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Movies like The Sound of Philadelphia

The best movies like The Sound of Philadelphia are Artifact (2012), Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025) and Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022). If The Sound of Philadelphia hooked you with its documentary and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Artifact (2012)

    Follow 30 Seconds to Mars as they record their latest album, This Is War, and their battle against record label EMI.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  2. Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025)

    The individual journeys of the four members of the band, as they move through the music scene of the 1960s, playing small clubs throughout Britain and performing some of the biggest hits of the era, until their meeting in the summer of 1968 for a rehearsal that changes their lives forever.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  3. Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)

    After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  4. The Beach Boys (2024)

    A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  5. Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)

    Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  6. Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy (2025)

    Never-before-seen footage and intimate interviews celebrate the life and legacy of iconic Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla and her family band.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  7. ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas (2019)

    The story of how three oddball teenage bluesmen became one of the biggest, most beloved bands on the planet.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  8. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006)

    This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. Supersonic (2016)

    Supersonic charts the meteoric rise of Oasis from the council estates of Manchester to some of the biggest concerts of all time in just three short years. This palpable, raw and moving film shines a light on one of the most genre and generation-defining British bands that has ever existed and features candid new interviews with Noel and Liam Gallagher, their mother, and members of the band and road crew.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  10. God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (2011)

    Featuring never before seen footage uncovered from the archives and interviews with Paul McCartney, Tommy Lee and others, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne is the first documentary to take viewers inside the complex mind of rock's great icon.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  11. The Sparks Brothers (2021)

    Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron & Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band’s favorite band.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026)

    Explore the formative years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the profound influence of original bandmate Hillel Slovak.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  13. The Last Waltz (1978)

    Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and other rock legends.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  14. Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)

    With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the world’s biggest stadiums. Featuring exclusive interviews with band members and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, as well as all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot, Eddie, the film offers a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  15. Thriller 40 (2023)

    Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  16. Bad 25 (2012)

    Spike Lee pays tribute to Michael Jackson's Bad on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the epochal album, offering behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson recording the album and interviews with confidants, musicians, choreographers, and such music-world superstars as Kanye West, Sheryl Crow, Cee Lo Green and Mariah Carey.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  17. The Velvet Underground (2021)

    Experience the iconic rock band's legacy in the first major documentary to tell their story. Directed with the era’s avant-garde spirit by Todd Haynes, this kaleidoscopic oral history combines exclusive interviews with dazzling archival footage.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  18. Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) (2023)

    In 1968, art students Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell made a trippy photo collage for their musician friends Syd, David and Roger. The resulting album and album cover, A Saucerful of Secrets, helped launch two careers: that of Pink Floyd, one of the 70s megabands, and of Hipgnosis, which, over the course of the next 25 years, designed a stream of iconic album covers.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  19. A Concerto Is a Conversation (2020)

    A virtuoso jazz pianist and film composer tracks his family's lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. The Greatest Night in Pop (2024)

    On a January night in 1985, music's biggest stars gathered to record "We Are the World." This documentary goes behind the scenes of the historic event.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  21. Woodstock (1970)

    An intimate look at the Woodstock Music & Art Festival held in Bethel, NY in 1969, from preparation through cleanup, with historic access to insiders, blistering concert footage, and portraits of the concertgoers; negative and positive aspects are shown, from drug use by performers to naked fans sliding in the mud, from the collapse of the fences by the unexpected hordes to the surreal arrival of National Guard helicopters with food and medical assistance for the impromptu city of 500,000.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  22. El Anka (1981)

    1/4 - In 1925, the young M’hamed El Anka replaced his master Nador at short notice. He realizes that he is far from mastering all the instruments of his art and begins a self-taught training program in Oud, the Arabic language, and religious singing in the hadra of Sidi Abderrahmane. 2/4 - In 1932, the young El Anka released 10 45 rpm records in Paris, including the first song from his composition "L'Exil". He is gradually “lightening” the Andalusian heritage. He made the pilgrimage to Mecca and wrote the famous song "El Mendouza". 3/4 - The 40s and 50s will confirm the maturity of the master, who consolidates the constituent elements of what is today called Chaâbi music. In the midst of the national liberation struggle, El Hadj M'hamed El Anka triumphs with the song "Youm El Djemâa". 4/4 - In 1962, El Anka sang of independence: "El hamdou lilah, mabqach listaâmar fi bledna". Activist, poet and musicologist Bachir Hadj Ali explains the artist’s exceptional style.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music

  23. K-Classics Generation (2020)

    The film traces the career of some of the winners of this new generation nicknamed the "K-Classics Generation", including the 2 recent winners of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, the soprano Hwang Sumi and the violinist Lim Jiyoung. In Korea, where it all began, and in Germany where most of them have settled.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music

  24. ABBA in Concert (1980)

    ABBA's 1979 tour of North America and Europe, with emphasis on performances at Wembley Arena, London.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary

  25. Imagine: John Lennon (1988)

    The biography of former Beatle, John Lennon—narrated by Lennon himself—with extensive material from Yoko Ono's personal collection, previously unseen footage from Lennon's private archives, and interviews with David Bowie, his first wife Cynthia, second wife Yoko Ono and sons Julian and Sean.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  26. Punk Rock Vegan Movie (2023)

    The ongoing relationship between the worlds of punk rock and animal rights and how the music became a breeding ground for vegan activism.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music

  27. The Rocker (2008)

    In the 1980s, a drummer is abandoned by his band just before they become rock superstars. Twenty years later, the drummer sees his second chance at stardom arise when he is asked to perform with his teenage nephew's high school rock band.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  28. Hair (1979)

    Upon receiving his draft notice and leaving his family ranch in Oklahoma, Claude heads to New York and befriends a tribe of long-haired hippies on his way to boot camp.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  29. Jesus Christ Saviour (2008)

    Klaus Kinski has perhaps the most ferocious reputation of all screen actors: his volatility was documented to electrifying effect in Werner Herzog’s 1999 portrait My Best Fiend. This documentary provides further fascinating insight into the talent and the tantrums of the great man. Beset by hecklers, Kinski tries to deliver an epic monologue about the life of Christ (with whom he perhaps identifies a little too closely). The performance becomes a stand-off, as Kinski fights for control of the crowd and alters the words to bait his tormentors. Indispensable for Kinski fans, and a riveting introduction for newcomers, this is a unique document, which Variety called ‘a time capsule of societal ideals and personal demons.’

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  30. Storm (2021)

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like The Sound of Philadelphia and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like The Sound of Philadelphia?

The closest matches to The Sound of Philadelphia are Artifact (2012), Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025) and Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after The Sound of Philadelphia?

Start with Artifact (2012), the closest match to The Sound of Philadelphia.

What is the highest-rated movie like The Sound of Philadelphia?

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022), rated 8.4/10 by 623 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like The Sound of Philadelphia?

Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like The Sound of Philadelphia?

Yes: Artifact (2012), Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025) and Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022).

How are movies similar to The Sound of Philadelphia chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Sound of Philadelphia, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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