Fifteen underrated music documentaries that are a must-see

The moment rock and other modern musical forms exploded, the rock documentaries appeared. The big concert and festival films took the lead, and documentaries like Monterey Pop, Woodstock,  Gimme Shelter, Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, and Wattstax some more, some less spread across the cinemas around the world. Concert documentaries became a sort of a staple, with The Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense becoming a sort of a high mark there.

Beginning in the 1970s, the production of music documentaries was on a continuous rise, but not that many reached widespread distribution, with fans grabbing any chance they could get to see them. Yet, it was only when streaming became such a big thing that we got the impression that there was a glut of music documentaries and that you had to either make a choice or try hard to find those worth seeing.

Add to that an ever-growing list of excellent TV (streaming) music documentary series like Laurel Canyon, The Beatles’ Get Back, 1071 The Year Music Changed Everything, and Stax: Soulsville USA, and music fans can really get spoiled for choice.

Underrated music documentaries that music lovers must see

In that so-called glut, some of the greats from previous decades and even newer ones got lost, some became forgotten and others simply fell between the cracks. Here are 16 of those that just need to be seen by any serious music fan.

Don’t Look Back 1967

This film by Dan Pennebaker is essential for a number of reasons. On the one hand, it started a trend of Dylan documentaries that runs to this day (with Martin Scorsese at the forefront). On the other, it was among the first documentaries that wanted to dig deeper into the music of a specific artist, in this case, looking at Dylan's transformation from a folkie to a taking new directions.

The Decline of Western Civilization I-III (1981-88)

Through three installments, Penelope Spheeris takes a look at the LA scene of the day, covering punk, metal, and connected genres, but, at the same time, looking into the social aspects that brought such music to the forefront at the time. All three installments had big thumbs up from critics and earned Spheeris the title of ‘rock and roll anthropologist.’

Sign O' the Times (1987)

The album of the same name just might be Prince’s best, so it was no wonder that he decided to direct this concert version of the album, interspersed with a few offstage scenes. Rarely a fluke on stage, he seems to pick himself at his best live here.

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco (2002)

Taking a look at a specific album by an artist has become a popular approach these days, some succeeding, some not. Sam Jones’ look at how Wilco recorded their brilliant album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a showcase of how that should be done.

End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)

Ramones are surely one of the most influential punk bands, but as director Michael Gramaglia shows us, their story is not exactly a very happy one (if at all). It is one of those films that takes a good look at what makes a certain band tick and what stands behind its music.

Scott Walker: 30 Century Man (2008)

With one of the strangest careers in modern music (just try out some of his last recorded albums), the late Scott Walker was also a man with an incredible voice, with his songwriting taking a route from straight-ahead pop to true avant-garde. Director Stephen Kijak does an excellent job of trying to capture Walker trying to explain something that is so hard to explain.

Shut Up and Play the Hits (2012)

Another great concert documentary that captures James Murphy and his LCD Soundsystem at the band’s (then) last concert, showcasing how you can combine smart, sometimes weird lyrics with music that is utterly danceable at the same time.

 Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

 Malik Bendjelloul’s film about the late Sexto Rodriguez, his excellent album that originally went nowhere in the U.S. but gained cult here status in South Africa, earned quite a few film prizes, and all for the right reasons.

Who Is Harry Nilsson (and Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)? (2012)

BBC’s Channel 4 has become one of the synonyms of excellent music documentary production, and John Scheinfield’s film is an example of how to use in the best manner some excellent eyewitness interview footage and archival material in telling the story of one of the more underrated artists

Long Strange Trip (2017)

With both Gerry Garcia and recently Phil Lesh gone, it is high time to (re)visit this film, particularly if you didn’t have a chance to see it previously. In many ways, director Amir Bar-Lev takes a free jam approach to look at one of rock’s seminal bands, as if he is following the free-form approach the band took to their concerts.

David Crosby: Remember My Name (2019)

Until he passed away, Crosby was always a controversial figure, that often marred the outlook on his music. Using a brilliant interview by Cameron Crowe, director A.J. Eaton shows why Crosby deserved more respect than he did, as one of the prime movers of the late sixties- early to mid-seventies Southern California scene.

The Velvet Underground (2021)

This one could be a feat if only for the fact that Velvet Underground archival footage is barely existent. Yet, Todd Haynes, who directed the film, is not just a big fan but also somebody who has dug deep into the music, as well as the New York avant-garde scene from which one of the most influential rock music bands came.

Summer of Soul (...Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

With a series of music documentaries he directed or is preparing, Roots drummer Questlove is possibly one of the leaders in creating excellent music documentaries. Here, Questlove takes the recorded footage of 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival concerts, as well as interviews and other archival footage, into something that is not just a music story.

Hallelujah: a Journey, a Song 2021

Leonard Cohen’s music and life have been covered a number of times, usually with great results. Leonard Cohen: Bird on a Wire and more recent Marriane & Leonard: Words of Love are prime examples, but this film by Nick Broomfield possibly tops the list.

Looking at one of Cohen’s key songs/poems, Broomfield is actually able to cover Cohen’s complete career and his importance in modern music.

The Beach Boys (2024)

A seemingly simple title for a complicated story that proves that old saying that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. A comprehensive history of the band, its music, and what went on behind it by Frank Marshall and Thom Zimmy, with a detailed review.

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