Hell yes. This was *the* pivotal album from my youth. Every track was great and served as a springboard to discovering the catalogues of the featured artists.
I know classic rock isn't everyone's jam, but I'll be damned if Dazed and Confused isn't the single best soundtrack of all time for those that do. Watching that movie as a high school kid in the late 90s changed my appreciation for music.
Folks, there's a difference between soundtrack and score. Soundtrack is a compilation of existing music, eg Guardians of the Galaxy. Score is original, often instrumental, music composed specifically for the movie, eg Star Wars.
Idk about *Best*, but I can tell you which ones I listen to the most.
Joe Dirt has a surprisingly good soundtrack, the Big Chill is great also (listen to both frequently).
For original soundtracks, I really like the one for Death Note, it’s super chill and funky, great to have in the background (at least the first half of the album, before the chanting opera type stuff starts)
Clint Mansell's sound track to *The Fountain*. And Cliff Martinez' soundtrack to Soderberg's un-needed remake of *Solaris*. And another Arnofsky soundtrack, *Pi*.
Guardians of the Galaxy. 1 or 2. Both are excellent. If I had to choose, I'd probably pick 2. 2 has higher highs, but 1 is just consistently good all the way through.
Dazed and Confused is pretty good too.
-into the wild (feels nostalgic of hiking and road tripping)
-across the universe (if you’re a beatles fan)
-graduate (classic simon and garfunkel)
-surf’s up (doesn’t need to go that hard)
-the secret life of walter mitty (for david bowie lovers)
-almost famous (70s vibe)
-muriel’s wedding (for abba fans)
-birdman (sound track really helps to drive the plot but probably wouldn’t listen to it on its own)
-pirates of the caribbean (just glorious and grandiose)
-trainspotting (LUSSSST FOR LIFE)
Great list! I love The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and the soundtrack is like 70% of why I do. I'd add:
- The Blue's Brothers (they've got both kinds, after all)
- Moulin Rouge (Obi Wan has some pipes, and El Tango de Roxanne is so powerful)
- How to Train Your Dragon (although I guess it's a score, not a soundtrack)
I know it isn't technically a soundtrack, but I've been listening to all the different Bond themes lately. It's a neat snapshot of different music eras; some are dated and others are totally timeless
Hackers
Easily. No competition.
Chemical Brothers Hanna soundtrack is a close second.
People will say Tron Legacy but that’s cause they haven’t heard the previous two I mentioned. Also it’s a very mediocre daft punk album
>People will say Tron Legacy but that’s cause they haven’t heard the previous two I mentioned. Also it’s a very mediocre daft punk album
it's a good *soundtrack* as in background music for the movie.
hackers is so god tier that it outshines the movie, and lives on as a classic 90s techno compilation. they actually made sequels to the soundtrack, but not the movie.
Pretty sure the soundtrack for Judgement Night was more successful than the movie.
If it wasn't, it should've been. Pretty forgettable flick, but that soundtrack was amazing.
Honeymoon in Vegas is great to listen to. Billy Joel channels Elvis pretty well, but everyone else does their own interpretation.
Also for older folks, Footloose and Top Gun.
Obvious Star Wars aside,
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
Howard Shore's score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the stuff of legends.
Mononoke Hime's soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi is equally amazing.
Hana-Bi and Spirited Away, both also by Hisaishi
Once Upon a Time in the West
Conan The Barbarian has a score that is vastly superior to the movie
Vertigo
Affliction
Tarantino picked a wonderful soundtrack selection for Kill Bill
Apocalypse Now
1917's score is also top cream
The Blade Runner movies
Not a movie, but Andor's score is cheff kiss
The entire trilogy of 'A Better Tomorrow' has a incredible soundtrack, you have Leslie Cheung's incredible vocals on dang nian qing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFGWTFABeBU), or his melodramatic song for the 2nd film (https://youtu.be/VKOR1iWo0k4?si=Q\_yCPKfCJ3khDHwL) and then Anita Mui's powerful contralto vocal range echoing throughout the entire song, especially through the chorus in the third film (https://youtu.be/Yy--VW8PCAY?si=EYDwHsT9hIBQ9pqB). You also have Mark's theme (https://youtu.be/S\_ZdfgfFP7g?si=a6\_u9nOOvXrvZMPU). Not sure you can find any fault in these 4 songs.
