A history of rave in dance music documentaries

Although someone whipping out a camera in the dance is usually a moment of great panic for fear of being caught slipping, raving has been a significant cultural phenomenon for generations and we’re glad that there’s been people there to capture the story of raves over the decades.

From acid house to EDM, jungle to gqom, drum ‘n’ bass to techno, dance music’s diversity is vast, and each subculture has its own thrilling story and has impacted upon the world.

If you’re interested in learning the history, we’ve got you covered. The numerous documentaries listed below provide an insight into many of the movements that have risen up and made their mark. There’s hours’ worth of gold to watch, so get stuck in below.

This ITV film goes in depth exploring acid house and the moral panic surrounding it that was pushed by the British media.

The BBC takes a celebratory tone in its depiction of the positivity energy generated by 1980s rave culture.

The BBC follows a group of ecstasy users to determine the motivations people have for taking the drug and the cultural impact it had in this illuminating documentary, which parallels its stories with insight from health professionals about the potential harmful effects.

“England’s not just The Beatles.” Journey back to the birth of UK genre jungle, featuring the rise of computer-made music, MC culture and cutting dubplates.