A still from “The Greatest Night in Pop,” which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
By Jessica Herndon
There’s a line in LCD Soundsystem’s “All My Friends” where frontman James Murphy sings, “If the sun comes up and I still don’t want to stagger home / Then it’s the memory of our betters / That are keeping us on our feet.” I first heard it in my 20s, singing along without fully grasping its bittersweet weight. Now, years later, the lyric lands differently — a perfect mix of nostalgia and earned clarity that reminds me how music can anchor memory and feeling.
That’s the magic of music: It can transport us while keeping us grounded. Documentaries about the artists behind the songs give us a rare window into that magic, revealing the genesis of the art, its heart, and the process that shaped it.
Great documentaries don’t just tell stories — they help us understand the world through the eyes of others. Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program, established in the fall of 2002, has been championing this storytelling ever since, supporting filmmakers worldwide in crafting and showcasing unforgettable nonfiction. In keeping with that legacy, we’ve compiled a list of documentaries about music and the artists who create it, all of which screened at the Sundance Film Festival.
From the raw passion behind LCD Soundsystem’s story, illuminated in Meet Me in the Bathroom, a film about the rise of indie rock in New York City, to the groundbreaking energy of Little Richard in Little Richard: I Am Everything, Kurt Cobain’s haunting world in Montage of Heck, the epic journey of Long Strange Trip on the Grateful Dead, and the attack on hip-hop artists’ freedom of speech in As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial, these films trace the artistry and ambition behind the music that moves us.
Think of this as your playlist of documentaries that capture the brilliance of legendary artists.
The Return of Rubén Blades (1986 Sundance Film Festival)
A portrait of Rubén Blades, Robert Mugge’s documentary captures the Panamanian artist’s journey from salsa sensation to Harvard Law School graduate. We get a look at Blades’ roots in Panama, his performances with his band Seis Del Solar, and musical collaborations with artists like Linda Ronstadt. Check here for viewing options.
Patti Smith: Dream of Life (2008 Sundance Film Festival, winner of the Excellence in Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary)
Steven Sebring’s documentary is a poetic glimpse into the life of Patti Smith, depicting her journey from punk icon to admired writer. Filmed over 11 years, the black-and-white footage weaves candid moments with archival clips and narration by Smith. Check here for viewing options.
Finding Fela (2014 Sundance Film Festival)
By intertwining archival footage with behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Broadway musical Fela!, Alex Gibney’s film explores Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti’s revolutionary Afrobeat music and his defiant political stance against Nigeria’s military regime. Check here for viewing options.
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015 Sundance Film Festival)
Utilizing animation and personal archives — including journals, home videos, and artwork — this film, directed by Brett Morgen, offers an unfiltered look into the life of Nirvana’s frontman, Kurt Cobain, by digging into his struggles with fame, family, and inner demons. Check here for viewing options.
What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015 Sundance Film Festival)
Through rare archival footage, unreleased audio recordings, and candid interviews with Nina Simone’s daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, filmmaker Liz Garbus gives us a rare look at musician Nina Simone’s evolution from a classically trained pianist to an unapologetic civil rights activist who gave us songs like “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” Check here for viewing options.
Long Strange Trip (2017 Sundance Film Festival)
What is it about the band Grateful Dead? How and why did they become such an obsession? These are the questions that Amir Bar-Lev delves into in this film, which was executive-produced by Martin Scorsese. Through archival footage and interviews with Grateful Dead members and associates, the four-hour exploration of the band’s journey traces their psychedelic roots to cementing their status as cultural icons. Check here for viewing options.
MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. (2018 Sundance Film Festival, winner of the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award)
Chronicling M.I.A.’s turn from a Sri Lankan refugee to a global pop icon, director Steve Loveridge’s film delves into the artist’s multifaceted identity as Matangi, Maya, and M.I.A., highlighting her artistry, cultural representation, activism, and the complexities of navigating the music industry as an outspoken artist. Check here for viewing options.
Miss Americana (2020 Sundance Film Festival)
In Lana Wilson’s documentary, Taylor Swift opens up about the complexities of fame, identity, and personal growth. The film captures her journey from navigating public scrutiny to embracing her voice as an artist and activist. Check here for viewing options.
The Sparks Brothers (2021 Sundance Film Festival)
Featuring fans of the rock duo Sparks, including Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s, Beck, Jack Antonoff, Mike Myers, and Jason Schwartzman, Edgar Wright’s documentary on the underrated group consisting of brothers Ron and Russell Mael takes us through five decades of the band’s weird and incredibly influential artistry. Check here for viewing options.
Meet Me in the Bathroom (2022 Sundance Film Festival)
Just when we thought the raw energy of the rock music scene in New York had died, bands like LCD Soundsystem, The Strokes, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs emerged in the early 2000s, breathing new life into the music business and transforming an era with the rise of indie rock. Based on Lizzy Goodman’s book of the same name, this documentary by directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern utilizes never-before-seen footage and intimate interviews to capture how a new generation kick-started a musical rebirth. Check here for viewing options.
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2023 Sundance Film Festival, winner of the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary and the Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary)
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s Academy Award–winning documentary gives us a front-row seat to the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. This pivotal yet overlooked event, celebrating Black culture and pride, featured performances by Stevie Wonder, Sly & The Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Nina Simone, and more. Check here for viewing options.
Little Richard: I Am Everything (2023 Sundance Film Festival)
The Black and queer origins of rock ’n’ roll are celebrated in Lisa Cortés’ film about Little Richard’s legacy. Through archival footage and interviews with family, musicians, and scholars, the film paints a portrait of Richard Penniman as a revolutionary artist who defied societal norms. Check here for viewing options.
As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial (2024 Sundance Film Festival)
In J.M. Harper’s documentary, Bronx rapper Kemba uncovers how rap lyrics have been weaponized in the criminal justice system, challenging the boundaries of free speech and artistic freedom. Through interviews and reenactments, the film reveals the use of artistic expression as evidence in over 700 cases since the 1990s, often disproportionately affecting Black artists. Check here for viewing options.
The Greatest Night in Pop (2024 Sundance Film Festival)
In 1985, 46 iconic musicians, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper, and Bruce Springsteen, came together to record “We Are the World,” a charity single for famine relief in Africa. Through rare archival footage and interviews, Bao Nguyen’s film offers an inside look at the magic and chaos of the recording session. Check here for viewing options.
Selena y Los Dinos (2025 Sundance Film Festival, winner of the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling)
Director Isabel Castro’s documentary offers a look into the early years of Selena Quintanilla and her family band, Selena y Los Dinos. Through never-before-seen home videos and personal photographs, the film chronicles their journey from performing at local events to Selena becoming a Tejano music icon. View the film on Netflix on November 17.
