50 Movie Soundtracks You Need To Listen To (2025)

The best movie soundtracks do more than get your toe tapping—they help tell the story of the movie and propel the plot so that you can’t imagine the story without the music. Great motion picture soundtracks also share some other things in common. They include a standout song, one that defines the film and is instantly recognizable from just a few notes. The best film scores also can stand on their own as inspiring, catchy or fun by themselves, when people listen to them again and again after watching the movie. This list of the best soundtracks includes films of every genre spanning decades, delivering songs you will enjoy no matter what your taste.

Top Movie Soundtracks

This list includes movies dating back to the 1940s, including a number of ‘80s movies and ‘90s movies. Some of the top names associated with top movie soundtracks include Oscar winners John Williams and Hans Zimmer and the Beatles. The genres on the list range from comedy to drama to musicals to fantasy.

The list was compiled based on critical acclaim, enduring appeal, how the music furthers the movie’s storytelling and commercial success.

50. Donnie Darko (2001)

Written by Michael Andrews, the instrumental soundtrack to the psychological thriller includes a pair of Tears for Fears covers of “Mad World.” The low budget for the film demanded creativity from Andrews, who delivered by playing multiple instruments on the soundtrack.

49. Head (1968)

The Monkees were known for bubble gum pop on their zany ‘60s TV show. But the cult hit soundtrack to this psychedelic film went a decidedly new direction with Eastern-influenced songs such as “Can You Dig It?” and acid-rock songs like “Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?”

48. Harold and Maude (1971)

Cat Stevens created the soundtrack to this black comedy romance, replacing Elton John on the project. He wrote the songs "Don't Be Shy" and "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out" for the film and rerecorded some of his previous songs. The soundtrack boosts the film’s most dramatic moments.

47. Grease (2018)

Featuring the No. 1 hit “Grease,” written by Barry Gibb and performed by Frankie Valli, the soundtrack gives voice to teen angst, anger, frustration and, of course, friskiness. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John deliver pitch-perfect performances on “Summer Nights” and “You’re the One That I Want.” It has sold more than 30 million copies.

46. West Side Story (2021)

Another standout musical, West Side Story was composed by Leonard Bernstein and features some of his best work, including “Jet Song,” “Maria” and “Tonight.” It adds passion to the retelling of Romeo and Juliet set amid New York City gang wars. Oscar winner Ariana DeBose is a standout singer on the soundtrack.45. Rock ‘n Roll High School (1979)

44. Repo Man (1984)

The bands on the soundtrack for this sci-fi comedy about a punk rock repossession man read like a who’s who of the early ‘80s punk scene, including Iggy Pop, Suicidal Tendencies, Circle Jerks and Black Flag. Pop wrote the title track, “Repo Man,” and other standout tracks included “Institutionalized” and “Coup d’etat.”

43. Menace II Society (1993)

In the Hughes brothers’ debut film, a teenager tries to escape the gang life. The soundtrack gives voice to Black male frustration through hip-hop artists such as Brand Nubian, Da Lench Mob and Spice 1. Standout songs include "Trigga Gots No Heart,” "Streiht Up Menace" and "Unconditional Love."

42. The Big Lebowski (1997)

The Dude endures with the help of his storytelling soundtrack. With an eclectic mix of Carter Burwell’s original instrumentals, a “Hotel California” cover and the Bob Dylan song “The Man in Me,” the musical mix is the equivalent of Jeffrey Lebowski’s highly disorganized but interesting life.

41. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Director Quentin Tarantino is known for his films’ distinctive soundtracks, and this one is no different. All the music is pre-1970, in keeping with the film about the movie industry’s setting, and top songs include Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” Deep Purple’s “Hush” and Dee Clark’s “Hey Little Girl.”

40. Trainspotting (1996)

Two albums were released for this surprise hit film about Scottish heroin addicts. The variously upbeat and downbeat music helps set the mood. Top songs and artists include Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life,” Blur’s “Sing” and Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day.” The album went gold in the U.S. and platinum in the UK.