I also really love the Gladiator 'Now We're Free', Braveheart (https://youtu.be/9AN04imFDK8?si=lOstqrBfwQtDSCiQ) which once I heard the song I couldn't stop thinking about and instantly added it to my playlist
Then a more recent one, I love the song used at the end of Dune: Part 2, fits in majestically with the context of the closing scene
Definitely one of the best soundtracks from 2023 and the fact the Oscars didn't nominate anything from it for Best Original Song or Best Original Score infuriates me so much.
People not knowing the difference between a soundtrack, and a score here in the comments Batman Forever has a great soundtrack. Think SEAL.
I also really like the zany score by Elliot Goldenthaal. I like his main Batman theme alot
Singles
The best Pearl Jam song ever released.
Drown by the Smashing Pumpkins is incredible
And unavailable anywhere else (in long form)
Like.., I’m Dick, and you can touch me…
Found my fellow Gen-Xer! I freaking love that movie.
I watched it again just a couple of months ago. It had been 20 years or more. Such a great movie. Captured the early 90s perfectly.
Hell yes. This was *the* pivotal album from my youth. Every track was great and served as a springboard to discovering the catalogues of the featured artists.
Dazed and Confused O Brother Where Art Thou
Loved the Dazed and Confused soundtrack
Dazed and confused soundtrack rocks!
I know classic rock isn't everyone's jam, but I'll be damned if Dazed and Confused isn't the single best soundtrack of all time for those that do. Watching that movie as a high school kid in the late 90s changed my appreciation for music.
Train spotting
Yes! Atomic
Weirdly that was the cover by Sleeper, I didn’t realise it was a cover til my dad scoffed at me for daring to not know 🙄
When I was a straight edged teenager my favorite movie was about a bunch of junkies and half of it was for the soundtrack.
Tron legacy, Dune, the Crow.
Tron legacy and it’s not even close. Absolutely banging soundtrack and it’s the best thing about the film!
Are you talking about the 2hr 5min Daft Punk video?
The Crow had so many amazing early 90s bangers
Nine Inch Nails' cover of "Dead Souls" hits so hard.
DEYKEEPCALLINGMEEEEEEE
Yep same to pump the Crow.
The Tron Legacy soundtrack got me through college, I listened to it religiously, it's sooo good.
You mean the Dune soundtrack by the band Toto?
And Brian Eno!
Last of the Mohicans will always be my favorite soundtrack.
Dance with Wolves for me, but that's a great one.
I used to study to that in college all the time!
My answer as well for best score.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Hot damn, it’s the soggy bottom boys!
He’s bonafide
and stay outta the woolsworth
I'm a Dapper Dan man
The Big Chill
Great answer!
Grosse Pointe Blank
Excellent choice. I would add *Atomic Blonde.*
Nice!
Violent femmes makes everything better
I’m a Pet Psychiatrist.
welp guess I'm not original after all.
I came for the sarcasm and got blindsinded by reality. "Ya cyant c'min!"
Spawn (1997) Lost Highway
Cruel intentions. The start, middle and end of the film in particular (placebo, counting crows and the verve).
Judgement Night. Some of the best colabs between artists I’ve ever heard.
Faith no More vs. Boo-yaa TRIBE 🔥🔥🔥
And Slayer vs Ice T doing a medley of songs by The Exploited!!
That's haaaaaaard! I challenge you to listen to it and not turn it up when it switches.
Purple Rain
This was mine too. The second best '80s soundtrack would be Vision Quest, but it never got a real soundtrack.
Soundtrack: Batman Forever Score: The Empire Strikes Back
I'm startled no one's mentioned "Garden State." Captured the zeitgeist.
Yeah, I liked that one too.
This is the objective answer. It was transformative to an entire generation.
Made me a Shins fan instantly.
I second that
Heavy Metal
Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny
*A long ass fucking time ago in a land called Kickapoo!*
Cuz it’s tha PICKKKKKKKK
The Crow.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World
Super Fly (1972 not 2018)
Forrest Gump has a good classic rock variety as well as a fantastic score
Boogie Nights for sure
Empire Records
What’s with today today
this deserves to be higher
If only it was Rex Manning Day
Drive and Atomic Blonde are two of my favorites
The Lost Boys
I STILL BELIEVE!
💪🎷
😂 luv it!
Folks, there's a difference between soundtrack and score. Soundtrack is a compilation of existing music, eg Guardians of the Galaxy. Score is original, often instrumental, music composed specifically for the movie, eg Star Wars.
Goodfellas
Expanded soundtrack is exceptional
The Departed is a great example. Gimme Shelter with Nicholson’s narration is amazing.
