In 2023, the world was treated to a spectacular array of music documentaries that delved deep into the diverse and dynamic landscape of the music industry. Per tradition around these parts, Vintage King has put together some of our favorites from the past 365 days and is giving you the ultimate list of music documentaries to watch over the holidays.

If you feel that you need more than the eight new docs on our list below, don't worry! Check out our blogs from previous years here (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022), and you'll find enough watching fodder to cover you for a few months.

Music Documentaries To Watch Over The Holidays

American Symphony

At a mere 37 years old, Jon Batiste boasts an iconic resume. From collaborating with legends like Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Willie Nelson to leading The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's band and being the music director of The Atlantic, he's already left his mark on the industry. As the film American Symphony showcases, Jon has added symphonic composer to his list of accolades. The documentary is a stunning showcase of Jon's talent and a window into his personal life as he helps his wife, Suleika Jaouad, through her bout with Leukemia.

 

Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)

You know the artwork, but do you know the name? Hipgnosis was a design group responsible for creating game-changing album covers for Pink Floyd, T. Rex, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and countless others. In Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis), filmmaker Anton Corbijn details the story of Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell (and later Peter Christopherson), and how they changed the way we look at album artwork forever.

 

The Return of Tanya Tucker

Everyone loves a comeback story, and The Return of Tanya Tucker features several. The country singer had her first hit at 13 and maintained momentum for over a decade until things stalled out in the early 1980s. While she never went totally quiet (see her 1990s resurgence), this new documentary follows the recording process of Tanya's first record in 15 years, Sweet Western Sound. There's a lot of fantastic footage of the singer in the studio with collaborators and producers Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings.  

 

Stop Making Sense

Over the years, critics have spilled lots of ink discussing Stop Making Sense, but the 2023 4K edition from A24 deserves a mention on our list of music documentaries to watch over the holidays. The Talking Heads were captured in peak form (with help from musicians Steve Scales, Bernie Worrell, Lynn Mabry, Edna Holt, and Alex Weir) over four shows at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles in 1983. Even if you didn't catch it in IMAX earlier this year, don't miss out on the pristine restoration work of this concert documentary.

 

Love to Love You, Donna Summer

While she earned the nickname "Queen of Disco," Donna Summer is so much more than just that label. Love To Love You, Donna Summer provides deep insight into the singer's rise to fame and the behind-the-scenes struggles that resulted from it. Kudos to Donna's daughter Brooklyn Sudano, who acted as co-director of the documentary, for providing an extremely well-balanced view of her mother and not avoiding controversial topics. 

 

Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon

There's a line in the trailer for Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon where Marty Stuart says, "He was my hero for all the right reasons and all the wrong reasons." There may be no better summation of the life led by the "Man in Black." Johnny had two sides to him, even until the end, but this documentary showcases how he fought past his demons and came out on the other side.

 

Little Richard: I Am Everything

I Am Everything is a fitting subtitle for a documentary on Little Richard. Richard Wayne Penniman stands at the forefront of it all as the originator, trailblazer, and architect of rock 'n' roll. Beyond his musical legend, Little Richard emerged as a powerful advocate for the African American and queer communities. The documentary delves into Richard's struggles with the latter but shows how he created a world where others could be comfortable with their true selves.

 

Personality Crisis: One Night Only

At the 1988 Grammys, Little Richard and David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter) met on stage to present the award for Best New Artist. Little Richard made a crack about David ripping off his hairstyle, and he was right, but as Personality Crisis: One Night Only documents, it was always in tribute to one of his biggest idols. This Scorcese-directed concert film/documentary shows a modern version of David doing songs from throughout his career while exploring the impact of early rock 'n' roll on the Staten Island native.

See a piece of gear in one of these docs that you need to have? Please contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160 for more information.