6 Best Record Label and Music Industry Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 18, 2026

Behind every hit is a record label boardroom, and cinema has found real drama in it. Straight Outta Compton follows N.W.A revolutionizing hip-hop against industry and police pressure, That Thing You Do! has a small-town band’s single becoming a national hit, and 20 Feet from Stardom spotlights the backup singers. Sing Street, Sound City and The Wrecking Crew round out the six.

20 Feet from Stardom (2013)

IMDb ★ 7.4 RT 99% Metacritic 83

Backing singers who shaped decades of hit records finally get their turn in the spotlight.

Directed by Morgan Neville · 1h 29m · Rated NR

Won 1 Oscar22 wins & 27 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

That Thing You Do! (1996)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A small-town garage band's catchy single rockets them to overnight one-hit-wonder fame.

Directed by Tom Hanks · 1h 48m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Sing Street (2016)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 95% Metacritic 79

A Dublin teenager starts a band purely to impress a girl, and it becomes much more than that.

Directed by John Carney · 1h 45m · Rated PG-13

16 wins & 45 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Starz Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Straight Outta Compton (2015)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 89% Metacritic 72

N.W.A's rise from Compton to hip-hop's biggest controversy and its most influential group.

Directed by F. Gary Gray · 2h 27m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar28 wins & 40 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Sound City (2013)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A documentary traces the legendary recording studio behind some of rock music's greatest albums.

Directed by Dave Grohl · 1h 46m · Rated NR

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Wrecking Crew (2008)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A documentary spotlights the unsung session musicians behind countless 1960s pop hits.

Directed by Denny Tedesco · 1h 41m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Philo, Netflix Standard with Ads, Dox Amazon Channel, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Record Label and Music Industry Movies

20 Feet from Stardom (2013)

That Thing You Do! (1996)

Sing Street (2016)

Straight Outta Compton (2015)

Sound City (2013)

The Wrecking Crew (2008)

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