1Titanic (1997)
Sony Classical/Sony Music Soundtracks Titanic is widely known as one of the most epic blockbusters ever made and one of the greatest love stories on top of that. It only makes sense that it has a soundtrack to match! Along with James Horner’s beautiful and melancholic orchestral compositions, Celine Dion’s extravagant ballad "My Heart Will Go On," led it to be one of the top bestselling movie soundtracks of all time.
2Mamma Mia! (2008)
Decca Records/Polydor Records What happens when you take a sun-soaked Greek island then combine it with romance and an unforgettable ABBA soundtrack? A film that you just can't resist! The movie adaptation of the beloved Broadway show features fun, campy performances of "Dancing Queen," "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)," and "Money, Money, Money" along with emotional renditions of songs like "Slipping Through My Fingers" that instantly became our go-to karaoke picks.
3The Greatest Showman (2017)
Atlantic Records The Greatest Showman is nothing short of a sheer spectacle—and that includes the music. With an abundance of musical theater pop hits that lean into the drama and overall inspirational messages of the film, fans are still singing along all these years later. Favorites include tracks like "This Is Me," "The Other Side," and "A Million Dreams."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4Dirty Dancing (1987)
RCA Records Sure, we rewatch Dirty Dancing on the regular to see Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey cut a rug on the dance floor, but we also tune in for well, the tunes! This soundtrack is one of the top five bestselling movie soundtracks ever, overflowing with hits like "Be My Baby," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," and of course, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life."
5Grease (1978)
RSO Records Grease has always been the word! Even Ree Drummond considers the musical rom-com to be one of her favorite movies. Along with the famed storyline of summer romance set in the '50s, it also charters plenty of memorable music moments with timeless and oh-so-catchy songs like "You’re the One That I Want," "Greased Lightnin'," and "Summer Nights." It's also one of the top selling movie soundtracks ever!
6Top Gun (1986)
Columbia Records You can't have a dramatic action packed flick without a fierce soundtrack to accompany it. Insert: chart-topping hits like Kenny Loggins’ "Danger Zone," and Berlin’s "Take My Breath Away" which perfectly represent the equal parts adventure and romance that define the infamous ’80s movie. They're just so easy to belt at the top of your lungs, too.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7Rocketman (2019)
Virgin EMI Records/Interscope Records We would hope a biopic of one of the greatest musicians of our time would have a soundtrack to properly showcase his enormous talent—and Rocketman does! The movie soared in theaters, receiving rave reviews on the depiction of Elton John's life, relationships, flamboyant state persona, and music. "Crocodile Rock," "Tiny Dancer," "I'm Still Standing," "Rocket Man," and so many more classic hits were included in the outstanding score.
8Forrest Gump (1994)
Paramount Pictures/Epic Records There's just so many attributes that make Forrest Gump one of the most beloved films of the 20th century. The soundtrack is no exception! A superb sampling of tunes across many genres through the post-war years like "Hound Dog," "Free Bird," "Respect,"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)," "Fortunate Son," and so many others no doubt contribute to the appeal.
9A Star Is Born (2018)
Interscope Records The fact that you could hardly go anywhere in 2018 without hearing someone belt out the lyrics to Oscar hit "Shallow" just proves that A Star is Born is deserving of a spot on this list. Plenty of other extraordinarily powerful songs in a mash of blues, country, pop, and folk rock also come together to make a stellar soundtrack that won't easily be forgotten.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10The Lion King (1994)
Walt Disney Records Of all Disney’s animated films, The Lion King is a favorite for many by far. It's beautifully written and performed—and we haven't even touched on the soundtrack yet. The score by Hans Zimmer combined with the phenomenal number "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" by Elton John creates a soundtrack that can only be described as a masterpiece. Furthering this point, they both received Oscars for their work on the film.
11The Great Gatsby (2013)
Interscope Records The Great Gatsby, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, is fantastically entertaining! The dazzling soundtrack only adds to that! Modern hip-hop fused with classic jazz makes for retro-modern tracks like "Bang Bang" by will.i.am and "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" by Fergie, Q Tip, and GoonRock that deserve to be on repeat. There's also haunting melodies by Lana Del Rey and Florence Welch as well as instant hits by Beyoncé and Sia.
12Purple Rain (1984)
Warner Bros. Records Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to reminisce on the greatest movie soundtracks, including Prince’s Purple Rain! Hit after hit by the late musical genius like "Let's Go Crazy," "When Doves Cry," "I Would Die 4 U," and of course, the phenomenal eight-minute “Purple Rain," allowed this soundtrack to (deservingly) win Academy Awards for Best Original Musical and Best Original Song Score.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13Saturday Night Fever (1977)
RSO Records In this film that follows a young Italian-American man from Brooklyn and his passion for disco dancing, tracks like “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” and “Night Fever” are a disco lover's dream! Fun fact: It stayed on top of the Billboard charts for six months and is the second bestselling movie soundtrack of all time.
14Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
Hollywood Records/Marvel Music This soundtrack for Guardians of The Galaxy is actually based on Peter Quill's mixtape that appeared in the film. Full of hits from the ’70s and ’80s like "Hooked on a Feeling," "Spirit in the Sky," and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," it's the perfect backdrop to plenty of space adventures. Fans of the film agreed, sending the soundtrack to number one on the Billboard 200 chart for 11 straight weeks.
15Pitch Perfect (2012)
Universal Music Not putting Pitch Perfect on our list would just be aca-awkward! After all, the Bellas and their a cappella renditions of catchy Top 40 songs took the radio by storm upon its release—especially several original compositions like "Cups" by Anna Kendrick. Other peppy pop hits by Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, and more were also adapted into delightful a capella arrangements for the film.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16West Side Story (1961)
Columbia Masterworks Records Did you know that West Side Story is actually based on the stage musical that retells Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? Well, now you do! You may be familiar with the 2020 remake, but the 1961 version is pretty hard to forget with romantic ballads and action numbers like "I Feel Pretty," "Maria," "Jet Song," and "America."
17Black Panther (2018)
TDE/Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records Wakanda and this soundtrack, forever! Multi-Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar coproduced the epic soundtrack with a range of sounds from hip-hop and rap to pop and R&B using a star studded lineup that includes greats like SZA, Khalid, Future, 2 Chaniz, Anderson .Paak, Schoolboy Q, and himself. While “All the Stars” really stands out, every song speaks to the meaning of the film.
18Barbie (2023)
Atlantic Records Barbie has sent a pink wave across the world—quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon. So of course, it must have a great soundtrack to match! Filled with groovy dance numbers like "Dance the Night" by Dua Lipa and tear-jerking ballads like "What Was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish, it definitely does just that! Other high-profile artists included are Lizzo, Sam Smith, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Tame Impala, and many more.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19High Fidelity (2000)
Hollywood Records Since this movie is about a record store owner who takes a trip down memory lane to revisit his failed attempts at romance, you just know it'll have a great soundtrack. The Kinks, Velvet Underground, and Stevie Wonder all come together for a beautifully crafted composition that resembles a mixtape. Jack Black even takes on Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On."
20The Bodyguard (1992)
Arista Records/BMG Entertainment When you think it can't get much better than a passionate yet complicated relationship between Whitney Houston as a pop sensation and Kevin Costner as a bodyguard, enter: the soundtrack! Did we mention it's the bestselling soundtrack of all time? That's no surprise thanks to Miss Houston's iconic track "I Will Always Love You" and other hits like “I’m Every Woman,” “I Have Nothing,” and “Run to You.”
Macie Reynolds is the assistant editor of E-Commerce and SEO for The Pioneer Woman.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below