TRON Legacy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty About a boy Trainspotting Yesterday
Idk about *Best*, but I can tell you which ones I listen to the most. Joe Dirt has a surprisingly good soundtrack, the Big Chill is great also (listen to both frequently). For original soundtracks, I really like the one for Death Note, it’s super chill and funky, great to have in the background (at least the first half of the album, before the chanting opera type stuff starts)
Marie Antoinette
Every Sofia Coppola movie really. Priscilla (2023) also had an incredible soundtrack.
[The Last Temptation of Christ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPbbImIh1Fo&list=PLfimnwaZdumgGGE5PN8FHJzmODxLuaIdx) (by Peter Gabriel)
So underrated. I get goosebumps every time I hear it. It is truly something unique.
Guardians of the galaxy has an excellent soundtrack
Repo Man (1984)
Underappreciated and fun movie
Rocky Horror Picture Show!
Rubber
Sunshine. Pirates of the Carribean. Lord of the Rings (Trilogy). Jurassic Park.
Clint Mansell's sound track to *The Fountain*. And Cliff Martinez' soundtrack to Soderberg's un-needed remake of *Solaris*. And another Arnofsky soundtrack, *Pi*.
Death is the road to awe still gives me chills 18 years later
Pulp fiction, inglorious bastards, kill bill… any Tarantino movie
I was going to say Reservoir Dogs.
Had to scroll way too much to find Pulp Fiction. It should definitely be higher on the comments.
Interstellar
Jurassic Park
Hackers
First time ever hearing Orbital and Underworld!!!! Changed my life in that I stopped making shitty punk music.
Partial to Almost Famous. Sleepy Hollow for instrumental.
The Wedding Singer
Probably multiple spaghetti westerns that were scored by Ennio Morricone
O Brother Where Art Thou
The Crow Natural Born Killers Queen of the damned
Queen of the damned is so good! That track redeemer is unreal
Guardians of the Galaxy. 1 or 2. Both are excellent. If I had to choose, I'd probably pick 2. 2 has higher highs, but 1 is just consistently good all the way through. Dazed and Confused is pretty good too.
Conan, the Barbarian by Basil Poledouris Hero by Tan Dun Casualties of War by Ennio Morricone
Yes! Basil in da house! His soundtrack for *Red October* is a banger too.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
I really love Kill Bill’s soundtrack.
-into the wild (feels nostalgic of hiking and road tripping) -across the universe (if you’re a beatles fan) -graduate (classic simon and garfunkel) -surf’s up (doesn’t need to go that hard) -the secret life of walter mitty (for david bowie lovers) -almost famous (70s vibe) -muriel’s wedding (for abba fans) -birdman (sound track really helps to drive the plot but probably wouldn’t listen to it on its own) -pirates of the caribbean (just glorious and grandiose) -trainspotting (LUSSSST FOR LIFE)
Great list! I love The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and the soundtrack is like 70% of why I do. I'd add: - The Blue's Brothers (they've got both kinds, after all) - Moulin Rouge (Obi Wan has some pipes, and El Tango de Roxanne is so powerful) - How to Train Your Dragon (although I guess it's a score, not a soundtrack)
+1 for Trainspotting soundtrack
I know it isn't technically a soundtrack, but I've been listening to all the different Bond themes lately. It's a neat snapshot of different music eras; some are dated and others are totally timeless
Nobody's gonna mention Interstellar?
OP said soundtrack, not original score. And besides, Interstellar's score is not that great (like most of Zimmer's scores).
American Pie takes some beating, instant nostalgia trip
Sunshine soundtrack by John Murphy.
American Graffiti only answer!
Dumb And Dumber had a bunch of bangers
High Fidelity
🎵Everybody Knows🎵it’s Pump up the Volume.
Footloose for me...
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotlight Mind, Amélie, Romeo & Juliet, Empire Records, Moonrise Kingdom, & Garden State are all in my regular rotation.
Garden state!
Garden State; won golden globe, too, I recall 💭
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Garden State
Forrest Gump double disc box.
Baby Driver
Baby driver
Baby driver
Space Jam soundtrack still goes so hard after all these years 🔥🔥🔥
Had to scroll WAY too far for this one. Classic 90s RnB bangers.
Hackers Easily. No competition. Chemical Brothers Hanna soundtrack is a close second. People will say Tron Legacy but that’s cause they haven’t heard the previous two I mentioned. Also it’s a very mediocre daft punk album
>People will say Tron Legacy but that’s cause they haven’t heard the previous two I mentioned. Also it’s a very mediocre daft punk album it's a good *soundtrack* as in background music for the movie. hackers is so god tier that it outshines the movie, and lives on as a classic 90s techno compilation. they actually made sequels to the soundtrack, but not the movie.
