Movies Like Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story

If you liked Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story (2019), a documentary and music movie directed by Adam Dubin, 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
The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
An exploration of the heavy metal scene in Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on glam metal. It features concert footage and interviews of legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands and artists such as Aerosmith…
2
The Beach Boys (2024)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary and music
A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
3
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and 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.
4
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2005)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary and music
The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, Nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a…
5
The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and music
A musical study of Los Angeles in the late 90s, where homeless teens roam the streets and profess to live a punk lifestyle of music, drugs, and flouting authority.
6
The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary and music
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
7
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…
8
Echo in the Canyon (2019)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
A look at the roots of the historic music scene in L.A.'s Laurel Canyon featuring the music of iconic music groups such as The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, and The Mamas and the Papas.
9
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…
10
Justin Bieber's Believe (2013)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and music
A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
11
Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary and music
Hailed as one of the most innovative and intimate documentaries of all time, experience Kurt Cobain like never before in the only ever fully authorized portrait of the famed music icon. Academy Award nominated…
12
Until the Light Takes Us (2008)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
Chronicles the history, ideology and aesthetic of Norwegian black metal, a musical subculture infamous as much for a series of murders and church arsons as it is for its unique musical and visual aesthetics. This is…
13
The Velvet Underground (2021)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
Experience the iconic rock band's legacy in the first major documentary to tell their story. Directed with the era’s avant-garde spirit by Todd Haynes, this kaleidoscopic oral history combines exclusive interviews with…
14
Jonas Brothers: The Concert Experience (2009)
★ 6.5/10Also documentary and music
Grab a backstage pass to the Jonas Brothers' motion picture debut! Kevin, Joe and Nick are "Burning Up" the stage and inviting you inside their personal world for the adventure of a lifetime. This colossal movie event…
15
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…
16
Daft Punk Unchained (2015)
★ 7.2/10Also music and documentary
Daft Punk Unchained is the first film about the pop culture phenomenon that is Daft Punk, the duo with 12 million albums sold worldwide and seven Grammy Awards. Throughout their career Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel…
17
End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary and music
A years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a…
18
Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and music
Giving fans unprecedented access to the real life of the music sensation, Katy Perry: Part of Me exposes the hard work, dedication and phenomenal talent of a girl who remained true to herself and her vision in order to…
19
Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon (2011)
★ 8.1/10Also documentary and music
See Michael Jackson, one of the most recognizable and popular entertainers of all time, like never before in the feature-length tribute Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Known to millions of fans worldwide for his…
20
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007)
★ 7.3/10Also music and documentary
As the front man of the Clash from 1977 onwards, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before. In "The Future…