Earlier this year, I posted the first of two articles where I posed Four Musical Questions.
One of them was:
Since then, I gave more thought to the topic and began building upon a list of my favorites- the well-known, the obscure and everything in between. I thought it would be best for this conversation to not include movies about real people, so no biopics and no documentaries. If someone wants to explore that avenue in a future article, the lane is clear. Let me also clarify that musicals are only on the list if they are about the subject of music.
Once I started going down this road, it got me thinking about all of the movies about music I haven’t seen. I did some research and began compiling a wish list and set out to find them either at my local library or online.
After watching a bunch of films, sometimes alone, sometimes with my wife, several of them were added to the list.
There was one movie that two different people suggested in the comment section of my “Four Musical Questions” article. I watched it for the first time – and really loved it – and you will see it below.
I am not a hardcore cinephile nor am I a film critic, not even an amateur one. There are many movies I haven’t seen, and of those I have, very few I’ve watched more than once.
This is not a declaration of the greatest movies about music ever made.
It’s just my personal list of those that have made an impact on me, that I feel compelled to share out of my love for both movies and music.
So here are my top 20. Some of them need no introduction, but I gave it a go anyway. They are ranked, but some of the rankings could easily be interchangeable. I know some of you shared a favorite music-themed movie in my last Q&A, but if you have any other picks that fit the parameters of this discussion, have at it in the comment section, I want to hear about them.
Here we go:
1:
That Thing You Do! (1996)
An incredibly fun romp into the world of a fictional band in the 60s that becomes the inspiration for the term “one-hit wonder.” Being along for the band’s brief and thrilling ride is exactly how going to the movies should feel. And it helps that their one “hit” is incredibly catchy.
2:
Once (2007)
A chance meeting in the streets of Dublin over an utterly gorgeous song brings two strangers together in what feels more real than one would think a movie ever could. Not one thing about this is forced or unnatural. I didn’t want it to end.
3:
Whiplash (2014)
Absolutely harrowing portrayal of a twisted relationship between a power-mad college jazz band director and a student obsessed with achieving greatness. One of the most amazing films I have ever seen, and one I can never watch again. For a music nerd like myself, this played like a psychological horror movie. I seriously had trouble sleeping afterward. You can laugh at me for that if you want, but I am not exaggerating.
4:
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
What more can be said about this all-time classic? Yeah, it’s sentimental and some might say sappy, but as someone who has taught music, albeit briefly, it’s about something very real and the emotions it evokes don’t feel manufactured in the slightest. Not many movies have gotten to me quite like this one did.
5:
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
A dead-on, hilarious spoof of a British metal band trying to hang on to their glory days. It’s literally the mother of all mockumentaries, with a seemingly endless number of lines that continue to be quoted, decades later. If you’ve ever turned an amp or anything up to 11, thank this movie.
6:
The Blues Brothers (1980)
I’m from Chicago, so this film is sacred text. But you don’t have to have ever driven down Lower Wacker to appreciate the crazy adventures of Jake and Elwood, on a mission from God to get the band back together. So many fun moments, classic lines, and great appearances from musical legends.
7:
The Saddest Music in the World (2003)
This is what I said about this film in my previous article:
“A bizarre indie Canadian film that manages to be both witty and incredibly dark. A beer baroness (Isabella Rossellini) in Winnipeg during the Great Depression holds a competition to find the saddest music in the world. Director Guy Maddin meticulously recreates the feel of a movie from the 30s and unleashes something unlike anything that ever came before it or after.”
8:
Almost Famous (2000)
From the moment the words “It’s all happening” are uttered in this film, you know you are about to embark on a memorable journey through a landmark moment in time. This behind the scenes look at rock and roll aspirations in the 70s and its hangers-on doesn’t take itself so seriously that it can’t also be very funny and its inhabitants flawed and real.
9:
Sing Street (2016)
An exhilarating exploration of fantasy vs reality, 80s era MTV escapism vs a somber adolescent existence, and what it might look like when the two worlds collide.
