Top 20 Music DVD of All Time.

[Smokey]

Although this list from Rolling Stone Magazine (link below) does contain some of my favorite music DVDs from Talking Heads and Elvis Presley, but Who’s Tommy and Roy Orbison Black&White Night music DVDs are missing.

You be the Judge.

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1. The Last Waltz
After years on the road, the Band gave their farewell show in San Francisco on Thanksgiving 1976, with old pals like Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Mavis Staples and some guy named Dylan. Martin Scorsese direct.

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2. Monterey Pop (Criterion)
Mama Cass of the Mamas and the Papas captures the enthusiasm of June 1967's Monterey Pop music festival featuring selection of performances from the Who, Simon and Garfunkel, Ravi Shankar, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Canned Heat and others, but numerous outtakes and entire sets from Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding clinch this three-disc set as the Sixties' defining moments.

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3. A Hard Day's Night (Miramax)
Named after a Ringo Starr quip, the Beatles' 1964 film debut is a delicious, featherweight comedy with practically no plot at all -- director Richard Lester basically just let John, Paul, George and Ringo be charismatic, goof around and sing some songs for eighty-seven minutes, and the rest took care of itself.

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4. Woodstock: Three Days of Peace and Music (Warner Home Video)
A 1969 music festival, it's notable for capturing Crosby, Stills and Nash's second-ever performance, Sly and the Family Stone grooving magnificently and Jimi Hendrix recasting his version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the new national anthem.

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5. Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (Paramount)
Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's unsparing 2004 documentary may be the best film ever made about the dark side of the creative process.

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6. Gimme Shelter (Criterion)
Characterized as a chronicle of how the Sixties died overnight, this 1970 film documents the final ten days of the Rolling Stones' 1969 U.S. tour.

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7. Wild Style (Rhino Home Entertainment)
Long before G-funk or the Dirty South, hip-hop was as native to New York as CBGB's punk
scene, and this 1983 drama is a paean to its early days. Exhilarating and rare footage of Fab Five Freddy, Grandmaster Flash and all the spray-painters, rappers and breakers who helped turn hip-hop from a South Bronx musical style into a cultural phenomenon.

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8. Stop Making Sense (Palm Pictures/UMVD)
Jonathan Demme says his movie of the final stop on Talking Heads' 1983 tour "isn't a concert film, it's a performance film." The distinction is that it mostly ignores the audience and captures the band's theatrical presentation -- ending with Byrne in his famous gigantic white suit among a nine-piece band that unites brittle art punk and juicy funk.

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9. Purple Rain (Warner Home Video)
Prince's first movie is rock-hero mythmaking, right down to his purple motorcycle

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10. No Direction Home (Paramount)
Vivid, never-before-seen footage of Bob Dylan and the Band's famed 1966 show in Manchester, England -- the one where an angry folk fan shouts, "Judas!" -- is one of many revelations in Martin Scorsese's epic documentary of Dylan's early years.

[PeruvianSkies]

How could CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC not make it?

[Smokey]

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11. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco (Plexifilm)
Magazine photographer and novice documentarian Sam Jones stumbled on a powder keg of drama when he filmed Wilco as they recorded their fourth album: Singer Jeff Tweedy and multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett clash

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12. The Filth and the Fury: A Sex Pistols Film (New Line Home Video)
Julien Temple's 2000 film about the Sex Pistols is pretty theatrical for a documentary. But unlike his previous Pistols film, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, it's based on fact.

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13. The Kids Are Alright (Geneon Entertainment)
Director Jeff Stein's 1979 film, strings together thirteen years of live footage, promotional shorts and TV interviews, capturing both the band's habit of self-sabotage and its onstage majesty.

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14. Hype! (Republic Pictures)
Alternating between live performances and comments from critics and industry flacks, Doug Pray's playful 1996 documentary captures not just the rise of Seattle's grunge phenomenon but also pop culture's effect on the lives it exploited while milking trends.

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15. Elvis: '68 Comeback Special (BMG)
Nobody expected anything from Elvis by 1968 -- he'd turned into a toothless mainstream crooner. But he shocked the world with this Christmas special, putting on a black leather suit and playing electric guitar for the first time in years. Playing around with blues and country oldies, the King has never sung with so much fire.

