Movies like American Hot Wax

If you like "American Hot Wax" you are looking for psychotronic, sentimental and atmospheric movies about / with rock and roll, musician, radio, racism, jazz, coming of age and radio station themes of Drama, History and Music genre shot in USA.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps: 1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below). 2. Look for them in the presented list.
American Hot Wax (1978)
 6.9
 1K
American Hot Wax (1978)
Genre: Drama, History, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story: This is the story loosely based on Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed, who introduced rock'n'roll to teenage American radio audiences in the 1950's. Freed was a source of great controversy: criticized by conservatives for corrupting youth with the "devil's music"; hated by racists for promoting African American music for white consumption; persecuted by law enforcement officials and finally brought down by the "payola" scandals.
Style: psychotronic, sentimental, atmospheric, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Plot: rock and roll, musician, radio, racism, jazz, coming of age, radio station, talk show host, radio dj, music business, music, rock, profanity, rebellion, fighting the system, showbiz, society, rise and fall, rebelliousness, musician's life, underdog, artists and showbiz, unfulfillment, performer's life, biopic ...
Time: year 1978, 50s, 20th century, 1950s
Keyword: americana

Movie in categories

Most similar movies to American Hot Wax

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out realistic, serious, captivating and sentimental films with plots about artists and showbiz, music, musician's life, ambition, showbiz, musician and rock mostly in Music, Drama and Biography genres. Some movies like American Hot Wax: The Buddy Holly Story (1978), FM (1978), Elvis (1979), That Thing You Do! (1996), The Boat That Rocked (2009). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie
The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story: A film about the life and career of the early rock and roll star.
Style: captivating, serious, realistic, feel good, touching ...
Plot: biopic, music, musician, rock, rock music, singer, showbiz, musician's life, pop music, price of fame, rags to riches, art ...
Time: 1950s, 50s, year 1978, 20th century
Place: texas, austin texas, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
95%
 6.3
 1K
FM (1978)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story: Q-SKY is the #1 radio station in Los Angeles mainly because of the music they play; running the station the way they want to, it has made them a ratings success.
Style: political, semi serious, realistic, biting, offbeat ...
Plot: radio, radio station, workplace, love, musician, satire, revolution, friends, media, artists and showbiz, fighting the system, love and romance ...
Time: year 1978, 70s
Place: los angeles, usa, california
⇓ similarity ⇓
87%
 6.9
 5K
Elvis (1979)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 168 min.
Story: Biographical movie about the famous rock singer Elvis Presley.
Style: realistic, touching, emotional, serious, sentimental ...
Plot: elvis presley, music, rock music, biopic, musician's life, price of fame, celebrity culture, rags to riches, rock and roll, desire for fame, music band, showbiz ...
Time: 50s, 60s, 1950s
Place: las vegas, mississippi
⇓ similarity ⇓
78%
That Thing You Do! (1996)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story: A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager.
Style: humorous, sentimental, feel good, light, sincere ...
Audience: kids, family outing, date night, teen drama
Plot: music, drummer, recording studio, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, rock and roll, fictional band, showbiz, small town, music band, jazz, friendship, rising to stardom ...
Time: 60s, 50s, 90s, year 1996, 20th century
Place: pennsylvania, columbus ohio, ohio, usa, las vegas ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
75%
Movie in collections
Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: UK
Duration: 108 min.
Story: Having written the music and screenplay for this film, Paul McCartney also plays himself in the leading role. When the mastertape of McCartney's latest album is misplaced, he must discover its whereabouts in less than 24 hours or else risk ...
Style: realistic, semi serious, captivating, humorous
Plot: the beatles, rock, music, rock and roll, gangster, friends, showbiz, heist, artists and showbiz, lifestyle, musician's life, ambition ...
Time: 80s
⇓ similarity ⇓
73%
The Boat That Rocked (2009)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Country: UK, France, Germany, USA
Duration: 135 min.
Story: The Boat that Rocked is an ensemble comedy, where the romance is between the young people of the 60s, and pop music. It's about a band of DJs that captivate Britain, playing the music that defines a generation and standing up to a government ...
Style: humorous, funny, sentimental, colorful, light ...
