World Music Day With 8 Best Music movies

You may not be a singer, but people certainly appreciate good music, isn't it? Music Day is celebrated across hundreds of countries on 21^st June. The International Music Council initiated the Music Day Celebration in Lausanne in 1973.

The key objective behind the event is to promote musical art among all sections of society. Referred to as Fete de la Musique or The World Music Day, the theme this year is: “Music at the intersections”.

Every country, every culture has its style and taste of music forms. From iconic musicians to rookies in the industry love their music passionately. Some of these men and women have been world-famous. Several music movies have been made to honour them.

As a music lover, you can think of different ways to celebrate Music Day. And one of them could be to watch music movies. Some of these music movies are biopics on the greats in the music world. However, some of these movies express music in diverse forms.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018, 2h 15m, English)

The movie unwraps the onset of ‘the Queen', a London based 1970s rock band, and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. An invigorating opening scene showing the preparation of the Queen minutes before the concert at Wembley Stadium. Flashback from London, 1970 where Farrokh is seen working in Heathrow Airport as a luggage handler. By night he visits a pub where a local band is playing. He meets the band after the show, a time when their lead singer had just left them. He also meets Mary from Biba at the pub. Double coincidence! The success story of Farrokh and his band brings revolutionary swings in the world of music. Their band is renamed Queen and his name is changed to Freddie Mercury. The highs and lows of the band and Freddie culminated at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in 1985.

Variações: Guardian Angel (2019, 1h 53m, Portuguese)

António Joaquim Rodrigues Ribeiro AKA António Variações is a Portuguese singer-songwriter. Based on his life, Variações is one of the best music movies you can watch. The opening scene of the movie shows Lisbon in 1983. Popular already in his town, Antonio Ribeiro is seen at his salon. Flashback is rolled to six years earlier. An accidental meeting with Luis Vitta, a music journalist at a bar in Holland, redirects his life and career. He doesn't sing in Portuguese as no one cares. Luis asks him to switch back to Portugal. The death of his father takes him back home. Everyone appreciates his voice and singing. However, he feels complete when he composes and sings his own songs. Unwilling to change he declares; it is Lisbon that will need to adjust to him. Before his untimely death, he could release only two albums both of which became popular.

The Disciple (2020, 2h 7m, Marathi)

This award-winning music movie is a piece of art. Without commercial elements to lure the crowd, the movie with a classical touch reaches out to all music lovers. A diligent student of Indian classical music, Sharad has devoted his life to learning music. Staying with his Guruji and striving hard to emulate him is a sacrificial learning path. Sharad's father, also a student of Guruji's was a failed musician. Hence, he is more determined to succeed. Inspired by Maai's – iconic musician's lectures he does everything possible to perfect his talents. How far do his obsession and devotion take him in the musical journey?

Vox Lux (2018, 1h 32m, English)

Not the kind of opening scenes you would expect to watch in a music movie. A boy opens fire in a classroom and wreaks havoc in his school. Celeste, a student in the classroom was shot in the neck but recovers. As she recovers, she composes a song along with her sister. At a candlelight vigil in support of the victims in school, students were requested to share memories and recollections. Celeste and her sister Ellie sing the song they composed. Their lives are abruptly changed when the song becomes popular. Success, fame, and adulthood came at the cost of self-destructive behaviour in Celeste's character and career. The final minutes of the movie is intensely solid.

Our 30 minute sessions (2020, 1h 55m, Japanese)

A group of students consisting of Aki and his friends blossom as musicians through student years. And the band is broken after the death of Aki. His spirit somehow is after Sota, a student who only can see it. Wanting to bring back his band together and be with his friends Aki uses Sota's body. Aki's old Walkman is the medium using which to switch body with Sota. With Aki's mystical intervention even the reticent Sota changes too. And their band is revamped and accepted by music lovers.

Rocketman (2019, 2h, English)

A music movie based on the rise of musician Reginald Dwight popularly known as Elton John. Seated amongst a group at a rehabilitation centre, Elton John confesses his grey side. When asked about his childhood, in flashback Reginald's growing up years are recounted. Despite a strict father and careless mother, Reginald does well in piano lessons. Later, his interest in rock music lands him in the Bluesology band. Climbing the ladder of success, he changes his name to Elton John. Along with musical triumphs, he also succumbs to several additions. Physical and emotional outbreaks almost derail him. Yet, he recovers well to stay sober for the last several years.

Gully Boy (2019, 2h 33m, Hindi)

Murad, a slum boy from Mumbai lives an average life. Although passionate about rap music, his life is always in mess. With his father marrying a second wife, tackling poverty, managing his possessive girlfriend, Murad's plate is always pathetically full. An injury to his father forces him to take up the chauffer's job where his father works. He finds more time to pen his lyrics and meeting a locally famous rapper in Shrikant changes Murad's musical journey. One of his performances goes viral online and he is unstoppable thereafter.

My heart goes boom (2020, 1h 57m, Spanish)

Maria is desperate to fly home, to Spain that is, from Italy. Onboard the flight, upon learning she is not okay; the air hostess and everyone else starts singing. Reaching Madrid airport, her attention is caught by a wall poster of “Night with Rosa”. And Pablo accidentally pumps on her before running to catch his flight. With nowhere to go and no money, she is helped by Amparo, an airport staff. In three months, Maria is given a temporary job at the airport. Pablo is back in Madrid and there they meet again at the airport. Maria goes to his office to hand over his missing suitcase only to meet the director of “Night with Rosa”. Bravo Maria Bravo. The show begins. The movie is based on the songs by dancer-singer-actress Raffaella Carrà.