What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Get Down
Baz Luhrmann · Series · 2016
If you loved The Get Down, start with The Great Gatsby (Baz Luhrmann, 2013) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Get Down across media.
You were drawn to The Get Down because of its vivid, kinetic portrayal of youth culture rising against the backdrop of systemic struggle.
Books on the same thread
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 2004
Explores: American Dream, Social Class, Love and Loss.
Like The Get Down, this novel captures the intoxicating pursuit of the American Dream, balancing the grandeur of social ambition with the inevitable heartache of chasing an impossible, idealized future.
Can't Stop Won't Stop
Jeff Chang · Book · 2005
Shares a thread with The Get Down: Youth Culture.
If you loved the historical context of The Get Down, this essential text provides the real-world foundation for the Bronx-born hip-hop movement and the deindustrialization that fueled its creative explosion.
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 1991
Explores: The American Dream, Social Class, Wealth and Status.
This exploration of the Jazz Age mirrors the aspirational energy of The Get Down, showing how youth and social status collide in a high-stakes world defined by wealth and tragedy.
The Outsiders
S. E. Hinton · Book · 1967
Explores: Social Class, Teenage Angst, Violence.
You will recognize the same raw teenage angst and fierce loyalty found in The Get Down as these young characters navigate rigid class divides and the pressure of their environments.
Films on the same thread
The Greatest Showman
Michael Gracey · Film · 2017
Explores: Underdog Story, Self-Discovery, Acceptance.
Much like the protagonists in The Get Down, this film celebrates the underdog spirit and the transformative power of creative expression as a means to build a new life.
Moulin Rouge!
Baz Luhrmann · Film · 2001
Shares a thread with The Get Down: Creative Expression.
Baz Luhrmann brings his signature visual style to this story, echoing the same intense focus on bohemianism and the romanticized struggle for creative survival that defined The Get Down.
The Great Gatsby
Baz Luhrmann · Film · 2013
Explores: The American Dream, Wealth and Class, Obsession.
Luhrmann again highlights the tension between artifice and reality, offering a stylized, musical adaptation that reflects the same grand, sweeping ambition for discovery found in The Get Down.
Saturday Night Fever
Film · 1977
Shares a thread with The Get Down: Social mobility.
This film mirrors the pulse of The Get Down, showing how music and dance serve as a vital, high-stakes escape from the limitations of working-class life and urban stagnation.
Podcasts on the same thread
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
This investigation into the deep-seated issues of a decaying town captures the same sense of place-based social tension that provides the gritty, authentic atmosphere of The Get Down.
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This series offers the essential sociopolitical history behind the systemic struggles depicted in The Get Down, grounding the show’s vibrant youth culture in a profound, long-standing American narrative.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Get Down based on a true story?
The Get Down is a 2016 television series created by Baz Luhrmann that dramatizes the birth of hip-hop in 1977 New York City. While it depicts the soulful youth of the South Bronx transforming music history, it is a fictional narrative inspired by the era and its cultural movements.
What is the primary setting of The Get Down?
The Get Down is set in 1977 New York City. The series focuses on the South Bronx, where a group of talented and soulful youth pursue their dreams and create new beats, ultimately playing a pivotal role in the transformation of music history during that specific time period.
How does The Get Down portray the music scene?
The Get Down portrays the music scene by following the youth of the South Bronx as they chase dreams and develop breakneck beats. The show focuses on how these individuals influenced the evolution of music history against the backdrop of 1977 New York City.
Who created The Get Down?
The Get Down was created by Baz Luhrmann. Released in 2016, this television series explores the creative ambitions of young people in the South Bronx who work to change the course of music history through their unique beats and dedication to their craft in 1977 New York City.