2024 was another interesting year for music documentaries. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual listener, this year’s top music documentaries provide a compelling glimpse into the creative process, struggles, and triumphs that define the music world.
An eclectic bunch of films about all-time greats, examinations of tragic lives of the past, and two music-tinged stories of presidential assassinations. Here are the 20 best music documentaries of 2024 that you won’t want to miss.
Hinkley: I Shot the President
In this doc, John Hinckley, Jr., the man who famously tried to kill Ronald Reagan in 1981, finally tells his story at length for the first time. Why is it a music doc? Because Hinckley, following his release from custody after more than 30 years… began an unlikely career as a singer-songwriter, with a YouTube channel. And hilariously, the Hinkley documentary was released on the same day as the Reagan biopic.
Maestra
A film that hasn’t yet gotten past the festival circuit, this is a documentary, from filmmaker Maggie Contreras, about several women who compete in all-female conducting competition. Sure, it may be meant to capitalize on the popularity of Tar, and later of Maestro, but I was intrigued throughout.
Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary
A lot of documentaries this year looked at the history of a particular genre, and the Yacht Rock film, which debuted on HBO earlier this month, is an entertaining look at yacht rock, which is more a defined-after-the-fact radio format than an actual genre. The section where they talk about all the hip-hop artists who have sampled this music is a definite highlight.
Let the Canary Sing
A probing look at the life and career of Cyndi Lauper, from her rock-and-wrestling heyday in the ‘80s to her modern success as a rare pop star who has successfully crossed over to Broadway composing. That said, the best Lauper documentary moment of the film is in a different one, further up the list.
Beatles ’64
No, it’s not the best Beatles documentary I’ve ever seen, nor does it really do much to dislodge the popular understanding of the events it depicts. But it’s still a ton of fun to see the Fab Four in their prime (or rather, one of their many primes).
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
A lovely treatment of the great Japanese composer near the end of his life, performing some of his greatest works while sitting alone at a piano. It’s sad but lovely, and never anything but gorgeously filmed.
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Once again, not the best of the recent nonfiction projects involving Bruce; that would be the Netflix treatment of Springsteen on Broadway. But this is a worthwhile modern look at Bruce, approaching his 75th birthday, continuing to perform and fill stadiums.
Art Dealers
Fantastic road documentary about Low Cut Connie, the ever-evolving music project of Philly-based musician Adam Weiner. This follows him during the pandemic, and also on the road through a series of gigs, in New York City and elsewhere, and provides a fantastic portrait of the unique culture around his shows.
Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour
I admit I wasn’t super-familiar with Olivia Rodrigo‘s music before watching this, presentation of her concert in Los Angeles, but it’s both the showcase of a huge talent, and a pretty great way to stage a filmed rock show. The Eras Tour film a year ago set a new standard for modern concert films, and this one is right up there.
Omar & Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird
This doc is assembled from years of home video footage of Omar Rodriguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, from the bands At the Drive In and the Mars Volta, and touches on everything from addiction to romantic entanglements to the Church of Scientology.
The Philly Sound Heard ‘Round the World
Premiering at the Philadelphia Film Festival, Bill Nicoletti‘s film traces the history of Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios, told through the eyes of virtually every living important figure from that time period (and several others who have since passed away.) I have no idea when this one is getting released, but it’s wonderful.
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon
Yes, it’s a nearly four-hour documentary about the life and musical career of Paul Simon, from the Simon and Garfunkel days until his solo work of today. Directed by Alex Gibney, it follows the formula of Martin Scorsese’s epic docs on Dylan and George Harrison and deserved to be seen much more than it was.
The Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All
Finally arriving this year after a multiyear festival run, this doc arrived at a moment of renewed relevance for the folk duo, especially after “Closer to Fine” was featured in Barbie. Alexandra Bombach’s film follows Indigo Girls‘ entire history, including coming out in the ‘80s, the Lilith Fair days, and Emily Saliers’ struggles with alcoholism.
I Am Celine Dion
There are a lot of intimate music documentaries this year, but only one featured the subject having a seizure on camera. That was this amazing Amazon look at Celine Dion, which follows both her music career over the years — including all those show-stopping movie themes — and her present battle with Stiff Person’s Syndrome.
Flipside
Chris Wilcha’s film is only nominally a music documentary, as it starts with him visiting an old record store and eying it as a documentary subject, before also revisiting several other potential subjects. Sure, it’s stream-of-consciousness, but also never leess than compelling.
Music by John Williams
A look back at the towering musical legacy of the composer responsible for the themes for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Schindler’s List and dozens of other classic movies, told through the lens of the still-lucid 92-year-old John Williams, and especially his friendship with Steven Spielberg.
The Greatest Night in Pop
Directed by Bao Nguyen, this tells the story of “We Are the World,” when pretty much every major rock star in 1985 assembled on one night to sing The USA for Africa charity single. The highlight, by far, is Cyndi Lauper telling the story of the song’s famous bridge, and how despite self-doubt and through countless takes, she nailed it.
Luther: Never Too Much
A life-spanning documentary about the late Luther Vandross, from director Dawn Porter, demonstrates both that Vandross was a massive talent and also that he lived an unbelievably sad life, full of loss of loved ones, and a lifetime spent, almost certainly, as a closeted gay man. And throughout, you get to hear pretty much all of his great songs.
Eno
The year’s most radical use of the documentary form: Telling the story of music visionary Brian Eno, Gary Hustwit’s film is different every time: Through an algorithm that mirrors Eno’s musical style, it uses different scenes each time it’s shown. Presented in road show form throughout the year, Eno is hard to find, but still essential.
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
And the year’s best music documentary is Johan Grimonprez‘s film, mostly about the 1961 coup against Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba, but also spreads way further into Cold War intrigue, playing jazz music throughout by the musicians who participated in the attendant protests.
Have you seen many of this year’s music documentaries? How does it stack up to last year’s list?
