The Rise in Music Documentaries

Image Source: IMDb

On March 25, 2022, the streaming service Disney+ released the highly anticipated music documentary driving home 2 u, a movie centered on teen pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo. The film—titled after a lyric from the singer’s first chart-topping hit “Drivers License”—follows Rodrigo as she drives around Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Los Angeles area while discussing the songwriting process behind each track of her debut album Sour. This project reflects a larger trend in the music industry: pop star documentaries.  

While, of course, there has always been a market for documentaries that focus on musical artists, these projects are now being released at a higher rate and receiving more promotion than ever before. Some recent examples include Taylor Swift’s Miss Americana (2020), Billie Eilish’s Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry (2021), and Shawn Mendes’ Shawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020). These films dive deep into the life and emotions of a pop singer as they craft their (at the time) recently released the latest album.  

Projects of this nature connect to a larger concept found in the music created by those being profiled: vulnerability. Pop music is generally supposed to be fun and uplifting for listeners, but that has not stopped these artists — as well as others in the genre — from incorporating personal elements into their works. Swift is well-known for her diaristic, confessional lyrics. Eilish’s first album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? explores her mental health struggles. Mendes’ Wonder tackles toxic masculinity and the pressure that comes along with stardom. Sour also includes Rodrigos’ raw, unfiltered feelings about her first heartbreak. These films act as an extension of these immensely popular celebrities and the intimacy behind their art.  

Despite certain elements of these documentaries being manipulated in ways to preserve the subject’s image, these films give fans a closer look at their favorite musicians. With society’s consistent move away from the initial authenticity that came with social media platforms, these films act as a sort of stripped-down, “real” view of the artist and their art. Because of how commercially and even critically successful these ventures are, there really is no true end in sight for the trend.