10:
Camp (2003)
Misfit drama kids convene at a summer music theater camp, where they get a chance to shine a light that for many of them the world has done its best to try and dim. The lead song is incredibly moving.
11:
Coco (2017- Animated)
12-year-old Miguel comes from a long line of shoemakers. He aspires to be a musician, but music is banned in his family. After stealing a guitar from the mausoleum of his idol on the Day of the Dead, he finds himself transported to the afterlife, still alive, in a fantastical world inhabited by the dead. He must find his way back to the living and ends up with an unlikely ally. Let me just say, there is a scene near the end that makes me cry like a baby, every time.
12:
Grace of My Heart (1996)
Two tnocs commenters, @zeusaphone and @Eric-J recommended this film. It did not disappoint. Loosely based on Carole King’s professional arc as a songwriter and eventual recording artist, it totally works as a fictional-based-in-fact look inside the inner-workings of the Brill building hit-making machine of the late 50s-early 60s. The soundtrack of original music is spot-on for the era, including an achingly beautiful Elvis Costello-Burt Bacharach collab.
13:
Metalhead (2013) – Icelandic, with subtitles.
A troubled girl who has suffered a tragic loss takes refuge in heavy metal, becoming an outcast in her small village as her attempts to find herself amidst her grief lead to some extreme behaviors. If you are looking for something off the beaten path, I can’t recommend this enough.
14:
La La Land (2016)
Is this a movie about music? One of the two leads is a musician, so I would say at least half of it is. La La Land made a name for itself by putting musicals back on the cinematic map. The music and choreography are indeed enjoyable, but in the end, what made the film hit at a deeper level for me is that it is not afraid to celebrate the bittersweet.
15:
The Commitments (1991)
Rollicking tale of an ambitious music fan who attempts to form a working-class Irish version of an American soul band. Lots of great music!
16:
A Mighty Wind (2003)
The creative minds behind This Is Spinal Tap tackle the world of folk music. As a mockumentary, it of course pokes fun at its subject matter, but with a great deal of love and admiration, resulting in some surprisingly sincere and touching moments.
17:
We Are the Best! (2013-Swedish with subtitles)
In Stockholm in 1982, despite being repeatedly told punk is dead, two outcast girls with no musical experience whatsoever form a punk band and recruit a Christian loner who plays classical guitar to join them. Less a story about a musical triumph and more of a masterful patchwork of the joys and pitfalls of youth and friendship.
18:
The Sound of Metal (2019)
An experimental metal drummer suddenly finds that he is losing his hearing and must navigate a new world of deafness while attempting to find a solution to reclaim his old life. Won Oscars for best editing and best sound for a very good reason. It fully submerges you into his experience of hearing loss.
19:
School of Rock (2003)
The teacher (and parent) in me has to be willing to suspend all belief as to how the premise of this movie could actually happen, but it’s still highly entertaining.
20:
Eddie and The Cruisers II- Eddie Lives (1989)
By all logic, this mostly forgotten sequel should not be on this list, but I have a great affection for it, more so than the first film. The title is already a giveaway, so no spoiler alert here. Presumed dead in a car crash, with his popularity as a tragic rock figure having risen to mythical proportions, Eddie is actually alive and living anonymously in Canada as a construction worker.
He gets involved with musicians in a local bar band, but will he be able to maintain his secret identity whilst rekindling his love and passion for rock and roll? Will he once again find what was lost when he walked away from it all? You know you want to find out.
Here is a playlist of songs featured in some of these films.
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Great list! I might sequence it a bit differently but all great choices.
I love that you captured the magic of Once and put it so high on your list. How music can heal people and enable them to heal each other. That one is top tier for any movie, not just movies about music. And I love that it focuses on the songwriting and production process, something few people give much thought to.
Amen to that! Those are all good reasons to love this movie as much as I do!
