Already so many good recommendations here, so just a few I enjoyed but haven't seen mentioned:
— This excellent 2013 re-working of Guy Debord's Society of the Spectacle (not a proper doc, but if you like Adam Curtis, you'll probably like this). If you like to consider whether the world we've built is good for us, look no further: https://vimeo.com/60328678
— Pump Up The Volume, a 2001 BBC doc about the rise of House music. Maybe the best work on this topic ever produced, covering the early years as disco evolved into Daft Punk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Hz6FQyVJ8
— Paris Is Burning, a slice-of-time doc about the 80's Ballroom drag scene in NYC. You can see the roots of many elements of popular culture documented here, shown through performances and conversations featuring some of the stars of the scene at that time. This one's on HBOMax these days, but I'm sure it can be found elsewhere online.
Paris Is Burning is such a fantastic documentary. I can't recommend it enough. Such a vivid look into this unique gay community, with all the memorable characters. Also a great slice of NYC in the 80's.
— This excellent 2013 re-working of Guy Debord's Society of the Spectacle (not a proper doc, but if you like Adam Curtis, you'll probably like this). If you like to consider whether the world we've built is good for us, look no further: https://vimeo.com/60328678
— Pump Up The Volume, a 2001 BBC doc about the rise of House music. Maybe the best work on this topic ever produced, covering the early years as disco evolved into Daft Punk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Hz6FQyVJ8
— Paris Is Burning, a slice-of-time doc about the 80's Ballroom drag scene in NYC. You can see the roots of many elements of popular culture documented here, shown through performances and conversations featuring some of the stars of the scene at that time. This one's on HBOMax these days, but I'm sure it can be found elsewhere online.