Love an inspirational story or drama? We’ve rounded up the best drum movies and documentaries about real-life drummers! Each of these awesome films is perfect for music lovers.
The rock music scene makes a great backdrop for a movie. And while singers and guitarists often get all the glory, the drummers are the real stars of the show!
That’s what makes these drumming movies perfect for movie night — whether you’re in a rock band or not!
So grab your favorite dinner or movie night snacks, and pick a movie to watch!
When it comes to the best drum movies, there are so many great films to choose from! Whether you like rock comedies, mockumentaries, or informational documentaries, you’ll find a few titles to add to your must watch list here! We tried to link the movie with Amazon Prime Video when possibly so that you could easily stream these movies and documentary films. Rated: R Starring: Miles Teller, J. K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist An ambitious jazz drummer finds a mentor in an instructor known for his terrifying teaching methods. When the professor transfers the drummer into the top jazz ensemble he changes the young man's life forever. Rated: 16+ Starring: Ringo Starr from The Beatles, Stewart Copeland from The Police, Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the late Taylor Hawkins from Foo Fighters This 2022 documentary is directed by Justin Kreutzmann and brings together some of the world's greatest drummers. Rated: PG-13 Starring: Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Leonard Roberts A talented street drummer from Harlem gets a crash course in the competitive world of drumming when he enrolls in a Southern university. He struggles to find his place in this new world before realizing that it takes more than talent to lead the band to victory. Rated: PG-13 Starring: Rainn Wilson, Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone As a drummer in a popular ‘80s hair band, Robert "Fish" Fishman lived his dream until he got kicked out by his fellow bandmates. But he’s able to get a second shot at stardom two decades later when his nephew's group hires him as the new drummer. Rated: PG Starring: Tom Hanks, Tom Everett Scott, Steve Zahn An experienced band manager helps a small town band achieve big time success with their Beatles-style pop song in the 1960s. But their success really peaks when their drummer breaks his arm and is replaced by a jazz enthusiast, who takes their sound over the top. Rated: R Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci A heavy metal drummer’s life is changed forever when he begins to lose his hearing and learns he must go through the world in silence. Rated: PG-13 Starring: Ari Gold, Adrien Grenier, Michael McKean, Jane Lynch In hopes of becoming the world’s greatest air drummer, a small town man faces obstacles and ridicule as he works toward his goal. Not Rated Starring: Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Eleanor Parker A recovering heroin addict just released from prison tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when a small-time con man and his old drug dealer enter the picture, he finds it hard to stay clean. Rated: R Starring: Christopher Guest, Rob Reiner, Michael McKean The fictional band Spinal Tap, England’s loudest band, returns to the stage for what is sure to be an unforgettable tour. Luckily, a documentary filmmaker is there to chronicle their path back to the spotlight in this comical mockumentary. Rated: PG-13 Starring: Dana Carvey, Michael Myers, Tia Carrere When their public access show is discovered by a TV executive, Wayne and Garth are off to the big time. But amid musical interludes and celebrity sightings, they’re caught fighting to save their beloved show. Rated: R Starring: Whitney Cummings, Jenny Ortega, Dave Grohl After moving into a mansion steeped in rock 'n' roll history, the members of the Foo Fighters work to record their much anticipated 10th album. But soon, Dave Grohl finds himself fighting against supernatural forces that threaten the album and the lives of the band members. Not Rated Starring: Ginger Baker, Jay Bulger, Jack Bruce Documentary filmmaker Jay Bulger interviews Ginger Baker, the legendary drummer of the rock groups Cream and Blind Faith, in this interesting drumming movie. Rated: PG-13 Starring: Adam Sandler, Brenden Fraser, Steve Buscemi A group of aspiring rockers will stop at nothing to have their band's demo tape played on the air. When they sneak into a Los Angeles radio station, they resort to threatening the on-air DJ with realistic-looking water guns, causing the situation to get out of control quickly. Rated: PG Starring: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco The Easter bunny is preparing to pass his reign over to his son – who would rather be drumming than passing out Easter eggs. So he runs away to Los Angeles, where he befriends an out-of-work slacker who may be able to help him get his music career on track. Rated: PG-13 Starring: The Red Hot Chili Peppers In this classic VH1 documentary is a little dated now because it came out in 1997, but it is such a great in-depth analysis of the band up until that point that we had to include it! Want more? There is another documentary on the band from 2006 on Apple TV, too! Rated: Unrated Starring: RUSH There are live performances, personal archives, and so many great interviews in this RUSH documentary. It's a must-watch for any RUSH fan! Rated: R Starring: Will Ferrell and John Reilly If you're looking for a hilarious comedy with an epic drumset, you have to watch this classic! Rated: R Starring: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, Amy Poehler This outrageous movie is classic Jack Black, and it even features Foo Fighter's lead singer (and Nirvana's drummer), Dave Grohl! Plus, Ben Stiller and Jack Black were producers on this film. Rated: Not Rated Starring: Jay Collins, Larry Campbell, Elizabeth Danko This documentary follows Levon Helm, from The Band, as he creates his first album in 25 years. It covers a span of over 2 years and is directed by Jacob Hatley. Rated: Unrated, Possibly PG Starring: Fred Astaire, George Burns, Gracie Allen While this classic Oscar-winning film isn't specifically about dancing, there is an amazing tap dance routine with Fred Astaire and parts of a drumset in the movie. Rated: Unrated Starring: Sal Mineo and Susan Kohner Famous jazz dummer, Gene Krupa, has a biopic outlining his major success in the industry, as well as, his struggle with addiction in his personal life. If you've loved the biopics of Elton John, Elvis Presley, or Freddie Mercury -- this is a must-watch! Rated: 18+ Starring: Jaycee Chan This Chinese film is translated with English subtitles and follows a young man's incredible adventure after he escapes to Taiwan. Rated: Unrated Starring: Dennis Chambers, Kenwood Dennard, Horacio 'Negro' Hernandez An Ontario music camp is the ultimate dream for some of these music students! They are able to be mentored by some of the best drummers and musicians. *This is available on Apple TV. Rated: TV-MA This inspiring Netflix documentary showcases the power of drumming when it comes to relationships and the power of human connection.The Best Drumming Movies and Documentaries
We also couldn’t find Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who available on streaming, but it has some great material on Keith Moon.
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