Best Concert / Music Documentaries ever
by adrian-29-203034 | created - 01 Jan 2020 | updated - 6 months ago | PublicDocuemntaries every music lover should watch
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1. Amazing Grace (2018)
G | 89 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary presenting Aretha Franklin with choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles in January 1972.
Directors: Alan Elliott, Sydney Pollack | Stars: Aretha Franklin, James Cleveland, Alexander Hamilton, Cornell Dupree
Votes: 5,153 | Gross: $4.45M
2. Monterey Pop (1968)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary, History, Music
A film about the greatest pre-Woodstock rock music festival.
Director: D.A. Pennebaker | Stars: Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar, Country Joe McDonald
Votes: 4,926 | Gross: $0.00M
3. Wattstax (1973)
R | 103 min | Documentary, Comedy, Music
Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.
Director: Mel Stuart | Stars: The Dramatics, The Staple Singers, Kim Weston, Jimmy Jones
Votes: 1,089
4. 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything (2021)
TV-MA | 45 min | Documentary, History, Music
The musicians and soundtracks that shaped the culture and politics of 1971.
Stars: Elton John, Graham Nash, Ringo Starr, Joni Mitchell
Votes: 1,742
5. Anvil (2008)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
Since 1978, Anvil has become one of heavy metal's most influential yet commercially unsuccessful acts. In 2006, after a fledging European tour Anvil sets out to record their thirteenth album and continue to follow their dreams.
Director: Sacha Gervasi | Stars: Robb Reiner, Steve 'Lips' Kudlow, Tiziana Arrigoni, Scott Ian
Votes: 16,843 | Gross: $0.67M
6. George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011)
Not Rated | 208 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Filmmaker Martin Scorsese examines the life of musician George Harrison, weaving together interviews, concert footage, home movies and photographs.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: George Harrison, Harry Harrison, Peter Harrison, Paul McCartney
Votes: 12,630
7. Let It Be (1970)
G | 81 min | Documentary, Music
The filmed account of The Beatles' attempt to recapture their old group spirit by making a back to basics album, which instead drove them further apart.
Director: Michael Lindsay-Hogg | Stars: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Votes: 6,585 | Gross: $1.06M
8. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)
PG-13 | 118 min | Documentary, History, Music
Documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity.
Director: Questlove | Stars: Dorinda Drake, Barbara Bland-Acosta, Darryl Lewis, Ethel Beatty
Votes: 13,882
9. Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
PG-13 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.
Director: Malik Bendjelloul | Stars: Rodriguez, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Dennis Coffey, Mike Theodore
Votes: 72,913 | Gross: $3.97M
10. Artifact (2012)
Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary, Music
Telling harsh truths about the modern music business, this riveting and award-winning documentary gives intimate access to singer/actor Jared Leto ("Requiem for a Dream," "Dallas Buyers ... See full summary »
Director: Jared Leto | Stars: Jared Leto, Shannon Leto, Tomo Milicevic, Irving Azoff
Votes: 4,691
11. Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men (2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Limited docuseries looks back on the group's career. It was music and shared lyrical genius that allowed them to form the most recognized musical movement in the world, all while walking the tightrope that links business with brotherhood.
Stars: Cappadonna, Ghostface Killah, The GZA, Inspectah Deck
Votes: 1,839
12. Velvet Goldmine (1998)
R | 118 min | Drama, Music
In 1984, British journalist Arthur Stuart investigates the career of 1970s glam superstar Brian Slade, who was heavily influenced in his early years by hard-living and rebellious American singer Curt Wild.
Director: Todd Haynes | Stars: Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Christian Bale, Toni Collette
Votes: 38,313 | Gross: $1.05M
13. The Man from Mo'Wax (2016)
116 min | Documentary, Music
An energetic and phenomenal presentation charting the life and career of DJ icon, music producer, and global trip-hop mogul James Lavelle.
