 

In 2018, she almost died of an overdose after taking drugs laced with fentanyl. She has since become fully committed to recovery. 

Stevie Nicks

After rising to fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks developed a cocaine addiction. In 1986, she checked herself into rehab and recovered. 

However, she then became addicted to the prescription drug Klonopin for almost a decade. She has now been sober for many years and speaks openly about her previous struggles. 

Ozzy Osbourne

Rock ‘n’ roll icon Ozzy Osbourne has a long history of abusing alcohol, cocaine, and other drugs. In 1978, his substance abuse got him fired from his band Black Sabbath. 

Over the following decades, he sought treatment for his addictions and relapsed multiple times. He has now been sober for almost a decade.

Slash

Best known as the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, Slash started abusing drugs early in his career. In 2001, his long-term substance use led to a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, a type of congestive heart failure. 

He finally entered rehab in 2006 because he wanted to be a better father and musician. He has been sober ever since. 

Ringo Starr

When The Beatles disbanded in 1970, drummer Ringo Starr became addicted to alcohol and other drugs. At one point, he was allegedly drinking 16 bottles of wine per day. He entered rehab in 1988 and has now celebrated over 30 years of sobriety. 

Steven Tyler

Best known as the frontman of Aerosmith, Steven Tyler started abusing alcohol and other substances in the 1960s. Like many people with addiction, he has experienced multiple relapses. 

His most recent relapse occurred in May 2022 when he took prescription opioids following a foot surgery. He has since become sober again and remains committed to his recovery. 

Keith Urban

Country music star Keith Urban lived with cocaine and alcohol addiction throughout the 1990s. In 1998, he entered rehab and got sober. In 2006, however, he started drinking alcohol again. 

After his loved ones staged an intervention, he returned to rehab and has now been drug-free for over 15 years. 

Flavor Flav

Flavor Flav struggled with crack cocaine and alcohol addiction for decades. It wasn’t until the late 2000s that he finally was able to beat his crack cocaine addiction, and it took another few years before he stopped drinking alcohol entirely.

If you or someone you love struggles with substance abuse, please reach out to an Ark Behavioral Health specialist. Our inpatient and outpatient treatment programs offer medical detox, mental health counseling, and other evidence-based services to help you stay healthy.