The 53 Best Movie Soundtracks of All Time

Honestly, I don’t know what pub trivia nights and coffee shops with board games would do without this Marvel movie soundtrack. Nerds everywhere are embracing the oldies, and I love that for us.

On the totally OTHER end of the spectrum, we've got the sweet, thoughtful music from this feel-good movie. The late Elliott Smith contributes a beeyootiful whispery mood to some of the more emotional moments of the film (when Minnie Driver's Skylar gets on a plane, when Robin Williams' Sean reads the note from Will) to make you wanna cry for the 50th time.

So, technically the film's score is on this soundtrack (and it's amazing, so just consider it a bonus instrumental) but the Huey Lewis and the News songs—written for the movie—are insta-classics. Plus, Mark Campbell does the singing for Michael J. Fox in the "Johnny B. Goode" song that's so integral to the plot—but don't get it twisted: Despite the film joking about it, the song was written by Chuck Berry, period.

The movie remake inspired some die-hard fans to get mad, since certain songs weren't sung in exactly the same context (or even by the same characters, shock). But even if you love the original, come into this with open ears. The sheer talent and energy on display is worth the evolution of the source material. Two words: Rachel. Zegler.

The actual movie? Meh. The songs?? Rlly, rlly great. Featuring 33 of the Beatles' songs, a lot of them are sung by the stars (including Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood—who nails it, btw, in case you're wondering) and then there are some singing cameos from Eddie Izzard, Salma Hayek, and Joe Cocker. Oh, and Bono, NBD.

If you were ever a teenager who grew up listening to music (probably the five cassettes you owned) while you drove around in a car, this soundtrack perfectly captures that. Or, if you'd like to capture that aimless, joyful, rebellious experience, just put on this soundtrack. Stoner Matthew McConaughey not included, sadly.

Next to Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan’s abs, Kendrick Lamar essentially had the most important role of Black Panther: Making the soundtrack, which included performances from SZA, Schoolboy Q, Vince Staples, Anderson .Paak, and Kendrick himself, among others. Wakanda, and this soundtrack, forever.

The album of summer 2023 has ARRIVED thanks to Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, PinkPantheress, Ava Max, Lizzo, and more. Leave it to the Barbie soundtrack to get everyone up and moving.

This adorable Pixar movie from director Domee Shi had a soundtrack so strong, its fake band 4*Town's song "Nobody Like U" hit the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

It's really hard to overstate how important this soundtrack was to Baz Luhrmann's OTT singing extravaganza. The "pop music, but make it into a musical!" choice was copied by every college a capella group for the next decade, but the songs still hold up as genuinely impressive covers, mixes, and reimaginings. Plus, "Lady Marmalade," always and forever, is the best collab between female artists of all time.

I literally bought the CD (yes, I'm old!) and listened to this soundtrack every single day when it came out. Headlined by Hoku's catchy girl-power-centric "Perfect Day," this soundtrack's also got The Black Eyed Peas, Lisa Loeb, and Mya on there for late '90s throwback perfection—oh, and "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton too, casual.

(inhales deeply) "We don't talk about Bruno-no-NO!" Thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda (and TikTok latching onto the catchiest part of the catchiest song), this Disney movie about healing generational trauma has some of the earworm-iest songs you've heard since...well, since the last Disney hit LMM participated in, Moana, which is also an amazing soundtrack.

The music in this balls-to-the-wall Western is integral to the plot (there's a sting in here that'll make your heart drop). But it's also just a masterpiece in its own right, thanks to Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill(!!), and many other artists. Including skits featuring the actors' voices (LaKeith Stanfield, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, and Jonathan Majors, yes please.)

The Kinks, Velvet Underground, and Stevie Wonder are just a couple of the iconic musicians on this soundtrack. Which makes sense, since Rob (John Cusack) works at a record store, is obsessed with music, and absolutely would make a mixtape for different parts of his life if he existed IRL. (The TV remake also had very good music, FYI, but start here before you binge Zoë Kravitz.)

Sing it with me now: "This is the greatest showwww!" If you've never watched, pls do yourself a favor and learn about what a terrible person the real PT Barnum was, then accept this into your heart as a fully fictional tale starring international treasure Hugh Jackman. Come for his full-on belting, stay for the exquisite vocals of Zac Efron and Zendaya and Keala Settle.

It's a tale as old as time: Boy meets girl. Boy pretends to be in a band to impress girl. Boy starts band—and they're actually quite good. Most of the songs are original (in fact, Adam Levine, co-writes and sings on "Go Now"), which makes this story way more interesting. Plus, the joy of making music and performing it—plus a love letter to the songs of the '80s—will make you wanna start your own band. Or just sing loudly to this one.

The Coen brothers reimagined old folk songs with performers like Marcus Mumford. But the truly impressive feat is the actors' vocal performances—including Oscar Isaacs, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, and Adam Driver—and the fact that the movie is both a hyper-specific look at the music scene in the '60s and an evergreen tale of struggling to try and achieve a dream.

As heavy-handed and on the nose as this music can sometimes be (I mean, the movie's major song is literally called "Danger Zone" and you hear it A LOT in the film), there's a reason every single person knows the lyrics. Plus, "Take My Breath Away" is never a bad choice to sing along to at the top of your lungs. Here's hoping the sequel lives up to it (we already know "Danger Zone" is on there, duh, alongside a live rendition of "Great Balls of Fire" by Miles Teller. And there's a song by Lady Gaga!)

"Mona Lisa! You're an overrated piece of sh*t!" I sing to myself while doing the dishes. "F*ck off, I don't want your life / I don't owe you sh*t / And I hate your rules!" I chant while doing chores. "I'm so humble!" I shout to my husband without context. This might not have as a good a plot as other biopic satires (see also: Walk Hard), but you absolutely cannot deny Lonely Island knows how to write songs and lyrics that will stay in your head. Forever.

Speaking of! If you're unfamiliar, watching this movie will ruin biopics for you forever, because it perfectly skewers every trope those films use. But also, the songs—the original, Elvis-like hits, to the ridiculous, sell-out remakes—are incredibly well-done. John C. Reilly can do everything, y'all, include get inside your head with some absolute bops.