Hit The Couch & Get Comfy With These Music Docos You Can Stream Right Now

What Happened, Miss Simone?

Where to watch: Netflix

The film: Often portrayed in the media as one of the most difficult musicians to work with, this doco shines a spotlight on Nina Simone and her tireless efforts in both music and activism - and the events behind the scenes that may have lead to her gruff exterior. Directed by prolific documentarian Liz Garbus, What Happened, Miss Simone? is an eye-opening story that will have audiences seeing the jazz legend in a new light.

Midnight Oil: 1984

Where to watch: Stan

The film: The '80s were a gargantuan decade for Midnight Oil, and 1984 was one of the most influential years of the band's history. Chronicling the release of their fifth studio album Red Sails In The Sunset, their massive touring schedule, and Peter Garrett's sudden surprise pivot to politics, this doc is a marking of change in the Aus musical landscape and an absolute must for Oils fans.

Sisters With Transistors

Where to watch: MIFF Plays

The film: Art-pop performer extraordinaire Laurie Anderson narrates this deep dive into the history of electronic music and the plethora of female artists and creators who paved its path. From Clara Rockmore becoming one of the first-ever electronic virtuosos on the theremin to Laurie Spiegel creating one of the first commercially available pieces of music software in the '80s, Sisters With Transistors is a love letter to the unsung heroes of the genre.

Desert Metal Dreaming

Where to watch: iView

The film: Hailed as the world's most remote isolated band, Alice Springs rock outfit Southeast Desert Metal combine soaring riffs and heavy drum fills with the beautiful storytelling of Dreamtime and the local Indigenous landscape. Here, the band showcase their incredible knack as musicians and raconteurs and recount their own history as well as that of the people who came before them.

Tina

Where to watch: Binge

The film: Tina Turner has lived in the public eye for over 60 years, and as a result has seen some of the most tumultuous and difficult parts of her life broadcast for all to see. Through it all, however, she has persevered and gone on to become one of the biggest names in the history of music. Find out all about her journey through stardom and how she went on to define and inspire a generation with her tenacity and her music.

Suzi Q

Where to watch: Stan

The film: One of the most iconic figures of the '70s and a pioneer for women in rock, Suzi Quattro made a name for herself as a leather-clad badass that would take no prisoners. Go inside her incredible story with Australian director Liam Firmager and hear from her phenomenal cast of contemporaries including Debbie Harry, Alice Cooper, Henry Winkler and many more.

Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell 

Where to watch: Netflix

The film: the Biggie Smalls candle burned bright and fast, and from his skyrocketing fame to his tragically sudden end, his story was ever-evolving. With interviews from close family including his own mother, and a background into his history with jazz music and beyond, this doco takes an immersive and hard-hitting look into the man known offstage as Christopher Wallace.

Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche

Where to watch: MIFF Plays

The film: As a woman of colour in the white, male-dominated world of 1980s UK punk, X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene immediately established herself as a rebel in the rebel's world. The film follows her rise to fame, as well as chronicling the singer's daughter, Celeste Bell-Dos Santos, and how the frenetic punk lifestyle impacted their relationship.

What Is Music?

Where to watch: iView

The film: In this series presented by triple j host Linda Marigliano and composer Dan Golding, musical philosophies get investigated in an attempt to better understand human's relationship with music. Why do we sing? What makes a song 'sexy'? Why are we compelled to shake our booties? All will be revealed.

Michael Gudinski: My Story

Where to watch: Binge

The film: Inarguably one of the biggest influences of modern Australian music, the late, great Michael Gudinski brought some of the biggest Aussie artists to the world. The founder of Mushroom Records was pivotal in launching the careers of Kylie Minogue, Skyhooks, Split Enz and countless others. Catch this one on one interview with the man himself for an insight into the mind of an industry legend.