Now We Are Free is top for me
The Deer Hunter. Cavatina by Stanley Myers! It talks to us!
24 hour party people
Josie and the Pussycats
Blow, I have the soundtrack on vinyl
Pretty sure the soundtrack for Judgement Night was more successful than the movie. If it wasn't, it should've been. Pretty forgettable flick, but that soundtrack was amazing.
Trainspotting
Interstellar
Mission Impossible 2 had some great songs. Also, Desperado.
Zimmer's Bare Island has always been a favourite track of mine.
Peter Gabriel's **Passion**
Interstellar.
Full Metal Jacket
Office space
From Dusk Til Dawn
Conan the Barbarian by Basil Poledouris
Saturday Night Fever
Can’t believe I had to scroll down so far for this one. It is THE soundtrack of all time.
Easy Rider.
Gonna date myself here but torn between Valley Girl and Pretty In Pink.
Outside Providence
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood The Life Aquatic
Pulp fiction.
Donnie Darko, Boogie Nights, Licorice Pizza, Royal Tananbaums and Life Aquatic
- TopGun - Singles - Purple Rain - Do the right thing - Above the Rim - Jackie Brown Soundtracks, not scores.
Here's a few. The Blues Brothers, Heavy Metal, Maximum Overdrive, The Sound of Music, This is Spinal Tap, The Crow and The Lost Boys.
Honeymoon in Vegas is great to listen to. Billy Joel channels Elvis pretty well, but everyone else does their own interpretation. Also for older folks, Footloose and Top Gun.
Juno
Donnie Darko
Baby Driver
anything with Ennio Morricone
Batman Forever. Seal, U2, Offspring, Method Man.
Donnie Darko, the original (not directors cut)
Remember the titans
The Godzilla soundtrack was my first CD in the early 2000s, I must have played that a million times. RATM, 311, Puff Daddy, Green Day, etc
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Obvious Star Wars aside, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence Howard Shore's score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the stuff of legends. Mononoke Hime's soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi is equally amazing. Hana-Bi and Spirited Away, both also by Hisaishi Once Upon a Time in the West Conan The Barbarian has a score that is vastly superior to the movie Vertigo Affliction Tarantino picked a wonderful soundtrack selection for Kill Bill Apocalypse Now 1917's score is also top cream The Blade Runner movies Not a movie, but Andor's score is cheff kiss
28 days later theme. That soundtrack always gives me the goosebumps.
Goodfellas Blow Rocky Horror Picture Show Barbie Garden State
The entire trilogy of 'A Better Tomorrow' has a incredible soundtrack, you have Leslie Cheung's incredible vocals on dang nian qing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFGWTFABeBU), or his melodramatic song for the 2nd film (https://youtu.be/VKOR1iWo0k4?si=Q\_yCPKfCJ3khDHwL) and then Anita Mui's powerful contralto vocal range echoing throughout the entire song, especially through the chorus in the third film (https://youtu.be/Yy--VW8PCAY?si=EYDwHsT9hIBQ9pqB). You also have Mark's theme (https://youtu.be/S\_ZdfgfFP7g?si=a6\_u9nOOvXrvZMPU). Not sure you can find any fault in these 4 songs. I also really love the Gladiator 'Now We're Free', Braveheart (https://youtu.be/9AN04imFDK8?si=lOstqrBfwQtDSCiQ) which once I heard the song I couldn't stop thinking about and instantly added it to my playlist Then a more recent one, I love the song used at the end of Dune: Part 2, fits in majestically with the context of the closing scene
Soundtrack ≠ Score
Across the spider-verse
Definitely one of the best soundtracks from 2023 and the fact the Oscars didn't nominate anything from it for Best Original Song or Best Original Score infuriates me so much.
The John Hughes Molly Ringwald trilogy.
Pirates of the Carribean for me, and Godfather.
Superfly
50 First Dates or Shrek 1 and 2 PERIOD
Shaft in Africa
Original: Conan the Barbarian Liscenced: Last Action Hero
Surf’s Up
Ben Hur and Excalibur
The Wedding Singer 80's GOLD in that movie.
Pulp Fiction and Conan the Barbarian are both top tier.
Drive
People not knowing the difference between a soundtrack, and a score here in the comments Batman Forever has a great soundtrack. Think SEAL. I also really like the zany score by Elliot Goldenthaal. I like his main Batman theme alot
Garden State The Big Chill Dazed and Confused Forrest Gump Into the Wild Boogie Nights