10 Saddest Movies About Musicians That Will Break You Apart

The life of a professional musician is seldom easy. Because of this, many films about musicians end up being rather tragic stories. Of course, that does not stop audiences from flocking to see them. Something about the trials and tribulations of those trying to find success in the music industry is endlessly alluring to viewers; perhaps because of the fascinating contrast between the glamour of achieving fame through music, and the near-impossible path to get there.

Whether they highlight musicians who skyrocketed to stardom but tragically died young, or gifted artists who never received the recognition they deserved, all of these films portray heartbreaking stories of those who merely sought to bring joy to the world through their songs. All of these films, whether true stories or fictional tales, are bound to break the hearts of audiences over and over again. Nevertheless, it is hard not to admire the inspiring nature of their stories, no matter how sad they may prove to be.

10 Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

The Coen brothers’ 2013 feature, Inside Llewyn Davis, is a heart-wrenching slice-of-life story about a struggling folk singer just trying to get by. While it is partially inspired by true events, the film is fictional, though this does not detract from its emotional power in the slightest. Inside Llewyn Davis stars Oscar Isaac as the titular folk singer, whom viewers observe as he goes through a typical week in his life, having nowhere to live and hardly enough money to make it to the next day.

The sadness at the core of Inside Llewyn Davis lies within the singer’s persistent inability to catch a break. Viewers are shown that Davis is an incredibly gifted artist, but an endless stream of unfortunate circumstances continuously prevent him from getting the appreciation and rewards he deserves. Every strained relationship, financial loss, and disappointing venture just continues to pile onto the despair felt by the protagonist. Inside Llewyn Davis is a tragic look at the bitter reality of the music industry for so many individuals.

9 A Star Is Born (2018)

Directed by Bradley Cooper

Though the film has been remade several times over the years, the most recent (and perhaps most popular) iteration of A Star Is Born is the 2018 version, which Bradley Cooper both directed and starred in, alongside Lady Gaga. The film tells the story of an aging musician with an alcohol problem who meets and falls in love with a fellow musical artist, helping her to use her talents to launch a successful music career of her own.Though the story can be viewed as inspiring and romantic, there is an undeniable element of tragedy to it as well.

This Oscar-winning take on the beloved, timeless tale proves that some stories never fail to break the hearts of their listeners, no matter how many times they have been told.

Without giving away the specifics, the conclusion of A Star Is Born is certainly one of the more emotionally devastating endings to cap off a film about a musician. The pure, uplifting feel of the love story only contributes even further to the tragic nature of the ending. This Oscar-winning take on the beloved, timeless tale proves that some stories never fail to break the hearts of their listeners, no matter how many times they have been told.

8 Last Days (2005)

Directed by Gus Van Sant

Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant is no stranger to capturing sadness on film, making him an excellent choice to assume the director’s chair for Last Days. As the title suggests, the film follows the melancholy final days of a musician before it is ultimately discovered that he has taken his own life. Though the specific story and characters are fictional, the concept was inspired by the death of Nirvana leading man, Kurt Cobain, whose tragic end is well-known to anyone interested in the music industry.

Last Days achieves its profound sadness through the sheer, depressing believability of its story. Aside from sneaking out of his rehab facility at the very beginning, nothing overly dramatic or unusual happens to the main character. He gets phone calls about his band, avoids people he doesn’t want to talk to, and goes to a rock club at night. None of these events feel particularly unusual, but there is nevertheless a persistent sadness in the air around the character. The perpetual sadness continues through the film’s heartbreaking conclusion, even if audiences already knew what would happen.

7 La La Land (2016)

Directed by Damien Chazelle

Sometimes the greatest sadness only comes after the greatest happiness. This appears to be the case for La La Land, the six-time Oscar-winning hit from Damien Chazelle. The film stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as Mia and Sebastian, an aspiring actress and an aspiring jazz musician (respectively). The two meet and begin a fairy tale Hollywood romance, only for it to gradually fall apart as they each pursue their dreams.

While
La La Land
begins as a bright, optimistic film, the tone begins to shift as Mia and Sebastian slowly realize that neither of them can fully pursue their dreams while still tied to the other person.

The film morphs from an upbeat musical to a more bleak (but nonetheless impressive) commentary on the true cost of success. The complex, vibrant ending of La La Land packs a massive emotional punch, especially for viewers who thought Mia and Sebastian would come back together.

6 Selena (1997)

Directed by Gregory Nava

Fans of Latin music will know that a biographical film about the life of Selena Quintanilla-Perez (better known as simply Selena) is bound to end with massive heartbreak. Directed by Gregory Nava, Selena explores the life of the popular singer, all the way from her humble beginnings to her tragic death.

