Turn the Volume Up: Kate’s Top 10 Must-Watch Music Documentaries

From shoegaze to hardcore punk rock, music documentaries are a great way to get a behind-the-scenes look at the life of  an artist, their impact, and the story of their beginnings as a young musician or band.

Dave Grohl, Elliott Smith, Kid Cudi, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse are just a few artists in the list below – here are ten music documentaries to put on your watch list, ranging from different genres. 

Heaven Adores You

This documentary is a biopic about singer/songwriter Elliott Smith and gives an intimate view into Smith’s life of music, family, love, and hardships. Known for his reflective and melancholic music, Elliott Smith had a way of painting a vivid picture in each one of his songs, leaving listeners forever moved by his music. Released a little over ten years after Smith’s death, Heaven Adores You also serves as a tribute to Elliott’s overwhelming impact on the music industry, especially in areas like Portland, Los Angeles, and New York City. With the documentary covering all aspects of his life, including his childhood, presence in the band Heatmiser, and his unfortunate death, this documentary leaves the audience with an overwhelming appreciation for the beauty of Elliott Smith, not just as a musician but also as a human.

The Punk Singer

Kathleen Hanna, a Riot Grrrl legend, inspires the audience with a strong motivation for revolution and change. . With her involvement in bands including the notorious Bikini Kill, The Julie Ruin, and Le Tigre, Kathleen Hanna is an accurate feminine figure, especially in the punk scene. This documentary provides a truly inspirational story and traces subjects involving female inequality, the overall history of the Riot Grrrl movement, and many obstacles that Hanna faced or continues to face to this day. The Punk Singer includes appearances of Joan Jett, Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), Allison Wolfe (Bratmobile), and Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney). 

Montage of Heck

Montage of Heck is precisely what it sounds like. This documentary is a complete biography of the life and death of rock legend Kurt Cobain. Displaying never-before-seen photos and videos of Kurt throughout his childhood and short life, this film is an in-depth experience into the mind of Cobain. Using audio tapes that Cobain recorded in 1988, he tells his own story, with help from friend and family appearances of his mother and father, previous girlfriend, wife, and past bandmates. The documentary starts with his early years as a child in Aberdeen, Washington, and follows Cobain through his last few days in his home in Seattle. Montage of Heck gives any Nirvana or grunge music fan a deeper understanding of the life and story of this tragic rock star.

Amy

Amy Winehouse’s distinct sound encapsulated thousands of fans into her unique and soulful music. The documentary, Amy, is a detailed account of Amy’s rise to fame, her relationships with people and substances, and her unfortunate death, which forever shaped the modern music industry. With her Grammy-winning album “Back To Black,” Winehouse’s fame grew, but so did her struggles. Amy brings a new appreciation to this misunderstood artist, bringing a perspective separate from the hostile portrayal of Winehouse in the press. Being one of the most recent prominent members of the 27 Club, Winehouse’s death created a need for more awareness of struggling artists . Overall, Amy paints an accurate story of Winehouse] with the use of  testimonials and archived films of the star.

Salad Days

Hardcore punk grew in popularity throughout the 1980s and early 90s, especially in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New York City. Salad Days is a film released in 2014 all about the hardcore D.C scene. With personal testimonials from punk legends like Henry Rollins, Ian MacKaye, and even Dave Grohl, this documentary shows an in-depth vision of what the “Salad Days” really looked like for fans and musicians. Referring to Minor Threat’s Salad Days EP, the movie includes archived footage and photos from when the D.C hardcore punk scene became a musical genre and a movement. Salad Days features bands including Minor Threat, Black Flag, Government Issue, Scream, and more. 

Meet Me in the Bathroom

Recently released in November of 2022, Meet Me in the Bathroom depicts the early 2000s New York City music scene. Featuring bands such as The Strokes, Interpol, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, this documentary presents an in-depth view of the growth of this scene. This new generation of sound was not only an influence to musicians in New York but also across the world with bands like Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks rising in popularity. With their distinct indie-style sound, these bands brought together a music-loving city, especially after the tragedies of September 11th. With heavier topics, including gentrification and drug abuse, this film displays how these bands navigated tough issues and eventually shaped the music scene for years to come. 

Beautiful Noise

“Beautiful noise” is a great way to describe shoegaze music. This documentary presents an abstract and detailed history of the birth and life of the shoegaze genre. From 1988 to about 1994, the shoegaze era was at its prominence, and this film goes into depth in the most influential groups like Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and much more. With testimonials from Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins and Robert Smith of The Cure, it displays just how influential shoegaze is to all styles of music. Although most shoegaze includes dreamy vocals, heavy reverb, and distorted rhythms, each group has its distinctive sound. Beautiful Noise shows the importance of each band within the scene, the movement as a whole, and the legacy that the shoegaze era carries out today.

Back and Forth

Back and Forth gives a raw and in-depth look into one of the most legendary bands still rocking today, the Foo Fighters. Back and Forth recounts the story from the end of Nirvana to Foo Fighters’ international influence and success. With testimonials from familiar faces like Dave Grohl, Franz Stahl, Taylor Hawkins, and Pat Smear, this film covers all surfaces regarding Foo Fighters. Whether going over band drama, history, or members, this movie provides a vivid story by including rare footage and photos of the band. Although Back and Forth also deals with sensitive topics like substance abuse, this film will leave the audience smiling and excited to see what the future has in store for the Foo Fighters.

Beastie Boys Story 

Beastie Boys Story is a very different style of documentary, recorded live and performed in front of an audience. Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) and Mike Diamond (Mike D) tell the entire story of the rap group the Beastie Boys.Adam and Mike use this live documentary to share never-before-heard anecdotes, rare photos and videos, and their tribute towards their third deceased member, Adam Yauch (MCA). This live documentary gives the audience plenty of laughs and heartfelt stories, which is a great way to learn about the legendary “Beastie Boys.”. 

A Man Named Scott

This film is about rapper Kid Cudi also known by few as Scott Mescudi. Starting from his breakout song “Day n Nite,” released in 2009, Cudi personally tells the story of his birth and life as an artist. The film humanizes Scott through his vulnerability, revealing a history of substance abuse, mental health issues, and childhood struggles. He provides any person, fan or not, a deeper understanding of who Kid Cudi is and  not only provides rare footage and stories from his life, but also includes a personal explanation of his music, which served as more of a cry for help. Behind the glitz and the glamor, Cudi provides an honest and authentic account of his journey through the artistry and gives hope to future generations, striving to remind people that they are not alone.