Three Of The Best Music Films To Watch Right Now

Music is created to tell stories of the characters and artists in them and to make us relate to their experiences. From power ballads to pop songs, there have been many songs that have brought us to tears, made us laugh,or made us get up and dance. Whether you’re into rap music or heavy metal music, country or R&B, there are plenty of songs both new and old for everyone to enjoy. According to Gaming Club’s guide on: ‘Selfie Culture: Are We Too Addicted To Our Phones?’, 69% of internet users use music streaming services when they’re online. Another popular thing that people also like to stream online are tv shows and films.

Over the past few years especially, there have been some outstanding films relating to music, such as: A Star Is Born, Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Straight Outta Compton, and many more. So, when you find a combination of both music and film, telling the story both in song and acting, this is definitely a worthwhile experience that is often absolutely magical.

Burlesque (2010)

In her acting career, there have been many great and not so great films that Cher has starred in. In Screen Rant’s list of top ten Cher movies, there are some of her most popular film credits mentioned such as Witches Of Eastwick, Mama Mia! Here We Go Again, and Moonstruck. But Burlesque is one of her most praised performances. The film was released in 2010 and is a musical drama film that tells the story of Ali (Christina Aguilera), a small-town girl who moves to L.A in pursuit of her music dream and stumbles upon Burlesque, a dance club owned by Tess (Cher). It is a powerful and inspiring story, but the music in the film, the flashy dancers, and the strong vocals displayed by Cher and Christina Aguillera are where the magic lies.

The soundtrack starts with Christina Aguillera singing Something’s Gotta Hold on Me by Etta James, the song that inspires her to move to Los Angeles. Later, Cher performs Welcome to Burlesque in a rather sensual way. The powerful vocals of Cher and Christina Aguillera command the room, and their performance makes you such that you cannot take your eyes off the screen. In fact, one of the songs Cher performed in the film, You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Soundtrack.

Dreamgirls (2006)

A recent survey found that around 66% of Americans sleep with their phone at night and there is also a high percentage of people who check their phones over 100 times a day too! Many people spend time on their phones doing a lot of different things, whether it’s playing games, watching vlogs, or streaming the latest music and tv shows. Beyonce is just one of the most successful female singers that millions of people listen to around the world. In 2006, she starred in Dreamgirls, a film about a trio of black singers in the 1960s who become popular artists and who face personal struggles along the way.

Starring Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Foxx, Dreamgirls fictitiously tells the real-life story of the American female singing group The Supremes. It shows the ups and downs, the journey to their musical dream, and their manipulative record producer. Between or perhaps because of the whole dramatics in the story, great music full of soul, powerful voices, and a little bit of spice are produced. Music that takes us back and reminds us of what R&B was made of back when it was real. In the movie, there are a couple of great tracks that grabbed the spotlight. There is Listen by Beyonce, which won Best Original song in Critics Choice Awards; One Night Only sung by Jennifer Hudson, and Patience sung by Eddie Murphy, Anika Noni Rose, and Keith Robinson.

Quincy (2018)

Quincy Jones, when it comes to music, is a jack of all trades. Over his incredible 60 year career, he has become a composer, songwriter, record producer, jazz musician, and more. In the 2018 documentary Quincy, viewers get an intimate insight into his life, how he became an iconic part of music and popular culture, and how he transcended racial and cultural boundaries. In the film he talks about his childhood in South Chicago, the great people he was with over the years, and how he became the music icon we know him as.

The documentary, which runs for two hours, is blessed by music from all over Quincy’s journey. There are his music instrumentals that run continuously in the background. There’s Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon, which Quincy helped write and compose. There’s Michael Jackson Thriller and Rock With You, which Quincy produced; there’s Ray Charles’ America the Beautiful, Somewhere by Aretha Franklin, and many others.

To make it even grander, we are shown the history Quincy had with all these great musicians and how he influenced their lives one way or the other. He was a great friend to Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, a great mentor to Michael Jackson, and is an inspiration to many black musicians. There are also several appearances from the artists of this generation in the documentary. Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Beyonce, Jay Z, Lady Gaga, and John Legend to mention but a few all appear in the documentary to show just how much they honor and respect the legend is Quincy. The documentary is a must-watch for any music enthusiast who is looking to know the history and evolution of jazz, soul, and orchestrations.

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.