As music fanatics, there’s one thing we love almost as much as the live experience, and that’s a compelling music documentary.
Every often we scour the internet to piece together a nice shortlist of music inspired docos that you can watch at home, whether it be a focus on up-and-coming artists, the story of the greatest names in music, industry focused pieces or just oddities of musicians, we strive to provide you with something interesting that you may not have seen before.
In saying that, we’ve got more brilliant docos we think you’re really going to dig, so kick back, relax, and enjoy some top-tier music edutainment from the comfort of your desktop… unless of course you’re at work, in which case bookmark and watch later at your leisure.
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest (2011, Dir: Michael Rapaport)
Unquestionably one of the greatest hiphop troupes and a shining diamond in rap’s crown jewels, A Tribe Called Quest breathed a fresh sound into an expanding genre.
The three-piece are responsible for some of the most important records in recent music history, from The Low End Theory to Midnight Marauders, their alternative spin on traditional hiphop to incorporate jazz samples permanently elevated the band to legend status.
This doco tells the story of the trio’s rise to prominence, as well as the decimation and deterioration of the relationship between the band of brothers. With guest appearances from the Beastie Boys, Pharrell Williams, De La Soul, The Roots, Common and so many more, this is a straight-up brilliant any fan of hiphop needs to watch.
You Can’t Unburn The Fire! (2013, Dir:Uli Peichert)
Okay, we’ll be completely honest with this – we found this documentary out of pure chance (aka a late night YouTube hole) but boy are we glad we did.
Introducing You Can’t Unburn The Fire! a firsthand account of the insane life-changing experience that is Burning Man from the eyes of a German film maker Uli Peirchert, who basically shot and edited the entire documentary on her own, piecing the whole thing together in less than two months after the epic event.
They say that attending Burning Man is like living on another planet, so take a visit via Peirchert’s recreation.
Pump Up The Volume (2001, Dir: Josell Ramos)
While EDM may be the music genre du jour, many fans may not be fully aware of its true roots. Pump Up The Volume, a British mini-series (compiled here in full) tracing the history of house music back to its early beginnings in gay disco clubs in New York and Chicago, is EDM 101.
From its start as danceable R&B to the birth of the very first house record and the overnight popularity of rave and acid house, Pump Up The Volume gets face to face with the people who made electronic music what it is today, featuring interviews with Marshall Jefferson, Paul Oakenfold, Derrick May, Tony Wilson, and more.
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies (1994, Dir: Todd Phillips)
Warning: the following feature is probably the most right off film you’ll ever see.
Described perfectly as one of the bizarre freak shows you’ll ever see in your life, this dirty ditty is the story of hardcore/punk rocker GG Allin who died of a heroin overdose in 1993.
Allin became a cult hero (or anti hero) courtesy of his insane onstage behaviour which typically involved some form of extremely confronting display, whether it be stripping naked and performing, defecating, inflicting physical pain on both himself and the band and audience – just to name a very short few.
Hated is definitely a “see it to believe it” kind of doco, and if you’ve got a strong stomach – we definitely suggest you give it a whirl.
Boosie BadAzz: Touch Down 2 Cause Hell (2015)
This doco tells the story of controversial rapper Lil Boosie/Boosie BadAzz who has spent the past five years incarcerated for various drug charges.
The tell-all details his troubled life as a youngster, with interviews from family members telling of his passion for basketball, poetry and where it all went wrong.
For super fans, it also shows a behind the scenes look at this brand-spankin’ new record.
FREE MUSIC DOCUMENTARY ARCHIVE:
Documentaries #1
Documentaries #2
Documentaries #3
Documentaries #4
Documentaries #5
Documentaries #6
Documentaries #7
Documentaries #8
Documentaries #9
