Movies Like Standing in the Shadows of Motown

If you liked Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002), a documentary and music movie directed by Paul Justman, 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
All Things Must Pass (2015)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
The explosive trajectory and tragic demise of iconic music retailer Tower Records, and the legacy of its rebellious founder Russ Solomon. Two hundred stores in thirty countries on five continents. In 1999 it made $1…
2
Keith Richards: Under the Influence (2015)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
A portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.
3
The Last Waltz (1978)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and music
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and other…
4
Supersonic (2016)
★ 7.4/10Also music and documentary
Supersonic charts the meteoric rise of Oasis from the council estates of Manchester to some of the biggest concerts of all time in just three short years. This palpable, raw and moving film shines a light on one of the…
5
Let It Be (1970)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and music
A documentary chronicling the Beatles' rehearsal sessions in January 1969 for their proposed "back to basics" album, "Get Back," later re-envisioned and released as "Let It Be."
6
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (2011)
★ 7.1/10Also music and documentary
Having forged a 20-year run as one of the most innovative and influential hip hop bands of all time, the Queens NY collective known as 'A Tribe Called Quest' have kept a generation hungry for more of their…
7
Lemmy (2010)
★ 7.6/10Also music and documentary
Over four decades, Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister has registered an immeasurable impact on music history. Nearly 65, he remains the living embodiment of the rock and roll lifestyle, and this feature-length…
8
Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018)
★ 7.8/10Also music and documentary
An in-depth and intimate portrait of Coldplay's spectacular rise from the backrooms of Camden pubs to selling out stadiums across the planet. At the heart of the story is the band's unshakeable brotherhood which has…
9
Whitney (2018)
★ 7.3/10Also music and documentary
Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.
10
Gimme Danger (2016)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and music
No other band in rock'n'roll history has rivaled The Stooges' combination of heavy primal throb, spiked psychedelia, blues-a-billy grind, complete with succinct angst-ridden lyrics, and a snarling, preening leopard of…
11
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary and music
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP is a feature length performance documentary about the runaway juggernaut that is Rap music. At the wheel of this unstoppable beast is the film's director and interviewer Ice-T…
12
Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and music
In March 2005, Neil Young was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Four days before he was scheduled for a lifesaving operation, he headed to Nashville, where he wrote and recorded the country folk album Prairie Wind with…
13
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)
★ 8.5/10Also documentary and music
With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music…
14
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown (2014)
★ 6.9/10Also music and documentary
James Brown changed the face of American music forever. Abandoned by his parents at an early age, James Brown was a self-made man who became one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, not just through his…
15
The Last Repair Shop (2024)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and music
In a warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, a dwindling handful of devoted craftspeople maintain more than 80,000 student musical instruments, the largest remaining workshop in America of its kind. Meet four…
16
Dua Lipa: Studio 2054 (2020)
★ 9/10Also music and documentary
Dua Lipa's kaleidoscopic rocket fuelled journey through time, space, mirrorballs, roller discos, bucket hats, belting beats, throbbing basslines and an absolute slam dunk of the best of times in global club culture…
17
David Byrne's American Utopia (2020)
★ 7.5/10Also music and documentary
A filmed version of David Byrne's Broadway show, a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community.
18
Nas: Time Is Illmatic (2014)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and music
Time Is Illmatic is a feature length documentary film that delves deep into the making of Nas' 1994 debut album, Illmatic, and the social conditions that influenced its creation.
19
God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (2011)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary and music
Featuring never before seen footage uncovered from the archives and interviews with Paul McCartney, Tommy Lee and others, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne is the first documentary to take viewers inside the complex mind of…
20
My Mom Jayne (2025)
★ 8/10Also documentary
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and…