The greatest musical artists and songs all have one thing in common: a legendary story. From Bob Dylan and Beyoncé to unsung session musicians in Los Angeles, music documentaries have taken fans behind some of the most legendary moments in history.
Covering not just recording sessions and concerts but the social and cultural influence that endure today, these music documentaries tell some of the most well-known and lesser-known tales in music.
Watch these iconic music documentaries and musician biopics on DIRECTV!
Upcoming Music Documentaries & Biopics
Here are the biggest music documentaries and biopics coming out soon. Find out when and where to tune in below:
‘The Beatles Anthology 2025’ | November 26-29 | Disney+
Originally released in 1995, The Beatles Anthology is an eight-episode documentary series that pairs archival concert footage and studio sessions to tell the story of the group’s journey from the early days to becoming the icons they are today.
Across three nights starting on Wednesday, November 26, all eight episodes will premiere, plus a brand new ninth episode on November 28. The ninth episode will include never-before-seen footage from the creation of the original documentary
‘Words + Music’ | November 30-December 21 | MGM+
The MGM music documentary series Words + Music is based on the acclaimed podcast of the same name. Episodes will include spotlights of iconic songwriters and performers including Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, John Legend and Elvis Costello.
Release Schedule:
- Episode 1: John Legend – Sunday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 2: Sheryl Crow – Sunday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 3: Elvis Costello – Sunday, December 14 at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 4: Alanis Morissette – Sunday, December 21 at 9 p.m. ET
‘Paul Anka: His Way’ | December 1 at 9 p.m. ET | HBO/HBO MAX
The HBO Original documentary, Paul Anka: His Way tells the story of icon Paul Anka across his seven decades of stardom from teen idol to music legend.
‘Music Box’ | December 4-25 | HBO/HBO Max
The second season of HBO’s music documentary series Music Box is a collection of documentary films that spotlights artists across genres and eras that have shaped the music industry. Across four weeks, fans will get a glimpse into several performers and groups including Jeff Buckley, Wizkid and the Counting Crows, along with a deep dive into the children’s music genre.
Season 2 Release Schedule:
- Music Box: It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley – Thursday, Dec. 4 at 9 p.m. ET
- Music Box: Wizkid: Long Live Lagos on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 9 p.m. ET
- Music Box: Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately’ on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 9 p.m. ET
- Music Box: Happy and You Know It on Thursday, Dec. 25 at 9 p.m. ET
‘Taylor Swift: The End of an Era’ | December 12 | Disney+
This six part documentary series takes fans behind the scenes of the Taylor Swift Eras tour, and includes conversations with friends and collaborators like Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Florence Welch.
Release Schedule:
- Episodes 1 & 2 – Friday, Dec. 12
- Episodes 3 & 4 – Friday, Dec. 19
- Episodes 5 & 6 – Friday, Dec. 26
Best Music Documentaries and Where to Watch
Spanning multiple decades and genres, these music documentaries capture the stories of household names and behind-the-scenes legends.
‘It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley’ (2025)
Available On Demand; Streaming on HBO Max as of December 4
The film incorporates voice messages and unseen footage to explore the life and career of Jeff Buckley. An LA-based session musician who gained a cult following and subsequently signed a record deal, recruited a band and released his lone studio album in 1994. Buckley tragically passed away at the age of 30, but his brief career influenced a generation of musicians, and his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” was named of the 500 greatest songs.
‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ (2024)
A fly-on-the-wall look at one of the single greatest recording sessions in music history. The documentary provides unprecedented behind-the-scenes access of more than a dozen stars like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper sharing the booth. Coming together like the musical Avengers, supergroup USA for Africa recorded the single to raise awareness and funds for the famine in Ethiopia. It remains the eighth best-selling single of all time.
‘Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé’ (2019)
An in-depth look at Beyoncé’s 2018 Coachella performance stitches concert footage with candid rehearsal moments. Directed and executive produced by Beyoncé, the documentary highlights the minute preparation of the performance and celebrates the cultural significance of the first Black woman ever to headline what, for a year, became known as “Beychella.”
