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Top 10 Music Documentaries You Must Watch 🎥

 

Music documentaries give us a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of famous artists and bands. They highlight personal stories and unforgettable concert moments, helping us understand what makes their music special. Check out these ten music documentaries you shouldn’t miss:

 

1. "This Is It" - Michael Jackson

"This Is It" shows the King of Pop during the intensive rehearsals for his planned concert series in 2009. This documentary offers exclusive insights into Michael Jackson's way of working and his unrivalled perfectionism. A must for all fans.

 

2. “Amy” - Amy Winehouse

Directed by Asif Kapadia, “Amy” tells the story of Amy Winehouse’s life and her tragic end. The film uses old footage and interviews with her loved ones to show her rise to fame and the personal challenges she faced.

 

3. “The Beatles: Get Back” - Beatles

The Beatles: Get Back” provides a fresh look at the Fab Four's creative process while recording their final album, Let It Be. The film shows restored footage and genuine moments, offering a close look at the legendary band's dynamic and synergy.

 

4. “What Happened, Miss Simone?” - Nina Simone

This documentary, directed by Liz Garbus, explores the life and legacy of Nina Simone, a music legend and civil rights activist. Through archival footage and interviews, “What Happened, Miss Simone?” looks into Simone's incredible voice, her activism, and the challenges she faced throughout her career.

 

5. 20 Feet from Stardom

“20 Feet from Stardom” focuses on the often-overlooked backup singers in the music industry. This Oscar-winning documentary, directed by Morgan Neville, shares the stories of these talented singers who work behind the scenes, showcasing their hard work and the challenges they face while supporting the biggest stars.

 

6. “Gimme Shelter” - The Rolling Stones

“Gimme Shelter”, directed by Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, shows the Rolling Stones' 1969 tour across America and the troubled Altamont Free Concert. The film highlights both the exciting and difficult moments of the tour, ending with the tragic events at Altamont, and reflects on the counterculture of that time.

 

7. “Homecoming” - Beyoncé

“Homecoming” shows Beyoncé’s landmark 2018 Coachella performance, celebrating African-American culture and empowerment. Directed by Beyoncé, this documentary gives a behind-the-scenes view of the meticulous preparation and artistic vision behind the show. It’s a powerful testament to Beyoncé's talent and determination.

 

8. "Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck" - Kurt Cobain

This documentary from Brett Morgen offers an intimate look into the life and career of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. " Montage of Heck " uses personal footage, artwork, and diary entries to paint a complete portrait of this influential musician.

 

9. Miss Americana

Miss Americana takes you on a journey through Taylor Swift's life and career. Directed by Lana Wilson, the documentary explores the personal and professional struggles she faces while moving from a country singer to a pop star. With genuine moments and deep reflections, this film is a must-see for all Swifties.

 

10. “Moonage Daydream” – David Bowie

Moonage Daydream dives into David Bowie's extraordinary life and career. Using a mix of vintage clips and interviews, this documentary highlights Bowie's remarkable achievements and creative evolution, illustrating his significant impact on music.

 

If you want to explore music more through these amazing documentaries, add them to your watchlist. Each one gives a special look and helps you appreciate the talent and strength of these famous musicians.

 

Have you seen any of these documentaries yet?

Are there any other ones can you recommend? Share your thoughts with us!



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Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl

by Joss Crowley, 2022

 

 

With more than 100 million albums sold, Shania Twain is the best-selling country singer of all time and the only musician to have three consecutive diamond albums. The film tells the honest story of Shania Twain - following her rise from Nashville upstart to international superstardom and showing the incredible ease with which she blends genres and pushes boundaries.


 

 

Jose Feliciano: Behind This Guitar 

2022

 

 

The documentary tells the story of the sixty-year career and life of a musician who, despite all the troubles in life, won the Grammy award nine times and became a musical icon - José Feliciano.
Despite growing up in poverty, being blind from birth, and facing numerous adversities, racism, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles throughout his career, José Feliciano became the first Latin American musician to dabble in multiple musical genres and the first Latin American to win a Grammy Award for Best new artist in 1968, as well as for the best song - "Light My Fire". In addition to modernizing the sound of the Spanish bolero, causing a sensation throughout Latin America and winning several Grammys, he also became the first musician to perform the American national anthem in his own arrangement, the first global pop star to have a hit in three different languages, and the first Latin star pop that had a country hit - a song from the movie "Fargo".


