With COVID-19 boycotting our holidays and weekends, there’s not much left to do than jamming and chilling. For the former you have Chordify, for the latter we have made a list of Amazon Prime documentaries about music that will not only kill some time, but also leave you amazed, and even inspired. More of an Apple TV person? We’ve found a few documentaries there, too.
Amazon Prime documentaries about music
For all you Amazon Prime documentary lovers, below you can find three movies that are totally different, but will leave you in a state of awe. We do have a disclaimer though: These documentaries might not be available in your region.
‘Stop Making Sense’ – Talking Heads
On our quest to find the best of the best music documentaries, we stumbled upon this true gem from 1984. Ever heard of the Talking Heads? How about the song “Psycho Killer“? We sure hope you have, but in case you haven’t, you’re truly in for a treat. This band took composition, sound and performance to a whole new level. The movie “Stop Making Sense” is more of a concert film than a real documentary, but still a classic.
The band itself once said that due to the filming techniques used to incorporate the audience in the movie, the band members felt awkward and insecure. According to them this is emotionally the worst Talking Heads show ever. However, this is the first time that a liveshow — or actually four shows that were later cut together as one — used a 24-track digital recording, creating a revolutionary clear soundtrack. And don’t get us started on the performance itself with all the crazy suits and songs. Check it out, and thank us later.
‘Soaring Highs And Brutal Lows: The Voices Of Women In Metal’
Metal is brutal, hard, and angry. It’s a place where darkness is worshipped; where smelly big guys with big beards and no shirt mosh in front of the stage. This is most definitely not a safe space for women, right? Wrong! In the documentary “Soaring Highs And Brutal Lows: The Voices Of Women In Metal” you’ll see the crème de la crème of the best vocalists explain how they build up their careers in a genre of darkness.
‘Biggie & Tupac’
Two of the greatest rappers in the history of hip-hop were killed in a short period of time. The 2002 documentary “Tupac & Biggie” tries to shine a light on the events that happened before and after the murder of the two iconic rappers. Even though the end remains inconclusive, the movie did kick up some dust by pointing out that Death Row Records boss Suge Knight might have played a big part in this conspiracy.
For all you hip-hop fans: This is a must see. If hip-hop is not your thing, just check it out anyway; broaden your horizon. Don’t forget to take it with a grain of salt though. Most of the theories from 2002 are already outdated.
Apple TV documentaries about music
So, Apple TV is where you check out your documentaries? That’s cool. We found two movies that hit the spot. Both are very different from each other. Check ’em out. Here’s a heads up, these movies could be blocked in your region.
Kesha: ‘Rainbow – The Film’
Pop icon Kesha is best known for her electro pop sound, that was until she released the Rainbow record in 2017. On this album, she doesn’t stick with one genre, or one specific sound. The whole record is full of songs that explore the boundaries of glam rock, neo soul, and even country. Pretty awesome stuff to hear how an artist is evolving. Even cooler is to see the journey. In Kesha: “Rainbow – The Film” we are served a semi-documentary semi-arthouse movie in which we follow Kesha’s adventure from producing the album to performing at the Grammys in 2018.
‘Beastie Boys Story’
“Now here’s a little story that I like to tell about three bad brothers that you know so well. It started way back in history with Ad-Rock, MCA, and me Mike-D.” Does this sound familiar? If you’re an old millennial, it probably does. But if you’re one of those young hipsters, the Beastie Boys phenomenon might be completely new to you. We’re kind of jealous if the latter is the case. Man, you’re in for a treat with this one.
In “Beastie Boys Story,” Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz — better known as Ad-Rock and Mike-D — tell the story of how the legendary group the Beastie Boys came to life, how it changed the music industry, and how they turned pop culture into true art. The setup of the documentary is a bit different from all the films we’ve highlighted in this blog post, because the two artists actually tell their story in front of a live audience in a theatre. Check it out, enjoy, and happy chilling!
