Movies depend on a great soundtrack to compliment their stories, as well as to maintain audience engagement. For many films, the music is just as great as the film itself, and some movies even see success in selling their soundtrack as a music album. An original soundtrack, which can use a combination of vocalized songs and composed themes, is often the heart and soul of a great film and aids in its popularity.
A good soundtrack may be used for a musical and feature a number of songs made for the film. These are especially good for audiences as they allow the potential for sing-along versions of the film and hit albums that sell afterward. Music helps audiences connect emotionally to the events and characters of a film, and a good composer can turn in the best work of their life on a good film.
10 Indiana Jones Has The Ultimate Adventure Theme
Indiana Jones is easily the best adventure franchise in cinema. Starring Harrison Ford in the titular role, it follows Doctor Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr. on his many adventures worldwide in search of lost artifacts. Along the way, he meets a number of friends and love interests.
John Williams brought his great talent to Indiana Jones, most notably in the main theme. The score is instantly recognizable to many and has an excellent romantic theme. Of all the film scores, Indiana Jones' sounds the most triumphant and is a perfect match for its genre.
9 David Bowie Made Sure Labyrinth Sounded Good
Labyrinth follows the story of Sarah, a suburban teenage girl who wishes the Goblin King, Jareth (David Bowie), would take away her baby brother – and he obliges. It then follows Sarah on her quest through a giant labyrinth to find her brother, replete with musical numbers at every turn.
David Bowie's performance is really what made Labyrinth the '80s classic that it became, and his singing ties the film together. Bowie isn't the only musician to lend his voice to the film, but he was the film's primary songwriter and is the one to thank for its soundtrack. "Magic Dance" is especially loved by fans.
8 The Pirate Movie Put A Fun Parody Of Gilbert And Sullivan
The Pirate Movie is a 1982 spoof comedy musical that parodies Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance. It follows the young pirate Frederick when he deserts his crew and swims to a nearby island. There, he meets Mabel, the youngest of the local Major General's many daughters, with whom he falls in love.
Thanks to the talents of Ted Hamilton, Christopher Atkins, and Kirsty McNichol, the cast delivered an excellent and fun spin on the original musical. Songs like "I Am the Pirate King," "Give Me A Happy Ending," and "Victory!" make the spoof comedy a musical epic.
7 The Rocky Horror Picture Show Is A Groovy Movie
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a good horror musical combination. It follows a young couple as they seek refuge in a castle from a storm, and meet a unique cast of characters led by Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). The eccentric film is so iconic that it has its own ongoing musical show.
The film has a fantastic soundtrack, including rock 'n' roll star Meat Loaf, who gets his own great song. Almost every song in the film's run time is legendary in its own right, but "The Time Warp," "Hot Patootie," and "Wild and Untamed Thing" deserve special recognition.
6 Top Gun Is Full Of Classic Tunes
Top Gun doesn't just have an incredible score and infamous anthem, it's also full of classic hit songs in almost every scene. Opening with Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" and closing with the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," the movie has a soundtrack as good as any '80s album.
Top Gun also helped songs like Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" and Kenny Loggins' "Playing With the Boys" become iconic, using them in some of the movie's most memorable scenes. In fact, the movie has its own music album dedicated to its extensive and strong library of songs and tunes.
5 The Wizard Of Oz More Than Earned Its Iconic Status
The Wizard of Oz is arguably the single most iconic musical in cinematic history and a true classic in film. It tells the story of Dorothy, a Kansas girl transported by a storm to the magical land of Oz. There, she meets many odd characters who accompany her on her journey home.
Along the way, Dorothy's travels are accompanied by music. Famously, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" became a huge hit thanks to the film. Other songs, like "We're Off to See the Wizard" and "If I Only Had A..." are equally as popular and timeless with audiences.
4 John Williams Is The Heart And Soul Of Star Wars
Star Wars is perhaps the single most successful franchise in cinematic history, having run on and off since 1977, with over a dozen films and numerous TV series. For much of its existence, Star Wars has had its score composed by John Williams, to whom it owes a great deal.
John Williams has had a thriving musical career, but Star Wars contains much of his best-known work. "The Imperial March," the opening crawl, Han and Leia's romantic theme, and more all combined to make it one of the most legendary works of film composition in history.
3 The Blues Brothers Is All Out Blues Tunes
The Blues Brothers is known for, among other things, its great comedy matched with excellent music, much of which was sung by the original artists. The all-star cast included Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, John Lee Hooker, and Ray Charles.
The film follows Jake and Elwood Blues as they travel around trying to reassemble their band, the Blues Brothers. Almost every scene has a great song to go with it, including some hits like "Everybody Needs Somebody" and "Minnie the Moocher." The film's soundtrack works as a great blues album.
2 Grease Is The Best Love Story Musical
Grease is the definitive high school musical movie and a great romantic comedy. Starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy, it unites two past lovers in their senior high school year as they try to woo each other back into their lives.
The film follows several relationships; each aided through the use of hit songs that have endured with audiences to this day. Songs such as "Summer Loving," "Grease Lightning," and "You're The One That I Want" are among the film's many cherished songs.
1 Howard Shore Really Delivered On Lord Of The Rings
Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy is legendary among fantasy fans and fans of the original books. The movies followed the Fellowship of the Ring on their different journeys throughout Middle-Earth in their mission to destroy the One Ring and defeat Sauron.
The Lord of the Rings soundtrack by Howard Shore is full of beautiful and moving pieces. Tracks like "Sounds of the Shire," "Gandalf Falls," and "Battle of Pelennor Fields" are especially well-known and praised for their perfect match to their scenes.