Director: Matthew Jones | Stars: James Lavelle, DJ Shadow, Ian Brown, Josh Homme
Votes: 338
14. Dear Mama (2022– )
TV-MA | 65 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary series which follows the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur and his mother, the Black Panther activist Afeni Shakur.
Stars: Mike Tyson, Gloria Cox, Snoop Dogg, Jamal Joseph
Votes: 1,536
15. Under African Skies (2012)
Not Rated | 108 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the journey of his Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime.
Director: Joe Berlinger | Stars: Paul Simon, Maya Angelou, Okeyrema Asante, Harry Belafonte
Votes: 537
16. McCartney 3,2,1 (2021)
TV-14 | 30 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
2021 Six Episode Series on Hulu: Producer Rick Rubin interviews Paul McCartney on his work with the Beatles, Wings, and as a solo artist, including stories about his personal relationships that inspired his songwriting.
Stars: Paul McCartney, Rick Rubin
Votes: 3,547
17. Hip-Hop Evolution (2016– )
TV-MA | 90 min | Documentary, Music
MC and journalist Shad Kabango meets with Hip-Hop's biggest stars to retrace how Hip-Hop became the world's most popular music, but realizes that Hip-Hop's true legacy is something much more profound.
Stars: Shad, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Cheo Hodari Coker
Votes: 6,451
18. Listening to Kenny G (2021)
97 min | Documentary, Music
An examination of the most popular instrumentalist of all time, Kenny G, and why he is polarizing to so many.
Director: Penny Lane | Stars: Clive Davis, Craig Ferguson, Kenny G, James Gardiner
Votes: 1,227
19. Sinatra: All or Nothing at All (2015)
TV-14 | 120 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
SINATRA: All or Nothing at All is an up-close and personal examination of the life, music and career of the legendary entertainer. Told in his own words from hours of archived interviews, ... See full summary »
Stars: Nancy Sinatra, Tina Sinatra, Nancy Barbato Sinatra, Nelson Riddle
Votes: 2,487
20. The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (2020)
TV-MA | 111 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
An exploration of the history of the Bee Gees, featuring revealing interviews with oldest brother Barry Gibb, and archival interviews with the late twin brothers Robin and Maurice.
Director: Frank Marshall | Stars: Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, Peter Brown
Votes: 5,624
21. Straight Outta Compton (2015)
R | 147 min | Biography, Drama, History
The rap group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.
Director: F. Gary Gray | Stars: O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr.
Votes: 218,529 | Gross: $161.20M
22. Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead, until now.
Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill
Votes: 13,954 | Gross: $4.95M
23. Rockers (1978)
100 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
Horsemouth sets himself up in business selling records but when gangsters steal his bike things start to turn nasty. As tensions build, Horsemouth and friends plot to end the gangsters ... See full summary »
Director: Ted Bafaloukos | Stars: Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, Richard 'Dirty Harry' Hall, Monica Craig, Marjorie Norman
Votes: 2,175
24. What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Nina Simone, Lisa Simone Kelly, Roger Nupie, Al Schackman
Votes: 14,834
25. Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)
PG | 108 min | Documentary, Music
Documentary about the Funk Brothers, a group of Detroit musicians who backed up dozens of Motown artists.
Director: Paul Justman | Stars: Joe Hunter, Jack Ashford, Uriel Jones, Richard 'Pistol' Allen
Votes: 3,848 | Gross: $1.60M
26. The Song Remains the Same (1976)
PG | 137 min | Documentary, Music
The line forms here for the world's greatest and possibly most influential band--Led Zeppelin. This mesmerizing movie built around Zep's famed 1973 concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden is convincing proof why.
Directors: Peter Clifton, Joe Massot | Stars: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham
Votes: 9,034
27. Miles Ahead (2015)
R | 100 min | Biography, Drama, Music
An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis.
Director: Don Cheadle | Stars: Don Cheadle, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Ewan McGregor, Michael Stuhlbarg
Votes: 10,561 | Gross: $2.61M
28. Born to Be Blue (2015)
R | 97 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A re-imagining of jazz legend Chet Baker's musical comeback in the late '60s.
