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This story was originally published in 2015 and has been updated to reflect recent releases.
Its a marvelous time to be a music buff.
50.Tom Dowd & the Language of Music(2003)
50.
49.Who Is Harry Nilsson (and Why Is Everybody Talkin About Him)?
(2012)
49.
And while John Scheinfelds documentaryWho Is Harry Nilssonbuys too much into that phony isnt a pity?
48.Little Richard: I Am Everything(2023)
48.
47.Heartworn Highways(1976)
47.
(2004)
46.
45.Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage(2010)
45.
Its that kind of artistic integrity onscreen that could make even non-fans into Rush lifers.
44.The Punk Singer: A Film About Kathleen Hanna(2013)
44.
43.The Go-Gos(2020)
43.
42.David Crosby: Remember My Name(2019)
42.
41.Good Ol Freda(2013)
41.
40.Sign o the Times(1987)
40.
Since Princes death, the film has finally become more widely available, belatedly boosting its reputation.
39.Buena Vista Social Club(1999)
39.
38.Jimi Hendrix(1973)
38.
(1996)
37.
36.Scott Walker: 30th Century Man(2008)
36.
35.A Band Called Death(2012)
35.
34.The Velvet Underground(2021)
34.
33.Say Amen, Somebody(1982)
33.
32.A Poem Is a Naked Person(1974)
32.
31.Elvis: Thats the Way It Is(1970)
31.
30.Moonage Daydream(2022)
30.
29.20 Feet From Stardom(2013)
29.
Its no wonder that it became the rare music doc to win an Oscar.
28.I Am Trying to Break Your Heart(2002)
28.
27.Long Strange Trip(2017)
27.
26.Lets Get Lost(1988)
26.
25.The Devil and Daniel Johnston(2005)
25.
24.The Decline of Western Civilization(1981)
24.
Even though the sequels superior, thats no knock against the first of Penelope Spheeriss L.A.-setDeclinefilms.
Spheeris sees the connection between artist and audience, showing them as mutually, almost symbiotically, damaged.
Historically speaking, this movie is important as a record of West Coast punk in its initial flowering.
Cinematically, its a poignant expression of frustration and melancholy.
23.The Wrecking Crew(2008)
23.
22.A Great Day in Harlem(1994)
22.
21.The Filth and the Fury(2000)
21.
20.Amy(2015)
20.
19.Madonna: Truth or Dare(1991)
19.
Its Madonna Louise Ciccones sublime self-awareness that makesTruth or Daresuch a kick.
She has awkward encounters with old friends and family who remember her as a working-class kid from Detroit.
The entire movie seems designed by Madonna herself to force the audience to question who Madonna is.
The line between performance art and brand-building has never been so thin.
18.The Clash: Westway to the World(2000)
18.
But the best of the bunch is the most concise.
The Story of Anvil(2009)
17.
Their stick-to-itiveness is pathetic and poignant.
16.Style Wars(1983)
16.
15.Homecoming:A Film by Beyonce(2019)
15.
Its a look behind the scenes at the massive effort it took to mount this one show.
Its a remarkable testament to the savvy and talent of this eras greatest R&B idol.
14.Some Kind of Monster(2004)
14.
Given the mixed reception toSt.
13.Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser(1988)
13.
12.The Last Waltz(1978)
12.
But thats a minor flaw in a major contribution to the rock-and-roll-documentary form.
11.Searching for Sugar Man(2012)
11.
10.The Kids Are Alright(1979)
10.
Thats not a problem withThe Kids Are Alright, Jeff Steins compilation of archival performances by the Who.
9.Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme(2000)
9.
8.Dont Look Back(1967)
8.
This movie is like the blueprint on how to be a modern celebrity: at once arrogant and ironic.
7.Gimme Shelter(1970)
7.
6.Amazing Grace(1972/2018)
6.
The finished version premiered three months after Franklins death, and is a wondrous, miraculous thing.
5.Scratch(2001)
5.
4.Summer of Soul(2021)
4.
3.Stop Making Sense(1984)
3.
Stylistically, his techniques forever elevated the concert film genre.
2.The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years(1988)
2.
Spheeris captures rich rockers mired in self-loathing (like W.A.S.P.
She talks to the fans who spread their allegiances between both camps.
Its a damning inquiry into the lies that sustain rock culture.
1.Woodstock(1970)
1.
But director Michael Wadleigh always meantWoodstockto be a cinema verite report on an event, not a museum piece.
