Music Documentaries We Love

NEWS | April 22, 2020

As we count down the days until cinemas and concert venues reopen, Printemps.com has assembled a list of our favorite music documentaries that bring the show to you.

Hip-Hop Evolution: how hip-hop reinvented music

Whether you're a long-time fan or just getting into it, this is an unmissable documentary on the history of hip-hop from its birth in the Bronx to its bicoastal rivalries. Rap icons like DJ Kool Herc and Chuck D lead us through twenty years of beats, from the 70s to the 90s. Exceptionally well-structured, the sixteen episodes illustrate how this movement, which grew out of disenfranchised spaces, became an international phenomenon that continues to reflect social reality. This documentary is fantastic food for thought.

Hip-Hop Evolution (2016) is available on Netflix.

Miss Americana: Taylor Swift's incredible road to stardom

This captivating documentary dives into pop star Taylor Swift's most personal moments, examining her struggles and exploring her creative process. Returning to albums Reputation (2017) and Lover (2019), the film delves into the complexity, and even the ambiguity, of the woman dubbed "America's sweetheart." The musician speaks candidly about her issues with body dysmorphia, the trial following her sexual harassment allegation, and explains her decision to go public with her disapproval of Donald Trump. This fascinating doc transposes the life of Taylor Swift with the paradoxes and problems in contemporary American society.

Miss Americana (2020) is available on Netflix.

Haut les filles : rock from a woman's perspective

Rock has long been associated with testosterone. With Haut Les Filles, François Armanet finally tackles those stubborn clichés and celebrates the feminine side of rock'n'roll. Jeanne Added, Christine and the Queens, Brigitte Fontaine, Lou Doillon, and even Françoise Hardy — the director reunited some of the greatest French songstresses to discuss the scene. One by one they share their stories of rock's reinvention, from the 60s -- with its social evolutions and advances in women's rights — to today. A dynamic film, both educational and totally refreshing, featuring exclusive interviews and archives.

Haut les filles (2019) is available on-demand on Universciné in French.