LISTEN LIVE

Kill Some Time With 16 Essential Rock Documentaries

Sooner or later, you’re going to run out of TV series to binge. That’s where this list comes in. So dig in and enjoy some all-timers as well as some…

1986. Beer. Priest. Videocamera. Need we say more?

Sooner or later, you're going to run out of TV series to binge. That's where this list comes in. So dig in and enjoy some all-timers as well as some lesser-know rock docs. Be warned: it's heavy on the punk.

All Ages: The Boston Hardcore Film (2012)

All-Ages-The-Boston-Hardcore-Film.jpg

Hop in the wayback machine for a trip to early-'80s Boston and a firsthand account of the burgeoning hardcore scene.


American Hardcore (2006)

American-Hardcore-2006.jpg

Hang out in the '80s for awhile longer to get a broader look at the roots of American punk rock.


Boys From Nowhere (2016)

Boys-From-Nowhere.jpg

Back to Boston we go, just a little earlier this time: It's the '70s, and garage punk is emerging.


The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)

The-Decline-of-Western-Civilization.jpg

The definitive L.A. punk rock doc.


The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

The-Decline-of-Western-Civilization-Part-II-The-Metal-Years.jpg

The definitive L.A. metal scene doc.


Don't Break Down (2017)

Dont-Break-Down-2017.jpg

The awkwardness is palpable in this attempted reunion of seminal post-hardcore band Jawbreaker. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day gets a lot of screentime, too.


Heavy Metal Parking Lot (1986)

Heavy-Metal-Parking-Lot-1986.jpg

1986. Beer. Priest. Videocamera. Need we say more?


Hype! (1996)

Hype-1996.jpg

Grunge was born in the Pacific Northwest. This is the doc that tells you how.


Joan Jett: Bad Reputation (2018)

Joan-Jett-Bad-Reputation-2018.jpg

A rock-solid rock doc on a rock n' roll legend. It hit Netflix 2 years ago and you can still watch it there.


Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007)

Joe-Strummer-The-Future-Is-Unwritten-2007.jpg

Speaking of rock legends, here's another must-watch doc on the late, great Mr. Strummer.


Punk The Capital (2019)

Punk-The-Capital-2019.jpg

This doc from last year focuses on the D.C. punk and hardcore scene in the late '70s and early '80s.


The Rise And Fall Of The Clash (2012)

The-Rise-And-Fall-Of-The-Clash-2012.jpg

What, Strummer alone isn't enough for you? Dig deeper into the man and the only band that mattered with this doc.


Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010)

Rush-Beyond-The-Lighted-Stage-2010.jpg

Released a decade ago, it's still must-watch for Rush fans from all walks of life.


Salad Days (2014)

Salad-Days-.jpg

A deeper dive into the D.C. hardcore punk scene.


Watch Me Jumpstart (1996)

Watch-Me-Jumpstart-1996.jpg

The mid-90s documentary on legendary indie rock band Guided By Voices just recently became available online.


We Jam Econo (2005)

We-Jam-Econo.jpg

The origin story of the short-lived yet influential punk band the Minutemen.

adam12Writer
Adam 12 is the Program Director of Boston's ROCK 92.9, heard weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He's been flexing his encyclopedic rock knowledge in New England for over 2 decades, both on-air and online, at WBCN, WFNX, Boston.com, and indie617. At ROCK 92.9, he keeps you in the know on the big stories from the Boston music scene and writes about great places to eat, drink (beer), and to spend time outdoors in and around Boston.