 

 

New Wave: Dare To Be Different

2017

 

 

U2, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Blondie, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Clash, The Cure... They've sold over half a billion records, but you might never have heard of them if it weren't for a small local radio station on Long Island, New York: WLIR.

In August, 1982, a small group of visionaries knew they could not compete with the megastations of New York City. With one bold decision, they changed the sound of radio forever. Program director Denis McNamara, the LIR team and the biggest artists of the era tell us how they fought the Federal Communications Council, record companies and megastations, and all the conventional rules, and how they created a musical movement that brought a new wave to America.


 


 

 

Stoned Cold Country

 2023

 

 

This documentary features the artists talking about how the Stones influenced their careers. It also takes viewers into the studio as they perform 14 songs from the album, including "I Can't Get No Satisfaction," "Wild Horses," and "Paint It Black."
The documentary gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album, which was released in March to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The album features covers of Rolling Stones classics recorded by country artists including the Brothers Osborne, Eric Church, Steve Earle, Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson, the Zac Brown Band, and Maren Morris.

 

 


 

Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution

2024

 

 

The sense of freedom that emerged after the Stonewall riots inspired a new sound in New York.

From the basement bars of New York in the 1970s to the top of music charts around the world, this is the story of disco: its rise and fall, as well as its legacy. Richly filled with legendary songs and great recordings, this is a powerful, revisionist history of the disco era. It was then that a new kind of music was born and a new dance culture was born that would sweep the world and change dance music forever.


 

 

My Life as a Rolling Stone

Docuseries 2022

 

 

Seen through the lens of each member, it reveals their hidden qualities, passions and memories over the past 60 years. The series has four episodes, each of which is an intimate portrait of one of the band members, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts. Together, they show how these brilliant musicians came together to create music that has marked the lives of millions of people. The series is rich in recent interviews with the band members, as well as numerous other musicians who were role models for them. This includes previously unseen footage and exclusive conversations with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, interspersed with recordings of new and old interviews and performances. The story of Charlie Watts, who passed away in August 2021, is told through the memories of the other band members, his musical colleagues and fans, as well as archive footage of Charlie's interviews.


 


 

 

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song

2022

 

 

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a 2022 feature-length documentary biographical film created by Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine describing the story of Leonard Cohen, focusing on his song "Hallelujah". The film is based on Alan Light's 2012 book The Holy or the Broken.


 

 

The Cure: Inside The Music 

2024

 

 

The Cure: Inside The Music - Respected musicians, rock journalists, and fans bring new perspectives to the music of The Cure, alongside analysis of rare tracks and performances. Stars: Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Roger O'Donnell


The documentary “Phil Collins: Drummer First”
The premiere of the documentary “Phil Collins: Drummer First” on the Drumeo YouTube channel offers an intimate look at his life and career. In it, Collins reflects on how his identity was always tied to the drums: “I'm not a singer who plays a little drums. I'm a drummer who sings a little." The film combines images from his heyday with accounts of his current challenges, making clear that, although his body limited his ability to perform, his spirit remains that of a musician.

The documentary includes testimonies from influential musicians who consider him a revolutionary figure in the world of percussion, and a scene in which Eric Clapton comments on his reaction to hearing Collins play the drums: “Damn, what was that!” .

 

 


Red Hot Chili Peppers Grooves & Fills

In a band where every instrumentalist is a hero of their instrument, it takes a special player to stand out. That’s exactly what Chad Smith has done with his drumming since joining the Red Hot Chili Peppers over 30 years ago.

With 10 studio albums under his belt, there’s a lot of beats and fills for Chad to reflect on, and recently he made the trip to Drumeo HQ to film an hour-and-twenty-minute breakdown of some of his most iconic drum beats and fills.

 

 


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