39. Amores Perros (2000)

Alejandro González Iñárritu's film featuring three interlinking stories uses music to bridge the gap between each thread. It largely includes songs by Control Machete, Bersuit Vergarabat and Café Tacuba, but there are also some excellent throwbacks like The Hollies’ “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress.”

38. A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

The first of three Beatles soundtracks on the list, Hard Day’s Night has some of the band’s greatest hits, including “Can’t Buy Me Love, “Hard Day’s Night” and “And I Love Her.” The fun pop songs, the band’s first album without a cover, were all written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

37. Waiting to Exhale (1995)

This feel-good film about smart, attractive Black women looking for real love has a snappy soundtrack from a who’s who of R&B artists, including star Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Brandy and more. It spent five weeks atop the Billboard chart with No. 1 hits like “Exhale (Shoop, Shoop)” and “Let It Flow.”

36. Batman (1989)

Prince wrote and performed the soundtrack to Tim Burton’s Batman, with a fantastic score by Danny Elfman. The album stayed at No. 1 for six weeks and spawned Prince’s first No. 1 single since “Kiss,” “Batdance.” Prince told Rolling Stone that Michael Jackson was supposed to perform a duet with him, but it never happened.

35. Gladiator (2000)

The first of three Hans Zimmer scores on the list, this one won a Golden Globe and helped tell the story of the brutal world of Roman gladiators. The Lyndhurst Orchestra performed the album, conducted by Gavin Greenaway, and it earned an Oscar nod. “The Battle” is a standout among the tracks.

34. Above the Rim (1994)

The film about a young basketball player torn between his dreams and the streets features an outstanding soundtrack with songs by co-star Tupac Shakur as well as H-Town, Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg and Warren G. Standout tracks include “Regulate” and “Afro Puffs.” Dr. Dre was supervising producer of the 2 million-selling album.

33. Barsaat (1949)

You can’t have a list of best movie soundtracks without Bollywood, and Barsaat was one of the first major hits. The album was No. 1 in India and produced tracks that remain ranked atop Bollywood “best of” charts today, like “Chhod Gaye Balam.” Raj Kapoor, one of Bollywood’s brightest stars, sings that classic song.

32. Orfeu Negro (1959)

The soundtrack from this classic retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus was a huge success. Brazilian composers Antônio Carlos Jobim (his "A felicidade" begins the film) and Luiz Bonfá worked on the soundtrack, which produced bossa nova classics like "Manhã de Carnaval" and "Samba de Orfeu."

31. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Any Harry Potter film would fit on this list because you can’t think of the thrilling fantasy series without also thinking of the classical soundtrack that propels every scene. Characters have different songs associated with them. Soundtrack superstar John Williams composed the beguiling music, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.

30. High Fidelity (1999)

Any movie about music is a contender for this list, and the film about life in a vinyl shop has a banging soundtrack from artists as varied as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello, Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan. Songs like “The Love You Save” and “Let’s Get it On” help tell the movie’s story.

29. Juice (1992)

Another Shakur film, Juice follows four young friends who try to pull off a risky robbery. The R&B and hip-hop soundtrack peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard chart and earned gold status. Four of its singles also charted, including Naughty by Nature’s "Uptown Anthem" and Rakim’s "Juice (Know the Ledge).”

28. St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)

Few movies are so immediately associated with their theme songs as St. Elmo’s Fire. The self-titled anthem by John Parr spoke to the angst and excitement of a young generation of postgraduates, as did other songs like Billy Squier’s “Shake Down” and Elafante’s “Young and Innocent.”

27. Jurassic Park (1993)

John Williams did it again with Jurassic Park, where his music narrates the heart-pumping thrills as dinosaurs let loose in the park. Dramatic instrumentals set the tone for action sequences, and the “Theme From Jurassic Park” is a standout. It made the top 30 on the Billboard charts.

