The Best Music Documentaries on Every Streaming Platform

Music documentaries grant unprecedented access to the stories behind our favorite songs, artists, and iconic moments that have made their mark on music history. Whether you’re looking to broaden your musical horizons or simply enjoy historic performances from the comfort of your home, here’s a rundown of the best documentaries available across major streaming platforms. 

Best Music Documentaries on Netflix

Netflix has emerged as a powerhouse for music documentaries, where stadium-sized budgets meet fly-on-the-wall access.

• The Greatest Night in Pop (2024)—Want to see Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, and Cyndi Lauper packed into one recording booth? This fascinating look at the making of “We Are the World” captures the excitement and chaos of the historic USA for Africa supergroup collaboration that united the era's biggest musical stars for charity. 
• Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé (2019)—A glossy retelling of Beyoncé’s 2018 Coachella performance, directed and executive produced by the star herself. This documentary brilliantly stitches concert footage with candid rehearsal moments, showcasing how this iconic gig transformed a music festival stage into a powerful celebration of Black culture.
• Quincy (2018)—From director Rashida Jones, this intimate portrait of musical legend Quincy Jones ’51 ’83H spans six decades of music history. Some critics felt the film shies away from exploring some of the more challenging aspects of Jones’ story, but viewers can discover the artist’s vast influence on popular music, from producing Michael Jackson's biggest hits to breaking racial barriers in the industry. 

Best Music Documentaries on Hulu

Hulu's collection bridges decades of artistic innovation, delving into the unsung heroes and cultural icons who shaped modern sound.

• The Wrecking Crew (2008)—A long-overdue spotlight on the legendary session musicians who, from the shadows of the spotlight, created the defining sound of a generation. Director Denny Tedesco pays tribute to his father, the great guitarist Tommy Tedesco, and his tight-knit group of session players who gave life to the 1960s and 70s California sound, from Beach Boys classics to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. 
• Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)—The first fully authorized documentary about the Nirvana frontman draws upon over 200 hours of unreleased music and archives. Montage of Heck combines Cobain's personal artwork, journals, and home movies with innovative animation to craft an immersive portrait of the artist's inner life. Through intimate family footage and raw personal recordings, it reveals the complex humanity behind the reluctant voice of a generation.
• Louder: The Soundtrack of Change (2024)—This powerhouse documentary traces how music has amplified and advanced social change across generations—from the protest songs of the Civil Rights Movement to hip-hop's response to police brutality. Rare footage and interviews with artists including Bob Dylan, Public Enemy, and Nina Simone offer viewers an inside look at the watershed musical moments that challenged the status quo and inspired movements for social justice.

Best Music Documentaries on Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime delves into the stories behind legendary bands and breakthrough artists with intimate portraits that go beyond the music.

• Long Strange Trip (2017)—This four-hour behemoth of a film chronicles the Grateful Dead’s cultural impact through never-before-seen footage and candid interviews. Discover how this merry band of counterculture misfits created one of music’s most devoted followings in music history, the “Deadheads.”
• The Girls in the Band (2013)—Enter into the world of the forgotten female jazz pioneers who defied both racism and sexism to play in the big bands of the 1930s and '40s. Rare performance footage and heartfelt conversations with legends like saxophonist Vi Redd and trumpeter Clora Bryant reveal the artistry and determination of these musicians who blazed a trail for generations to come, even as the industry tried to push them aside.
• Mary J. Blige: My Life (2021)—In this documentary by Oscar winner Vanessa Roth, the film celebrates the 25th anniversary of Blige's album My Life. The singer, rapper and actor gets candid while reflecting on the milestone, in between footage of her performing the album live for the first time. 

Best Music Documentaries on HBO Max

The top HBO Max picks take us deep into the archives with three seminal concert films that defined the music documentary format, plus a new one making waves. 

