Movies Like The Buddy Holly Story (1978)

The Buddy Holly Story is a 1978 drama, music film from Steve Rash with a MovieMagicScore of 7.2/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Elvis and Michael.

Drama Music

Elvis

2022

The life story of Elvis Presley as seen through the complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

7.5

MagicScore

Michael

2026

The story of Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music. His journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.

8.6

MagicScore

What's Love Got to Do with It

1993

Singer Tina Turner rises to stardom while mustering the courage to break free from her abusive husband Ike.

7.1

MagicScore

TINA

2021

Tina Turner overcame impossible odds to become one of the first female Black artists to reach a mainstream international audience. Her road to superstardom is an undeniable story of triumph over adversity. It’s the ultimate story of survival – and an inspirational story of our times.

7.8

MagicScore

The Doors

1991

The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison.

7.1

MagicScore

La Bamba

1987

Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called "Donna" that he wrote for his girlfriend. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother, Bob, and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly.

7.3

MagicScore

Get on Up

2014

A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.

6.8

MagicScore

Sweet Dreams

1985

The story of Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at the height of her fame.

6.4

MagicScore

High Fidelity

2000

After his long-time girlfriend dumps him, a thirty-year-old record store owner seeks to understand why he is unlucky in love while recounting his "top five breakups of all time".

7.1

MagicScore

#10

Better Man

2024

Follow Robbie Williams' journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

7.7

MagicScore

#11

Eddie and the Cruisers

1983

A television newswoman picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader — Eddie Wilson — may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released album.

6.6

MagicScore

#12

Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!

1989

In the sixties, Eddie and the cruisers was the hottest band around. But the tragic death of its lead singer broke the band up. Only Eddie is not dead. He works as a carpenter in Montreal. His love of music forces him to create a new band which will have to struggle with its anonymity.

6.5

MagicScore

#13

Cobain: Montage of Heck

2015

Hailed as one of the most innovative and intimate documentaries of all time, experience Kurt Cobain like never before in the only ever fully authorized portrait of the famed music icon. Academy Award nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen expertly blends Cobain's personal archive of art, music, never seen before movies, animation and revelatory interviews from his family and closest friends.

7.6

MagicScore

#14

Nothing Compares

2022

Since the beginning of her career, Sinéad O’Connor has used her powerful voice to challenge the narratives she was surrounded by while growing up in predominantly Roman Catholic Ireland. Despite her agency, depth and perspective, O’Connor’s unflinching refusal to conform means that she has often been patronized and unfairly dismissed as an attention-seeking pop star.

7.6

MagicScore

#15

Borg vs McEnroe

2017

The Swedish Björn Borg and the American John McEnroe, the best tennis players in the world, maintain a legendary duel during the 1980 Wimbledon tournament.

6.9

MagicScore

#16

Basquiat

1996

The brief life of Jean Michel Basquiat, a world renowned New York street artist struggling with fame, drugs and his identity.

6.6

MagicScore

#17

The Smashing Machine

2025

In the late 1990s, up-and-coming mixed martial artist Mark Kerr aspires to become the greatest fighter in the world. However, he must also battle his opioid dependence and a volatile relationship with his girlfriend Dawn.

6.4

MagicScore

#18

Le Bal

1983

In a French nightclub, choreographed song and dance routines are performed, rather than a streamlined narrative. They tell the story of Parisian culture and politics from the 1920s—1980s. A disparate, anachronistic series of characters, including an ordinary waiter, a Nazi collaborator, resistance fighters, and 1960s student protestors gather to celebrate and satirize 20th century France's icons, demons, and social changes.

7.0

MagicScore

#19

That'll Be The Day

1973

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, Jim returns home. As the local music scene explodes, Jim must decide between a life of adult responsibility or a new phenomenon called rock & roll.

6.3

MagicScore

#20

Ray

2004

Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together.

7.4

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Buddy Holly Story?

The top films similar to The Buddy Holly Story by MovieMagicScore are Elvis (7.5), Michael (8.6), What's Love Got to Do with It (7.1). Each shares drama/music themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Buddy Holly Story worth watching?

The Buddy Holly Story holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.2/10 from 123 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is The Buddy Holly Story?

The Buddy Holly Story (1978) is a drama, music film directed by Steve Rash, starring Gary Busey, Don Stroud, Charles Martin Smith.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Buddy Holly Story?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more drama recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Elvis Movies like Michael Movies like What's Love Got to Do with It Movies like TINA Movies like The Doors Movies like La Bamba

About movies like The Buddy Holly Story

This ranked list pairs The Buddy Holly Story (1978), a drama and music film from Steve Rash, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Gary Busey take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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