Plot: rock, radio, music, rock and roll, hippie, boat, rock music, friendship, rebellion, musician, coming of age, rebelliousness ...
Time: 60s, year 2009, 20th century
Place: london, britain
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
Daydream Believers: The Monkees' Story (2000)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story: In 2000, VH-1 produced the television biopic Daydream Believers: The Monkees' Story. In 2002, the movie was released on DVD, and featured both commentaries and interviews with Dolenz, Jones and Tork. The aired version did differ from the DVD ...
Style: realistic, semi serious, sentimental, captivating
Plot: overnight success, desire for fame, lifestyle, rising to stardom, showbiz, daydreamer, artists and showbiz, ambition, music band, bittersweet, music, music industry ...
Time: 60s, 20th century
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
Protecting the King (2007)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story: Sex, drugs and violence--they're all part of the job when you're protecting The King of Rock & Roll. And when you're only 16, the on-the-job training comes in ways that can't be taught in school. The story of David ...
Style: captivating, serious, realistic
Plot: on the road, lifestyle, musician's life, artists and showbiz, celebrity culture, teaching the ways of the world, showbiz, drug abuse, rock, fame, elvis presley, rise and fall ...
Time: 20th century, 60s, 70s
⇓ similarity ⇓
68%
Movie in collections
music movies
2033
rock movies
1254
The Five Heartbeats (1991)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story: In the early 1960's, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along ...
Style: sentimental, hood, semi serious, realistic, humorous ...
Audience: date night
Plot: music, racism, black, rock and roll, african american, friendship, blaxploitation, black history, music business, corruption, drug addiction, gangster ...
Time: 60s, year 1991, 70s, 20th century
⇓ similarity ⇓
68%
The Idolmaker (1980)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story: Based on the life of rock promoter/producer Bob Marucci, who discovered, among others, Frankie Avalon and Fabian.
Style: semi serious, realistic, captivating, biting, humorous ...
Plot: music, music business, rock and roll, showbiz, rock music, rising to stardom, love and romance, rise to the top, human nature, artists and showbiz, lifestyle, ambition ...
Time: year 1980, 50s, 60s, 1950s
Place: new jersey, memphis, new york
⇓ similarity ⇓
67%
Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story (2004)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 87 min.
Story: Chronicles the rise and fall of pop king Michael Jackson.
Style: semi serious, realistic, touching, humorous
Plot: rise and fall, ambition, music, rising to stardom, performer's life, showbiz, artists and showbiz, lifestyle, musician's life, singer, pop star, plastic surgery ...
Place: usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
63%
Your Cheatin' Heart (1964)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story: The story of the country and western singer Hank Williams.
Style: retro, captivating, realistic, serious, touching ...
Plot: biopic, musician, singer, country music, rock and roll, composer, rock, hippie, songwriter, bittersweet, remarry, country ...
Time: 20th century, 60s
Place: alabama
⇓ similarity ⇓
63%
Great Balls of Fire! (1989)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story: The story of Jerry Lee Lewis, arguably the greatest and certainly one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent, and unconventional lifestyle often brought him into conflict with others in the industry, and even earned ...
Style: retro, period piece, gothic, independent film, realistic ...
Audience: teens
Plot: music, biopic, rock and roll, musician, rock, rise and fall, older man younger woman relationship, dancing, scandal, prejudice, jazz, age difference ...
Time: 1950s, 20th century, year 1989, 50s
Place: usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
59%
Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)
Genre: Drama, Music, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story: Michael Paré stars as Eddie Wilson of the rock band Eddie and Cruisers. The band is at the height of their career in the 1960s when front man Eddie drives his car off a bridge in an apparent suicide -- but the body was never found.
Style: cult classic, realistic, serious, captivating, sentimental ...
Audience: teens
Plot: music, rock and roll, rock music, reporter, musician, dancing, teenager, singer, past, missing person, friends, unfulfillment ...
Time: 80s, 60s, 20th century
Place: new jersey
⇓ similarity ⇓
59%
 6.5
 321
Scott Joplin (1977)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story: Details the life story of Scott Joplin and how he became the greatest ragtime composer of all time.
