Movies Like Songs for Lines/Songs for Waves

If you liked Songs for Lines/Songs for Waves (1977), a music movie directed by Laurie Anderson, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Apple Music Live: Lady Gaga MAYHEM Requiem (2026)
★ 8.3/10Also music
For Apple Music Live, Gaga presents MAYHEM Requiem, a celebration and musical reimagining of MAYHEM.
2
Zappa (2020)
★ 7.2/10Also music
With the help of more than 10,000 dedicated Zappa fans, this is the long-awaited definitive documentary project of Alex Winter documenting the life and career of enigmatic groundbreaking rock star Frank Zappa. Alex…
3
Too Late Blues (1961)
★ 6.4/10Also music
Ghost is an ideological musician and leader of a jazz band who would rather play his blues in the park to the birds than compromise himself. His peripatetic performances lead him to cross paths with a singer, while his…
4
Hounddog (2008)
★ 6.5/10Also music
A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.
5
Teen Spirit (2019)
★ 6/10Also music
A shy teenager living on the Isle of Wight dreams of pop stardom. With the help of an unlikely mentor, she enters a singing competition that will test her integrity, talent, and ambition.
6
A Mighty Wind (2003)
★ 6.8/10Also music
Three eclectic, never-quite-famous folk bands come together for the first time in decades following the death of their manager to put on an reunion concert in his honor, at the request of his son.
7
Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour (2024)
★ 7.7/10Also music
At a sold-out concert in her hometown of LA, Olivia Rodrigo pours her heart into an electrifying night of chart-topping hits and pop-rock power ballads.
8
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also music
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.
9
Respect (2021)
★ 6.8/10Also music
The rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom.
10
Ghosts (1997)
★ 8.1/10Also music
In the town of Normal Valley, an eccentric magician named Maestro entertains the local children every day in his spooky mansion. One stormy night, the town's mayor leads a group of angry citizens to the mansion in an…
11
20 Feet from Stardom (2013)
★ 7.2/10Also music
Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead, until now.
12
Cadillac Records (2008)
★ 7.1/10Also music
The story of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950s Chicago, and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta…
13
Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour (2018)
★ 8.2/10Also music
Taylor Swift takes the stage in Dallas for the Reputation Stadium Tour and celebrates a monumental night of music, memories and visual magic.
14
Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films (1993)
★ 8.2/10Also music
Michael Jackson's Dangerous album once again rocketed the global superstar to mega-platinum success! "Dangerous - The Short Films" captures the visual and musical highlights of his most recent string of hit singles. As…
15
One Chance (2013)
★ 6.7/10Also music
This film follows the remarkable and inspirational true story of Paul Potts, a shy, bullied shop assistant by day and an amateur opera singer by night.
16
Halftime (2022)
★ 6.8/10Also music
Global superstar Jennifer Lopez reflects on her multifaceted career and the pressure of life in the spotlight in this intimate documentary.
17
Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy (2025)
★ 8.9/10Also music
Never-before-seen footage and intimate interviews celebrate the life and legacy of iconic Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla and her family band.
18
Anima (2019)
★ 7.3/10Also music
In a short musical film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Thom Yorke of Radiohead stars in a mind-bending visual piece. Best played loud.
19
Battle of the Year (2013)
★ 6.8/10Also music
A down-on-his-luck coach is hired to prepare a team of the best American dancers for an international tournament that attracts all the best crews from around the world, but the Americans haven't won in fifteen years.
20
The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
★ 7.1/10Also music
A melancholy poet reflects on three women he loved and lost in the past: a mechanical performing doll, a Venetian courtesan, and the consumptive daughter of a celebrated composer.