26. Super Fly (1972)

A blaxploitation film about a young drug dealer trying to go straight, Superfly has an exceptional soundtrack written and produced by influential soul artist Curtis Mayfield. It spawned two singles that sold more than a million copies, "Freddie's Dead" and “Superfly.” In fact, the soundtrack outgrossed the movie, a rare feat.

25. Dazed and Confused (1993)

This coming-of-age film set in the mid-1970s boasted an incredible soundtrack with many of the major hits of the era—securing those rights accounted for much of the film’s budget. Songs like Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out,” Nazareth’s “Love Hurts” and War’s “Low Rider” helped narrate the ensemble movie’s storyline.

24. Braveheart (1995)

James Horner and London Symphony Orchestra created this 77-minute score, which helps set the tone for the story of a Scottish freedom fighter. The “Main Theme” is the best-known song from the movie. The soundtrack earned an Oscar nomination, and it went platinum in the United States.

23. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Yet another Zimmer masterwork done with Klaus Badelt, Pirates of the Caribbean featured rather simple orchestration, in part because Zimmer was brought in after several other artists struggled with the film. Jack Sparrow’s introductory theme helps the audience meet an iconic character. The album went gold in the U.S.

22. Singles (1992)

Featuring a lineup of quintessential ‘90s songs from the grunge era, Singles includes tracks from Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins. They provide the perfect backdrop for Cameron Crowe’s romcom. The album went double platinum, with standout songs including “Nearly Lost You” by Screaming Trees.

21. Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther’s creative combo of an original score by Ludwig Göransson and songs by or curated by rapper Kendrick Lamar makes it one of the standout soundtracks of the 21st century. The composer drew on traditional African music for inspiration. Lamar’s album hit No. 1, and standout tracks include Lamar and SZA’s “All the Stars.”

20. Drive (2011)

Cliff Martinez created the score to Drive, blending retro music with electronic, and the result was electric. The album raced to the top of the iTunes chart before the movie had even been released. The high-energy album matched the excitement of the film about a getaway driver. Top tracks include “A Real Hero.”

19. American Graffiti (1973)

One of the most popular soundtracks ever, 41 Original Hits from the Soundtrack of American Graffiti went triple platinum. The rock and doo wop on the album includes classics like Bill Haley and the Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock,” The Crests’ “16 Candles” and The Diamonds’ “The Stroll,” setting the atmosphere for the coming-of-age comedy.

18. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The “Space Odyssey Theme Song” is one of the most famous in modern film, and the entire lineup of classical songs made this album stand out, reintroducing the public to Johann Strauss II's “Blue Danube Waltz” and Richard Strauss's “Also sprach Zarathustra.” The music allowed director Stanley Kubrick to be more nonverbal in the film.

17. Encanto (2021)

Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote eight original songs for this animated Disney film, which topped the charts for more than two months. The standout song, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” performed by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero and Stephanie Beatriz, is Disney’s biggest crossover hit ever, peaking at No. 1 on the charts.

16. La La Land (2016)

Not surprising that a romcom about a jazz pianist would have a great soundtrack. It earned Oscars for best score, by Justin Hurwitz, and best song, “City of Stars,” sung by stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone and with lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

15. A Star Is Born (2018)

This remake of the 1976 classic (there were also 1937 and 1954 versions of the story) features another of this century’s best movie songs, “Shallow.” Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga showed undeniable chemistry performing it in the movie, and songwriters Lady Gaga, Andrew Wyatt, Anthony Rossom and Mark Ronson earned an Oscar and four Grammy nods. The album hit No. 1 on the charts.

14. Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Music sets the scene for the film about a young man (John Travolta) who comes to life at the disco. It’s one of the bestselling soundtracks, going 16 times platinum and for a time becoming the top album ever (unseated by Thriller). The Bee Gees’ hits include “Staying Alive” and “How Deep Is Your Love.”