Begin Again is another John Carney movie that takes an in-depth and fun approach to the songwriting and recording process. I didn’t make my top 20 but it was under consideration.
Yes Begin Again is amazing too!
I want to see Carney’s latest music film, Flora and Son but it’s on Apple TV, which I don’t have.
Thanks for this! There are several here I haven’t even heard of. Metalhead looks interesting, as does Grace Of My Heart, but “I seriously had trouble sleeping afterward” is exactly why I don’t want to watch Whiplash.
I was pretty sure we were saying “one-hit wonder” long before That Thing You Do, but wasn’t sure so I looked it up. Apparently, the first use in print was in 1977 in a Winnipeg Free Press article about ABBA: “Instead of becoming what everyone expected [after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo], a one-hit wonder, they soon had a string of hits behind them.”
I’m looking forward to the Spinal Tab sequel. Rock and Roll!
Yes, That Thing You Do is a fictional account of the origins of the already existing moniker “one-hit-wonder.” It didn’t actually invent the term. I wasn’t meaning to imply that in my description, but perhaps it didn’t come across properly.
Whiplash is an amazing film, but yes, very difficult to watch.
As a punk musician, you may enjoy We Are the Best, if you haven’t already seen it.
Ah, sorry, I misunderstood.
I haven’t seen We Are The Greatest but that looks good, too.
Good job as ever. I’ve seen 12 of these and wouldn’t argue against any of them. The one that surprised me was Coco but it was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t figured it would be a contender for inclusion in this list but as soon as I saw it mentioned realised it absolutely fits.
I have no music teaching experience but still, Whiplash was a stressful watch. I’m with you that it’s amazing but harrowing. Glad I watched it but I didn’t feel I wanted to go through it again. The Sound Of Metal is similar, an amazing immersive experience but not an easy watch.
I like that you cover all bases though, truly from the sublime to the ridiculous.
It does remind me that I’ve been meaning to see Once for years but never getting round to it. Shout out to Glenn Hansard of The Frames for making the list twice in Once and The Commitments. Good hit rate for his first two acting roles (16 years apart) to be regarded so highly.
Coco hits me incredibly hard every time I watch it. Because it’s a children’s movie, it’s easy to not think of it also as a music movie, but yes, it totally is.
I would tell everyone to see Once if they haven’t. I didn’t realize Glenn Hansard was also in the Commitments. Nice catch.
I have only seen a few of these, so thanks for the recommendations of stuff to check out.
Once and Metalhead sound particularly intriguing.
That the #1 movie about music and lists didn’t make your Top 20 (to say nothing of your Top 5) is notable. For once, Jack Black is ambivalent.
I certainly thought about High Fidelity, but ultimately it did not make my top 20, though I enjoyed aspects of the film. This is going to probably rankle a lot of folks, but I actually got way more into the ill-fated 2020 series starring Zoe Kravitz, than I did the movie. I was so sad it was cancelled after one season.
I hear you – a “music movie” should be about the primary goal of the main characters trying to make music.
I won’t share my own rankings (only because I haven’t done one), but I’ve seen 8 of the 20 you ranked.
Just one qualm – IMO, Almost Famous needs to be higher. That movie is one of the ten best since 2000.
I will back any love for Almost Famous. It’s an all-timer for sure. I could live in a world where it moves up a couple slots, but it would be hard for me to displace any of my top 5.
Great selection @rollerboogie. I’ve seen a few of them and I love The Blues Brothers and Almost Famous. If you don’t cry while watching Coco, you’re dead inside (probably).
And sorry, but I HATED La La Land (I think that the only scene I liked was when John Legend sings).
(Team anti-La La Land unite!)
No apologies needed. We hate what we hate.
Coco induces ugly, ugly uncontrollable sobbing, like embarrassing amounts of it, more than most movies I’ve ever seen, so not dead inside I guess.
But, but, but… Ah, maybe LLL has too much sugar and charm, but most love letters are like that.
