An Afropunk show at CBGB in 2006 (photo by Duwayno Robertson)
If you're like me, you're almost 30 years old and still using your parents' Netflix account. And so is your sister. And that means sometimes there are just too many screens in use at once, so you get shut out. But you wanted to watch one of the documentaries we recommended, didn't you?
While you should definitely head back to Netflix at some point when your mom isn't already watching Law & Order, there are other music docs you can enjoy on YouTube whenever you please. There are a ton of episodes of VH1 Behind the Music, BBC documentaries, Google Play minis, and independent films available, either in parts or in their entirety. The five below are just a few of our favorites. Who needs Netflix when you can make a YouTube playlist and binge-watch these great docs instead?
1. Pump Up the Volume: The History of House Music
This three-part series outlines the entire genre from the Warehouse in late-'70s Chicago to the early '90s in England to where it stood in 2001, the year it premiered in on BBC's Channel 4. Landmark clubs and artists are highlighted throughout the series, as well as clips of all the essential tracks of house and all the styles that movement spawned.
2. Afro-Punk
Four black punks guide this doc in an exploration of race and identity within the American punk and hardcore scenes. Directed by James Spooner and released in 2003, Afro-Punk was likely the first film to ever tackle the topic, and surely the only one to fearlessly address the hard questions. Bad Brains, Cipher, Ten Grand, Dead Kennedys, Tamar Kali, members of Fishbone, and more are featured throughout the film's 66 minutes. For all that, naturally it fast became a classic – and also marked the genesis of the Afropunk Fest in Brooklyn in 2005, a now-massive multicultural event that is continually expanding to other cities around the world. Learn more about the film and the fest at the official website.
3. The History of Rock 'N' Roll
Is PBS not the leader in airing the best documentaries? Especially the made-for-TV ones, right? This one debuted in 1995, so it's missing some recent history – but everything that happened before that is covered thoroughly and chronologically in 10 separate volumes. The video above is the beginning of a playlist that includes them all.
4. Public Enemy: Prophets of Rage
While this one is BBC-made, its efficiency in narrating the history of the seminal hip-hop group isn't affected by the presumed overseas perspective in the slightest. It debuted in 2011, so it's actually a relatively new doc, and does well to emphasize the importance of Public Enemy's legacy in a contemporary context.
5. A Nashville State of Mind
This is a very specific doc in that it illuminates a slim period of country music in a specific place – circa 2007 Nashville. At the time, the city saw an uptick in transplant bands and artists, which developed into a thriving community of independent musicians. One of the film's central characters is Samantha Gibb, whose father was the late Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, and her band M.E.G, who are among the wave of musicians during that era who moved to Nashville in pursuit of a career.
What's your favorite music documetary? Tell us in the comments!
Jhoni Jackson is an Atlanta-bred music journalist currently based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she juggles owning a venue called Club 77, freelance writing and, of course, going to the beach as often as possible.