‘Quincy’ (2018)
An intimate look at one of the most influential figures in music history. Quincy Jones’s legendary career was marked by Grammy awards, best-selling albums, chart-topping singles and the consistent breaking of racial barriers. Co-directed by his daughter Rashida Jones, the documentary captures the man whose influence on music is still felt today.
‘The Wrecking Crew’ (2008)
Director Denny Tedesco crafted this long-overdue tribute to his father, guitarist Tommy Tedesco, and the legendary session musicians who created the defining sound of a generation. The tight-knit group of Los Angeles session players known as the Wrecking Crew who played on thousands of recordings throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, including Beach Boys classics and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound.
‘Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck’ (2015)
The first fully authorized documentary about the Nirvana frontman draws from over 200 hours of unreleased music and archives, personal artwork, journals and home movies to craft an immersive portrait of Kurt Cobain’s life. The film explores the complexity and humanity behind the reluctant voice of a genre and generation.
‘Louder: The Soundtrack of Change’ (2024)
A look at music’s influence on societal change and activism told through the lens of some of the most influential female musicians of the last half-century. Produced by Stacey Abrams and Selena Gomez, the film features Melissa Etheridge’s coming out on TV during the height of early 90s homophobia, H.E.R. putting her grief to paper during the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020, and Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa who helped redefine hip-hop in the 90s.
‘Long Strange Trip’ (2017)
The six-part miniseries follows the Grateful Dead’s cultural impact from their inception in 1965 until present day. With never-before-seen footage and candid interviews, the film captures how this band of counterculture misfits created one of music’s most devoted followings. Nominated for a Grammy for Best Music Film, the documentary was produced by Martin Scorsese and might even make a Deadhead of the most stubborn holdouts.
‘The Girls in the Band’ (2013)
They were told they couldn’t play, but they played anyway. The Girls in the Band highlights the forgotten female jazz pioneers who persevered through racism and sexism to play in big bands of the 1930s and ’40s. Featuring rare performance footage and conversations with legends like Vi Redd and Clora Bryant, the documentary reveals the artistry and determination of the musicians who blazed a trail for future generations.
‘Mary J. Blige: My Life’ (2021)
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of her quintessential album “My Life,” Blige candidly reflects on the milestone and her journey to reach it. Directed by Oscar winner Vanessa Roth, the documentary combines never-before-seen concert footage with intimate interviews with the artist about her personal struggles and triumphs that shaped one of R&B’s most influential albums.
‘Gimme Shelter’ (1970)
Available on DIRECTV, Streaming on HBO Max
A landmark documentary about the Rolling Stones’ 1969 U.S. tour culminating in the free concert at the Altamont Speedway for more than 300,000 people. While the intent was a concert for the masses, it divulged into madness and tragedy. The film unflinchingly documents the Hell’s Angels’ violent clash with the audience that resulted in tragedy. The show stood in stark contrast to the rosy vibes of Woodstock just a few months prior.
‘Don’t Look Back’ (1967)
Following Bob Dylan’s 1965 UK tour, the film captures the artist at his most creatively electric and confrontational. With fly-on-the-wall moments and the “Subterranean Homesick Blues” cue card sequence, D.A. Pennebaker’s revolutionary approach pioneered the cinema verité style in music documentaries, presenting Dylan as both artist and cultural provocateur during a pivotal transition in his career. An honorable mention to this list is yet another Scorsese and Dynal doc: Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese.
‘Monterey Pop’ (1968)
Another D.A. Pennebaker production immortalizes the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival which featured explosive performances from Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding and The Who. The documentary not only captured these historic moments, but helped launch several careers. The film’s most iconic moment features Hendrix setting his guitar on fire, breaking it on the stage and hurling the neck of the guitar into the crowd.
‘Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary’ (2024)
Available on DIRECTV, Streaming on HBO Max
Once dismissed as uncool soft rock, the Yacht Rock genre transformed from a joke into a genuine cultural phenomenon. Its resurgence was born from an ironic 2005 web comedy series that playfully mocked artists like Kenny Loggins and Jimmy Buffett and spawned dedicated radio stations and earned respect from a new generation.
