Music fans have traditionally had it hard over Christmas. There are too many tinsel-based single releases in the charts and when it comes to watching music on TV you've invariably got the slim pickings of an X-Factor/Masked Singer mop-up or – shudder – Jools Holland’s Hootenanny…
But don’t panic. we’ve compiled this time-killing list of top music shows, with something for any music lover who can’t resist a cheeky peek behind the curtain.
Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped
The BBC came up trumps last Saturday night with Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped, a detailed journey into the song’s origins, release and legacy.
It’s all a familiar story to fans by now (how George wrote it in half an hour round his parents' house while bandmate Andrew Ridgeley watched the football, only to have it cruelly held off number one by Do They Know It’s Christmas?) but the entire duration is hugely enlivened by the increasingly genial and welcome presence of 2024 Ridgeley as he dishes frank insight into his part in Wham’s magic.
And taking modern-day Ridgeley and all his mates from the original music video back on location to Saas-Fee in Switzerland for one last 40th anniversary party is a joy to behold.
The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas?
![Band Aid - The Making Of The Original 'Do They Know It's Christmas?’ (New Documentary, 2024) [4K] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/V6_6PzRQ9sQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
If you’ve not enjoyed it already (and you’re perhaps of a certain age) then there’s yet more 40th anniversary music magic being served up by the BBC.
Simply entitled The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas? It’s an intriguing and insightful new spin on the song’s story in that it doesn’t feature any narrative or re-telling that you’ve heard 1000 times already.
Instead it’s built entirely from previously unseen footage from throughout the day, all by the BBC on location at SARM studios in London, as the track was being made and all deemed too confusing and/or irrelevant for subsequent inclusion in news reports. Hence we see such treats as Phil Collins arsing his drum performance up, George Michael barely concealing his upset that he’s not going to be number one and producer Trevor Horn trying to teach the assembled throng a four part chorus round-robin that mercifully ended up on the control room floor.
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.
Long overdue and one of this year’s finest musical releases is the four-part American documentary series that “corrects the history of Stax Records”.
The series tells the story of Stax, the legendary label that was home to Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, The Staple Singers and Sam & Dave among others, and how it went from being an outsider to one of the most influential producers of music.
Streaming on Sky Go and Now TV in the UK and Max in the States
The Beatles: Get Back
If you’re intrigued by The Beatles (particularly during their grouchy, end-of-life wind down) and you’ve not indulged yourself with 2021’s Christmas doco treat, then this year could be the ideal time to ‘enjoy’ director Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back.
It might be a bit long, it might be a bit forelock-tuggingly indulgent and the small matter of using Gollum-inspired special effects to polish Ringo’s face might make you wrinkle your forehead (while ironing out his), but there’s no mistaking the care and attention that this doc takes in revealing the backstory of one of The Beatles most curious and fan-pondered periods.
Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood
Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned fall out, and when music entrepreneur and Justin Bieber manager Scooter Braun indirectly bought up the rights to all of Taylor Swift’s past albums – denying her the chance to finally own them herself – it’s safe to say she wasn’t happy.
The episode and subsequent spat prompted Swift to take on the seemingly impossible task of re-recording all her music – no mean feat – but it was the task of convincing all her fans to ditch the originals and listen to her ‘Taylor’s Version’ instead that seemed recklessly impossible. But she did it.
This two-parter goes in deep on the deal (or rather the lack of it, on Swift's side) and tells dishes the gritty dirt with thigh-rubbing aplomb.
Streaming on Sky Go and Now TV in the UK and Max in the States
Elton John: Never Too Late
After touring across 50 years and releasing a book all about his time on the road – cleverly contrasting archive material with the account of his final Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour – what we have now is the visual movie/documentary version of that same amazing story.
Elton John: Never Too Late – not to be confused with the many John documentaries over the years (not least the eye-poppingly candid Tantrums and Tiaras from 1997) – is a brand new documentary detailing his rise to fame and early US tours and contrasting that with his final tour which came to an end last year.
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band
If you love a bit of backstage action then Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band carries all the grit and grind of touring you could ever wish for.
This new doc is an extensive tour diary taking in the events of Springsteen’s ongoing world tour and delivers “the most in-depth look ever at the creation of their legendary live performances, including footage of band rehearsals, backstage moments, rare archival clips, and personal reflections from Springsteen himself.”
And it ain’t over yet. While The Boss is currently on his Christmass holibobs he kick starts the whole machine again and will be resuming his life on the road in Italy in July 2025.
“Since I was 16, playing live has been a deep and lasting part of who I am, and how I justify my existence here on earth” explains Springsteen in the doc. “When the world shut down I made a promise that, if we got through this, I’d throw the biggest party I could.”
The Greatest Night in Pop
Of course, it could be argued that the ‘real’ greatest night in pop involved the recording and subsequent mixing of the UK’s own Do They Know It’s Christmas? But let’s indulge the protagonists behind USA For Africa’s We Are The World here for the moment and – after the 40th anniversary of DTKIC – give the similarly 40-year-old-this-coming-January WATW some love.
And, if anything, the origin story of this US version of the mid-80s charity goldrush is actually a better story. And one which we ourselves have covered at length here. Because in the States the stars are bigger. The machinations behind the scenes are bigger. And anything touched by the otherworldly hand of the all-powerful Michael Jackson in 1985 is always worth a second look.
Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour
After enjoying both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s documentaries last year, this year’s slab of empowerment comes via Olivia Rodrigo.
Rodrigo ably proves star status by pulling off a cross between her two compatriot’s triumphs being both an insight into what it’s like being Rodrigo day to day (while crushing it on a relentless world tour) and the small matter of capturing the expansive live experience and surrounding hype in able fan-pleasing fashion too.
ABBA: Against the Odds
2024 has proved quite the year for anniversaries and while it’s the double header of Last Christmas and Do They Know It’s Christmas that’s sucked up most of the ‘anniversary’ attention this year (see above) there’s the small matter of it being an incredible 50 years since ABBA won the Eurovision song contest with breakout hit, Waterloo.
The event itself would, of course, be of little consequence had the band not then had one of the most enduring and much-loved musical careers ever (with the virtual ABBA still playing sold out shows as we write) PLUS there's the fact that the band nearly didn’t make it at all thanks to the nefarious tactical voting of the UK Eurovision judging panel…
It’s a great story and this documentary forgoes the later career that you know already, in order to focus on the beginnings and backstory that you don’t.
Streaming on BBC iPlayer and Apple TV+
Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words
Like the title says, this myth-building, rumour-debunking, behind-the-scenes, record-straightener is all of Megan Thee Stallion’s own making.
As to whether it will successfully change minds or opinions (or merely confirm and cement them) is then up to the viewer themselves but – outside looking in – one has to wonder just what the aim of all this is and how on earth anyone ever expected it to ‘work’.
Nonetheless it’s a thrilling time capsule of being ‘at the top of the game’ in 2024 with all the pressures and madness that running a music career while maintaining a ‘media persona’ involves. Part cautionary tale, part head-scratchingly candid, it’s more uncomfortable insight than proud celebration, but it provides riveting viewing throughout.
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