20 must-watch movies about music that are not musicals

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga ooze chemistry in 2018’s A Star Is Born, which is also directed by Cooper. The film follows Jackson Maine, a seasoned country musician who meets and falls in love with rising star Ally. As her career takes off, he is haunted by alcoholism and personal demons. Cooper and music icon Gaga make melodic perfection with original songs that became worldwide hits, such as ‘Always Remember Us This Way’ and the Oscar-winning ‘Shallow’. 

Irish director John Carney has made a number of great movies about music that aren’t musicals, with one of the most loved being Sing Street. The story follows Conor, a teenager who forms a band in order to catch the attention of the girl he likes. Meanwhile, he deals with family struggles at home. Sing Street features a collection of tracks written specifically for the film, which range from bops to heartbreakers, such as ‘Drive It Like You Stole It’. 

One of Jack Black’s most iconic roles is in the beloved comedy School of Rock . Black plays Dewey Finn, an amateur musician who is kicked out of his band and takes his friend’s job by posing as a substitute teacher at a private school. With no teaching qualifications, Dewey starts training his class to become a rock band. The film features a large handful of popular rock songs from bands such as AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Stevie Nicks, and many more. 

Pitch Perfect became one of the most popular comedy movies released in the 2010s, bringing both laughs and toe-tapping moments. The story follows college student Beca, who reluctantly joins an all-female a cappella group called the Bellas. She brings fresh ideas to the group as they compete against an all-male group. The film features a ton of mashups and a cappella versions of iconic pop songs such as ‘Titanium’, ‘Just the Way You Are’, and even Simple Minds’ ‘Don't You Forget About Me’. 

Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous is one of the great movies of the 2000s. It follows fifteen-year-old William, an aspiring music journalist who gets the opportunity to write an article for Rolling Stone magazine about an up-and-coming rock band. He accompanies them on tour and discovers a lot about himself along the way. Featuring pitch-perfect performances, the soundtrack is made up of several hit songs from Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel, and more. 

Once is the breakout film from director John Carney and is about the powerful way music can bring people together. Set in Dublin, the film follows a busker and an immigrant who write and rehearse songs together as they fall in love. Lead actors Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová are real-life musicians and wrote the film’s original songs, including ‘Falling Slowly’, which won an Academy Award. The film was later adapted into an award-winning stage musical.

What if nobody knew who The Beatles were? That is the trippy concept of Danny Boyle’s Yesterday. The film follows struggling musician Jack, who is hit by a bus during a blackout. When he wakes up, he discovers that no one remembers who The Beatles are except him. He then starts performing their songs in order to gain fame and success. The movie features hit after hit from the legendary band and celebrates the monumental impact they have had on the world.

Director Damien Chazelle first wowed audiences with the music-based psychological drama Whiplash. The story follows Adam, a promising young drummer who enrolls in a music conservatory. There, he is mentored by the cutthroat and abusive Terence Fletcher, who will stop at nothing to realize Andrew’s potential. Amongst all the tension and dramatic moments in Whiplash is a groovy soundtrack of jazz tunes composed by Oscar-winner Justin Hurwitz.

The Ballad of Wallis Island is a charming indie film full of warmth and beautiful music. The film follows Charles, an eccentric lottery winner, as he tries to get his favourite musicians, now estranged, to perform a private show for him on the remote island where he lives. The reunion of McGwyer Mortimer means a lot more to Charles than they know, highlighting the sentimental value of music. The film features original folk songs written by Tom Basden, who also appears in the film.

John Carney’s follow-up to Once was 2013’s Begin Again , starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. It follows Gretta, a songwriter, as she moves to New York with her boyfriend after he lands a huge record deal and they break up. One day, she is discovered by Dan, a disgraced record executive, and the pair begin to collaborate on her first album. Begin Again’s soundtrack is made up of several original songs, such as the Oscar-nominated ‘Lost Stars’. 

The heartwarming CODA won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2022. The story follows Ruby, who is the only hearing member of her deaf family. She becomes torn between supporting her family and their business and pursuing her passion for music. CODA is a film about musical language and how even those who cannot hear can be moved by it. This is particularly evident in an emotional scene where Ruby sings and signs to Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now’ in front of her family. 

From Gurinder Chadha, the director of Bend it Like Beckham, comes the Bruce Springsteen-centric Blinded by the Light. The film tells the true story of Javed, a teenage Pakistani immigrant living in England during the 1980s. While dealing with his family and racism, he is inspired by Springsteen's music and uses it to understand his life. Naturally, the film has all of the Springsteen classics viewers know and love, as well as other ‘80s tunes.

Soul is one of Pixar’s best movies released in the 2020s and is a life-affirming adventure. Joe is a middle-aged music school teacher whose life hasn’t gone the way he hoped. His true passion is jazz, and when he gets into an accident, his soul is separated from his body. Transported to another dimension, he must help another find their passion. Soul is not only a movie that celebrates music and the world of jazz, but reminds people to cherish what they have.  

August Rush is a music-based drama starring Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Terrence Howard and Robin Williams. The story follows August, a musically gifted boy who runs away from his orphanage to find his birth parents, who are two star-crossed musicians. August Rush is a film about how music can help people find each other. Uplifting and emotional, the film is full of different kinds of music, including the Oscar-nominated ‘Raise It Up”.

This Is Spinal Tap is a rock mockumentary and cult classic directed by the late Rob Reiner. Reiner plays a filmmaker who follows and documents Spinal Tap, an English heavy metal band, on their American comeback tour. The film is a sharp satire of the rock-and-roll world and the egos and lifestyles of many musicians. It is endlessly quotable and makes for a rocking good time. Spinal Tap will have audiences wanting to turn their volume to 11. 

From directors Joel and Ethan Cohen, Inside Llewyn Davis marked a breakout role for the now highly successful Oscar Isaac. The story follows the titular Llewyn Davis, a folk singer navigating life in Greenwich Village, New York. While trying to break out into the music industry, he struggles to stay true to himself and his artistic independence. The film features folk music appropriate to the 1960s, and a number of modern recordings by the main cast. 

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a mockumentary from The Lonely Island, and offers a heightened and ridiculous take on the music industry and popstars. Andy Samberg plays Conor, a former boyband member who takes on a solo career. When his album fails, he does everything he can to maintain his celebrity status. The film features a number of hilarious original tunes, such as ‘I’m So Humble, ‘Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)’ and ‘Turn Up the Beef’.

8 Mile sees art imitate real life as Eminem plays Jimmy ‘B-Rabbit’ Smith, an aspiring rapper. Living in a racially divided Detroit area, he enters a rapping competition with the hopes of making it and escaping the life he has. A movie about rap is of course going to feature a phenomenal rap-based soundtrack, including Eminem’s hit ‘Lose Yourself’. Not only did it win the Oscar for Best Original Song, but it was also the biggest chart-topper of 2002. 

Sinners may be a movie about vampires, but it is just as much, if not more so, about music. The story follows twin brothers Stack and Smoke, who return to their Mississippi hometown to start fresh. However, an even greater evil awaits them. Sinners is a celebration of the spiritual power of music, which is astonishingly exhibited in a time-traversing musical sequence set in the juke where the film’s main conflict takes place. Sinners is as toe-tapping as it is frightening. 

Pixar’s Coco is a heartfelt celebration of Mexican music and culture. The film follows Miguel, a young boy and aspiring musician who comes from a family where music has been banned for generations. One day, he finds himself in the Land of the Dead and embarks on a mission to unlock his family’s history. The film’s soundtrack ranges from fun and catchy tunes like ‘Un poco loco’ to highly emotional songs like ‘Remember Me’, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song.