Musical: the best movies
24 musical films picked on rating and vote count, most recommended first. Updated 25 September 2026
Break the Silence: The Movie leads with 9.1 out of 10, ahead of BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage - LA (8.8). Ratings range from 8.2 to 9.1. The oldest, Michael Jackson's Thriller, goes back to 1983. The selection leans towards films from the 2020s, 10 of 24. 6 films came out since 2021.
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Break the Silence: The Movie
K-pop sensation BTS embark on their 2019 'Love Yourself: Speak Yourself' Tour, as the seven members begin to candidly tell personal stories they have never voiced before.
BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage - LA
Purple colors the city of Los Angeles, as BTS brings their "Permission to Dance" concert to SoFi Stadium for the first time in two years. In a stadium radiating anticipation and cheer, splendid performances from "On" to "Permission to Dance" glorify the stage that now comes to life on screen. Be united once again by the power of music.
Thriller 40
Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews.
Michael Jackson: Live in Bucharest - The Dangerous Tour
Michael Jackson's "Dangerous Tour" still sets the bar high for every touring artist today. Outdoing himself with the "Bad Tour", which was already considered the ultimate, the gigantic stage setting consisting of 20 trucks and a lavish arsenal of personnel took almost three days to set up - that alone is a logistical superlative for a worldwide tour with 69 concert stops and 3.5 million fans. The highlights of the show included pyrotechnic effects, several stage illusions and a stuntman. True to his aim of spreading love around the world, Jackson donated the proceeds from the tour (over $100 million) to charity. On October 1, 1992, the image and sound recordings that are hotly sought after by Jackson fans around the world were also made. The concert recording, which was broadcast on the HBO channel, picked up in 60 countries and also transmitted by countless radio stations, still inspires people around the globe.
Nirvana: Unplugged In New York
A live album by American rock band Nirvana, the album features an acoustic performance recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York City on 18 November 1993, for the television series MTV Unplugged.
Michael
The story of Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music. His journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.
Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions
An intimate concert film, in which Taylor Swift performs each song from her album 'folklore' in order, as she reveals the meaning and the stories behind all 17 tracks for the very first time.
Queen: Live at Wembley Stadium
One of the world's biggest bands returns to the scene of their Live Aid triumph (one year earlier in 1985) to play all their greatest hits in front of a packed Wembley Stadium.
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me
After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.
Lemonade
The second "visual album" (a collection of short films) by Beyoncé, this time around she takes a piercing look at racial issues and feminist concepts through a sexualized, satirical, and solemn tone.
Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour - Live
Filmed in front of 76,000 fans at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia, "The 1989 World Tour Live" captures Taylor Swift's entire performance while also mixing in behind-the-scene, rehearsal, and special guest footage from her 1989 Tour.
Whiplash
Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity.
The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall
A disfigured musical genius, hidden away in the Paris Opera House, terrorises the opera company for the unwitting benefit of a young protégée whom he trains and loves. The 25th anniversary of the first public performance of Phantom of the Opera was celebrated with a grand performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
One Direction: Where We Are - The Concert Film
Where We Are: Live from San Siro Stadium features the entire 23 track concert filmed at San Siro Stadium in Milan in June 2014, as well as 24 minutes of bonus content including backstage footage of One Direction and their crew.
BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas
Join RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook in this special cinematic cut, re-edited and remixed for the big screen. Watch new close-up angles and a whole new view of the entire concert, BTS Yet To Come in Busan. Featuring hit songs from across the group's career, including "Dynamite," "Butter" and “IDOL," plus the first concert performance of "Run BTS" from the group’s latest album Proof.
Stop Making Sense
A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.
Burn the Stage: The Movie
Burn the Stage: the Movie is the first movie from BTS, going behind-the-scenes of the BTS WINGS TOUR to reveal the full story of the band’s meteoric rise to fame. This unmissable film provides an intimate look at what happens when the most successful global boy band of all time breaks down barriers and invades the mainstream music scene. Exclusive tour footage and brand-new one-on-one interviews with BTS members give fans an unprecedented glimpse into their lives and an opportunity for everyone to celebrate together worldwide.
