In this blog post, I will give you 5 of the - in my opinion of course - best DJ documentaries out there.

A good DJ documentary can give you a lot of inspiration about both DJing, but also life as a professional DJ and artist. Many of them travel around the world and experience really cool events and festivals, and that insight is very inspiring.

I'll do my best to be objective about my own taste in electronic music, and I hope you'll be inspired by these docs regardless. At the end of the article, I will also make a few suggestions for some YouTube shows that I would also recommend you take a look at.

Let's gooooo!

 

#5 - Steve Aoki: I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead

Steve Aoki is not exactly a DJ I listen to very much, or in any other way cultivate, but... This documentary could just as well have been a documentary about drive, energy and personal development.

Steve Aoki is a machine that works on many more levels than 'just' as a DJ. He has a label, a restaurant chain, he is a father and then he is one of the world's biggest DJs and entertainers in the field. It really is a lot of hats…

Every time I've seen this documentary, I've been left with a feeling that I'm not getting enough out of life - and that's something inspiring.

 

#4 - Avicii: True Stories

A lot of EDM fans will probably put this documentary about Avicii higher on the list, and that's completely understandable!

Don't get me wrong; Avicii has had a HUGE impact on my life and he is one of the greatest we have ever had, so his entire career and his dedication to the genre I will never take away from him.

The 2017 documentary focuses on Tim Berg's life as one of the world's biggest DJs and, somewhat differently, focuses on mental health and addiction, which is a very honest narrative. Among other things, it was these elements that explain why Avicii made a decision not to tour the world anymore and at the same time comes close to the story of his tragic death. R.I.P. Time!

It is a touching story that comes very close. The only thing that really drags it down for me is that I personally think it's very American produced, so it really has nothing to do with Avicii or the story - ONLY the production of it.

 

#3 - What We Started

This documentary is more general, I would say. The main concept of the documentary is to focus on the evolution of EDM over 3 decades.

Here we get up close and get interviews with, among others, Martin Garrix, Carl Cox and many more. It takes us from the early days of EDM's uprising, their personal beginnings, career highlights and everything in between.

Part of what draws me to this documentary is the insight from the various promoters, festival organizers etc. which I am personally very fascinated by, and an insight you don't often get.

I have a dream that there will be a 2nd version of this documentary that focuses on this decade because so much has happened since this documentary came out. Who knows? Maybe it comes all of a sudden.

 

#2 - Swedish House Mafia: Leave The World Behind

Swedish House Mafia. Some of the biggest. A revolution in electronic music. A trio with different personalities who took over the world.

I have to admit from the start here that I am a big Swedish House Mafia fan and that this documentary was one of the first I saw in this genre and it has so many layers that I can relate to from my own career as a DJ. Nevertheless - objectively speaking - I would say that it is fantastic.

It follows the three stars of Swedish House Mafia during a time when they toured the world and had some of the biggest hits ever. On top of the hat, you get the story of the creation of one of the biggest EDM tracks ever: Don't You Worry Child.

The whole story of the Swedish group is super exciting and at the time untrodden territory in many ways. Their dynamic, life as a DJ and the dynamic of being a group of three is amazing.

 

#1 - Daft Punk: Unchained

This is the first documentary about the mysterious French duo: Daft Punk. It covers the epic story of two uncompromising artists that all other musicians love. Therefore there are also comments and interviews with artists such as; Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, Kanye West, Pete Tong and many more.

This documentary is insanely good. Get me right, the other documentaries are also super cool in their own way, but somehow Unchained seems more like a "real" documentary, which I think suits it really well.

Their uncompromising approach to being in control of everything in the creative process shines through in both their music and their live show, and it's truly inspiring.

Daft Punk: Unchained is really a must-see documentary in my world and I watch it almost once a year to kick some creative energy into myself. Enjoy!

YouTube Shows

As a little extra sprinkle, here are 3 YouTube shows that you can watch and follow, which hopefully will also give you a lot of inspiration to pursue your dream, or simply love the genre and the world that all of us DJ and EDM fans love.

1) The Martin Garrix Show

https://www.youtube.com/@MartinGarrix/featured

On Martin Garrix's YouTube channel there are (right now) 5 seasons of "The Martin Garrix Show", which is a YouTube series where you can follow one of the world's most popular DJs.

You take him on tour, in the studio and much more!

 

2) James Hype: Moving Differently

https://www.youtube.com/@JamesHype

James Hype really broke through the mainstream wall around 2021-2022 and since then he has exploded with his energetic house sets and unique way of DJing live.

He is English and his accent is very thick. He's controversial and says things like they are, and that's really good content for YouTube. Highly recommendable.

 

3) Fisher: Follow The Fish TV

https://www.youtube.com/@Followthefishtv

Fisher. Losing It. The Australian personality also has a YouTube show where you can follow his life as a DJ.

Fisher is, to put it mildly, a bit of a laugher. His charisma is unique and he is not like everyone else. Besides being really good at what he does, his personality shines through so strongly in this series and it's just really fun.