7 musical documentaries to watch if you liked Bono: Stories of Surrender
Directed by Andrew Dominik, Bono: Stories of Surrender captures Bono’s one-man stage show at the Beacon Theatre. The documentary film blends memoir-style anecdotes with U2 classics performed live. Released on Apple TV+ in May 2025, it feels part concert doc, part soul-searching diary. At just under 90 minutes, it glides through personal stories, political reflections, and simpler versions of beloved tracks.
More than just a concert film, it offers personal reflections and stripped-back performances. Fans connected with its emotional honesty, which added a unique layer to the stage production. The cinematic editing gives the stage show an unexpected rhythm. A seven-minute standing ovation at Cannes only added to its quiet power.
For those drawn to music documentaries with heart and history, here are seven others that strike a similar chord.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s personal opinions and is not ranked in any particular order.
Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry, Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell, and 5 other musical documentaries for fans who enjoyed Bono: Stories of Surrender.
1) Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (2021)
Directed by R.J. Cutler, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry follows the rise of a teenage icon. It chronicles her recording sessions, tours, and personal moments captured from 2018 to 2020. The documentary premiered on Apple TV+ in February 2021, blending concert footage with home videos and candid interviews. It offers intimate glimpses into her creative struggles.
Fans of Bono: Stories of Surrender will dig its mix of live performances and personal storytelling.
Both documentaries rely on stripped-down arrangements and emotional honesty. Highlights include studio breakthroughs and family dynamics that mirror the close-knit camaraderie seen in Bono’s memoir-concert hybrid.
2) Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell (2021)
Directed by Emmett Malloy, Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell offers an inside look at the late rapper's life. It weaves home movies shot by Damion “D-Roc” Butler with fresh interviews from his closest circle. Released on Netflix in March 2021, its 97-minute run charts Christopher Wallace’s rise from the Brooklyn streets to becoming a key figure in hip-hop.
Fans of Bono: Stories of Surrender will catch the familiar beat of stripped-back performances paired with personal revelations.
Moments like his mother Voletta’s reflections and Sean Combs’s insights add a strong emotional layer. The film pairs chart-topping hits with the real-life experiences behind them. Clean editing keeps the pace urgent yet heartfelt, allowing Wallace’s voice to echo long after the credits roll.
3) Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025)
Directed by Bernard MacMahon, Becoming Led Zeppelin, released in February 2025, offers viewers a detailed look at the band's journey. It charts Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham from basement jams to stadium glory. Unfolding over just a year in the late ’60s, it stitches rare footage and new interviews into a vibrant tapestry of music and discovery.
Fans of Bono: Stories of Surrender may appreciate its blend of live energy and personal storytelling, where performances may feel reflective and sincere.
Each frame carries a sense of nostalgia. The film's candid, immersive, unfiltered moments make the band feel right there in the room.
4) Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Directed by Bryan Singer (with Dexter Fletcher stepping in to finish), Bohemian Rhapsody follows Rami Malek channeling Freddie Mercury’s magnetism. Streaming on Apple TV+, the film guides the viewers from Queen’s garage rehearsals in the early ’70s to their legendary Live Aid finale.
The concert reenactments have a lot of energy. The quieter moments—showing Mercury’s creative battles and personal struggles—feel sincere and meaningful. Fans of Bono: Stories of Surrender might like how it blends live-show adrenaline and confessional intimacy.
Both films lean on performances that keep things simple. A soaring soundtrack combines with honest moments. The editing keeps the pace urgent, allowing space for both the guitar solos and quiet revelations.
5) Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)
Directed by Brett Morgen, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck premiered on HBO in May 2015, offering a raw journey through Cobain’s diaries, home movies, and unreleased demos. It feels like an equal mix of concert film and intimate confessional.
Fans of Bono: Stories of Surrender may appreciate its candid vibe with unfiltered performances meeting personal revelations.
Highlights include Cobain’s lo-fi tape collages and acoustic takes. A cacophony of home footage and animation stitches memories into a tapestry of genius and turmoil. The vulnerable moments give the documentary a quiet and reflective feel.
6) The Velvet Underground (2021)
Directed by Todd Haynes, The Velvet Underground is less a traditional music documentary and more an experimental collage. It blends Warhol-era art films, split-screen visuals, and rare archival material to capture the band’s essence rather than just their history.
Released on Apple TV+ in October 2021, it avoids linear storytelling. Instead, it opted for a textured, immersive dive into the cultural chaos that birthed Lou Reed, John Cale, and their groundbreaking sound.
Fans of Bono: Stories of Surrender will appreciate the introspective tone, artistic risks, and focus on creative process over celebrity.
Standout segments include deep dives into the band's New York art scene roots, conversations with surviving members, and the use of vintage footage that feels more like memory than documentary. It's layered and at times disorienting like Bono: Stories of Surrender, which gives this documentary a unique feel.
7) Marley (2012)
Directed by Kevin Macdonald, Marley delivers a deeply human portrait of Bob Marley. It spans across 2 hours and 24 minutes of rare footage, interviews, and music that shaped a movement. Released in 2012 and authorized by Marley’s family, it traces his life from rural beginnings in Nine Mile to global reggae icon, all without flashy dramatizations.
It leans on first-hand accounts—from Rita Marley to Ziggy and Bunny Wailer—and dives into themes of unity, struggle, and spiritual conviction. Fans of Bono: Stories of Surrender may find familiar ground in its emphasis on the artist’s message.
It’s soulful, grounded, and richly textured—more like a lived-in memory than a biography, echoing the same emotional honesty that defines Bono: Stories of Surrender.
From stripped-down confessions to stage-shaking performances, these seven films echo the same emotional truth that made Bono: Stories of Surrender resonate. Fans can stream the documentary on Apple TV+.