• Gimme Shelter (1970)—This landmark documentary about the Rolling Stones' 1969 U.S. tour culminates in the infamous Altamont Free Concert, where the Hell's Angels' violent clash with the audience resulted in tragedy. With its unflinching cinematography and masterful editing, the film captures not just a concert gone wrong but the symbolic end to the era of peace and love that defined the 1960s.
• Don't Look Back (1967)—D. A. Pennebaker's revolutionary documentary follows Bob Dylan's 1965 UK tour, capturing the artist at his most creatively electric and confrontational. This film revolutionized the music documentary format with its “fly-on-the-wall” moments pitted against electric performances, such as the famous “Subterranean Homesick Blues” cue card sequence.
• Monterey Pop (1968)—This groundbreaking concert film immortalizes the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, featuring explosive debut performances from Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and the Who. The film not only captured these historic moments but helped establish the template for all future concert films, with highlights including Hendrix setting his guitar ablaze.
• Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary (2024)—Born from an ironic 2005 web comedy series that playfully mocked artists like Kenny Loggins and Jimmy Buffett, this documentary reveals how a genre once dismissed as uncool soft rock transformed from a joke into a genuine cultural phenomenon, spawning dedicated radio stations and tribute bands while earning respect from a new generation of musicians.

Best Music Documentaries on Tubi

Tubi's free offering includes some of music's most essential documentaries, from farewell concerts to revolutionary underground scenes.

• The Last Waltz (1978)—Martin Scorsese's documentation of the Band's farewell concert represents the pinnacle of concert filmmaking. Through stunning cinematography and poignant backstage moments with Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Van Morrison, the film captures the end of an era.
• Decline of Western Civilization (1981)—Penelope Spheeris's raw trilogy about Los Angeles music scenes creates a time capsule of youth subcultures. From the explosive early punk scene with X and Black Flag to the heavy metal explosion and, finally, the gutter punk movement, this documentary series traces the evolution of musical rebellion. 
• Imagine: John Lennon (1988)—With exclusive home movies and tapes recorded by Lennon himself, this is an intimate portrait of the former Beatle, unparalleled in its access to his private world. It reveals the complex humanity behind the musical legend through extensive interview footage and personal archives.

Best Music Documentaries on Disney+

Disney+ delivers both sweeping historical reconstructions and stadium-sized spectacles that capture music's biggest moments.

• The Beatles: Get Back (2021)—This seminal documentary charts the reconstruction of the Beatles' Let It Be sessions. Director Peter Jackson's assiduous restoration uncovers moments of creative alchemy and spontaneous brilliance during the Beatles' final collaborations.
• Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)—The record-breaking concert documentary that captures Swift's career-spanning stadium show with theatrical-quality production. Of course, some say the documentary will never be as magical as the real thing, but it allows the viewer to peek into the spectacle that was defining Swift's career.
• Summer of Soul (2021)—Questlove's directorial debut unearths footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, offering enlightening context into why this footage remained unseen for so long. Critics widely praised this restoration of a landmark cultural event featuring Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and Sly and the Family Stone. 

Best Music Documentaries on Paramount+

Paramount+ shines in exploring music's most fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, from industry scandals to legendary songs and festival evolution.

• Girl You Know It's True: The Milli Vanilli Story (2023)—Candid interviews with surviving member Fab Morvan and industry insiders unravel pop music's most notorious lip-syncing scandal. The film reveals how two talented dancers became the unwitting faces of a massive deception, exploring deeper questions about authenticity in the music business.
• The Day The Music Died (2022)—A inside look at Don McLean's “American Pie” and the 1959 plane crash that inspired it. The tragedy of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper is intercut with McLean's own bittersweet journey to show how this timeless masterpiece came into being. 
• Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza (2024)—Documentarian/promoter/frontman Perry Farrell utilizes never-before-seen footage to show how a simple alternative rock touring festival became a global cultural institution that helped reshape the music industry.

Your Front Row Seat to Music History

From rare archival gems to slick modern productions, these documentaries offer so much more than just performances—they capture the moments that define genres, launch movements, and change how we experience music itself. As streaming platforms continue expanding their music documentary collections, viewers have unprecedented access to both music history as it happened and history in the making.