It’s almost Thanksgiving, which means it’s the perfect time to take a break and enjoy time with loved ones. Over the past year, a trove of captivating music documentaries have been released to streaming platforms.
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Some of these cinematic highlights include Wynonna Judd documenting one of her most challenging career chapters yet, a thoughtful examination of Elvis Presley‘s big comeback, and a revealing look into Ed Sheeran‘s life away from the spotlight.
[RELATED: 5 Music Documentaries That Offer a Glimpse Behind the Scenes]
From K-pop to hip-hop, there’s something for every genre-lover to enjoy in this crop of 2023 movie releases. We’ve assembled a list of 14 must-see music documentaries released this year for your holiday viewing enjoyment.
1. Louis Tomlinson: All of These Voices
Former One Direction member and pop hitmaker Louis Tomlinson takes fans into the studio in this Paramount+ exclusive film. Released in October, this fascinating documentary examines the English singer/songwriter’s journey to crafting his solo career.
WHERE TO WATCH: Paramount+
2. Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Hallelujah
Country star Wynonna Judd tries to navigate her life and career following the death of Naomi Judd, her mother and duo partner, in this powerful film. Viewers get a raw look as Judd faces grief head-on while performing what would have been The Judds’ final tour dates together.
WHERE TO WATCH: Paramount+
3. Little Richard: I Am Everything
This highly anticipated documentary deeply delves into the lesser-known parts of this rock and roll icon’s personal life. In Little Richard: I Am Everything, director Lisa Cortés gathers friends, family members, and fellow musicians who knew the late piano wizard best.
WHERE TO WATCH: Amazon Prime Video
4. TLC Forever
This Lifetime original documentary revisits TLC’s groundbreaking rise to fame in the 1990s. Members T-Boz and Chilli recount their winding journey together as they rose to the top of the pop and R&B charts. From the barriers they broke as an all-female act to the tragic death of “Left Eye” Lopes, TLC Forever is a moving look at their lasting bond.
WHERE TO WATCH: Amazon Prime Video
5. WHAM!
Released in celebration of their 1983 debut album, WHAM! is a retrospective of the U.K. duo’s path to fame. Viewers will learn little-known facts about their trademark hits like “Freedom,” “Last Christmas,” and “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.” But the best parts of this Netflix original are centered around the close friendship between members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.
WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix
6. Sometimes When We Touch
The phrase “soft rock” has earned somewhat of a negative connotation in recent decades. But during the 1970s, the subgenre dominated the mainstream. This three-part Paramount+ documentary revisits the rise of this highly-debated musical style, its downfall in the ’80s, and its impact on new generations of musicians.
WHERE TO WATCH: Paramount+
7. Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All
In this Disney+ original, pop singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran delivers a surprisingly candid look into his life. Although the film documents the creation of his fifth album, Subtract, it also spotlights his journey to fame and the challenges he’s faced. From his process in the studio to his wife’s jarring cancer diagnosis while pregnant with their second child, The Sum of It All finds Sheeran juggling extreme highs and lows.
WHERE TO WATCH: Disney+
8. Love to Love You, Donna Summer
Through never-before-seen photos, interviews, and video footage, this HBO film offers the most extensive look back at the life and music of Donna Summer to date. Directed by Roger Ross Williams and Brooklyn Sudano, Summer’s daughter, the project is a heartfelt tribute to the innovative “Queen of Disco.”
WHERE TO WATCH: HBO Max
9. CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair
In 2023, the Country Music Association celebrated the 50th anniversary of its annual event, Fan Fair. The multi-day festival, now called CMA Fest, offered listeners a chance to get up close and personal with their favorite artists. Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood, Dierks Bentley, and more than a dozen other country stars share memories and reflect on the importance of the Nashville-based music fest.
WHERE TO WATCH: Hulu
10. Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now
Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Lewis Capaldi reflects on his unexpected rise from a hopeful teen to a global pop star. Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now takes a comprehensive look at his life so far, from being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome to earning his first viral hit.
WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix
11. Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed
In April, acclaimed singer/songwriter Jason Isbell offered a raw peek into an especially challenging moment in his career and personal life in this HBO original. Running With Our Eyes Closed captures snapshots of the Alabama native’s creative process and relationship with wife and fellow musical talent Amanda Shires. As they face the life-altering arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Isbell tries to find his footing off the road, unsure what the future holds.
WHERE TO WATCH: HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
12. Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop
This illuminating documentary series looks back at the impact female artists have made on hip-hop over the past 50 years. Through four episodes, director Hannah Beachler tells the stories of some of the genre’s most recognizable artists and underrated acts who helped break barriers for new generations of women. Queen Latifah, Latto, MC Lyte, and Tierra Whack are just some artists who offer first-hand accounts of their experiences and thoughts on the genre’s evolution.
WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix
13. j-hope IN THE BOX
This Disney+ documentary, shot over the course of 200 days, tracks BTS member j-hope as he crafts his first solo album, Jack In the Box. Made available to stream in February, the charismatic singer and rapper works tirelessly to create a project representative of his vision outside the spotlight of his boy band roots.
WHERE TO WATCH: Disney+
14. Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback
On December 3, 1968, millions of viewers tuned in to watch Elvis Presley‘s highly anticipated comeback television special. The event marked the rock and roll legend’s return to music after a seven-year-long stretch focused on acting in feature films. This insightful music documentary looks back at that critical career moment for Presley and why it was such a turning point for the hitmaker.
WHERE TO WATCH: Paramount+
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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