The majority of the film is deeply inspiring and beautiful, tenderly depicting the closeness of Selena’s family and her friends throughout her rise to fame. Selena was killed at only 23 years old, having been shot by her friend and former manager, Yolanda Saldivar, over a dispute regarding the management of the artist’s finances.

While much of the film, Selena, focuses on Selena’s career and relationships prior to the tragic incident, it does not shy away from the grim realities of how her life came to an end. The final scenes of Selena are heartbreaking, a feeling amplified by the knowledge that the film is a true story.

5 The Pianist (2002)

Directed by Roman Polanski

Adrien Brody won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Władysław Szpilman in the 2002 biographical film, The Pianist. Szpilman was a Polish-Jewish piano player, forced to endure years of unimaginable hardship during the Holocaust. The eye-opening film offered a brutally realistic depiction of the horrors that plagued Poland during the 1940s.

The audience is reminded of this by his final, powerful performance at the conclusion of the film.

Even when practically everything else in his life had been taken away or destroyed, Szpilman never abandoned his ties to music. His musical gifts prove to be part of what kept him alive in spite of the immeasurable loss all around him. The audience is reminded of this by his final, powerful performance at the conclusion of the film. The Pianist demonstrates the role of music in even the darkest chapters of history by depicting the heartbreaking true story of a man who, like so many others, lost everything during World War II.

4 Love & Mercy (2014)

Directed by Bill Pohlad

Alternating back and forth between two distinct stages of the singer’s life, Love & Mercy explores the complicated life and career of Brian Wilson, co-founder of The Beach Boys. Portrayed at different times by Paul Dano and John Cusack, the film dives into Wilson’s mental struggles, depicting his severe panic attacks as well as his tense relationship with his manipulative therapist. The film offers an insightful glimpse into the difficult life that inspired many iconic songs.

Part of what makes Love & Mercy such a sad film is the realization of how strongly Wilson’s actual life differed from much of the music he made with his band. The Beach Boys are most commonly known for their upbeat, harmony-filled tracks, such as “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Surfin’ U.S.A.” While these songs are fun, dance-worthy tunes, the reality of Wilson’s life was much darker. Love & Mercy serves as a powerful reminder that the lives of musicians are often much more complex than the songs they are known for.

Directed by Darius Marder

Darius Marder’s Oscar-winning 2019 film, Sound of Metal, shines a light on an issue that affects many people around the world, particularly musicians. The film follows a heavy metal drummer named Ruben Stone as he discovers that he is losing his hearing. This leads to Ruben reevaluating every aspect of his life, including his career, his relationships, and even his own identity. The film effectively captures the intense emotions of a musician who is forced to question whether he can continue doing what he loves.

The deep sadness of Sound of Metal lies in the idea of potentially having to completely restructure your life because of something you had hardly any control over. As an audience, it is difficult not to put yourself in Ruben’s shoes, and imagine how you would have responded to the same news. The film offers a very down-to-earth portrayal of individuals pursuing their musical dreams, making Ruben’s pain and sadness all the more believable.

2 Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021)

Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Based on Jonathan Larson’s stage show of the same name, Tick, Tick… Boom! is a musical film about the life of Larson himself, highlighting the musician/composer’s desperate attempts to find success on a Broadway stage. Though filled with lively musical numbers, the film maintains a sad overall tone, highlighting Larson’s professional rejections and strained relationships, while also touching on the widespread influence of the AIDS crisis in America.

The overarching sadness of the Tick, Tick… Boom! is boosted by the knowledge of Larson’s all-too-short life, which inspired the movie. Larson did eventually find success on Broadway with his Tony and Pulitzer-winning musical, Rent, which permanently changed the world of musical theater. Tragically, Larson passed away at only 35 years old, just before Rent could have its Broadway debut. The film constantly reminds its audience of how little time all humans are given on Earth (with some getting even less than others).

1 Once (2007)

Directed by John Carney

Before he could make the optimistic musical film, Sing Street, John Carney wrote and directed a movie that explored the idea of a music-driven romance in a much more dramatic sense. Once follows the story of two characters, Guy and Girl, who meet and fall in love in Dublin. They spend the film creating music together, bonding over their shared gifts. In a surprising turn, though, the characters do not end up together at the end; Guy heads to London to reunite with his ex-girlfriend, and Girl reunites with her previously absent husband

The conclusion of Once is dreadfully sad, as audiences spend the entire movie up until that point watching the bond between them grow. Then, unexpectedly, they head their separate ways, with it seeming unlikely that they will ever see each other again. The sadness is compounded by the fact that the pair are unable to even say their goodbyes. Their tender romance simply disappears as easily as it arrived. Though a touching story from beginning to end, viewers ought to be prepared for moments of real heartbreak when watching Once.