There’s really nothing like a good music documentary. Rivaled only by maybe true crime and movie documentaries, music-based films are great because they show the story behind the stories of our favorite artists, songs, bands, and record labels.
For the music loyalists who enjoy getting lost in a good documentary, this is the perfect roster of films to add to your watchlist. Check below for the seven best music documentaries that are currently streaming now on Hulu, HBO Max, and more.
“The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” This 2016 documentary from Ron Howard details how Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr became music phenoms who stormed Europe in the early 1960s and took over America. “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” details the band’s touring years from 1962 to 1966. The film footage includes the legendary performance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool and their final concert in San Francisco in 1966. You can catch the documentary on Hulu.
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“Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back” In 1965 23-year-old Dylan set out to tour Europe, which included performances at Liverpool Odeon Theater, Sheffield City Hall, and the Royal Albert Hall, among other noted venues. “Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back” chronicles the tour with featured footage of Dylan, as well as his former manager, Albert Grossman, and singer-songwriter Bob Neuwirth. Originally released in 1967, the documentary was eventually entered into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural and historical significance. You can stream “Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back on HBO Max.
HBO “David Bowie The Last Five Years” The final five years of Bowie’s life are explored in this 2017 documentary, directed by Francis Whately. In 2013, Bowie surprised fans with the release of “The Next Day,” his first album following a 10-year music hiatus. The documentary chronicles that album’s release, as well as 2016’s “Blackstar” and Bowie’s off-Broadway musical, “Lazarus.” You can stream “David: Bowie The Last Five Years” on HBO Max.
Tribeca “Whitney: Can I Be Me”
A24/Screenshot “Amy” A sobering look at a life cut short, “Amy,” the 2015 documentary helmed by award-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia, is about the short career of Grammy-award winning singer Amy Winehouse and the battle with addiction that claimed her life. The film features archival footage of Winehouse from childhood coupled with recordings of her performances, candid moments in the studio, and her tumultuous relationship with ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil. “Amy” serves up a harrowing look at Winehouse leading up to her fatal overdose in 2011. The documentary is streaming on Hulu.
“Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin’ Down a Dream”
FX Network “The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney” Released earlier this year as a part of a documentary series by The New York Times which tackles a range of topics, “Framing Britney Spears” added more fuel to the #FreeBritneyMovement. The documentary, directed by Samantha Starks, looks back at Spears’ career, how she was treated by the press, and the current conservatorship that she had been under for several years. You can stream “The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears” on Hulu. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
