“I’m not the muse, I’m the somebody,” said Daisy Jones from “Daisy Jones and the Six.” 

The best part about a love song is trying to relate it to your situation in any way possible.  Whether you’re the yearner, the heartbreaker or the soulmate – there’s usually a way to spin it into a personal soundtrack. But what about the people these songs are actually inspired by? Somewhere along the way they get overshadowed.

Once an artist releases music there is the unspoken rule that it is no longer their own story. It’s now up for interpretation, and the listener has free reign over the meaning and stories. But love is a two way street, and those that inspired the art have stories of their own that deserve the spotlight. In the rock music world, the muse is just as important as the writer. 

The Beatles had several notable muses during their career, but one of the women who inspired some of their most famous songs inspired other iconic artists too: Pattie Boyd. The model is often referred to as one of rock’s most legendary muses. 

During the 1960s, Pattie Boyd was in a relationship with, and eventually married, George Harrison from The Beatles. Their relationship served as inspiration for several songs, the most popular being the song “Something” that was featured on the “Abbey Road” album. But her influence did not stop there. 

The music artist Eric Clapton wrote the song “Layla” about Boyd while she was still in a relationship with Harrison. The song is about wanting someone you can’t have, as Harrison and Clapton were good friends while Boyd and Harrison were still together. Boyd is very much aware of the influence she had over rock music at the time. She even used the muse title to her advantage, as she once held a photography exhibition called “Through The Eyes Of The Muse” where she showcased her photographs throughout the years. 

Of course, around this same time, Fleetwood Mac began releasing their iconic music to the world. Famously, two members of the band, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, served as each other’s muses. Their relationship was very public, and the songs that followed have only become more important to pop culture in recent years. Everyone has seen the iconic 1997 performance of “Silver Springs.” It’s difficult to look away from the angst and tension that was building on the stage. Stevie Nicks serves as a perfect example of a muse. She almost doesn’t seem real. A strong muse is able to live on forever through the art they’ve inspired, and Stevie Nicks does just that. Her influence is evident over generations and music artists today. 

If female muses throughout the years have anything in common it’s being the it-girls of their generations. During the 2010s Tumblr era this was Alexa Chung. The model was famously in a relationship with Arctic Monkeys lead singer Alex Turner. Their relationship is said to have inspired several albums, but most famously songs like “Love is a Laserquest” and “She’s Thunderstorms.” During this time, Alexa Chung was used as fashion inspiration for everyone on Tumblr. Having several songs written about her only reiterated her mysterious, cool girl aesthetic. 

Someone else that fits into the socialite, cool girl muse archetype is none other than Devon Lee Carlson. She has cemented herself as one of Gen Z’s most influential fashion girls. She doesn’t only inspire people in the fashion world, but she also inspired popular songs by the band “The Neighborhood,” as she was in a relationship with the band’s lead singer Jesse Rutherford. Their relationship was very public. Not only did she inspire the lyrics, but Carlson is featured in visuals for the songs as well. She stars in the music video for the song “Lost in Translation,” alongside Rutherford. Even after their breakup, she has continued to stay relevant in conversations of the fashion world and social media influence. 

Each one of these muses served as inspiration for both the artists and the audiences. They each established themselves as influencers of their times, whether they were trying to or not. They’re each captivating in their own way. Sometimes the muse lives on through the music, but sometimes just being themselves is enough. And when it comes down to it, the desire for a rockstar boyfriend isn’t really about him. It’s about being the girlfriend he writes about. 

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Hi! I’m Hannah Planey, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.