Netflix is set to shine a spotlight on one of alternative music’s most beloved and eccentric cult figures with the release of a brand-new documentary series titled Roadrunner: The Jonathan Richman Story. Scheduled to premiere globally in Spring 2026, the series will chart the journey of the enigmatic frontman of The Modern Lovers, from proto-punk pioneer to wandering acoustic troubadour.
Produced by Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), the series is a deeply personal and idiosyncratic portrait of an artist who has always moved to his own rhythm — shunning commercial success in favor of artistic honesty and childlike wonder.
Born in Massachusetts, Jonathan Richman formed The Modern Lovers in the early 1970s. Deeply influenced by The Velvet Underground, the band’s music was raw, stripped-down, and deeply sincere — a blueprint for what would later become punk and indie rock.
The series will explore Richman’s early obsession with Lou Reed, his formation of The Modern Lovers (alongside future members of Talking Heads and The Cars), and the recording of their now-legendary debut — an album that wasn’t released until years after it was recorded but would go on to become a foundational piece of alternative music history.
Tracks like Roadrunner, Pablo Picasso, and She Cracked captured a youthful, open-hearted view of the world, mixing humor, vulnerability, and rebellion in ways few artists dared.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Richman avoided the trappings of fame. The documentary will detail his decision to turn away from loud electric music in favor of minimalist, often acoustic performances — singing songs about ice cream men, Martians, and the quiet joys of life.
“I didn’t want to play in bars anymore,” Richman says in the series. “I wanted people to actually listen.”
The documentary will include rare archival footage, interviews with Richman, his collaborators, fans, and fellow musicians like David Byrne, Mac DeMarco, and Phoebe Bridgers — many of whom cite Richman as a quiet revolutionary in a loud world.
Roadrunner will also explore Richman’s brief appearances in pop culture, including his musical narration in the 1998 film There’s Something About Mary, and how he has continued to tour on his own terms — playing small, intimate venues well into his later years.
Netflix promises a portrait that’s as quirky, warm, and defiantly human as the man himself. For longtime fans and curious newcomers, Roadrunner: The Jonathan Richman Story offers a joyful ride into the heart of one of rock’s most charming outsiders.
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