Ennio
A portrait of Ennio Morricone, the most popular and prolific film composer of the 20th century, the one most loved by the international public, a two-time Oscar winner and the author of over five hundred unforgettable scores.
Bring the Soul: The Movie
A glimpse into K-pop group BTS’ world away from the stage, featuring intimate group discussions alongside spectacular concert performances from their world tour.
Out of the Clear Blue Sky
Returning to Earth as an imitator, the legendary Mexican artist Pedro Infante must prove that he is no longer a womanizer to enter paradise.
Michael Jackson's Thriller
A night at the movies turns terrifying when Michael and his date are attacked by zombies. Released at the height of Thriller’s success, the short film redefined the music video, broke racial barriers, and became the first inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry.
Clouds
Young musician Zach Sobiech discovers his cancer has spread, leaving him just a few months to live. With limited time, he follows his dream and makes an album, unaware that it will soon be a viral music phenomenon.
The Legend of 1900
Musician Max Tooney goes to sell his prized Conn trumpet to a music shop, where he plays the instrument one last time. The shopkeeper recognises the song as one on a record matrix he found and asks who the piece is by. Tooney tells the story of an infant found abandoned in the first class dining room of the four-stacker ocean-liner SS Virginian on 1 January 1900. Danny Boodman, a coal-man from the boiler room, names the boy Danny Boodman T. D. Lemon 1900, after himself, the fruit crate the boy was found in, and the year, and raises him as his own.
Given
Haruki secretly had feelings for Akihiko for years, but Akihiko was still in a relationship with his roommate, the violinist Ugetsu Murata. Haruki, Akihiko, and Ugetsu's love clashes and starts to move forward.
What to know before choosing
The musical is the hardest genre to recommend to someone who does not watch them: it asks you to accept its convention at the first song, or nothing works at all. The catalogue is narrow and votes are few, which forces the floor down for this page to exist. That is not a flaw in the selection — it is the real state of a genre that produces little and concentrates its audience.
Choosing by genre is the most common reflex and the least reliable: genre says what a film is about, not what it does to the person watching. Two thrillers can demand opposite evenings. That is why Taro eira never asks about genre first — it asks about mood and available time, then uses genre as one filter among others. This page exists for people who already know what they want.
Frequently asked questions
How were these 24 films chosen?
They come from the TMDB catalogue, filtered on audience rating and on a minimum number of votes — without that second filter, a film rated 9 out of 10 by eleven people would outrank a classic. No place is for sale: no platform, distributor or studio can enter this list other than by being well rated.
Which film in this list is rated highest?
Break the Silence: The Movie (2020), with 9.1 out of 10 from 188 audience votes.
Where can I watch these films?
Taro eira shows, film by film, which platforms carry it in the UK and at what price — subscription, rental or purchase. The per-platform lists are further down this page.
Are there any recent releases in this selection?
6 of the 24 films came out since 2021. The rest are older, which is expected: a film needs a few years to gather enough votes to be judged at all.
Do I need an account?
No. Taro eira is free, asks for no account and no subscription, and the two-or-three-question flow works without installing anything.
See also
- Musical from the 2020s
- Musical from the 2010s
- Musical from the 2000s
- Musical from the 1990s
- Musical from the 1980s
- Musical from the 1970s
- Musical before 1970
- Musical on Netflix
- Musical on Prime Video
- Musical on Disney+
- Musical on Apple TV+
- Musical on HBO Max
- Action
- Adventure
- Animation
- Comedy
- Crime
- Documentary
- Drama
- Family
- Fantasy
- Biopic
- Horror
- Romance
- Sci-fi
- Thriller
- War
- Western
How this list is built
Films come from the TMDB catalogue, filtered on audience rating and vote count, then cross-checked against real availability in the country. No paid placement, no partnerships. How we choose the films.
Film data and posters: TMDB. This app uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.