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16. Dig! (Palm Pictures/UMVD)
For seven years, Ondi Timoner filmed the Dandy Warhols, who rose from the rock underground to stardom. The resulting 2004 documentary is a riveting autopsy of turn-of-the-century alternative rock and its impossible balancing act between "credibility" and commercial success.

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17. Madonna: Truth or Dare (Live/Artisan)
Alek Keshishian's stylish 1991 documentary of Madonna's 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour captures the star at her very best and worst. Cameos from Warren Beatty, Antonio Banderas, Kevin Costner.

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18. End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (Rhino Home Entertainment)
Michael Gramaglia and Jim Fields' 2003 documentary reveals the often acrimonious dynamic between members of punk's most influential band. Both Joey and Dee Dee Ramone died during the film's belabored seven-year creation (and Johnny died soon after).

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19. Deep Blues: A Musical Pilgrimage to the Crossroads (Shout Factory)
This documentary by music critic Robert Palmer and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, who explore dive bars, barber shops and back porches in Memphis and Mississippi, tracing the music of artists like Junior Kimbrough, R.L. Burnside and Big Jack Johnson back to its anthropological and spiritual roots.

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20. The T.A.M.I. Show (First Look Pictures)
This 1964 concert film features a dozen classic acts in their prime, including the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry and the Supremes. Best of all, though, is a young, sexy James Brown fronting his full-scale revue, complete with the Famous Flames and the just-can't-leave-the-stage cape routine.

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[eisforelectronic]

Why does Purple Rain always come up as a "music" film? I always thought it was just a ****ty movie with a Prince soundtrack.

When I hear "music" dvd, I think more about concert dvds. So while Metallica's Some kind of Monster was a not bad documentary, I would raise up Metallica's Cunning Stunts as a much better "music" dvd. And really...where is Roy Orbison Black and White?

[PeruvianSkies]

Why does Purple Rain always come up as a "music" film? I always thought it was just a ****ty movie with a Prince soundtrack.

When I hear "music" dvd, I think more about concert dvds. So while Metallica's Some kind of Monster was a not bad documentary, I would raise up Metallica's Cunning Stunts as a much better "music" dvd. And really...where is Roy Orbison Black and White?

Excellent call on the Roy Orbison B&W Night, which I am ordering in the near future on SACD. The DTS on that DVD is also quite superb and I have a DTS Sampler with full-bit rate on Oh Pretty Woman that thumps so hard it will knock the gerbils out of Richard Gere.*

* for the record Richard Gere is actually pretty cool....he treated me and the crew once to wings at Quaker Steak and Lube while filming the ridiculously awful MOTHMAN.

[bobsticks]

Ahh, the annual "Top 20 Things Wenner Decided Were Cool 25 Years Ago" List...


Wouldn't it be cool if even one staff writer got off Jann's dick?

[Worf101]

Why do you folks always rise to the bait with this stuff. Personally, the Tami/TNT show is a musical epiphany for any player. Watch James Browns performance... almost made me give up singing and playing music.

Da Worfster

[bobsticks]

Yeah I fell for it. Sorry.

Dammit, it's just that I can visualize the twenty-something psychophantic lapdogs prancing about proudly with that glee of career dedication and insincerity..."Look Mr. Wenner, look what we did, it's all your faves!!!!".

Wilco will probably get pulled when they realize they forgot a Miles Davis entry.

[Smokey]

Dammit, it's just that I can visualize the twenty-something psychophantic lapdogs prancing about proudly with that glee of career dedication and insincerity..."Look Mr. Wenner, look what we did, it's all your faves!!!!".


I have seen many of Rolling Stones Magazine “Best of...” categories and although it is subjective as the next person polls, but they intend to weight in as how much influence the music had in their particular Genre.

That is why one intend to see mediocre Prince's Purple Rain DVD listed along greats music DVDs such as Woodstock or Last Waltz.

[bobsticks]

I ain't mad at ya, Smokey. If anything I appreciate you gettin the blood pumping around here. I'll further add that many of the selections are legit, solid, cool, whatever. The whole concept of what Rolling Stone was, and what it has become, just sends me into fits of blind typing rage.

Carry on and "Cheers" :cornut:

[jim goulding]

I've seen most of these but not all. Monterey Pop is at the top of the heap for me. On the three disc version, Laura Nyro just enchants me (I would have like to have known her just based on this) and Jefferson Airplane is in fine form (except the dumb ass film makers concentrate on Grace Slick when it's Marty Balin singing). And "Ball and Chain" shows why Janis Joplin was such a strong performer. If you can't get this from watching this, you must have a hole in your sole. I was in Mexico at the time doing a little business and couldn't attend. I hate everything about Altamont except for the Airplane's brief performance. Good times. Nice post, Smoke.

