101 RECOMMENDED MUSIC MOVIES - ARTE - 2024

Today I come with a list of the best music films, one of the most recurrent and treated themes within cinema. And I don't mean the musicals, but the films that base their plot on said art.

The list is open to opinions of all kinds. If you want one to appear that is not on the list, let me know in the comments and I will introduce it without any problem.

Top music films in history

- Whiplash

In my opinion, the best movie about music I have ever seen.

In it, a young boy studying at the Conservatory of Music on the East Coast of the United States, seeks to become the best drummer in the jazz world.

However, one of his strictest teachers will hinder him and push them to totally unlikely limits.

- Amadeus

Never before has the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart been interpreted in such an entertaining and trustworthy way.

The film tells the story of the young musician who managed to make a name for himself as one of the best composers in history. The "struggle" between Antonio Salieri and Mozart to gain importance within the court of Emperor Joseph II will be the common thread of the film.

- The city of stars (La La Land)

Mia aspires to be a renowned actress, while Sebastian plays the piano in jazz clubs. The two maintain a very strong love bond, but their ambition can destroy their relationship.

- A star has been born

Jack is a consecrated musician who meets Ally, a young woman who is also seeking glory in show business but is currently having no luck. Jack decides to help her, but the results are not what he expected.

- Rocketman

Biopic about the life of British singer and pianist Elton John. It narrates his life from his beginnings as a child prodigy until he reaches world fame.

- The choir boys

One of the most acclaimed music movies of the 21st century. Clément Mathieu is a music teacher who has just arrived at a boarding school for minors. This is totally surprised to see the repressive system that is used there.

In this way, Clément will try to distract the boys and offer them a passion by creating a youth choir.

- The pianist

What happens when one of the most famous pianists in all of Poland is involved in the outbreak of the Second World War?

Wladyslaw Szpilman manages to avoid his deportation, but consequently he will have to survive the Nazis for the duration of the war. The feature film is a work of art by the famous director Roman Polanski.

- 24 Hour Party People

In 1976, a young man named Tony Wilson discovers that music is his true passion. Given this, he decides to create a record label called Factory Records, in order to find the greatest talents in the country.

The story tells of the founding of one of the promoters who brought groups like New Order or Joy Division to the scene.

- Velvet Goldmine

Starring Christian Bale, he plays one of the main breakers of the hippy movement of the seventies: Brian Slade.

This will go on to become one of the most iconic exponents of the well-known London glam rock.

- School of Rock

School of Rock focuses on the life of Dewey Finn, an unemployed guitarist who decides to impersonate a friend as a teacher to earn money.

Dewey will try to teach his students the nature of rock and roll, which will lead him to form a band with them. Given this, the parents of the children and the rest of the teachers will begin to doubt the unconventional teaching methods of the new teacher.

- Amy

Amy Winehouse was a revolution for the world of jazz. With songs like "Back to Black" or "Valerie" she would be able to make a niche among the best artists in the world. Unfortunately, a strong addiction to drugs and alcohol made her join the “27 club”.

If you want to know a little more about her, you cannot miss this documentary film where her life is narrated, from its beginnings to its decline.

- The soloist

Feature film starring Jamie Foxx, who plays Nathaniel Ayers, a schizophrenic violinist who has been expelled from the conservatory.

His decadent life leads him to live in poverty and anonymity until he is found by Steve López, a journalist who will change his life forever.

- High Fidelity

Film released in 2000 that tells the story of Rob Gordon, a man who runs a vinyl store about to go bankrupt.

In one of the reflections that he makes with his employees, he ends up concluding that he will try again to conquer his old girlfriend, who is currently dating another boy.

- Ray

Ray Arles was a figure for the world of jazz, rock and roll and gospel among many other styles.

The plot, rigorous and faithful, tries to describe the different stages of his professional and personal career: the signing with the Atlantic Records label, his addiction to both drugs and women or even the death of his beloved brother George.

- Copying Beethoven

Story of Anna Holtz, a composer who decides to go to Vienna to earn a living. There she manages to make a niche for herself as an apprentice to Ludwig van Beethoven, where she will demonstrate her gifts to become her copyist and start a totally fascinating adventure.

- BackBeat

At this point on the list and you weren't missing a movie about The Beatles?

BackBeat tells how the four young men from Liverpool are hired to play at a club in Hamburg. There, they will meet a young photographer who will endanger the stability of the entire band.

- That Thing You Do!

A great movie that is the clear reflection of a great majority of bands from the seventies. Guy Patterson works in an appliance store, when he decides to leave everything for a dream: music.

He will join a neighborhood band called The Wonders. Their stylish and novel way of playing drums will lead them to stardom and all that that entails.

- 8 miles

Film performed by Eminen himself. In it, it seeks to represent an environment of poverty in which a boy seeks to make a place as a rapper in a "cockfighting" club.

The protagonist will have to deal with an alcoholic mother, street problems or with justice itself.

- I'm not there

Curious film based on the life of the greatest musicians of all time: Bob Dylan.

Six different interpreters are in charge of representing different stages, both personal and professional. With a luxurious cast, the actors who play it are Christian Bale, Heath Ledger or Richard Gere among others.

- Life in Pink

Film that portrays the life of the French singer Edith Piaf.

The tour will take you from a childhood marked by poverty to fame as a musical star.

- The runaways

Based on the creation of the group The Runaways. In it, two young people living in Los Angeles in the seventies decide to form a punk group.

The film tells the adventures and misadventures of this group of girls to achieve the long-awaited fame.

- A place to stay

Cheyenne is a former rock star who decides to move to New York when her father dies.

To his surprise, he discovers that the deceased was seeking revenge for a humiliation he never carried out. In this way, Cheyenne will take the lead and make a trip across America to fulfill her father's goal

- Living is easy with your eyes closed

Spanish film that tells the story of an English teacher who uses the songs of The Beatles to teach the language to his students.

When he learns that John Lennon is going to Spain to shoot a film, he decides to meet him to tell him something very special.

- Every morning in the world

In seventeenth-century France, the best viola teacher in the world begins a somewhat peculiar relationship with a student who falls in love with him. The student's preparation must be excellent, since they are part of the court of King Louis XIV of France.

- The Doors

Feature film that talks about the history of The Doors, focusing especially on the figure of Jim Morrison, a musician hated and loved in equal measure.

Scandals such as violence, sex, alcohol or drugs are treated in detail in this film.

- Begin Again

Mark Ruffalo plays a scout who has been fired. On one of his daily visits to the bar, he discovers Gretta, a young New Yorker with an innate talent for music. Together, they will begin to forge a strong relationship that will bring them together to unsuspected points.

- Some Kind of Monster

Movie - documentary about one of the greatest Heavy Metal bands in history. Some Kind of Monster investigates the recording methods of one of their latest albums, while they have to address various problems that they have had to live throughout their history: altercations with the media, disintegration, addictions to drugs, etc…

- The boat that rocked

The less interesting movie. Released in 2009, it tells the story of a radio station that broadcast music from a ship in the middle of the sea when rock was banned.

This pirate station must endure the ailments of the government, which seeks to end this type of radio.

- Empire Records

Film that talks about the history of Empire Records, a music record store where a series of simultaneous stories are told over a 24-hour period of time.

On the one hand, there is Joe, the boss who seeks to save his store, an employee who loses money from the sale of the day, a pop star who will sign autographs and a troubled teenager who will dedicate himself to doing his thing.

- Almost famous

A young man seeking to be a journalist is hired at the age of fifteen by the well-known music magazine Rolling Stone. In your first steps, you must cover the tour of a famous band, something that will undoubtedly lead you to live an experience that you will never forget.

- Frank

Story starring Frank, a musical genius played by Michael Fassbender who has had no luck in that world.

His bandmates will try to help him, eventually managing to record an album that will serve as a catapult to fame. As a result of that moment, they will have to live and face the adversities of becoming a professional music group.

- Rock N´Roll Highschool

Film released in 1979 where a group of young people rebel against their new director. The reason? It has banned them from rock 'n' roll.

Young people will be able to cope with it in a somewhat peculiar way. They will have the help of a group called The Ramones, do they sound familiar?

- Walk the line

Based on true events, Walk the line tells the story of two of America's greatest musical stars: June Carter and Johnny Cash.

The film tells the story of both artists, where both positive and problematic experiences will be mixed.

- Green Book

An ordinary chauffeur from the Bronx is hired to drive a renowned black pianist around the southern United States. During his journey, the driver must adhere to the green book, where those places allowed for blacks appear.

- Yesterday

Jack Malik is a failed musician who wakes up after being run over and discovers that he lives in a world where they don't know The Beatles. At that time, the artist makes the songs of the British group pass as his own.

- SLC Punk

In the conservative and traditional Salt Lake City (USA), Stevo and Heroin Bob, two young punks and anarchists, survive as they can in the face of so much adversity.

- August Rush

August is a child born from the love of a guitarist and a cellist. However, he was raised in an orphanage and was under the tutelage of an evil individual who exploits his gifts as a prodigy musician.

- Yellow Submarine

Pepperland is a paradise whose peace is disturbed by the arrival of the evil Flying Glove along with his army of Damn Blues. Music will play a leading role in eliminating evildoers.

- The Phantom of the Opera

In the Paris of 1870, a ghost walks the backstage of the Opera, sowing terror among those attending the functions. A young dancer discovers the identity of this individual to her surprise.

- Farinelli

Farinelli is a gelding who at the age of twelve demonstrated his talent in singing in the public squares of his city. The brilliant composer Handel proposes that he travel to London, creating a difficult relationship between them.

- Control

Biopic about the last years of Ian Curtis, a member of the Joy Division group, before his suicide. Love, his drug problems, epilepsy or his passion on stage are reflected in this work.

42- Anvil: The Anvil Story

43- Don't look back

44- The last waltz

45- Quadrophenia

46- Stop Making Sense

47- Glastonbury

48- Love and Mercy

49- Meeting people is easy

50- Prety in pink

51- Woodstock

52- American Hardcore

53- Singles

54- The last Waltz

55- Pink Floyd: The Wall

56- All that Jazz

57- Bird

58- American Pop

59- The legend of the pianist in the ocean

60- The pianist

61- Eleven

62- Sing Street

63- Nashville

64- Chords and disagreements

65- The quartet

66- The last concert

67- The story of Eddy Duchin

68- Music and tears

69- On the tightrope

70- Jersey Boys

71- I feel Good

72- Beyond the sea

73- The Linda McCartney Story

74- A song to remember

75- Shine a Light

76- Vivaldi: A prince in Venice

77- Notorius

78- In his life: John Lennon History

79- Sid and Nancy

80- Madame Soutzaska

81- Bith of the Beatles

82- Great Balls of Fire!

83- Chiaroscuro

84- Nowhere boy

85- Immortal Beloved

86- Imagine

87- The devil and Daniel Johnston

88- Monterey Pop

89- The future is unwritten

90- Around midnight

91- You the lyrics, I the music

92- Letter to a stranger

93- This land is my land

94- Alabama Monroe

95- Three colors: Blue

96- Music of the heart

97- Professor Holland

98- The legend of the pianist in the ocean

99- Elvis: The Beginning

100- Cotton Club

101- One day I will return

102- La Bamba

103- The Sound of Noise

104- No one knows about persian cats

105- The blues brothers

106- This is Spinal Tap

Other recommended lists

Recommended movies of all genres.

Sad movies.

Movies based on real events.

Movies to reflect on life.

Movies to watch as a family.

Educational films.

Psychological movies.

Philosophical movies.

Stock movies.

Romantic movies.

Movies of personal improvement.

Adventure movies.