Music Festival Documentaries to Watch with Friends

We’re not sure about you, but watching music festivals with friends definitely screams ultimate friendship goals. However, as we grow older, attending festivals in person can become more challenging. We get busy with life, our schedules won’t align, and let’s be honest—sometimes, the idea of camping in a muddy field or navigating a sea of glitter-covered crowds doesn’t feel as enjoyable or satisfying as it used to. 

As an alternative, many people have been spending time watching music festival documentaries on streaming services. And the best part about it is you don’t even have to be physically together to do it. There are lots of ways to watch the same content virtually, and that’s pretty convenient. But of course, it would be better if you could watch them together in one single room. 

We’ve got some exciting music festival documentaries for you to watch with your friends for your next binge-watch session. Let’s start!

Made in America (2013)

We can’t recommend Made in America enough for your next movie night. It’s a total win. This music festival documentary is directed by Ron Howard, and it’s all about Jay-Z’s Philadelphia music festival. Some of the performances you’ll see here include Skrillex, Janelle Monae, Pearl Jam, Odd Future, and many more. Howard said it shows what the festival represents, while Jay-Z is doing it, and how he relates to each artist. And hands down, they were able to give that to their viewers. 

The first time we watched this with my family, we were literally hooked. The performances were stellar, and of course, if you know the artists well, you would enjoy it as much as we did. It’s got music for everyone, including hip-hop, rap, and even EDM. The parts where Jay-Z talks about the festival’s vibe got us chatting about how music brings people together, and we completely agree. You just need fast internet when you plan to watch this documovie so you can really enjoy it. 

Woodstock (1970)

Looking for a classic? Woodstock won’t fail you. This 1970 music festival documentary is all about the 1969 Woodstock Festival near Bethel, New York. Some of the legends we know today have performed in this festival, including Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Crosby, and many more. The amazing part? This movie won an Oscar for Best Documentary. It is even in the National Film Registry because it’s THAT good. 

The musical festival itself wasn’t perfect because of the weather, the super big crowd, and well, not enough food and bathrooms for half a million people. But thinking about it, it actually made the experience more special. That’s why it has become the go-to music festival documentary for many people. You cannot miss it on your next TV streaming session.

This Was Tomorrow (2015)

If you and your friends have attended Tomorrowland before or if y’all just simply love high-energy music festivals, you will surely enjoy This Was Tomorrow. It’s a 2015 documentary about the popular EDM festival in Belgium. It talks about what makes music festivals so special and why EDM means so much to DJs and fans, especially since it’s one of the few genres that is outside of the mainstream spotlight yet connects people worldwide.

The movie was directed by Wim Bonte, and you’ll be able to see popular EDM artists like David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Armin van Buuren, and other independent artists. Everything just worked together beautifully, and it’s one of the best festivals to attend with friends if you like the endless jumping and beautiful lights while listening to epic beats. The movie also showed how the festival expanded to Brazil. 

Wattstax (1973)

Wattstax is a 1973 documentary about the 1972 Wattstax music festival in Los Angeles. It’s all about the celebration of Black music and community. You’ll be able to watch Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes, and many more. We all know that Black music has a reputation for its soul, energy, and ability to bring people together, and this film shows exactly why. There are also some funny scenes from Richard Pryor’s talks, 

The first time we watched this movie, we really had a great time. Isaac Hayes’ Shaft, Staple Singers’ Respect Yourself, and many more. The music is very much easy to love, especially if you enjoy soul and funk vibes. It’s surely a must-watch.

Coachella: 20 Years In The Desert (2020)

Of course, how can we miss Coachella? The most anticipated music festival in the world gets its story told in Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert, a 2020 documentary that’s perfect for you and your friends if you dig that boho festival vibe. The entire documentary just shows the 20 years of Coachella’s history in California. You’ll then see the performances of some of the biggest artists that performed in this festival like Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Radiohead, and many more. 

Coachella is just a true melting pot of genres. So like, if you love pop, rock, hip-hop, K-pop, or everything in between, you’ll be able to enjoy this festival. And it’s amazing how it became a global thing, like people literally fly to California to attend this festival. You’ll get a glimpse of what really happens to Coachella without dealing with long lines, dusty weather, and the scorching heat. 

Gimme Shelter (1970)

If you and your friends are into rock music or wild music history, Gimme Shelter is a great pick for movie night. This 1970 documentary, directed by Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, follows The Rolling Stones on their 1969 U.S. tour, ending with the chaotic Altamont Free Concert in California. You’ll see killer performances by The Stones, Jefferson Airplane, and others, but it’s also known for showing the darker side of the festival, like the crazy crowd and a tragic incident.

If you’re looking for a music festival documentary that keeps you glued to the screen, you’ll love this. You might spend a few good minutes debating festival safety and the ’60s vibe in general. It was really beautiful, and it deserves more recognition. 

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)

Fyre Festival was an unfortunate disaster that happened in 2017, and this movie is the perfect documentary to watch if you want to know what really happened. Fyre was supposed to be a luxury music festival in the Bahamas. Unfortunately, it totally fell apart. No music, bad food, no fancy villas (instead, they get tents). The movie showed social media clips and interviews with stranded attendees and workers. 

The Instagram promos with influencers made us laugh, but seeing people stuck with cheese sandwiches and no bathrooms was unreal. We spent the night debating who was most to blame and what we’d do in that mess. It’s great for a group because the story’s so crazy, it gets everyone chatting, even if you’re not big on music festivals. The drama of the failed event is better than any concert footage.

Festival Express (2003)

Festival Express is a light and fun 2003 documentary about a 1970 train trip across Canada where big names like Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, The Band, and Buddy Guy played festivals and hung out on the train. You get awesome live music and fun scenes of them chilling and jamming together. If you’ve ever seen someone sing in a train and everyone suddenly jams, that’s the vibe here, just total music love. 

The train scenes, with everyone laughing and playing music together, made us want to jump in. It’s perfect for a group because the music’s so easy to enjoy—rock, blues, a bit of folk—and the fun vibe gets you talking about your own music nights or road trips. We even started planning a group concert trip after watching this documentary. 

Glastonbury (2006)

Glastonbury is a music documentary that takes viewers inside one of the world’s most famous festivals. It’s not just about the big performances even though you’ll be able to see plenty of those from artists like Radiohead, Coldplay, and David Bowie.

It’s also about the people, the culture, and the unpredictable atmosphere that makes Glastonbury so unique. The film is made up of real footage collected over 30 years, including behind-the-scenes, interviews, and live show performances.

The Bottom Line

It’s true that nothing beats the actual music festival where you’re surrounded by many people and you hear that loud beat through your chest. However, watching music festival documentaries can also give you that same level of satisfaction and entertainment, especially if you prefer staying at your own home with your feet up while eating your favorite snacks. It allows you to skip the long lines, the hassle of finding a spot, and dealing with countless people. 

If you’re looking for your next movie night lineup and are feeling music festival-ish, you can’t go wrong with this list. Every title listed in this blog post has been personally watched, and we can’t recommend it enough to everyone. Well, we hope you have fun as much as we did, and if we did miss a title that you think is worthy of adding, feel free to let us know. Happy watching!