Tom RostonIndependent journalist Tom Roston checks in and writes about the world of documentaries in his column, Doc Soup.

You can follow Tom on Twitter @DocSoupMan.

Doc Soup: The 10 Greatest Rockumentaries of All Time (Okay, This List Goes to 11!)


Love is blind. So is our taste in music. And that also logically applies to lists of one's favorite rockumentaries. So, yes, this list is subjective. And I'm going to reinforce that point by illustrating why some of these films are important to me. I hope you will share your favorite rockumentaries — personal reminiscences encouraged! — in the comments section below.

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#11. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (2002)

I’ve heard all about how genius Wilco is and yet I’ve always found the music to rock-y and without distinction, so I watched this film last week just to prove its cult status is just that — a film with a niche following that didn’t belong on my list. Well, I was wrong. Despite the film having similar propagandistic qualities to Under Great White Northern Lights, it’s really well made, insightfully breaks down how a band makes its music, and even gets inside the musicians’ deepest feelings toward each other.

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Tom Roston
Tom Roston
Tom Roston is a guest columnist for POV's documentary blog. He comes to us as a ten-year veteran of Premiere magazine, where he was a Senior Editor, and where he wrote the column, Notes from the Dream Factory. Tom was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Brown University and started his career in journalism at The Nation and then Vanity Fair. Tom has also written for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, GQ, New York, Elle and other publications. Tom's favorite documentaries are: 1. Koyanisqaatsi - Godfrey Reggio 2. Hoop Dreams - Steve James 3. The Up series - Michael Apted 4. Crumb - Terry Zwigoff 5. Capturing the Friedmans - Andrew Jarecki
  • http://www.facebook.com/jazz.cook Jazz Cook

    “Gimme Shelter” and “Woodstock” rate higher on my list. As good as Dylan songwriting skills are, they pale in comparison to his dreadful voice. With “Woodstock” you get a variety of voices, 99% of which sound better than Mr. Dylan.

  • Wheels

    Jimi Hendrix, 2 DVD collection entitled “Live at Woodstock”.
    Neil Young “Heart of Gold”, a Jonathan Demme picture.

    • Kigad13_a

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  • Chad Roscoe

    What about “Here Comes Huffamoose?” They were robbed not to be on this list!

  • vinyl

    I would add “Meeting People is Easy” and “Message to Love” to this list.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=683849661 Alex Corbor

    I can’t believe you didn’t put Dig! on the list.

    • Dave

      Agreed. Dig! is fantastic. It should be in any Top 10 music film list.

  • Doc Soup Man

    @927415089a82faae0de99336fe5aeae4:disqus , I so wanted to love “Meeting People is Easy,” but it was so spare, it felt nihilistic. I looove Radiohead, but that film took them too far.

    • vinyl

      Doc, for me the filmmaking style replicated what was going on with the band, and the obsessions with technology, alienation and society that permeate “OK Computer” the tour that’s being documented. I loved the film for its style, and actually saw it before I became a Radiohead fan.

  • http://playmixt.tumblr.com/ Playmixt

    THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT.
    also: The Secret to a Happy Ending (about Drive-by Truckers)

  • http://twitter.com/MusicFilmWeb MusicFilmWeb

    Have you seen The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector? Creepy, funny, tragic, revelatory. But sadly not on DVD.

  • Rebnorman

    My wife’s film, Tupac Resurrection?

  • Guest

    Wattstax!

  • http://www.greysanatomyepisodeguide.net Greys Anatomy Episode Guide

    its great to see metallica on the list, my all time favorite

  • http://www.pancreaticcancersymptomsblog.com/ Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

    I would add “Meeting People is Easy” and “Message to Love” to this list.

  • sean

    grey gardens absence is inexplicable.

  • Sandrarkennedy

    Searching for Sugarnan had me laughing crying and singing

  • JJ

    1991:The year punk broke should definitely be on here, Sonic Youth and Nirvana on tour… with a lil bit of dino jr, ramones, gumball, babes in toyland… whats not to love???