How Music Got Free

How Music Got Free

Uncover the secrets behind the crime we all committed.

TV-14 Limited Series 2024 · 2 eps · ★ 7.5 · Documentary, Crime

Ended

Details the fascinating, and often funny, inside story of the technology-driven disruption that changed music during the late-90s and early-2000s. File sharing technology, combined with the insatiable demand for new music, created both the means and the motive for millions of young people to participate in outright theft – and be celebrated for it.

Directed by Alex Stapleton

Network: Paramount+

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Cast

Rhymefest Self - Artist
Eminem Self - Music Artist
Method Man Self - Narrator (voice)
Dell Self - CD Plant Employee/Pirating
Rodney Self - CD Plant Employee/Pirating
Steve Stoute Self - Producer, Writer and Former President Sony Music

More from Alex StapletonSee all →

Sean Combs: The Reckoning

Sean Combs: The Reckoning · 2025

Sean Combs: The Reckoning

SeriesDocumentaryCrime

A revealing look at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' journey from music mogul to high-profile sexual offender, featuring footage and insider accounts that expose both his groundbreaking success with Bad Boy Entertainment and the troubling shadows behind his empire.

Corman's World

Corman's World · 2011

MovieDocumentary

A chronicle of the long career of American filmmaker Roger Corman, the most tenacious and ingenious low-budget producer and director in the US film industry, a pioneer of independent filmmaking and discoverer of new talent.

Just for Kicks

Just for Kicks · 2005

MovieDocumentary

Just for Kicks is a 2005 documentary film about the sneaker phenomena and history. It includes self confessed "sneakerheads" like Grandmaster Caz, Reverend Run, and Missy Elliott. It tells the story of the legendary Nike Air Force One's, or as they are called in New York "Uptowns." Also about the beginning of Air Jordans. The documentary also tells the story of how hip-hop pioneers DJ Run, Jam Master Jay, and DMC had everyone wearing Adidas Superstars with their smash hit "My Adidas."

Pride

SeriesDocumentaryDrama

Six renowned LGBTQ+ directors explore heroic and heartbreaking stories that define America as a nation. The limited series spans the FBI surveillance of homosexuals during the 1950s Lavender Scare to the “Culture Wars” of the 1990s and beyond, exploring the queer legacy of the Civil Rights movement and the battle over marriage equality.

The Playbook

The Playbook · 2020

SeriesDocumentary

Coaches with championship résumés share their personal rules for success in sports and life in this reflective and inspiring documentary series.

God Save Texas

God Save Texas · 2024

SeriesDocumentary

Returning to their hometowns, Texas filmmakers Richard Linklater, Alex Stapleton, and Iliana Sosa chronicle the complex history of each city, while examining the toll that the prison system, oil business, and border laws have on those communities.

How Music Got Free

How Music Got Free · 2024

How Music Got Free

MovieDocumentary

The fascinating, and often hilarious, inside story of the technology-driven disruption that changed music in the late '90s and early 2000s," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The documentary looks at the technology that made it possible for millions of young people to quench their thirst for new music by simply downloading it for free.

Reggie

MovieDocumentary

One of sport’s first and most influential megastars, beloved baseball icon and 5-time World Series champion Reggie Jackson contemplates his legacy as a trailblazing Black athlete fighting for dignity, respect, and a seat at the table in this intimate and revealing documentary exploring his life and barrier-busting career.

Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea

Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea · 2019

Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea

MovieDocumentary

In this documentary, Chelsea Handler explores how white privilege impacts US culture – and the ways it’s benefited her own life and career.

Shut Up and Dribble

Shut Up and Dribble · 2018

Shut Up and Dribble

SeriesDocumentary

An inside look at the changing role of athletes in our fraught cultural and political environment, through the lens of the NBA.

The Brittney Griner Story

The Brittney Griner Story · 2026

The Brittney Griner Story

MovieDocumentary

Explores the circumstances that led to Brittney Griner playing basketball outside the U.S. despite being one of the best players in the sport, including her harrowing detainment, unwavering determination to secure her freedom, and her advocacy for the release of other wrongful detainees.

More Like This

Money, Explained

Money, Explained · 2021

Money, Explained

SeriesDocumentary

We spend it, we borrow it, and save it. Now let's talk about money and its many minefields, from credit cards to casino, scammers to student loans.

1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything

1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything · 2021

1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything

SeriesDocumentary

In a tumultuous era, 1971 was a year of musical innovation and rebirth fueled by the political and cultural upheaval of the time. Stars reached new heights, fresh talent exploded onto the scene, and boundaries expanded like never before.

Jekyll

SeriesDramaCrime

Tom Jackman is learning to cope with his alter ego, the dark and mysterious Hyde, who threatens his life and family. They also have to live in the same body while on the run from a mysterious organization that is hunting them.

Planet Earth

Planet Earth · 2006

SeriesDocumentary

David Attenborough celebrates the amazing variety of the natural world in this epic documentary series, filmed over four years across 64 different countries.

Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days

Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days · 1989

Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days

SeriesDocumentary

Michael Palin attempts to copy the exploits of fictional character Phileas Fogg, by trying to travel around the world (without flying) in 80 days.

Pole to Pole

Pole to Pole · 1992

SeriesDocumentary

Michael Palin undertakes an epic journey of 23,000 miles, traveling from the North to the South Pole across 17 countries with a minimum of air travel, all on a tight deadline.

Space Race

Space Race · 2005

SeriesDocumentaryDrama

The untold true story behind the Cold War race to put man into space.

How is it so far?

Your ratings make Midnight smarter