13. The Dark Knight (2008)

This soundtrack won Zimmer and James Newton Howard a Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Grammy. It’s been described as more of an ode to an anti-hero, focusing on two notes meant to convey Batman’s guilt and pain. The Joker themes are particularly poignant, composed by Zimmer. The soundtrack peaked at #20 on the charts.

12. Goodfellas (1990)

The popular songs from different eras show time passing in the drama about mobsters. Standout numbers include Frank Sinatra’s “Rags to Riches,” The Harptones’ “Life Is But a Dream,” Aretha Franklin’s “Baby, I Love You” and Muddy Waters’ “Mannish Boy.” Allmusic gives the album 4.5/5 stars.

11. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

Music plays a huge role in the Coen brothers comedy, with the three escaped cons at its center even posing as a band with a pretty good song (“Man of Constant Sorrow”). The soundtrack won the Album of the Year Grammy with a who’s who of folk, including Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris and Patty Loveless.

10. The Big Chill (1983)

Music narrates flashbacks in this movie where a group of friends reunite 15 years after college. The soundtrack highlights R&B and soul music from the ‘60s and ‘70s, like Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World,” The Temptations’ “My Girl” and The Miracles’ “Tracks of My Tears.” The album made the top 20.

9. The Lion King (1994)

Zimmer scored this Disney classic, which also features standout songs such as Elton John’s “Circle of Life” and “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” John and Tim Rice wrote most of the songs, which playfully and sometimes mournfully narrated the story of a young lion who grows up to be king after a tragedy.

8. Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

The Beatles’ second album on this list came from a TV movie where musicians cause some strange things to happen. The music was central to the film’s thin theme, and the psychedelic sounds juxtaposed with quieter ballads. Top songs included “The Fool on the Hill” and “I Am the Walrus.”

7. The Graduate (1968)

All five songs on The Graduate album by Simon & Garfunkel are classics. Of course, “Mrs. Robinson” is the most famous and critical to the plot of the movie, about a young man trying to find himself. It also won the best song Grammy. But “Sound of Silence” is equally important to the storyline.

6. The Bodyguard (1992)

The Bodyguard has the bestselling soundtrack of all time, and for one reason: star Whitney Houston’s soaring, powerful anthem “I Will Always Love You.” The diva also contributed other fantastic songs to the album, which held No. 1 in the U.S. longer than any other album helmed by a female artist until Adele in 2011.

5. Dirty Dancing (1987)

Dirty Dancing produced one of the best ‘80s songs from a movie, “(I've Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, which won an Oscar for best original song as well as a Grammy and Golden Globe. The soundtrack, peppered with ‘60s songs, sold 32 million albums.

4. Help (1965)

The third and final Beatles soundtrack on the list helped the band transition from famous act to critically acclaimed artists. “Help” and “Ticket to Ride” were smash hits, and Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote most of the songs. The album charted No. 1 all over the world.

3. The Harder They Come (1972)

This Jamaican crime movie is remembered largely for its amazing soundtrack, which many music critics credit with introducing reggae to the rest of the world—the Library of Congress even preserved it in the National Recording Registry. Top songs include star Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” and The Melodians’ “River of Babylon.”

2. The Sound of Music

The Rogers and Hammerstein film’s soundtrack is one of the most successful ever, selling 20 million copies. The songs propel the storyline about a family who finds a new mother before fleeing from Nazi invaders. Standout songs include “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “My Favorite Things” and “Edelweiss.”

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Quentin Tarantino loves to put his stories to song, and that was most effective in Pulp Fiction, vignettes about low-level criminals set to high-energy music. It features rock, soul and pop hits such as Kool & the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie,” Dusty Springfield’s “Son of the Preacher Man” and Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell.”

Bottom Line

Whether you are in the mood for classical, soul, reggae or rock, the albums on this list deliver every genre you can dream of. They also bring the films to life, giving you a great story alongside great riffs on the guitar and beautiful voices. Queue them up today.