[Smokey]

I've seen most of these but not all.


I seen may be half on the list. Of those seen, Prince's Purple Rain probably liked the least, and Talking Head's Stop Making Sense the most.

[RoyY51]

My top music video would be the one that "Golden-Eared" reviewers have used for many years to rate audio equipment in their respective publications. And the fact that I'm a real fan makes this an even easier choice. "James Taylor Live at the Beacon Theater" is a complete primer on what a music video should be. No instruments swirling around you, no sudden panning from corner to corner, no one whispering into the back of your neck...just extremely competent musicians being presented in the actual space that they occupied during the concert. The background singers on the far left of the stage are reproduced by the left front speaker. The amazing percussionist on the right side of the stage is reproduced by the right front speaker. Everyone else is reproduced exactly where they stood between those two points. And, of course, JT's vocals are solidly anchored in the center channel speaker. The surround speakers make you feel like you are seated in the fifth row, with the fans cheering and applauding all around you. No tricks, no smoke, no mirrors, just a great concert reproduced exactly as it took place. You are truly immersed in the experience. And, after all, isn't this why we watch concert DVD's in the first place?

[musicman1999]

I agree 100% that disc is great for all the right reasons.

bill

[PeruvianSkies]

Here would be some of my selections:

Roy Orbison BLACK AND WHITE NIGHT (DTS)
John Fogerty LONG ROAD HOME (DTS)
MONTEREY POP box set
Pink Floyd LIVE IN BERLIN
THE LAST WALTZ
GIMME SHELTER
AC/DC: LIVE IN DONINGTON (it's a must have Blu-ray too!)
DREAM THEATER: LIVE AT BUDOKAN
Peter Gabriel GROWING UP LIVE
Miles Davis LIVE IN MUNICH
Alice Cooper BRUTALLY LIVE
STOP MAKING SENSE
Peter Gabriel SECRET WORLD LIVE
Pink Floyd PULSE
Yes LIVE AT MONTREUX (2003)
Eric Clapton ONE MORE CAR, ONE MORE RIDER
Fleetwood Mac THE DANCE



Here is a good list for Jazz fans:

DeJohnette/Holland/Hancock/Metheny - Melon Festival, 1990
Bruford - Rock Goes to College (1979 BBC show with Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Berlin, Dave Stewart, Annette Peacock)
Keith Jarrett - Tokyo Solo
Miles Davis in Montreal
Chick Corea - Rendezvous in New York (10DVD set); or, if too pricey, at least the "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs" trio with Haynes/Vitous, and the "Three Quartets" band with Mike Brecker, Eddy Gomez and Steve Gadd. Smokin'!
Bill Bruford's Earthworks - Footloose in NYC
Herbie Hancock - Future2Future Live (with Terri Lyne Carrington, Wallace Roney, Matthew Garrison, et. al.)
Peter Erskine Trio - Live at Jazz Baltica (with John Taylor, Palle Danielsson)
Branford Marsalis Quartet - A Love Supreme
John Scofield - Live in Montreal 1992 (Lovano, Irwin, Stewart)
Charles Lloyd - Live in Montreal 2001
Dave Holland Quintet Live at Freiburg 1985 (Kenny Wheeler, Robin Eubanks, Steve Coleman, Marvin "Smitty" Smith)
Rypdal/Vitous/Gurtu Live in Stuttgart

[jim goulding]

Had no idea there is so much available on DVD. I have the album of Chick Corea's Three Quartets and it is some wonderful modern jazz with interplay like you won't believe but not the DVD. The Wonderful World of John Coltrane and Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps deserve mention.

[canuckle]

Tina Turner - Live in Amsterdam. The DTS mix is the standard by which I judge every other DVD - it will make any system sing. And of course, nobody gives a better live performance. :)

[johnny p]

Phish's Bittersweet Motel is up there if you're into the genre...... The "from the vault" Grateful Dead DVDs are good live concerts

I separate Concert DVDs from Musical DVDs..... but I do have a lot of both!

Man I wish Stop Making Sense would come out on Blu Ray.