You left off Airheads, Phantom of the Paradise, and The Apple.
also #JusticeForXanadu
I rented this from the library about a year ago and never watched it.
I knew of course that it was a musical but I did not know it was about music. I will add to my watch list. It seems like something I will either absolutely love or the opposite, so we’ll see where I land on it.
Thank you for mentioning these. I tried to watch Airheads in preparation for the article, but was unable to do so. It’s apparently currently on Disney+ which I do not have. The other two I do not know, but I will seek them out.
Glad you enjoyed Grace Of My Heart.
Any list of this sort that doesn’t include The Thing Called Love is incomplete at best.
I’m really glad you and Eric-J mentioned it. Both my wife and I really loved it. If it hadn’t come out at the same time as That Thing You Do, I don’t think it would be so criminally overlooked.
The Thing Called Love was not on my radar. It is added to my watch list.
Whoah. The character arc for the drummer’s girlfriend blew my mind. It’s “Common People” realized on film. The Sound of Metal was the highlight from the last Barnes and Noble 50% off all Criterion titles.
I haven’t seen Malmhaus. It’s Icelandic. That’s all I need to know. Every film from Iceland I’ve ever seen features that same four-lane highway. It’s comforting. The GOAT of Icelandic film isn’t available for streaming. It’s Cold Fever by Fridrik Thor Fridriksson. Lili Taylor is undoubtedly dedicated to her craft.
#3 is my #1. J.K. Simmons’ performance never gets old. Depending on my mood, sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s not. I could watch Whiplash every day. Miles Teller isn’t going to fool musicians, but to a non-musician like me, he looks accomplished. Definitely spent more time learning his instrument than Tara Reid getting prepped for Josie and the Pussycats.
I recently discovered The New Christy Minstrels. Their Motown tribute album is fascinating. I need to rewatch A Mighty Wind. I thought Christopher Guest was referencing The Weavers.
J.K. Simmons is terrifying in Whiplash, and totally deserved his Best Supporting Actor win. Miles Teller did spend a lot of time learning to play the drums well enough to make it look like he was playing. The actual player was one of the drummers in the movie, the one that was competing for the top spot and was driven to quit altogether by the director’s tyranny.
The concept of Tara Reid watching hours of Suzi Quatro footage prepping for Josie and Pussycats brought a smile to my face.
I do seem to recall that The New Christy Minstrels were a major influence on A Mighty Wind.
Definitely check out Malmhaus. It has both grit and heart. I’m not sure I’ve seen another Icelandic film, but it’s possible.
It’s a shame that Suzi Quatro doesn’t have a standalone top 40 hit. “Stumblin’ In” is a great song, but its aesthetic has no connection to her body of work. I can almost see Joan Jett making a face in 1979.
Excellent list – I would add:
Xanadu
Phantom Of The Paradise
Sound Of Music
Juliet, Naked
Daisy Jones & The Six (OK – that was a mini-series, but…)
Yesterday
Streets Of Fire
Light Of Day
Purple Rain
A Star Is Born (pick your version)
Singing In The Rain
Scott Pilgrim (kind of)
Thanks for sharing this list, blu! Some older films here that I like. Sound of Music should have made my list. Big oversight. I’ve only seen the most recent A Star is Born. I thought it was really good, though it missed my top 20. I do need to watch Babs and Kris’ version. Yesterday I didn’t love, though Ed Sheeran playing Ed Sheeran was entertaining. I watched all of Daisy Jones and I had numerous issues with it, though I didn’t hate it. I felt I would be better off just reading a bio of Fleetwood Mac, but not Mick Fleetwood’s. I read that and it’s gross. I love Scott Pilgrim but I don’t think of it as a music movie. I’ve added Juliet, Naked to my watch list and you’re the second person to mention Xanadu and Phantom of the Paradise so need to check those out.