Style: captivating, realistic, serious, period piece
Plot: composer, jazz, piano, art history, art, blaxploitation, syphilis, biopic, interracial relations, music, society, musician's life ...
Time: 20th century, 1910s, 1900s
⇓ similarity ⇓
58%
 6.5
 1K
Stardust (1974)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: UK
Duration: 111 min.
Story: Sequel to 1973's That'll Be The Day. Jim McLain is now enjoying the nomadic 'gigs and groupies' life on tour with his band. When he achieves all his wildest dreams of international stardom, the sweet taste of success begins to ...
Style: independent film, serious, realistic, stylized
Plot: rock and roll, music, musician, dancing, swing, post war, rock star, nudity, music band, rise and fall, lifestyle, life is a bitch ...
Time: 60s
⇓ similarity ⇓
57%
 6.8
 36K
Jersey Boys (2014)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story: From director Clint Eastwood comes the big-screen version of the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys. The film tells the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group ...
Style: stylized, intense, sentimental, realistic, serious ...
Plot: music, biopic, music band, broadway, rock and roll, musician, life philosophy, desire for fame, rising to stardom, ambition, showbiz, friends ...
Time: 20th century, 60s, 50s, 1950s
Place: new jersey, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
57%
A Man Called Adam (1966)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story: A famous jazz trumpeter finds himself unable to cope with the problems of everyday life.
Style: independent film, serious, realistic, captivating
Plot: jazz, racism, music and dance, blaxploitation, black, casino, alcoholism, talent agent, prejudice, musician, trumpet player, biopic ...
Time: year 1966, 60s
Place: cincinnati ohio, new york
⇓ similarity ⇓
56%
Movie in collections
humorous movies
22119
realistic movies
29790
profanity movies
5450
rebellion movies
2453
 6.7
 2K
Honeydripper (2007)
Genre: Crime, Drama, History, Music, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story: In 1950s Alabama, the owner of the Honeydripper juke joint finds his business dropping off and against his better judgment, hires a young electric guitarist in a last ditch effort to draw crowds during harvest time.
Style: realistic, atmospheric, captivating, psychological, cult classic ...
Plot: blues, music, rise and fall, prodigy, friendship, musician's life, follow your dream, rising to stardom, ambition, love triangle, redneck, club ...
Time: 50s, year 2007, 1950s
Place: alabama, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
55%
 7.9
 1K
The Overture (2004)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Music
Country: Thailand
Duration: 103 min.
Story: Based on the life of Luang Pradit Pairoh (Sorn Silapabanleng) the most revered traditional Thai music master who lived during the reigns of Kings Rama V to VIII, the movie traces the life of Sorn, who picked up the ra-nad ek (Thai xylophone) mallets ...
Style: touching, emotional, sincere, captivating, serious ...
Plot: prodigy, ambition, fighting the system, musician's life, rebellion, lifestyle, society, injustice, life is a bitch, rivalry, politics, biopic ...
Time: 20th century
Place: asia, thailand
⇓ similarity ⇓
55%
Cadillac Records (2008)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story: The story of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950s Chicago, and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James and Chuck Berry.
Style: realistic, inspirational, intense, stylized, talky ...
Plot: musician's life, music, rock and roll, blues, jazz, biopic, african american, pop music, success, music business, singer, greed ...
Time: 20th century, 60s, 1950s, year 2008, 1940s ...
Place: chicago, usa, indiana, london, mississippi
⇓ similarity ⇓
54%
The Identical (2014)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story: During the Great Depression, identical twins are separated at birth. One, Drexel Hemsley becomes a wildly successful '50s rock star, while the other, Ryan Wade, struggles to balance his passion for music and pleasing his parents, who want him ...
Style: captivating, serious, realistic, touching, sentimental ...
Plot: musician, family relations, musician's life, ambition, supportive spouse, twin brother, rising to stardom, artists and showbiz, follow your dream, jazz, christian, family secret ...
Time: 20th century, 70s, 50s, 60s, 1930s ...
Place: usa, alabama
⇓ similarity ⇓
53%
That'll Be the Day (1973)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: UK
Duration: 91 min.
