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The 20 Best Music Documentaries On Netflix

By Jade Budowski @jadebudowski

Published May 30, 2017, 8:00 a.m. ET

Rock and roll icons, pop stars, and the power of music are among the subjects of these fascinating films.Photo: Everett Collection

Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
The late, great Jonathan Demme helms this fabulous account of Justin Timberlake's last show with the Tennessee Kids and somehow manages to maintain the film's fun, humble energy for its entirety. Whether you love Timberlake or not, this flick will make a believer out of you.
[Stream Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids]

Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
This heartbreaking, inspiring documentary follows country legend Glen Campbell as he embarks on a farewell tour after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. As Campbell says goodbye, he learns to navigate the unpredictable, devastating nature of the disease with his family through music and love.
[Stream Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me] Courtesy Everett Collection

Revenge of the Mekons
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100
There's a lot of love in this rockumentary - director Joe Angio smartly tells the story of English punk group the Mekons, a band that knew hardly anything about music when they formed in the late 1970s and slowly became a passionate, political influence in the industry. While they never reached a huge level of fame, their love for the artistry and connecting to their audience set them apart from other bands of the genre.
[Stream Revenge of the Mekons] Jim Newberry

The Winding Stream
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
This moving documentary tells the history of the Carters and the Cashes and how they became some of the most iconic names in country music. If you're on the fence about this one, don't be surprised if you find yourself tapping your foot and humming along as the film sucks you into the rich, dynamic world of country music and the love inside it.
[Stream The Winding Stream]

Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
Rush may be a punch line for some people, but for fans of the band (and naïve music lovers alike), this documentary will tell some familiar stories and shed some light on the formation and domination of the famed Canadian rock band.
[Stream Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage]

Beware of Mr. Baker
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
This fascinating documentary takes a look back at the career of Ginger baker, the renowned drummer of bands Cream and Blind Faith. The highs and lows of Baker's life are truly stunning to witness, as well as where he's ended up after such an illustrious career.
[Stream Beware of Mr. Baker]

Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Despite being incredibly influential within the heavy metal genre, Anvil had never found mainstream success. This 2008 documentary follows the act after a disappointing European tour as Anvil records their thirteenth album and set out to achieve their dreams. Funny, entertaining, and surprisingly touching, the journey you embark on with the band will make you care more than you ever thought you could about their success.
[Stream Avil! The Story of Anvil]Photo by brentjcraig.com

The Wrecking Crew
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
This rockumentary celebrates the unsung heroes that were session musicians for some of the most legendary artists of all time - Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and The Beach Boys, to name a few - and pays them their long overdue praise. Enjoyable for both musicians and film-lovers, this fascinating documentary offers a beautiful peek into history.
[Stream The Wrecking Crew]

Sample This
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
The sampling debate is all the rage in the music industry right now, but this insightful documentary explores how an Incredible Bongo Band's forgotten record somehow became one of the foundations of hip hop after an artist named DJ Herc put his own spin on it and created a Bronx anthem. Featuring a slew of interviews with iconic industry names, this revelatory documentary will open your eyes to a whole new side of hip hop.
[Stream Sample This]

Keep On Keepin' On
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89
It's hard to believe this is a documentary and not the story of a an Academy Award-winning feature; the story of jazz legend Terry Clark's mentoring of blind piano prodigy Justin Kauflin is an intriguing, moving tale that will inspire even the most downtrodden of artists. You'll need to bring the tissues for this one - but we promise you'll be smiling through your tears.
[Stream Keep On Keepin' On]

Presenting Princess Shaw
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
This rousing, unique film explores the collaborative relationship between composer and video artist Ophir Kutiel and songwriter & YouTube star Samantha Montgomery as this unlikely duo finds a way to jumpstart each other's careers. This relatable quest for stardom kicks off with a slow start, but you're bound to be hooked by the end.
[Stream Presenting Princess Shaw] ©Magnolia Pictures/Courtesy Ever

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
This unique, cathartic film documents Metallica's existential examination after bassist Jason Newsted quits the band and frontman James Hetfield departs the group to go to rehab for alcoholism. As the band is forced to confront their demons and work through their problems in therapy, they record an album and dig their way out of the darkness.
[Stream Metallica: Some Kind of Monster]

Rolling Stones: Crossfire Hurricane
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
This rock-doc brings together the iconic band on their 50th anniversary to recount the first 20 years of their career. Discussions range from songwriting and Beatles comparisons to sex, drugs, and fights, and it's truly fascinating to watch how all of these factors culminated to create one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
[Stream Rolling Stones: Crossfire Hurricane]

I Am Thor
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Body builder, actor, and musician Jon Mikl Thor, frontman of 1980s hair metal band THOR, is the subject of this fascinating documentary that explores the tumultuous career of the singer. Starting with his comeback in 2001, the film uses interviews and concert footage to chronicle the revival of Thor's music in the metal genre.
[Stream I Am Thor]

What Happened, Miss Simone?
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Ahead of her time in a number of ways, "High Priestess of Soul" and civil rights activist Nina Simone struggled with mental illness in a time when her illness was not quite accepted yet. While you may have been listening to her sing for years, this look at her life, her family, and the way fame affected her will paint the legendary performer in an entirely new light.
[Stream What Happened, Miss Simone?]

Orion: The Man Who Would Be King
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85
This bonkers documentary reveals the truth behind the 'Elvis is alive' myth and how it came to be in the first place. Jimmy Ellis, an unknown singer, is thrust into the spotlight after living a quiet life and takes part in a scheme that has him masquerade as Elvis returned from the grave. This insane look into one of the biggest modern music myths of our time is absolutely fascinating.
[Stream Orion: The Man Who Would Be King]

Lemmy
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83
Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, founder and lead vocalist of British heavy metal band Motörhead, is the subject of this film profile, and many of his famous friends and admirers help tell the story of his wild, life-consuming career. This candid, unique documentary is an eye-opening look at what the life of a rock star is really like.
[Stream Lemmy]

Biggie & Tupac
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
This documentary focuses on the eponymous Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, the rivalry of the East Coast/West Coast and hip-hop and rap scenes of the 1990s, and the way their early deaths impacted the industry and those who knew them. Their revolutionary music changed the genre forever, and the film's speculation about the two artists' deaths is absolutely intriguing.
[Stream Biggie & Tupac]

Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74
Get ready for this one with tissues and perhaps a viewing partner, because it's a doozy - this beautiful documentary follows social worker Dan Cohen and his use of music therapy with dementia patients. This enlightening exploration of the way music combats memory loss is moving and revolutionary in its own right.
[Stream Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory]

Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%
Everyboooody, yeaaah. You're bound to bop your head along to this documentary (especially if you were a 90s kid) that follows the boy band over two years. The story of their entire career is told in this flick - including how they've coped with becoming "grown men in a boy band". The refreshing honesty of the group and the tumultuous nature of their career makes this documentary a surprising stand-out.
[Stream Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of]

A good song can take you away to a different world, and the artists behind these tunes are often some of the most fascinating figures pop culture has to offer. Music documentaries can offer a unique insight into the lives of these artists, the way these songs came to be, and the impact they’ve had on the industry and the world as a whole – and streaming giant Netflix has no shortage of top-notch chronicles of music history.

The platform’s ‘Music’ category offers a slew of concert tapings, in-depth explorations of artists, and music phenomenons as a whole. Whether you want to jam out with rock classics or hum along to bubble gum pop music, there’s bound to be a music documentary to your liking hidden in the extensive selections the service has to offer.

Wondering how to get started? We went through Netflix‘s massive catalogue to find the best of the best. These are the top 20 music documentaries on Netflix, ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes scores.

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