‘The Last Waltz’ (1978)
Martin Scorsese’s documentary of the Band’s farewell show brought to life through stunning cinematography. Featuring poignant backstage moments with group contemporaries like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Van Morrison, the film captures the end of an era musically and culturally. Scorsese transforms what could have been a simple concert film into a reflection on the passage of time and the end of the 1960s musical dream.
‘Decline of Western Civilization’ (1981)
The first installment of the raw trilogy about the Los Angeles punk music scene in 1979 and 1980. Following youth subcultures from the explosive early punk scene with X and Black Flag to the heavy metal explosion and gutter punk movement, Penelope Spheeris’s unflinching series traces the evolution of musical rebellion across decades. The films provide an unvarnished look at the underground scenes that challenged mainstream music and culture in Los Angeles. So much so that the LAPD chief wrote a letter demanding the film never be shown in the city again.
‘Imagine: John Lennon’ (1988)
An intimate portrait of the music legend, the film peeks into Lennon’s life through 240 hours-worth of exclusive home movies and tapes recorded by Lennon himself as narration. Released eight years after his murder, the film reveals his artistic genius, meteoric rise to fame, political activism and personal struggles.
‘The Beatles: Get Back’ (2021)
Peter Jackson’s restoration of the Beatles’ Let It Be session uncovers unseen moments of creative alchemy and spontaneous brilliance during one of the group’s final collaborations. The docuseries is split over three episodes and covers 21 days of studio time culminating in their unannounced rooftop concert.
‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ (2023)
The concert film of the highest-grossing tour of all time was nearly as historic as the 18-month Eras Tour itself. The film follows three shows at SoFi Stadium in the summer of 2023 and brought the toughest ticket in town to movie theaters around the world. Swift bucked the traditional distribution model by striking an agreement with AMC Theaters and Cinemark Theaters and catching the major film studios with a surprise release date that caused the reshuffling of previously scheduled premieres.
‘Summer of Soul’ (2021)
Streaming on Disney+, Streaming on Hulu
Questlove’s directorial debut celebrates the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a series of shows over six Sundays from June to August at Mount Morris Park. Using festival footage, news footage and modern-day interviews to paint the historical and cultural backdrop of the exclamation point of the Civil Rights Movement. Praised for the restoration of a landmark, the film also highlights how a star-studded celebration of Black culture featuring Stevie Wonder and Nina Simone was largely forgotten by mainstream history.
‘Milli Vanilli’ (2023)
A documentary film about the German-French pop duo follows their rapid rise to fame and their catastrophic fall. Candid interviews unravel the duo’s notorious lip-syncing scandal and reveal the deception that rocked the music world. The film features interviews with surviving member Fab Morvan and examines the deeper issues in manufactured pop music and the music industry’s treatment of artists.
‘The Day the Music Died’ (2022)
An inside look at Don McLean’s historic song “American Pie,” the film explores the influences of the track that swept the nation. The documentary intercuts the story of the tragic deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper with the societal shifts of the 1960s and McLean’s own journey as an artist.
‘Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza’ (2024)
Never-before-seen footage shows how a simple alternative rock touring festival bidding farewell to Jane’s Addiction became a global cultural institution that helped reshape the music industry. Created by Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, the film traces the evolution of the festival format that fundamentally changed the music industry.
‘History of the Eagles’ (2013)
The two-part documentary is meant to serve as a definitive account of The Eagles history. Part one follows the band from their inception in 1971 to their 1980 breakout. Part two explores the subsequent eras from their reunion in 1994 into the 2000s. The documentary mixed archived footage of the band as well as interviews with the band and the people who knew them best.
‘Laurel Canyon’ (2020)
A documentary of the influential music scene that emerged out of the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles during the 1960s. The film follows a handful of breakthrough artists including Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, The Doors, The Byrds and The Eagles.
‘Stop Making Sense’ (1984)
Shot over four nights in 1983 at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater, Stop Making Sense was a self-produced project from the Talking Heads about their legendary Speaking in Tongues tour. Considered one of the greatest concert films of all time, it was preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural and historical significance.
