Critiques the aesthetic and social history of the music documentary as a cinematic form through analysis of a wide range of films and filmmakers.

In Music Films, Neil Fox considers a broad range of music documentaries, delving into their cinematic style, political undertones, racial dynamics, and gender representations, in order to assess their role in the cultivation of myth.

Combining historical and critical analyses, and drawing on film and music criticism, Fox examines renowned music films such as A Hard Day's Night (1964), Dig! (2004), and Amazing Grace (2006), critically lauded works like Milford Graves Full Mantis (2018) and Mistaken for Strangers (2013), and lesser-studied films including Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959) and Ornette: Made in America (1985). In doing so, he offers a comprehensive overview of the genre, situating these films within their wider cultural contexts and highlighting their formal and thematic innovations.

Discussions in the book span topics from concert filmmaking to music production, the music industry, touring, and filmic representations of authenticity and truth. Overall, Music Films traces the evolution of the genre, highlighting its cultural significance and connection to broader societal phenomena.

"A good deal of Music Films is as much celebration as survey. Fox presents a thorough overview of key texts like Don't Look Back (1967), The Decline of Western Civilization (1981) and Stop Making Sense (1984), before building an argument that the years since the millennium have truly been the music film’s golden age." - Sight and Sound