A couple of years ago, there was hype surrounding 808, a documentary produced by Atlantic Films and You Know Films revolving around the evolutionary impact of the Roland TR-808 drum machine within the music industry. That hype faded and the documentary was almost entirely forgotten. Until now. Apple Music has just announced that it has exclusive distribution rights to the documentary. They will be premiering 808 worldwide, subsequently making it available for download, exclusively through iTunes.

“The 808 changed the motherfucking world,” Felix da Housecat says in the trailer. He’s right, and it’s time to get excited again.

Did we mention that it’s a star-studded line-up including Pharrell Williams, Diplo, Armand Van Helden, Fatboy Slim, and Afrika Bambaata.

“It’s crazy to think that a little machine, like this left such an important footprint in music,” dance hitmaker David Guetta offers.

In a press release, Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman discussed the importance of the film’s exclusive relationship with iTunes. “It’s only appropriate that a film about a machine that revolutionised how music is made be seen via a service that revolutionised how music is consumed.”

“For our film to be offered as [Apple’s] first narrative music documentary is very humbling,” said Alex Noyer from You Know Films. “The 808 continues to make history.”

The doco will be released later in the year and we can’t wait. For the time being, let’s just keep clicking the repeat button on the trailer above.

• Words: Louis Hanson