She was born in Skewen, Neath, Wales to a family that included three sisters and two brothers. Her father worked in a coal mine and her mother (an opera lover) shared her love for music with her children. She grew up listening to Motown music and female artists like Janis Joplin and Tina Turner.

In 1970, at age 19, she entered a talent contest, singing the Mary Hopkin hit "Those Were the Days", but only came in second place. She then was chosen to sing in a band with front man Bobby Wayne and were known as 'Bobby Wayne & The Dixies'. Two years later, she formed her own band called Imagination and performed with them in pubs and clubs all over southern Wales. It was then that she decided to adopt the stage name of 'Sherene Davies' (she took these names from her niece and favorite aunt).

In 1973, she married Robert Sullivan, a real estate speculator. In 1975, she was discovered by Roger Bell, who arranged a recording contract for her with RCA Records. Before signing, she was asked to choose a different stage name, a process through which she finally became known as Bonnie Tyler.In 1976, Tyler was spotted in "The Townsman Club" in Swansea by the songwriting and producing team of Ronnie Scott (not the famous jazz musician) and Steve Wolfe; who became Tyler's managers, songwriters and producers.

Following the Top 10 success of her 1976 song "Lost in France", Tyler released her first album in 1977 entitled 'The World Starts Tonight'. A further single from the album, "More Than a Lover", made the UK Top 30, whereas the follow up single, "Heaven", reached the Top 30 in Germany. In 1977, Tyler was diagnosed with nodules on her vocal cords that were so severe that surgery was required. After the surgery, she was ordered not to speak for several weeks, but she broke her doctor's orders which caused her voice to take on a raspy quality. At first this made her believe that her singing career was over, but (to her surprise) her next single made her an international star, "It's a Heartache" made #3 on the US chart and became a hit worldwide; it topped the charts in several countries (including France and Australia) and peaked at #2 in Germany and at #4 in the UK. The 'Natural Force' album was also retitled 'It's a Heartache' for the U.S. market and certified gold there.

Though further global success was elusive during this era, Tyler did have some regional hits: "Here Am I" made the German Top 20 in spring of 1978; one year later, the country-influenced "My Guns Are Loaded" peaked at number 3 in France; she scored a minor UK Top 40 hit with "Married Men" in 1979, the theme to the film 'The World Is Full of Married Men'. Tyler released the albums 'Diamond Cut' (1979) and 'Goodbye to the Island' (1981). The track "Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean" was the Grand Prix winner of the 1979 Yamaha World Song Festival held in Tokyo.

Tyler released four albums for RCA from 1977 to 1981. Over time she became dissatisfied with Scott and Wolfe's management, as they were trying to lean her closer to the country music market. a song that was part of the soundtrack for the 1984 restoration of the film 'Metropolis'. She also released the singles "A Rockin' Good Way"(a duet with fellow Welsh artist Shakin' Stevens) which made #5 in the UK, and "Holding Out for a Hero" from the film soundtrack 'Footloose' which made the Top 40 in the U.S., and peaked at #2 in UK in the summer of 1985. The track was also used as the main theme for the 1984 US television series "Cover Up", though the version heard on the TV series was not sung by Tyler but by a Tyler sound-alike.

The following albums 'Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire' (1986) and 'Hide Your Heart' (1988) failed to continue the global success of 'Faster Than The Speed Of Night', but achieved success in France, Switzerland, Scandinavia, South Africa, Australia and other countries. One of the single releases, "If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man)" became another Top 10 hit in France in 1986 and was certified Silver. In 1987, recorded with the Brazilian singer Fábio Junior the song" Sem limites pra sonhar/Reaching for the Infinite Heart ". In this same year, she sang the title song for Mike Oldfield's album 'Islands'. Tyler sang with Cher for the song" Perfection "on Cher's self-titled 1987 album, and" Emotional Fire " on Cher's 1989 'Heart Of Stone' album.

In the early 1990s, Tyler switched to BMG German label, Hansa. Her first album on her new label was 'Bitterblue' in late 1991. This album went quadruple-platinum in Norway, platinum in Austria, and gold in Germany, Switzerland and Sweden, amongst other countries. Tyler followed this up with the album 'Angel Heart' in late 1992, which repeated the success of 'Bitterblue'. The next album, 'Silhouette in Red', and the compilation 'The Very Best of Bonnie Tyler' (#3 and platinum in Germany), with her hits from all three decades put together for the first time, were both released in 1993. Also in 1993, Tyler won Best International Female Vocalist at RSH Gold Award, the Award "Goldene Europa", the and ECHO Awards in 1994. In 1999 Tyler was part of an ensemble vocal unit for Rick Wakeman's 'Return to the Centre of the Earth' CD.

In 2003, Kareen Antonn approached Tyler to record a duet. "Si demain... (Turn Around)", a French language version of" Total Eclipse of the Heart ", was released in December 2003 and went to No. 1 in France (for ten weeks), as well as Belgium and Poland, selling a total of two million copies. The follow-up," Si tout s'arrête (It's A Heartache)", another French language remake with Kareen Antonn, also made the French Top 20.

In September 2006, Tyler made her first appearance on U.S. television in many years, as she sang a duet of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with actress Lucy Lawless on the American show 'Celebrity Duets'.

In 2007, a new Greatest Hits collection, 'From the Heart', was released. A new studio album is also in the works. Also in 2007, Tyler contributed a track, "I Don't Know How to Love Him", to the charity record 'Over the Rainbow'. Tyler mentioned in a recent interview that she will be working with Jim Steinman again for her next album.

In 2009, Tyler made a guest appearance in the UK late night edition of Channel 4 teen soap 'Hollyoaks', 'Hollyoaks Later', where she sang her hit "Holding Out For a Hero". The episode was broadcast on Friday 2 October 2009. She is also set to record a new version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with Welsh male voice choir Only Men Aloud!, due out in October 2009.

In 2009, French-Canadian singer Matt Petrin recorded a cover of "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" featuring vocals from Tyler. The song, written by Jim Steinman, was originally recorded by Air Supply in 1983 and was also previously recorded by Tyler herself in 1995.