Director: Robert Budreau | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Carmen Ejogo, Callum Keith Rennie, Tony Nappo
Votes: 9,276 | Gross: $0.83M
29. Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary (2016)
Not Rated | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, History
An exploration of the global power and impact of the music of John Coltrane where the passions, experiences and forces that shaped his life and revolutionary sounds are revealed.
Director: John Scheinfeld | Stars: Denzel Washington, Reggie Workman, Ravi Coltrane, Ashley Kahn
Votes: 2,498 | Gross: $0.41M
30. Mistaken for Strangers (2013)
Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary, Comedy, Music
Tom Berninger chronicles his time spent on the road as a member of the tour crew for The National, the rock & roll band fronted by his brother, Matt.
Director: Tom Berninger | Stars: Tom Berninger, Matt Berninger, Bryce Dessner, Bryan Devendorf
Votes: 4,607 | Gross: $0.14M
31. The Wrecking Crew! (2008)
PG | 101 min | Documentary, History, Music
A celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew", a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Bing Crosby.
Director: Denny Tedesco | Stars: Brian Wilson, Dick Clark, Cher, Herb Alpert
Votes: 3,679 | Gross: $0.80M
32. David Crosby: Remember My Name (2019)
R | 95 min | Documentary, Music
Meet David Crosby in this portrait of a man with everything but an easy retirement on his mind.
Director: A.J. Eaton | Stars: David Crosby, Stephen Barncard, Jackson Browne, Ethan Crosby
Votes: 1,406 | Gross: $0.62M
33. The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)
Not Rated | 106 min | Documentary, History, Music
A compilation of found footage featuring music, interviews, and stories of The Beatles' 250 concerts from 1963 to 1966.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney
Votes: 13,841 | Gross: $2.93M
34. Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (2011)
R | 97 min | Documentary, Music
Michael Rapaport documents the inner workings and behind the scenes drama that follows this innovative and influential band to this day.
Director: Michael Rapaport | Stars: Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi White
Votes: 4,077 | Gross: $1.20M
35. Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records (2013)
94 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton is a feature-length documentary about avant-garde Los Angeles-based record label Stones Throw Records. The film weaves together rare concert footage, never-before-see... See full summary »
Director: Jeff Broadway | Stars: Peanut Butter Wolf, Talib Kweli, A-Trak, Marvin Jones III
Votes: 863
36. The Miles Davis Story (2001 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 125 min | Documentary, Music
A review of the life and work of Miles Davis as told by those who knew and worked with him.
Director: Michael Dibb | Stars: Jimmy Cobb, Shirley Horn, Frances Davis, Clark Terry
Votes: 318
37. Conny Plank: The Potential of Noise (2017)
Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary
In the 70s and 80s, artists such as Kraftwerk, David Bowie, Brian Eno, Gianna Nannini, Ultravox and the Eurythmics queued to record in Conny Plank's studio, a farmhouse near Cologne.
Directors: Reto Caduff, Stephan Plank | Stars: Gianna Nannini, Devo, Scorpions, Eurythmics
Votes: 206
38. Marley (2012)
PG-13 | 144 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley, Rita Marley, Jimmy Cliff
Votes: 14,494 | Gross: $1.41M
39. The Black Godfather (2019)
TV-MA | 118 min | Documentary, Biography
Follows the life of Clarence Avant, the ultimate, uncensored mentor and behind-the-scenes rainmaker in music, film, TV and politics.
Director: Reginald Hudlin | Stars: Clarence Avant, Hank Aaron, Gwen Adolph, Dina R. Andrews
Votes: 1,538
40. G-Funk (2017)
TV-MA | 87 min | Documentary, Music
The untold story of how hip-hop's most commercial and iconic sub-genre came to be.
