10 Best Films Based On Albums (Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes)

Film and music have had a long, fruitful partnership. Whether it’s through film scores, musical adaptations, or music playing a part in a film’s narrative, the two mediums complement and elevate each other when mixed in just the right way. One of the less attempted blendings of film and music comes in the form of the “album film,” or a feature film based on a musical album.

This fascinating subgenre has given way to lots of experimentation with structure and form. Here are the 10 best theatrically released films based on musical albums, as rated by the Tomatometer.

10 Tenacious D In The Pick of Destiny (53%):

Comedians Jack Black and Kyle Gass have been unleashing their brand of stoner-comedy-metal as Tenacious D for almost 30 years. Following a stint on HBO with their own titular series, the pair decided to create a film based on their second studio album, The Pick of Destiny.

Both the film and the album tell the absurd origin story of the duo’s origin, and the ensuing quest for the mythical “Pick of Destiny.” Loud, crude, stupid, and chocked full of catchy songs, both the film and the album have gone on to accrue a large cult following since their release in 2006.

9 Jesus Christ Superstar (54%):

Before it was a hit theater show on the West End and on Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock-opera revisionist depiction of the final days of Jesus Christ was a best-selling concept album. Featuring heavyweights like Murray Head as Judas and Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan as Jesus, the album has gone on to sell over 7 million copies worldwide. A year later, in 1971, the stage production debuted, followed by the feature film in 1973.

The Norman Jewison-helmed film divided critics, but all agreed the film’s music was top-notch. Since then, the album and the film have gone on to inspire countless revivals and imitations.

8 God Help The Girl (67%):

Indie darlings Belle & Sebastian released their album of the same name in 2009. Five years later, the cinematic adaptation was given a limited theatrical release. Starring Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, and Hannah Murray, the film was more of a thematic adaptation rather than a literal one.

A muted coming-0f-age story with some excellent tunes scattered throughout, the loose plot told the story of a young girl and her band, also named “God Help The Girl.” Written and directed by Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch, the film is mostly made for fans of the band and the mumblecore crowd.

7 Pink Floyd – The Wall (68%):

It was only a matter of time before Pink Floyd’s curiosity got the better of them and lead them into the arena of movies. A psychedelic mind-warp, the film version of the band’s seminal 1979 album of the same name is a bizarre experiment, blending animation, music, and a bonkers performance by Bob Geldof.

Enjoyment of the film largely depends on the viewer’s endurance for bleak visual metaphors and the music of the band’s most theatrical record. No doubt a unique film that has maintained a strong and loyal fanbase, the film is worth seeing at least once.

6 Purple Rain (69%):

The most financially successful film on this list, Prince’s blockbuster film-album combo was one of the major cultural moments of 1984. A high point for the virtuoso musician, Purple Rain features Prince at his slickest and most charismatic.

A legendary film debut, Prince struts around the screen singing one megahit after the other, all within the loose parameters of a romance movie. Ostensibly a music video collection, the film no doubt still succeeds at being entertaining and a blast to watch.

5 The Who’s ‘Tommy’ (72%):

The Who is credited with the creation and refinement of the “rock opera” concept album. Their most whimsical and popular offering was their 1969 breakthrough, Tommy. In 1975, revered cinematic mad scientist Ken Russell brought the band’s work to the big screen.

Featuring frontman Roger Daughtry as the titular “pinball wizard,” the film is a trippy journey through 70s camp. Perhaps most notable is the film’s stacked pedigree of cameos from the likes of Elton John and Tina Turner.

4 True Stories (77%):

After the success of Stop Making Sense, David Byrne was given the freedom necessary to make this unabashedly strange satire featuring the music of his band, Talking Heads.

Released alongside the album of the same name, True Stories received critical praise for its originality, humor, music, and Byrne’s performance as a guide and narrator in a small and eccentric Texas town. The film was not a box office success, though it has since garnered a cult following and Criterion Collection treatment. By turns hilarious, caustic, and bizarro, True Stories represents one of Byrne’s best-realized visions.

3 Hard Day’s Night (98%):

Right in the feverish heat of their fame, The Beatles put out the first of several films they would make. The first, Hard Day’s Night, is without a doubt the best of the bunch and is a nearly beloved-by-all fictionalized account of a day and a half in the life of the four most famous lads in the world.

A genuinely funny farce, the filmmakers wisely channeled the natural chemistry and charm of John, Paul, George, and Ringo into extremely likable leads. The accompanying album, the band’s fourth, was likewise a smash hit that contains some of the group’s best-known hits.

2 Stop Making Sense (100%):

Technically, this film could be considered a “concert film.” However, Stop Making Sense transcends that label’s limitations to become more of an avant-garde musical experiment.

Directed by Johnathan Demme, and conceived once again by David Byrne, Stop Making Sense was a commercial success, and its album version received rave acclaim and has gone on to achieve a legacy of its own. One of the most unique and visually arresting films made from live staging, Stop Making Sense is in a league of its own.

1 Quadrophenia (100%):

The best, and perhaps most obscure film on this list is the 1979 film version of The Who’s Quadrophenia. Taking a decidedly more grim and urban approach to the material than Tommy, this film relies less on the music of the album and more on the emotional arcs presented in Pete Townshend’s lyrics.

A thoroughly British film, the story centers around a disgruntled young man’s trials-and-tribulations with drugs and depression. Expertly made and acted, the film matches the quality of its source material with respect.

About The Author