Movies like AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies (2004)
The best movies like AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies (2004) are Adele One Night Only (2021), David Bowie: Five Years (2013) and Lemmy (2010). If AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies hooked you with its tv movie and documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedWhitney (2018)7.3/10 from 212 votes
- NewestOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)Released 2026
Adele One Night Only (2021)
A primetime special with performances from the superstar including Adele’s first new material in six years plus her chart-topping hits. The special will also feature an exclusive interview with Adele by Oprah Winfrey from her rose garden, in Adele’s first televised wide-ranging conversation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDavid Bowie: Five Years (2013)
Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive, this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved: from Ziggy Stardust to the Soul Star of Young Americans, to the ‘Thin White Duke’. It explores his regeneration in Berlin with the critically acclaimed album Heroes, his triumph with Scary Monsters and his global success with Let’s Dance. With interviews with all his closest collaborators, David Bowie - Five Years presents a unique account of why Bowie has become an ‘icon of our times’.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLemmy (2010)
Over four decades, Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister has registered an immeasurable impact on music history. Nearly 65, he remains the living embodiment of the rock and roll lifestyle, and this feature-length documentary tells his story, one of a hard-living rock icon who continues to enjoy the life of a man half his age.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDavid Byrne's American Utopia (2020)
A filmed version of David Byrne's Broadway show, a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story (2019)
A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisShawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020)
A portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisLive Aid (1985)
Live Aid was held on 13 July 1985, simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, and the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, United States. It was one of the largest scale satellite link-ups and television broadcasts of all time: watched live by an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations. "It's twelve noon in London, seven AM in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid...!"
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOasis: 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 thisJustin Bieber's Believe (2013)
A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDua Lipa: Studio 2054 (2020)
Dua Lipa's kaleidoscopic rocket fuelled journey through time, space, mirrorballs, roller discos, bucket hats, belting beats, throbbing basslines and an absolute slam dunk of the best of times in global club culture throughout the decades.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisKeith Richards: Under the Influence (2015)
A portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRoger Waters: Us + Them (2019)
Filmed in Amsterdam on the European leg of his 2017 – 2018 Us + Them tour which saw Waters perform to over two million people worldwide, the film features songs from his legendary Pink Floyd albums (The Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here) and from his last album, Is This The Life We Really Want?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDaft Punk Unchained (2015)
Daft Punk Unchained is the first film about the pop culture phenomenon that is Daft Punk, the duo with 12 million albums sold worldwide and seven Grammy Awards. Throughout their career Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have always resisted compromise and the established codes of show business. They have remained determined to maintain control of every link in the chain of their creative process. In the era of globalisation and social networks, they rarely speak in public and neither do they show their faces on TV. This documentary explores this unprecedented cultural revolution revealing a duo of artists on a permanent quest for creativity, independence and freedom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisI Called Him Morgan (2016)
Part jazz history, part true-crime tale, Kasper Collin’s new documentary employs extensive archival footage and new interviews to tell the tragic story of the magnificently talented trumpeter Lee Morgan and his common-law wife Helen, who murdered him in a New York bar in 1972.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWestern Stars (2019)
The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen himself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEnd of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
A years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a number of their contemporaries, the film traces the peaks and valleys the band experienced over the course of its 20-plus year career before disbanding in 1995.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPrince: Sign 'o' the Times (1987)
In 1987, to capitalize on his growing success in Europe, Prince toured extensively to promote the album of the same name and sales increased accordingly. However, the United States remained resistant to his latest album, and sales began to drop; it was at this point that Prince decided to film a live concert promoting the new material, for eventual distribution to theaters in America. Featuring the band that accompanied Prince on his 1987 Sign o' the Times Tour, including dancer Cat Glover, keyboardist Boni Boyer, bassist Levi Seacer, Jr., guitarist Miko Weaver, drummer Sheila E. and former member of The Revolution keyboardist Dr. Fink, the film sees the group perform live on stage (although "U Got the Look" is represented by its promotional music video).
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story (2009)
The troubled fraternal relationship between songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, the Oscar and Grammy-winning Sherman Brothers, famous for the iconic hits they wrote for Disney.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWhitney (2018)
Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThriller 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 thisThe Promise of Music (2008)
The documentary accompanied the work of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
When It Breaks (2020)
When It Breaks is the inspiring story of Special Education teacher Konrad Wert and his personal journey to avoid becoming another victim of teacher burnout. Stepping away from the classroom, Wert turns to his musical side career as a means to tour the country with his family and engage teachers, parents, and audiences in a conversation about the current state of Public Education, and specifically Special Education. As opportunities arise, Konrad must decide how his service is most effective- as an advocating artist or as a teacher in the classroom.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
The Four Seasons: A Music Film (2025)
The Australian Chamber Orchestra has always forged its own path. With Artistic Director and violinist Richard Tognetti at the helm, the ACO has been producing films for over a decade, from their award-winning collaborations with BAFTA-nominated director Jennifer Peedom (‘Mountain’, ‘River’) to their acclaimed series of cinematic music films, ‘ACO StudioCasts’. Directed by Matisse Ruby, ‘The Four Seasons’ film release is the latest from this ground-breaking, world-renowned ensemble. Arguably the most popular and recognisable piece of classical music ever written, this performance directed by Richard Tognetti, highlights the profound symbiosis between Vivaldi’s Venice and the Middle East. Interspersing Vivaldi’s masterpiece with music by Australian-Egyptian composer and Oud virtuoso Joseph Tawardros, the film honours Vivaldi’s classic while giving it new life. A must-see for music lovers and cinephiles alike.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Rinaldi - Instrumental Transcommunication to The Other Side (2022)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Ghostnaps presents TAKE ME WITH YOU!! (2025)
TAKE ME WITH YOU!! is the sophomore album and debut visual film from Ghostnaps, the solo project of Boston-based artist and producer Richard Lathrop.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Heartbeat of a Nation (2022)
A short documentary that celebrates Dene cultural reclamation and revitalization, in which a father passes on traditional knowledge to his child through the teachings of a caribou drum.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Johnny Hallyday en direct de Bercy, La Soirée Anniversaire (2013)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Tarja - Dark Christmas (2023)
A special feature film version of the Christmas album called Dark Crhistmas from a Finnish artist Tarja. It contains all 12 music videos released separately from the album. World's first Christmas album with a Dolby Atmos mix.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Lili Elbe (2023)
The painter Lili Elbe was the first person to have gender confirmation surgery in the 1930s. The homonymous opera is a glimpse into the life of Lili Elbe and her wife Gerda Wegener (also a famous painter) through Lili's transition at a time when such surgery was still completely uncharted territory.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
ayumi hamasaki 21st anniversary -POWER of A^3- (2019)
Hamasaki Ayumi unleashes the Power of A^3 for her 21st anniversary! The diva launched her 21st anniversary tour at the Saitama Super Arena on April 7, 2019. Enjoy her powerful song and dance performances with this live release!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Like AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies?
The closest matches to AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies are Adele One Night Only (2021), David Bowie: Five Years (2013) and Lemmy (2010). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies?
Start with Adele One Night Only (2021), the closest match to AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies.
What is the highest-rated movie like AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies?
Whitney (2018), rated 7.3/10 by 212 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies?
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies?
Yes: Adele One Night Only (2021), David Bowie: Five Years (2013) and Lemmy (2010).
How are movies similar to AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.