Director: Karam Gill | Stars: Ice Cube, Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, Drake
Votes: 306
41. Whitney (2018)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
An in-depth look at the life and music of Whitney Houston.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Whitney Houston, Ellen White, Michael Houston, Cissy Houston
Votes: 7,874 | Gross: $3.03M
42. Quincy (2018)
TV-MA | 124 min | Documentary, Biography
An intimate look into the life of icon Quincy Jones. A unique force in music and popular culture for 70 years, Jones has transcended racial and cultural boundaries; his story is inextricably woven into the fabric of America.
Directors: Alan Hicks, Rashida Jones | Stars: Quincy Jones, Rashida Jones, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Clarence Avant
Votes: 5,166
43. Studio 54 (2018)
TV-MA | 98 min | Documentary, History, Music
The story of the notorious 1970s New York City nightclub.
Director: Matt Tyrnauer | Stars: Ian Schrager, Steve Rubell, Donald Rubell, Neil Schlesinger
Votes: 3,542 | Gross: $0.20M
44. The Defiant Ones (2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
"The Defiant Ones" examines the partnership between Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre - one the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman, the other straight out of Compton - and their leading roles in a chain of transformative events in contemporary culture.
Stars: Stevie Nicks, Bono, Dr. Dre, Tom Petty
Votes: 15,680
45. Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary on rap music and its rise to global prominence.
Directors: Ice-T, Andy Baybutt | Stars: Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Chuck D, Snoop Dogg
Votes: 3,620 | Gross: $0.29M
46. Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James (2021)
TV-MA | 111 min | Documentary, Music
A profile of legendary funk/R&B icon Rick James capturing the peaks and valleys of his storied career to reveal a complicated and rebellious soul, driven to share his talent with the world.
Director: Sacha Jenkins | Stars: Rick James, Oscar Alston, Big Daddy Kane, Randall Bostick
Votes: 709
47. Hitsville: The Making of Motown (2019)
TV-14 | 112 min | Documentary, Music
Documentary film that focuses on the period beginning with the birth of Motown in Detroit in 1958 until its relocation to Los Angeles in the early 1970s.
Directors: Ben Turner, Gabe Turner | Stars: Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, William Stevenson
Votes: 1,788
48. Stop Making Sense (1984)
PG | 88 min | Documentary, Music
Considered by critics as the greatest concert film of all time, the live performance was shot over the course of three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theater in December of 1983 and features Talking Heads' most memorable songs.
Director: Jonathan Demme | Stars: David Byrne, Bernie Worrell, Alex Weir, Steven Scales
Votes: 20,023 | Gross: $5.02M
49. Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me (2018)
TV-MA | 106 min | Documentary, Biography
This documentary explores the rise of Teddy Pendergrass, the first male African American artist to record five consecutive platinum albums against the backdrop of 1960s America, and his comeback after a life-changing accident.
Director: Olivia Lichtenstein | Stars: Teddy Pendergrass, Sammy Davis Jr., Ida Pendergrass, Mikido Soto Jr.
Votes: 479
50. Ennio (2021)
156 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary on the legendary film composer Ennio Morricone.
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore | Stars: Clint Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, Hans Zimmer, Oliver Stone
Votes: 5,530
51. Herb Alpert Is... (2020)
113 min | Documentary
Amazing talents of Herb Alpert, misconceptions about his heritage. The many performers he helped with launching their popularity.
Director: John Scheinfeld | Stars: Aria Alpert Adjani, Lou Adler, Eden Alpert, Herb Alpert
Votes: 165
52. Nothing Compares (2022)
97 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Following the career of singer Sinéad O'Connor through her rise to fame and how her iconoclastic personality led to her exile from the pop mainstream.
Director: Kathryn Ferguson | Stars: Sinéad O'Connor, Gay Byrne, John O'Connor, Bob Dylan
Votes: 3,084
53. Wham! (2023)
TV-14 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Through archival interviews and footage, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley relive the arc of their Wham career, from '70s best buds to '80s pop icons.
Director: Chris Smith | Stars: Bananarama, Bono, David Bowie, Boy George
Votes: 8,946
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