The Best Music Documentaries to Watch on Amazon Prime

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Lockdown is over, but we’re continuing our quarantine relationship with our couches. While the pandemic prevented music fans from attending concerts for nearly two years, music documentaries are a great way to (somewhat) fill the void, and get you excited to watch your favorite artists return to the stage.

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Whether you’re into classic rock, grunge, hip-hop, pop or even murderous cult leaders with musical dreams, we’ve compiled our 11 favorite music documentaries available on Amazon Prime right now. Start watching with a free 30-day trial to Amazon Prime here.

See them below.

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)

The documentary shares the life of the iconic Nirvana frontman from his childhood in Aberdeen, Washington through his troubled family life and teenage years, his rise to fame until his April 1994 death. The film, which features his daughter Frances Bean Cobain as executive producer, includes Cobain’s artwork, plus music and sound collages composed by him. Other Nirvana documentaries on Prime Video include Soaked in Bleach and Nirvana Up Close & Personal.

See it here.

Mary J. Blige’s My Life (2021)

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul gets candid while reflecting on the 25th anniversary of her second studio album in Mary J Blige’s My Life, directed by Oscar-winner Vanessa Roth. The documentary chronicles Mary J. Blige’s triumphs and tribulations and includes footage of her performing her My Life album live for the first time ever.

See it here.

Sound City (2013)

The Dave Grohl-produced and directed doc tells the history of the famous Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, from its early days in the late 1960s until its 2011 closing. Grohl was inspired to create the film after he purchased the Neve 8028 analog mixing console among other things from the studio. In the film, a number of famous musicians who recorded at Sound City come together at the historic location for a jam session and to make an album of original songs.

See it here.

Stevie Nicks: Through the Looking Glass (2013)

The documentary runs through the ups and downs of Nicks’ iconic musical career, and features rare footage, archive and interviews, plus contributions from those who worked close with her.

See it here.

Gimme Danger (2016)

The Jim Jarmusch-directed film about the band The Stooges follows the group’s rise amid the late 1960s’ countercultural revolution, fall and reunion, featuring singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander.

See it here.

27: Gone Too Soon (2018)

Directed by Simon Napier-Bell, the film examines the lives and deaths of six famous members of the “27 Club,” musicians who died at 27 years old. Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse are all featured in the documentary.

See it here.

Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind (2019)

Charles Manson was best known as a cult leader who persuaded his followers to commit a number of murders, but the Tom O’Dell-directed documentary tells the often-untold story of the criminal’s obsession with becoming a rock star, his presence in the Los Angeles music scene, his friendship with The Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson and his descent into violence when his dreams didn’t come true.

See it here.

Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men (2019)

The four-episode docuseries looks back on the group’s career, featuring reflective interviews from each of the nine living members, plus never-before-seen archival footage and performances. According to the series’ description, “their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit brought them together to overcome the poverty, violence and oppression of their New York neighborhoods.”

See it here.

Katy Perry The Movie: Part of Me (2012)

The autobiographical doc and concert film, directed by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, features interviews with Perry, her friends and family as fans get a glimpse into the pop star’s inspiring life. The film features clips from her childhood and teenage years, her career, personal life plus performances from her worldwide California Dreams tour.

See it here.

Made in America (2014)

The Ron Howard-directed film follows the Made in America music festival founded by Jay-Z. The description notes that the doc is a “celebration of both the unifying power of music and pursuit of the American dream,” and features performances and backstage interviews from the show.

See it here.

Bowie: The Man Who Changed the World (2016)

The Sonia Anderson-directed film gives an inside look on David Bowie’s life and career, and how he became one of the most influential rock artists of all time. The documentary features contributions from those who worked with him, plus archived interviews with Bowie himself.

See it here.

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