Sound City

Released Feb 1, 2013

1h 48m

Documentary

Music

List

100%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

90%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Artists and producers highlight the history of the recording studio in Van Nuys, Calif., and discuss the impact of music in the age of technology.

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Critics Consensus

Smart, affectionate, and unabashedly sincere, Sound City pairs a great soundtrack with a well-argued ode to one of rock 'n' roll's most fondly remembered bygone eras.

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Gareth v

A passionate doco and an ode to one of the most famed and influential music studios of it's time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

Full Review

Diego M

Buena la historia del estudio de grabación, pero al final se ponen muy viejos chotos con el audio digital. Dejen de ver el pasado. Viejos chotos.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/25/23

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Audience Member

Such an amazing music documentary.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

A really great doc, kind of hard to follow in the beginning but overall amazing. So heartfelt and honest and tells a great history.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

I just LOVED this Doco. I grew up being around high end audio and initially worked for some studios. This just brought those memories all back.........

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sound Check There's people that prefer the drafting board to computers, prefer a typewriter to word-processing software, prefer film to digital cameras, etc. The list is extensive and the people on it are usually dismissed and eventually forgotten as technology moves forward. CGI creates better special effects; digital images can be deleted without wasting film; and Computer Aided Drafting and Manufacturing creates better, more accurate products. However, the case for analog over digital methods in music continues to be made. Musicologist Dave Grohl brings this debate to the court of public opinion in "Sound City." Called to the witness stand is a variety of fellow artists from the 60's to present which includes Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, Neil Young, John Fogerty, Barry Manilow, Rick Springfield, et al. All these participants not only testify to their in experience with the analog studio, but also the influences and differences of digital over analog methods on music culture. It's made apparent early on that this documentary is more than just a "day in the life" of musicians and how they created the art we enjoy as Dave later affirms: "It all started with this idea that I wanted to tell the story of the board. The conversation became something much bigger. Like . . . in this age of technology, where you simulate or manipulate anything, how do we retain that human element . . .? How do we keep music to sound like people? That feeling that I got when I was young, Oh, I could that too." And so the case is made that it's the analog imperfections that retains the human quality much like hand-made furniture as compared to the mass produced. But the film is not a total dis on technology. It's stated quite clearly that it was the "Neve" sound board that much homage is paid to including an interview with sound engineer Rupert Neve himself. For although this was the pinnacle of technology, it was still analog technology. As the film's humble narrator/producer conducts a multi leveled, pro/con journey spanning many decades of music, as digital methods continued to penetrate the music culture. In all these examples there are those who reject it, those who embrace it, and those who find a middle ground for old and new technologies to coexist in their vocation. Some prefer a set of drums and others use an electronic drum machine. Eventually, Sound City couldn't compete with the digital world where artists steadily became more like computer music "file makers" rather than instrument trained musicians. Through many examples we are shown that in music, in spite of the advances in recording and producing technology, many musicians can preserve the "human" quality with state of the art "analog" technologies. Dave never forgot where he came from. This was the impetus for making this film and the reason for preserving the Neve board which now resides in his private studio. He waxes some heavy philosophy but never comes off preachy which could easily turn any movie into a "vanity project." In fact he comes off very altruistic with his many homages to the staff and studio where he cut his first album with Nirvana.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

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Dave Grohl

Director

Frank Black

Actor

Lindsey Buckingham

Actor

Tim Commerford

Actor

Kevin Cronin

Actor

Rivers Cuomo

Actor

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Michael O'Sullivan

Washington Post

In Sound City, a raucous yet sweetly romantic documentary, dinosaurs do indeed rock the Earth again.

Rated: 4/4

Jan 1, 2014

Full Review

A.A. Dowd

Time Out Chicago

When getting into the nitty-gritty of tapes and tracks, Grohl makes a strong case for music docs directed by musicians.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 16, 2013

Full Review

Melissa Maerz

Entertainment Weekly

Dave Grohl's terrific new doc, Sound City, profiles the studio where some of the greatest music of the past four decades was born.

Rated: B+

Dec 16, 2013

Full Review

Kelly Jane Torrance

Washington Examiner

Sound City ends up being an exciting look at the making of music.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 15, 2018

Full Review

Benjamin H. Smith

Decider

Sound City is filled with the kind of stories that make music nerds weak in the knees.

Jan 24, 2018

Full Review

Britt Hayes

ScreenCrush

While there's an abundance of information and stories to be told, Sound City at times becomes almost as idle as its aging idols.

Rated: 6/10

Mar 16, 2017

Full Review

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Synopsis

Artists and producers highlight the history of the recording studio in Van Nuys, Calif., and discuss the impact of music in the age of technology.

Director: Dave Grohl
Screenwriter: Mark Monroe
Production Co: Therapy Content, Roswell Films
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 1, 2013, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $422.4K
Runtime: 1h 48m