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The best music documentaries to (re)watch on Netflix this summer
Netflix is teeming with music documentaries of varying quality. The streaming platform features films revealing the highs and lows of Nina Simone, Keith Richards, John Lennon, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé. Here’s a selection of documentaries that caught our attention, from an intimate portrait of Angèle and the story of a legendary festival that turned into a disaster (Woodstock ’99) to a fun dive into the colorful world of Wham!.
By Violaine Schütz,
and La rédaction.
Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy (2025) by Yemi Bamiro on Netflix
Fans of music documentaries about disastrous festivals have found their new obsession. Following in the footsteps of the film about the Fyre Festival, Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy revisits the tragic event founded by rapper Travis Scott.
November 5th, 2021 – the first night of the 2021 edition of the Astroworld festival at NRG Park in Houston, Texas, kicks off. But a series of incidents will lead to ten deaths. Netflix gathered testimonies from survivors, first aiders, and festival staff in order to understand what truly happened that night.
The Greatest Night in Pop (2024) by Bao Nguyen
“On one January night in 1985, the greatest artists of a generation came together to record We Are the World. This documentary reveals the behind-the-scenes of that historic event.” Just as its pitch suggests, The Greatest Night in Pop brings together a host of famous musicians, such as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, and Bob Dylan, as they joined forces to record one of the most iconic songs of all time. Filled with anecdotes, archival footage, interviews, and ego clashes, the film available on Netflix will delight music lovers and 1980s fans alike.
Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam (2024) by David Terry
Resolutely staggering, the documentary Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam introduces us to a fascinating figure: Lou Pearlman. Unknown to the general public, this former private jet broker became the music mogul behind the success of 1990s boy bands like Backstreet Boys and NSYNC – the group that launched Justin Timberlake‘s career. Except that this man swindled thousands of people…
Halftime – Jennifer Lopez (2022) by Amanda Micheli
At 55, Jennifer Lopez is an actress, singer, dancer, businesswoman, and superstar credited with inspiring the creation of Google Images thanks to her iconic green Versace dress. Needless to say that she has little left to prove. But the Latina bombshell and her legendary curves came from humble beginnings. As her 2002 hit Jenny from the Block reminded us, the artist was born in the Bronx, far from the glitter of showbiz. The documentary Halftime, released on Netflix in 2022, reveals that her mother, a cold, tough woman, used to beat her.
It also shows that Jennifer Lopez, a workhorse who hides illness behind layers of makeup, once ran away to escape her mother. We also see an intimate family moment in the film – a lively Thanksgiving dinner where Jennifer Lopez cooks in her pyjamas, as if global fame never happened. Thankfully, other scenes showing her strolling around with a cup covered in rhinestones in hand remind us she still is a diva.
Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 (2022) by Jamie Crawford
In the same vein as the acclaimed Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, released on Netflix in 2019, this three-part docu-series focuses on one of the worst music festivals in history. Woodstock ’99 was meant to mark the 30th anniversary of the iconic 1960s peace and love gathering. In the end, despite a promising rock lineup (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica), the festival held in Rome, New York, in 1999 ended being a complete disaster. Thefts, sexual assaults, fires, and property destruction marred what was supposed to be a celebration of the hippie spirit.
The documentary, both shocking and insightful, displays how gathering thousands of drunk, high, young white men under the sun with aggressive music blasting ended up in an apocalyptic situation. It attempted to cast a light on this terrifying social fresco. The program also exposes the responsibility of the festival’s organizers, whose pursuit of profit clearly outweighed any pacifist or hedonistic ideals.
Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl (2022) by Joss Crowley
This intimate documentary traces back the spectacular career of Canadian country star Shania Twain. The artist has earned several diamond-certified records in the U.S., sold over 100 million albums worldwide, and won five Grammy Awards. The film portrays a pioneer who blended pop and country music, paving the way for artists like Taylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves.
But the documentary also tackles the more difficult moments in the life of the icon acclaimed by Harry Styles and queer cowboy singer Orville Peck. First, the tragic loss of her parents in a car crash, then a romantic betrayal, and finally Lyme disease, which damaged her vocal cords… The Nashville-based star, who started singing in bars emerges as a deeply human and resilient character. As a glamorous fighter in full leopard print with a dazzling smile, she has transcended adversity to become an amazing performer.
Angèle (2021) by Brice VDH & Sébastien Rensonnet
In 2021, Netflix released a much-discussed documentary about the Belgian star. Directed by Brice VDH and Sébastien Rensonnet, Angèle offers a raw look at the singer. For instance, we learn that although she began playing piano at the age of six, she never intended to pursue a professional career. In 2015, she began posting short piano-voice covers on Instagram. She got quickly noticed for her performances, which led to the release of her debut album Brol in 2018. The record was an instant hit.
Combining archival footage, tour clips, and quiet conversations, this tender documentary titled Angèle draws an intimate portrait of the francophone pop star. Between whirlwind tours across Europe, Angèle also confronts the downsides of fame, including solitude. In one hotel room scene, she reads from her childhood journals in front of the camera, revealing her earliest child dreams.
Wham! (2023) by Chris Smith among the best Netflix music documentaries
It’s one of the best (cultural) highlights of summer 2023. Since July 5th, Netflix has been airing a documentary titled Wham!. It highlights the journey of the iconic British pop duo of the 1980s. The project was directed by Chris Smith (Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.and Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened). The film features interviews with the legendary and late George Michael and his friend Andrew Ridgeley. Kitshy, yet delightful archival footages are also shown.
The film even unveils an exclusive video clips of the duo behind the timeless hits Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Last Christmas, and Club Tropicana. Beyond the fun of the music, the documentary explores the limits of their musical journey. The duo struggled to be taken seriously as artists. As for the audience, their were dazzled by the pop stars’ shorts and failed to recognize their talent as singer-songwriters. The two stars were often relegated to a stereotypical boys band.
George Michael and the Whamania
The documentary also reveals how George Michael felt limited by the group and how he navigated the discovery of his homosexuality in the midst of Whamania. The singer Careless Whisper recalled: “About six months before we went to do the video for Club Tropicana, I’d had something going on that made my attraction to men fairly clear. I had stayed over at the guy’s house. He tried to have sex with me, and I’d been too scared. But I realized that I wanted to stay in his bed for the night. I wanted to be close to him, which had never happened before. It left a mark. I knew back then that something was going on. When I realized that I couldn’t ignore it, I told Andrew.”
Initially, the music icon kept his private life hidden from his (mostly female) fanbase. But George Michael explained: “I was uncomfortable in my own skin, I couldn’t accept being gay. I lied to myself, claiming I was bisexual, clinging to the little attraction I had toward women. At that point, if the goal was to hit number one within a year or two, you didn’t want to complicate things. I was too young and immature to grasp the sacrifice I was making.”
