The best music documentaries to stream on Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime has an extensive list of music documentaries spanning across all genres – if you type into the search bar you’ll see 357 pages of hits. To help you find the best music documentaries to stream, we’ve picked our top ten.
Sound City
This 2013 documentary, directed by Dave Grohl, looks at the history of the recording studio, Sound City Studios in Los Angeles. Artists such as Nirvana, Kyuss, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Rick Springfield, Tom Petty, Rage Against the Machine and Slipknot recorded groundbreaking music at the studio.
Gimme Danger
The 2016 film follows the rise, fall and reunion of The Stooges – celebrating their influence on the development of punk rock in the 1970s. The documentary is directed by Jim Jarmusch and took over a decade to make.
Bowie: The Man Who Changed the World
The 2016 documentary takes a look at David Bowie, telling his story through stills, interviews and film clips. It features archive interviews with David Bowie and exclusive contributions from those who worked with him.
Jennifer Lopez: Dance Again
Offering an insight into Jennifer Lopez’s life on and off-stage – combining high-energy musical performances with a raw and candid look at Lopez's personal and professional life over six months. The documentary captures the challenge of going on her first world tour with her two young children, parents and closest friends.
Made In America
The documentary takes you behind-the-scenes of the 2012 Made In America festival in Philadelphia – looking at what it means to be ‘Made In America’, what the festival represents and why Jay-Z did it. It also features performances from Pearl Jam, Odd Future, Dirty Projectors, Skrillex, Santigold, Janelle Monáe and Run-DMC.
Whitney
The documentary is an intimate look at Whitney and her family that goes beyond tabloid headlines, shedding new light on her life. Directed by Kevin Macdonald – the Oscar-winning filmmaker – the film was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2019.
Katy Perry The Movie: Part of Me
The 2012 autobiographical documentary concert film looks at Katy Perry’s life growing up, from her childhood and teenage years, to her career and breakdown of her marriage to Russell Brand. Along with clips from her childhood, the film also contains performances from her worldwide California Dreams Tour.
Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams
Documenting Coldplay’s rise to fame from their first rehearsal in a student bedroom to the A Head Full of Dreams Tour, filmed over 20 years by longtime friend, Mat Whitecross. The documentary blends spectacular live performances with exclusive band interviews, along with an array of previously-unseen archive footage.
Lemmy
The 2010 documentary explores the life and career of British rock musician and founder, bassist and lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Motörhead. The documentary features interviews with Slash, Duff McKagan, Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and many more.
Justin Bieber: Believe
The 2013 music documentary looks at Justin Bieber's rise to international fame as he embarks on his Believe Tour. The film features interviews with Justin Bieber, his mother, mentor Usher, manager Scooter Braun, recording artist Ludacris and others. It combines the interviews with concert and behind-the-scenes footage.
