Movies Like I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem

If you liked I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem (1941), a music movie directed by Robert R. Snody, 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
Crossroads (1986)
★ 7.4/10Also music
A wanna-be blues guitar virtuoso seeks a long-lost song by legendary musician, Robert Johnson.
3
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.
4
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…
5
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.
6
All Eyez on Me (2017)
★ 6.7/10Also music
All Eyez on Me chronicles the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur, including his rise to superstardom as a hip-hop artist, actor, poet and activist, as well as his imprisonment and prolific, controversial time at Death Row…
7
The Rocker (2008)
★ 6.1/10Also music
In the 1980s, a drummer is abandoned by his band just before they become rock superstars. Twenty years later, the drummer sees his second chance at stardom arise when he is asked to perform with his teenage nephew's…
8
Honeydripper (2007)
★ 5.9/10Also music
In 1950s Alabama, the owner of the Honeydripper juke joint finds his business dropping off and against his better judgment, hires a young electric guitarist in a last ditch effort to draw crowds during harvest time.
9
Make Your Move (2013)
★ 5.8/10Also music
A pair of star-crossed dancers in New York find themselves at the center of a bitter rivalry between their brothers' underground dance clubs.
10
8 Mile (2002)
★ 7.1/10Also music
For Jimmy Smith, Jr., life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice - and earn a place in a…
11
Whitney Houston: Live in Concert (1991)
★ 7.5/10Also music
Pop sensation Whitney Houston captured live in concert in 1991. Amongst the hits performed are 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' and 'Saving All My Love For You'.
12
Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005)
★ 6.9/10Also music
A tale of an inner city drug dealer who turns away from crime to pursue his passion, rap music.
13
Jailhouse Rock (1957)
★ 6.3/10Also music
Young convict Vince Everett, serving time for manslaughter, discovers his musical talent in prison and becomes a rock and roll star after his release, navigating fame and relationships.
14
Drumline (2002)
★ 7/10Also music
A talented street drummer from Harlem enrolls in a Southern university, expecting to lead its marching band's drumline to victory. He initially flounders in his new world, before realizing that it takes more than…
15
Let It Shine (2012)
★ 7/10Also music
A teenage rapper must use his musical talent to help a friend and win the girl of his dreams while overcoming self-doubt and the expectations of his strict religious parents.
16
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…
17
You Got Served (2004)
★ 6.4/10Also music
At Mr. Rad's Warehouse, the best hip-hop crews in Los Angeles compete for money and respect. But when a suburban crew crashes the party, stealing their dancers — and their moves — two warring friends have to pull…
18
The Five Heartbeats (1991)
★ 7.2/10Also music
In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top…
19
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.
20
Notorious (2009)
★ 7/10Also music
"Notorious" is the story of Christopher Wallace. Through raw talent and sheer determination, Wallace transforms himself from Brooklyn street hustler (once selling crack to pregnant women) to one of the greatest rappers…