Best Music Biopics of the Last 30 Years
Here are the best music biopics of the last three decades:
‘Walk the Line’ (2005)
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon’s award-winning performances bring depth to Johnny Cash’s rise from rural poverty to country legend, and his passionate relationship with June Carter. The film captures Cash’s troubled but brilliant persona, capturing the highs and lows of fame and love.
‘Ray’ (2004)
Following the life of Ray Charles from childhood struggles to becoming an R&B icon, Jamie Foxx’s transformative portrayal earned wide acclaim for showing the genius and vulnerability of the legendary musician.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (2018)
A retelling of Queen’s meteoric rise and Freddie Mercury’s complex personal journey brought Queen’s music to a new generation. Rami Malek won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Mercury.
‘Rocketman’ (2019)
A fantasia-like musical depicting Elton John’s transformation from shy prodigy to flamboyant superstar. The film balances John’s struggles of addiction and identity with how he coped with fame.
‘Straight Outta Compton’ (2015)
Realistic retelling of the rap group N.W.A’s rise from Compton in the late ’80s to influence rap culture globally. The film earned praise for its balance of social commentary of a pivotal time in modern Black culture.
‘Love & Mercy’ (2014)
A biographical film of the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson showcases the band leader’s immense musical talent intertwined with his struggle with severe mental health issues. Dual performances from Paul Dano and John Cusack as a younger and older Wilson capture the complexity of Wilson’s creative genius and fragility.
‘Selena’ (1997)
The inspiring and heart-wrenching story of Tejano star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s rise to stardom. Led by Jennifer Lopez in a career-defining role, the film captures her cultural impact and tragic death with warmth and optimism. The film was preserved in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2021.
‘Miles Ahead’ (2015)
A non-linear, stylistic glimpse into jazz legend Miles Davis blends reality and fiction. Written by, directed by and starring Don Cheadle as Davis, the film conjures the spirit of innovation and personal struggle in Davis’s life and art.
‘Get On Up’ (2014)
An energetic exploration of James Brown’s tumultuous journey from poverty to becoming the “Godfather of Soul.” Starring the late great Chadwick Boseman, the film focuses on Brown’s fierce work ethic, unique performances and complicated personal life.
‘Jersey Boys’ (2014)
Based on the Tony Award-winning musical of the same name, the film chronicles the formation and success of The Four Seasons. Under Clint Eastwood’s direction, the film combines classic music with drama about friendship, betrayal and the cost of fame.
‘The Runaways’ (2010)
The Runaways depicts the formation and struggles of the groundbreaking all-girl rock band. Focusing on Cherie Currie and Joan Jett, played by Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart respectively, the film captures the spirit of youthful rebellion, fame and the challenges of being women in rock.
‘La Vie en Rose’ (2007)
A sweeping biography of the iconic French singer Édith Piaf covers her rise from hardship to international fame in the 1940s. Marion Cotillard’s Oscar-winning performance reveals the deep emotions and tragedy behind the legendary voice of a nation.
‘Notorious’ (2009)
Based on the life of Brooklyn-based rapper The Notorious B.I.G., the biopic spotlighting his upbringing and rise to hip-hop royalty before his tragic death. The movie highlights his charisma against the background violence surrounding East Coast rap in the 1990s.
‘Back to Black’ (2021)
This biopic about Amy Winehouse depicts her whirlwind rise, raw talent and tragic battles with addiction and heartbreak. The film captures the pain and brilliance that defined Whitehouse’s music and life.
‘Elvis’ (2022)
The epic biopic of rock legend Elvis Presley successfully encapsulates one of the greatest musicians of all time. Austin Butler earned praise for his portrayal of Presley most notably from Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley who noted Butler “channeled and embodied my father’s heart and soul beautifully.”
Watch Music Documentaries & More on DIRECTV
Watch these iconic music documentaries and musician biopics on DIRECTV!
Frequently Asked Questions
What new music biopics came out in 2025?
2025 music biopics include 'It's Not Over, Jeff Buckley' and 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.'
When is Taylor Swift: The End of an Era docuseries coming out?
The six part docuseries, Taylor Swift: The End of an Era premieres on December 12 on Disney+.
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