hope i know you’ve watched countless music documentaries as you’ve linked some here before but with your louis post about maybe his documentary being about him leaving his label what makes you think that could be it bc that would be so cool. and do you have any music docs that revolve around the same thing?
hi bb! i just started thinking about what his documentary could be about if it wasn’t just a “behind the album” type deal which.... with how he’s spoken, i’m leaning towards it being more than that. and with his insistence of telling fans he isn’t signed to a label (even though i don’t necessarily think he’s still unsigned) it feels pointed and could be used to solidify this unattachment during the doc shooting process and build a jumping-off narrative for the story.
Here’s a handful of documentaries that give off the same vibes:
Artifact delves into the ever common legal disputes between a band and it’s record label. The band and label in the spot light here are Jared Leto’s ‘Thirty Seconds to Mars’ and record label giants EMI, which filed a $30 million breach of contract lawsuit against them in 2008, when Jared and co tried to exit their contract after disputes regarding royalties. The documentary takes place in 2009, a period in which the band and Jared are in the process of recording ‘This is War’ all while simultaneously trying to fight tooth and nail against EMI. (this one has been talked about several times but it’s a great one even though it revolves around jared leto’s band)
The film follows Will Gray through the recording of his debut album. Will Gray is an artist on the brink of great success, trying to push through the noise and break into the industry. However this documentary does more than just follow his struggle, it tells the stories of many artists and executives searching for ways to succeed in today’s challenging music industry, digging beneath the cliche to reveal a struggling industry trying to find its footing.
Following Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’ and its huge international success, the band undertakes a monumental world tour. The film follows them as they struggle with endless stadium shows, radio showcases and interviews over a course of two years with seemingly endless promotional work. ‘Meeting People is Easy’ is a no holds barred insight into the dissolution of mainstream success and the often unseen struggle that these artist go through when record industries treat a band as a product.
B4TMD (Before the Music Dies)
This documentary from 2006 takes a good hard look into the American music and radio industry and it’s ever increasing commercialization of music over the last 3 decades. Featuring great interviews and insights from artists who are both new and old to the industry and their struggle to make art whilst operating in a business where that is not the priority. A great documentary (and one of my personal faves!) from a time when many artist where going their own way and leaving the old business model behind
