Summary

• Movies about music showcase the timeless power of song and dance, reminding audiences of the emotive force of melody.
• Whether about fictional bands or real-life artists, music movies capture the essence of humanity and the transformative nature of music.
• From the heartwarming School of Rock to the intense Whiplash, these films highlight the enduring impact and universal appeal of music.

Music has always been an integral part of cinema and movies about music have the power to enthrall audiences and showcase the timeless potential of song, dance, and the universal language of melody. From stories about fictional bands coming together to biopics of real musical artists, movies and music went hand-in-hand to create some of the most incredible cinematic spectacles ever seen. While the heyday of the movie musical may be long over, every year there were still countless movies released that reminded audiences of just how effective music can be.

The best movies about music encapsulate something even grander than just simply songs or compositions, they hinted at something larger within the soul and how the emotive power of music got right to the heart of what made humanity special. From beloved comedies, like School of Rock, to Best Picture-winning music biopics, such as Amadeus, movies about music can be found in all types of filmmaking genres. Despite these differences, the best movies about music all had something in common, they reminded audiences of everything they loved about singing, dancing, and the eternal power of song.

10 The Commitments (1991)

Directed by Alan Parker

Based on a novel by the Irish author Roddy Doyle, The Commitments explored a group of music-loving Dubliners who formed a soul band and carved out a sense of meaning in their working-class neighborhood. With fantastic covers of Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and many more of the greatest soul artists of all time, The Commitments proved that truly great music transcended culture and race as it hilarious depicted the entirely white band doing their best James Brown impressions. A heartfelt story about the life-changing power of music, The Commitments stood as one of the greatest Irish films ever made.

9 Quadrophenia (1979)

Directed by Franc Roddam

There was a timeless charm to the 1979 adaptation of The Who’s rock opera Quadrophenia, which depicted a young London mod named Jimmy Cooper whose identity was intrinsically tied to the music he listened to and the subculture to which he belonged. With an epic clash between mods and rockers on the Brighton seafront, Quadrophenia was a powerful representation of a teenager's tendency to discover themselves through music, and the heartbreaking reality of these beliefs crumbling. An important document of teenage angst and mental anguish, despite being over 45 years old teenagers today would still resonate with Quadrophenia.

8 School Of Rock (2003)

Directed by Richard Linklater

Jack Black was perfectly cast as the down-on-his-luck musician Dewey Finn in School of Rock who lied his way into a substitute teaching position and proceeded to turn his class of privileged students into a powerhouse rock ‘n’ roll band. By casting real musicians as Finn’s students, School of Rock had an air of authenticity that it was impossible not to be swept away by its charm. Many children surely grew up to be lovers of rock ‘n’ roll due to watching School of Rock at the exact moment that they needed it most.

7 This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Directed by Rob Reiner

This is Spinal Tap was a hilarious behind-the-scenes look at a fictional rock ‘n’ roll band that ranked among the funniest mockumentaries ever made. Directed by Rob Reiner, many quotes from This is Spinal Tap that found their way into popular culture, such as the phrase turn it “up to eleven” which demonstrated how far-reaching this film’s influence was. With the talented comedic trio of Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer, at the helm, This is Spinal Tap gained an intense cult following over the past 40 years and has maintained its power as an enjoyable music industry satire.

6 I’m Not There (2007)

Directed by Todd Haynes

I’m Not There was a music biopic that turned the genre on its head through its clever decision to case six actors as iterations of Bob Dylan at different stages in his career. An ingenious way to tackle the story of an undefinable musical figure, casting Cate Blanchett as a representation of Dylan in the mid-1960s was inspired and allowed I’m Not There to stand out as a biopic like no other. From his earliest days as a protest singer to his religious rebirth, the opening title of I’m Not There said it explored “the many lives of Bob Dylan.”

5 Almost Famous (2000)

Directed by Cameron Crowe

Almost Famous was full of allusions to the history of rock music and truly embodied the wayward excesses of this iconic era of popular music.

The spirit of rock ‘n’ roll music in the 1970s was captured by someone who was actually there in Cameron Crowe’s excellent coming-of-age comedy Almost Famous. A semi-autobiographical film, Crowe was a teenage writer for Rolling Stone who had a lot in common with the protagonist William Miller, who went on tour with the fictional rock band Stillwater to write a cover story about the group. A well-craved, heartwarming movie, Almost Famous was full of allusions to the history of rock music and truly embodied the wayward excesses of this iconic era of popular music.

4 Sound Of Metal (2019)

Directed by Darius Marder

For someone whose entire life revolved around playing music, the idea of going deaf was an absolute nightmare, and this heartbreaking development was the focus of Sound of Metal. As the story of a heavy metal drummer who must make peace with the loss of his hearing and his livelihood, Riz Ahmed’s ionate performance sensitively dealt with the pain and suffering caused by a newly found disability. Sound of Metal was one of the best music movies as it used a lack of sound, and the heartache this caused, to powerfully highlight its importance in the lives of music lovers.

3 Amadeus (1984)

Directed by Miloš Forman

The fictionalized story of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart told in Amadeus was one of the most acclaimed biopics of all time and even took home Best Picture at the Academy Awards. A powerful portrayal of the rivalry between the classical composers Mozart and Antonio Salieri, Amadeus was full of wit and charm as it deconstructed notions around genius and mediocrity in an effective period drama that blended history and tragedy in a unique and engrossing manner. Full of life and energy, Amadeus proved that a film about classical music did not need to be pretentious or outdated.

2 La La Land (2016)

Directed by Damien Chazelle

The magic of movie musicals was reignited in 2016 with the release of Damien Chazelle’s Hollywood love letter La La Land, which through intense spectacle enigmatically represented the true power of cinema. From its awe-inspiring opening sequence to its tragic ending, La La Land captured the spirit of a 1950s musical while maintaining a distinctive 21st-century style that brought together melodrama, romance, and conflicting desires in an emotionally resonant and effective film. Deservedly, Chazelle took home Best Director and Emma Stone won her first Best Actress Academy Award for their magnificent work on La La Land.

1 Whiplash (2014)

Directed by Damien Chazelle

Through its examination of ambition, artistry, and obsession, Whiplash deserved to be ed as the best music movie of them all.

The intense pressure of the jazz world was vividly portrayed in Damien Chazelle’s music masterpiece Whiplash, a film so packed with unnerving tension and heart-pounding anxiety that it was almost difficult to watch. In a cutthroat musical environment, J.K. Simmons gave an Oscar-winning performance as the ruthless jazz instructor Terence Fletcher, who pushed his drum-playing student to the limit as the excessive expectations of a musical prodigy were brought to the absolute extreme. A gripping and unforgettable film, through its examination of ambition, artistry, and obsession, Whiplash deserved to be ed as the best music movie of them all.