Movies About Music: A Must-Watch List for Indie Artists

The music business can be the wild west sometimes. Starting out as an artist, it’s easy to be taken advantage of or get caught in lopsided deals. We’ve compiled the best docs and films for indie artists. Some go into detail on the inner workings of major labels and some are uplifting feel good stories about determination. These are some of the most compelling music industry movies.

Artifact

The documentary follows rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars as they first learn of and then begin to fight a $30 million lawsuit brought by record label EMI. The lawsuit seems to be a jab at the band for trying to get out of their record deal. 30 seconds to mars= 30 million dollars.

I think the most interesting part is the fact that Jared Leto is probably worth 70 million dollars at the time of filming from his acting career. If they didn’t have money to create this documentary and hire the best music lawyer in the game Peter Paterno. Without the funds to create this documentary and hire top music lawyer Peter Paterno, and without Jared, the band might have been overwhelmed and silenced by EMI and their powerful legal team.

However, the band chose to fight back. It's an incredible story that also captures the making of their 2009 album "This Is War" amidst the highly publicized legal battle. This is one the best movies about the music industry. The film features legends of the music business including: Daniel Ek, Irving Azoff, Jason Flom, Brandon Boyd and Chester Bennington.

You can watch the film on YouTube here: Thirty Seconds To Mars - Artifact (2012)

Muscle Shoals

This documentary celebrates Rick Hall, the founder of the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and the signature sound he crafted in iconic songs like "I'll Take You There," "Brown Sugar," and "When a Man Loves a Woman."

It's remarkable how many hits emerged from Muscle Shoals, spanning not just years, but decades. I wont get into how many music legends are in this documentary from Keith Richards to Aretha Franklin and Alicia Keys.

The documentary is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Unsung Hero

When David Smallbone's music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the Nashville to search for a brighter future. Struggling to make ends meet, the couple soon realize the talents of their children. It's a feel good story and mostly covers the power of faith family and determination.

Coming from someone who started their music career in Australia I could relate to this story. I don’t want to spoil the story so I won't get into specifics but it's a great story for any indie artist or anyone starting out in the competitive music industry.

You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.

The Playlist

The Playlist is a docu-drama mini-series created for Netflix. It was inspired by the book Spotify Untold written by Sven Carlsson and Jonas Leijonhufvud. The series covers a pivotal time in the music business as Pirate Bay ironically based in Sweden was becoming a massive platform for free music  downloads. The majors were reeling and series also covers the subsequent lawsuit against Pirate Bay.

The series mostly follows Daniel Ek who is a software developer. After getting rejected by Google he hacks Google so his company shows up at the top of Google. Daniel runs into multiple hurdles trying to build Spotify and license music. It's a story of grit and determination and every music person should see how close Spotify was to failing on multiple occasions.

The series is available to stream on Netflix. 

Searching for Sugar Man

"Searching for Sugar Man" is a 2012 documentary film that follows the extraordinary journey of two South African fans as they seek to uncover the fate of Sixto Rodriguez, an enigmatic American musician who vanished from the public eye after his albums failed to gain traction in the United States. Unbeknownst to Rodriguez, his music had become the soundtrack of a generation in apartheid-era South Africa, where he was a symbol of anti-establishment sentiment.

The film explores the myths surrounding Rodriguez’s mysterious disappearance and his unexpected rediscovery, revealing a story of talent, obscurity, and the transformative power of music.

The film also boasts and impressive 95% on rotten tomatoes, you can stream it on Apple+ or YouTube TV

Hype!

"Hype!" is a 1996 documentary directed by Doug Pray that chronicles the rise of the grunge music scene in Seattle during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The film captures Seattle's transformation from a relatively obscure city in the music world to the epicenter of a global music movement, largely driven by bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney.

For indie artists, "Hype!" is an essential watch as it offers invaluable lessons on maintaining authenticity in the face of commercial pressure and navigating the complexities of sudden fame. The film’s candid exploration of how a local, underground movement was co-opted and commodified by the music industry provides critical insights into the challenges and opportunities that come with independent success. Featuring live performances, rare footage, and a raw look at the musicians who were at the heart of the movement, "Hype!" serves as both a celebration of the music and a cautionary tale for artists striving to stay true to their own creative identity.