Song by Song

A documentary about the band X. Includes live and studio performances and interviews with the band members.

A documentary film about the British rock band Blur. Following the band during their 2009 reunion and tour, the film also includes unseen archive footage and interviews.

An intimate look into the life of icon Quincy Jones. A unique force in music and popular culture for 70 years, Jones has transcended racial and cultural boundaries; his story is inextricably woven into the fabric of America.

The music speaks for itself in this performance documentary that highlights some of the biggest names within the country-folk scene in Texas and Tennessee during the last weeks of 1975 and the first weeks of 1976, eschewing narration and staged interviews.

An owl teaches his class full of birds about melody. It's all around in nature. Only birds and man can sing; man "sings" even when he speaks. We see a quick survey of the stages of life, as captured by songs: the alphabet song for primary school, Here Comes the Bride, The Old Gray Mare, etc. Some inspirations for song are outlined in song: love, sailing, trains, the West, motherhood, etc., but "we never sing about brains." Finally, an example of how a simple melody can be expanded into a symphony: an elaborate version of the simple tune that opened the lesson

Martin Scorsese and the Rolling Stones unite in "Shine A Light," a look at The Rolling Stones." Scorsese filmed the Stones over a two-day period at the intimate Beacon Theater in New York City in fall 2006. Cinematographers capture the raw energy of the legendary band.

A look at New York's dynamic punk rock scene through the lens of the ground-breaking Lower East Side club started by eccentric Hilly Kristal in 1973 which launched thousands of bands.

Documentary about the life of Portuguese Fado singer Amalia Rodrigues (1920-1999) with an interview and collection of footage from performances throughout her long career.

This lively film is an unforgettable portrait of legendary vocalist Betty Carter, one of the greatest living exponents of jazz. Uncompromised by commercialism throughout her long career, she has forged alternative criteria for success — including founding her own recording company and raising her two sons as a single parent. Parkerson's special film captures Carter's musical genius, her paradoxical relationship with the public and her fierce dedication to personal and artistic independence.

Sex and Cinema is a steamy trip through the looking glass of the camera lens, depicting how sexually charged films reflect our own sexual liberation. It will unzip America's obsession with sex, both from a cinematic and social perspective, exposing the hypocrisy inherent in our culture's war against eroticism (be it film, art, literature or song lyrics). The special will look at many films that push the boundary, from mainstream studio films to product that in its time has been considered pornographic.

One record company has been a constant presence in popular music throughout our lives. EMI brought The Beatles to the world and in every decade since has been instrumental in producing some of Britain's most celebrated and enduring music.

Documentary about U2's album Pop and following tour.

In-depth documentary about the story of easy listening, a popular music that is often said to be made to be heard but not listened to. The film looks at easy listening's architects and practitioners, its dangers and delights, and the mark it has left on modern life, from its emergence in the 1950s until its revival in the 1990s.

Pop stars, musicians and music industry experts reminisce about their love affair with the now once-defunct 7" single.

An offbeat, irreverent musical documentary that tells the story of a group of Jewish songwriters, including Irving Berlin, Mel Tormé, Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, Gloria Shayne Baker and Johnny Marks, who wrote the soundtrack to Christianity’s most musical holiday. It’s an amazing tale of immigrant outsiders who became irreplaceable players in pop culture’s mainstream – a generation of songwriters who found in Christmas the perfect holiday in which to imagine a better world, and for at least one day a year, make us believe.

An intimate look into the personal lives of pop music's greatest and most influential artists.

Infiltrate the legendary secrecy of one of the world's most powerful criminal organisations to expose the stark realities deep Inside the Mafia. With remarkable access to FBI and DEA agents and former mobsters, get intimate detail on the cutthroat deals, gangland assassinations and secret rituals within the infamous global mob.

An exploration of the world's music. Yehudi Menuhin has created this expansive survey of musical traditions from five continents. With panoramic vision and infectious enthusiasm, he takes us from primeval rhythms of Africa to the symphonies of Beethoven, from plainsong to jazz, from Swiss yodeling to Irish jig, from steel drum to electronic synthesizer. The Music of Man was a series of eight hour-long specials with host Yehudi Menuhin, following the development of music from its beginnings at the dawn of history to the electronic experiments, jazz and rock of our own time. Menuhin, the renowned violinist, conductor and humanist, participated both as violin soloist and conductor throughout the series, and was also co-writer.

Philippe Cousteau Jr., grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, explores the most spectacular places - on the earth, inside the earth, and above the earth - in this riveting earth science series.

Hip-Hop today is a global culture that has changed music, dance, fashion, language —and even politics. But where did this worldwide cultural movement begin? We trace hip-hop back to its humble beginnings, when the kids of the Bronx crammed into house parties, rec rooms, and public parks to hear music like they’d never heard it before.

The long and unique tale of The Grateful Dead.The tale of the Grateful Dead is inspiring, complicated, and downright messy. A tribe of contrarians, they made art out of open-ended chaos and inadvertently achieved success on their own terms. Never-before-seen footage and interviews offer this unprecedented and unvarnished look at the life of the Dead.

An inside look at the changing role of athletes in our fraught cultural and political environment, through the lens of the NBA.

Explore the history of a uniquely American art form: country music. From its deep and tangled roots in ballads, blues and hymns performed in small settings, to its worldwide popularity, learn how country music evolved over the course of the 20th century, as it eventually emerged to become America’s music.

An intimate look at the creative process through the lens of legendary music producer Rick Rubin.

An eye-opening thrill ride that captures what it was like on both sides of the camera when the most recognizable images in history were taken featuring irreverent interviews with some of the most famous music photographers, musicians, gallerists, music journalists and social commentators.

A fast-paced, musical docu-series that examines the punk scene in the Twin Cities from 1980 to 1985. The Minnesota scene was a close-knit community of artists and fans that encouraged culture and spawned huge talents like Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, Soul Asylum, Rifle Sport and more. Minnesota Hardcore is made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

An immersive, deep-dive docuseries rich with archival footage and interviews that explores the musicians and soundtracks that shaped the culture and politics of 1971.

Each episode re-tells the story of two global music superstars through a nostalgic look back in time to present day, all through the lens of the MTV cameras. From their first introduction on MTV News ("you hear it first") to pop culture-defining performances on TRL, the VMAs and EMAs, they’ve been Punk’d, showed us their Cribs, and shared intimate stories on The Ride, Diary, Yo! MTV Raps, and countless specials.

This series brings the rise and fall of the Roman Empire to life through the lens of one of the most exhilarating and brutal arenas in the history of humanity: the Colosseum. From the savage truth of a gladiator's life as a slave-warrior to the fascinating ways Rome's emperors used the vast amphitheater to demonstrate total power, "Colosseum" offers a unique and personal look inside history's most iconic empire. Spanning several hundred years, the series unfolds chronologically, from the arena's incredible opening day to its very last games.

Documentary series following the unfiltered lives of actress and radio presenter Gemma Atkinson and professional dancer Gorka Marquez.