Story: Britain, 1958. Restless at school and bored with his life, Jim leaves home to take a series of low-level jobs at a seaside amusement park, where he discovers a world of cheap sex and petty crime. But when that world comes to a shockingly brutal end, ...
Style: offbeat, serious, realistic, gloomy, sincere ...
Plot: rock, rock and roll, singer, freakshow, the beatles, kitchen sink realism, circus, swing, working class, coming of age, showbiz, celebrity culture ...
Time: 1950s, 50s
Place: england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
52%
Movie in collections
showbiz movies
1233
society movies
12700
50s movies
50s
1392
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)
Genre: Music
Country: UK
Duration: 103 min.
Story: A rather incoherent post-breakup Sex Pistols "documentary", told from the point of view of Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, whose (arguable) position is that the Sex Pistols in particular and punk rock in general were an elaborate scam ...
Style: grindhouse, mockumentary, erotic, independent film, contemplative ...
Plot: punk, music, rock and roll, punk rock, rock, dancing, showbiz, subculture, musician, nudity, music business, sociology ...
Time: year 1980, 70s
Place: london, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
51%
 6.4
 2K
Rude Boy (1980)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: UK
Duration: 133 min.
Story: Rude Boy is a semi-documentary, part character study, part 'rockumentary', featuring a British punk band, The Clash. The script includes the story of a fictional fan juxtposed with actual public events of the day, including political ...
Style: realistic, serious, cynical, biting
Plot: punk, punk rock, rock, skinhead, rock and roll, rock music, angry, youth culture, exodus, hooligan, alienation, pop music ...
Time: year 1980, 70s, 20th century, 80s
Place: london, england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
47%
Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA, Ireland, UK
Duration: 118 min.
Story: A drama based on Jimi Hendrix's life as he left New York City for London, where his career took off.
Style: realistic, captivating, atmospheric, sincere, retro ...
Plot: musician, music, biopic, rock, musician's life, rising to stardom, rock star, artists and showbiz, infidelity, drug use, guitarist, rock music ...
Time: 60s, 20th century
Place: england, seattle, new york, london
⇓ similarity ⇓
47%
For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story: In the early 1970s, Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval (Andy Garcia) is torn between his own musical dreams and the dreams of his wife, Marianela (Mía Maestro), a fervent supporter of the ideals of the Castro revolution. Also starring Charles S. ...
Style: emotional, realistic, touching, sincere, serious ...
Plot: jazz, human spirit, showbiz, politics, unfulfillment, couples, political unrest, musician's life, relationship vs career, revolution, family problems, society ...
Place: usa, cuba, latin america
⇓ similarity ⇓
46%
My Dinner with Jimi (2003)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:  The story of the night The Turtles met The Beatles and Howard Kaylan had dinner with Jimi Hendrix.
Style: realistic, sentimental, captivating, semi serious, contemplative ...
Plot: music band, music, rise and fall, desire for fame, celebrity culture, performer's life, ambition, rise to the top, showbiz, artists and showbiz, rock, lifestyle ...
Time: 60s
Place: london, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
46%
 6.9
 36K
La Bamba (1987)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story: Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of singer Ritchie Valens whose life was cut short by a plane crash.
Style: inspirational, touching, hispanic, intense, suspense ...
Audience: teens, kids
Plot: musician's life, biopic, music, rock and roll, interracial romance, rock, music business, musician, happy ending, love story, racism, audition ...
Time: 1950s, 50s, 20th century, year 1987
Place: los angeles, usa, southern california, new york, tijuana mexico
⇓ similarity ⇓
45%
 3.8
 313
Know Thy Enemy (2009)
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min.
Story: Nemesis is the hottest rapper in rap's hottest city; Miami, the 305. But he has a little secret...he's not really a rapper. A record label discovers Nate's talent, and offers to make him a star, as a rapper. They create Nemesis, a Hip ...
Style: semi serious, realistic, entertaining, inspirational, disturbing ...
Plot: hip hop, jazz, rivalry, rise to the top, gangster, artists and showbiz, music, showbiz, uninhibited rivalry, performer's life, criminal's revenge, society ...
Time: 21st century
Place: florida, miami, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
45%
Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie