Behind almost every great album or concert is a story that rarely makes it onstage. Music documentaries give those moments the time they deserve, following artists at their recording sessions and career-defining performances. Viewers can get a peek into an artist’s creative process and how a certain album came to be. Oftentimes, they reveal never-before-seen footage or surprising stories about your favorite musician that you thought you already knew well. They span everything from K-pop groups rushing to finish a comeback album to a troubled genius from Chicago on the rise to becoming one of the greatest of all time. They also provide a snapshot of how history and culture have influenced these musicians one way or another. Documentaries used to be few and far between, but thanks to streaming, more and more stories are getting to be told. Netflix, in particular, has released documentaries ranging from today’s biggest acts to those with cult followings.
Here are 10 of those that are more than deserving to be seen.
‘BTS: The Return’
BTS: The Return is an honest look at one of the biggest groups in the world. After the much-anticipated return of K-pop phenomenon BTS following four years of mandatory military service, the wait proves to be worth it. Their intimate documentary shows the boys being honest with themselves during the recording process of their comeback album, ARIRANG. Various scenes show RM experiencing creative block, SUGA insisting on writing songs in Korean, and Jimin questioning the choice of “SWIM” as the album’s lead single. The documentary pulls no punches, showing not only a creative process on the brink of collapse but also the pressure that comes with rebuilding one of the world’s biggest groups on a tight schedule. BTS got a lot to tell when they returned.
‘Biggie: I Got A Story Tell’
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell spends most of its runtime reminding viewers that East Coast legend The Notorious B.I.G. was first a son, friend, and neighborhood kid from Brooklyn. Outside of his Big Poppa status, the documentary was told through rare camcorder footage shot by his closest friend Damion “D-Roc” Butler and interviews with family members. Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell strips away years of mythology to present a more personal portrait of one of hip-hop’s most influential rappers.
‘jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy’
jeen-yuhs follows Kanye West across more than two decades through footage captured by filmmaker Coodie Simmons between 1998 and 2006, documenting his rise from Chicago beatmaker for rappers like Ludacris and Jay-Z to releasing conceptual albums that defined his artistry. Released in 2022 (during the peak of his DONDA era), the documentary becomes an unusually intimate time capsule showing ambition and the people who witnessed it long before the rest of the world did. jeen-yuhs reveals the making of a music mastermind skyrocketing to legend status.
‘Britney vs Spears’
Released in 2022, Britney vs Spears revisits one of pop music’s most public legal battles through years of investigative reporting surrounding Britney Spears’ 13-year conservatorship. Rather than dwelling on tabloid spectacle, the documentary focuses on how one of the world’s biggest pop stars lost control over both her personal life and career. The documentary helps piece together the legal decisions and public perception that fueled the #FreeBritney movement. All pop fans from all walks of life should consider this an essential viewing.
‘ariana grande: excuse me, i love you’
Part concert film and part tour diary, ariana grande: excuse me, i love you captures the highlights of pop star Ariana Grande’s Sweetener World Tour on-stage performances. The documentary shows scenes of rehearsals, backstage conversations, and long, exhausting travel days alongside polished performances from London’s O2 Arena. Grande was able to show the teamwork behind every performance and the friendships that keep one of pop’s biggest tours afloat every single night. Keep this documentary in mind while you’re in a Wicked binge.
‘Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE’
Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE follows the demanding process of building a group from the ground up. With the help of Geffen and HYBE formulating the biggest global group, the two companies partnered to create a “pop star academy” with rigorous K-pop training methodology combined with a Western-style music production and audition process. The cameras document months of auditions and eliminations as contestants navigate the physical and emotional tolls of idol training before they officially debut as KATSEYE. The results are definitely gnarly.
‘The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel’
Long before the Red Hot Chili Peppers became funk rock’s biggest hitmakers and troublemakers, the band revolved around their late guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died from an accidental heroin overdose. The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel looks back on the group’s earliest years through the friendships, chaotic dive bar shows, and the infectious creative chemistry that influenced their lineups post-Hillel Slovak. Interviews from members Anthony Keidis, Flea, and John Frusciante show how much Slovak has defined the band’s identity long after his untimely death.
‘Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé’
Few concert films are as ambitious as Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé . Centered on Queen Bey’s landmark 2018 Coachella performance, which made her the first black woman to headline the festival, the documentary shows months of creative planning behind the historic set. It also reflects on her return to the stage after her pregnancy, making the film as much about discipline and preparation as it is about one of the most celebrated live performances in recent music history.
‘The Greatest Night in Pop’
The Michael Jackson fever hasn’t died down yet. If you’re still on a marathon watching his career highlights, The Greatest Night in Pop might be your next watch. The story behind music’s biggest collaboration at the time, “We Are the World,” was far more chaotic than it looked on paper back when it was recorded in January 1985. The Greatest Night in Pop takes viewers inside the clutch recording session that brought together some of the biggest names in music, including Jackson, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, and more. Through archival footage and present-day interviews, the documentary captures the frustrating moments from Dylan struggling with his solo parts and Lauper’s jewelry ruining the recording; it shows all the unlikely moments of collaboration that turned one overnight session into one of pop music’s most ambitious recordings.
‘Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour’
Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour brings the singer-songwriter’s arena tour home, capturing performances that expand the emotional highs and lows of her second album. Alongside live renditions of fan favorites, the film highlights the theatrical production, such as the crescent moon, her electrifying live band one-upping each other in their own solos, and moments that transformed Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS era into one of the biggest pop tours of the decade. Filipinos would never forget her P 1,500 concert she held back in October 2024 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
Frequently Asked Questions
The “We Are the World” recording session took place on January 28, 1985, bringing together dozens of the world’s biggest artists to record the charity single for famine relief in Africa. The session is the focus of The Greatest Night in Pop.
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy is a three-part documentary series released on Netflix in 2022. It follows Kanye West’s career over two decades using footage filmed by directors Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah.
In 2018, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé documents the months of preparation behind the performance.
Hillel Slovak is the original guitarist and a founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
KATSEYE was created through HYBE and Geffen Records’ global audition project, The Debut: Dream Academy.
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