Update- I just watched Juliet, Naked. I really liked it. Interesting portrayal of an artist separated by years from his art and the fanaticism of his cult following, intertwined with complicated relationships, past and present.
I just watched it too and really liked it.
Light of Day is Michael J. Fox’s answer to the late Mojo Nixon. Oh, wait. Same year as “Elvis is Everywhere”. I thought Nixon was solely commenting on Fox’s performance in Back to the Future. What I remember about Light of Day is Fox admonishing Joan Jett for using the baby in her shoplifting adventures.
I think Sound of Music critics are wrong when they label the film as being “corny”. It counterbalances the subject matter.
Superimposing Nazi Germany over a musical was destined to have its critics, but it has stood the test of time as an all time classic that works on so many levels. Try to knock it down and it just gets right back up again and heads for the Swiss border.
There is an inspired film called Lore. The filmmaker, Cate Shortland, is an Australian National. It’s about the escape of a Nazi SS official’s family. It’s a dark horse on my Criterion Collection speculation list.
I always thought it was Alex P. Keating who was really the anti-Elvis. Michael J. Fox was too anodyne at the time, otherwise.
Ummmmm, A Hard Days Night?
I love the Beatles and I suppose most true fans have found a way to see A Hard Days Night, especially nowadays, but I have never felt compelled to watch any of their films. I was content with just the music. I will add it to my watch list.
I’ve gotten about half way through it. Other than the scenes where they are playing music, it has not really interested me too much, to be honest. If I had been a teenager at the time the Beatles broke in the U.S., this would have meant the world to me, I’m sure.
Thanks for this — I’ve seen several and loved them (Once, Mr. Holland’s Opus, That Thing You Do, Almost Famous, School of Rock, The Commitments) and look forward to seeing others (Grace of My Heart).
Agreed with the commentariat on Xanadu and Purple Rain. Since you said no biopics and no documentaries for this list, I’ll just say it is worth your watching both Summer of Soul and Amazing Grace even if they are ineligible for the list.
Nice. Third person to mention Xanadu. A copy from the library is sitting in my living room, waiting to be viewed.
I’ve heard good things about both of those docs you mentioned.
Great list.
A few not mentioned:
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains
The Sound Of Noise
Frank
Green Room (maybe not a music movie, but a great movie that involves plenty of music)
For the record, High Fidelity would top my list.
Glad to see some suggestions here. I heard about Frank and never watched it. It is now on my watchlist. Couple of others of these I have not heard of but will look into.
The Sound of Noise is streaming for free on Amazon Prime so I watched it.
Swedish with subtitles. Loved it, though I had to suspend belief about a number of details. The concept of a group of renegade percussionists using the city as their instruments and unleashing chaos is great in and of itself, and I absolutely loved the musical compositions. Having them pursued by a tone-deaf cop from a prestigious musical family, who has a tortured relationship with music only adds to the drama.
This would not have shown up on my radar and I’m really glad you had it on your list.
Glad you liked it. The group that made it, Six Drummers, has made a few videos that are just the music parts with very little narrative. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like they have done much since the movie.
https://www.sixdrummers.com/clips
They’re amazing. On top of the mind-blowingly inventive compositions they were playing, the musicianship is incredible.
My wife is a nurse and I had her watch the scene with the composition in the hospital and she got a kick out of it.
Just finished watching Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains.
This is such a hidden gem of a movie and a product of its time, the early 80s, but also ahead of its time. Aside from the novelty of seeing Diane Lane at 15 and Laura Dern at 13 when filming began, it predates the Riot Grrl punk movement by about a decade and supposedly those bands were big fans of it. I had to do some further reading on it after watching it as I was surprised that I had never heard of it. It came out in ’82, when I was in high school, but almost no one saw it and it’s still basically a cult film. I’m so glad you listed it.
I only saw two movies from the list – well, technically one. I saw “The Blues Brothers” in the theater. I saw “Almost Famous” in musical form on stage. Liked them both.