You’ve probably felt the chills and the quickened heartbeat that come from hearing the very best movie soundtracks. The magic of cinema comes from various elements—acting, cinematography, costumes—but the scoring always delivers something special. (Just imagine Saturday Night Fever without the Bee Gees, or The Graduate without Simon & Garfunkel.) Nicole Kidman wasn’t kidding when she said that we come to the theater for magic—so, here’s a list of some of the best movie soundtracks that make us laugh, cry, and care.
Black Panther (2018)
Not only did the Marvel film have an incredible cast (led by the late Chadwick Boseman) and dazzling visual effects, but its music was powerfully moving, too. Composer Ludwig Göransson worked with Senegalese musician Baaba Maal and other African creatives to build the score, while rapper Kendrick Lamar produced Black Panther: The Album, a special soundtrack with features from the likes of SZA, The Weeknd, Future, and Jorja Smith.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
A blend of rock, soul, pop, and surf music, including tracks like “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” and “Son of a Preacher Man” contributed to Pulp Fiction’s overall cool factor—to say nothing of Uma Thurman and John Travolta’s iconic dance moves, which would become ingrained in pop culture for decades.
Trainspotting (1996)
Divided into two segments, the Trainspotting soundtrack—widely considered one of the greatest of all time—spans ’90s Brit-pop by the likes of David Bowie and New Order and techno-dance tracks by Underworld and Bedrock.
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Saturday Night Fever hit the ground running with its Bee Gees-crafted soundtrack (“Stayin’ Alive”! “How Deep Is Your Love”! “More Than a Woman”!), claiming the title of the best-selling album in music history—that is, until Thriller came along.
Boogie Nights (1997)
Boogie Nights is exactly what it sounds like: chock-full of memorable music spanning two soundtracks, from “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys to “Livin’ Thing” by Electric Light Orchestra and “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvis Bishop.
Top Gun (1986)
With tunes like the Oscar-winning “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin and memorable “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins, it’s no wonder that Top Gun’s soundtrack went platinum nine times. It retained the number-one spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart for five weeks straight in 1986.
The Graduate (1967)
From “Mrs. Robinson” to “The Sound of Silence,” Simon & Garfunkel did not play around when it came to the soundtrack for Mike Nichols’s The Graduate. More than 50 years later, the duo’s work still hits you in the gut—especially in its final moments.
The Bodyguard (1992)
The Bodyguard’s soundtrack was not only certified diamond in the United States, but the best-selling soundtrack of all time, boasting two Oscar-nominated songs, “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You,” and Whitney Houston’s indelible cover of “I Will Always Love You.”
Superfly (2018)
A reimagining of the 1972 film of the same name, Superfly delivers an outstanding soundtrack teeming with prominent hip-hop and R&B musicians: Miguel, Lil Wayne, Khalid, H.E.R., and more. It had big shoes to fill: the original film is also acclaimed for its soundtrack, created by soul musician Curtis Mayfield.
Purple Rain (1984)
With songs like “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain”—both of which would dominate the charts in America (and around the world)—the musical drama marked Prince’s acting debut and won an Academy Award for best original score (as well as a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011).
O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000)
Loosely based on the Odyssey, the Coen brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou, set in the American South, has an evocative soundtrack to match, awash with the sounds of folk music, gospel, country, swing, and bluegrass.
The Lord of the Rings (2001)
If ever you want to make your hot girl walk feel like the most important trek of your life, play any song from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The heavenly sounds of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the London Voices, the London Oratory School Schola choir, and the Maori Samoan Choir make for an otherworldly listening experience. (You may also recognize Enya’s voice in two original songs: “Aníron” and “May It Be.”)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Forrest Gump’s soundtrack consisted of a whopping 32 songs—mostly previously released music by giants like Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, the Doors, and more. The songs served to usher movie-watchers through the decades as Forrest grows from a bullied child to a football star, war veteran, and eventually, a father.
