What Are The 7 Best Movie Soundtracks of All Time?

When I was a kid, it was all the rage to buy CDs of your favorite movie soundtracks. Albums would come out with the movies consisting of a ton of pop songs that sort of gave you the vibes of the movie but functioned as great mixes.

Today, I want to go over which ones I consider to be the best of all time.

In order to make this list, I didn’t include movie scores, just movies with amazing soundtracks consisting of music by popular artists.

Make sense?

Let’s dive in.

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1. Forrest Gump 

This double-album soundtrack was such a banger. True story, I wore the CD out. It covers so many decades of hits and focuses on American music, perfectly reflecting the film’s time-spanning narrative.

• Key Tracks:
  • “Hound Dog” – Elvis Presley
  • “Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • “California Dreamin'” – The Mamas & the Papas
  • “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • “Mrs. Robinson” – Simon & Garfunkel.

2. Almost Famous 

One of my all-time favorite movies, the core of this story is music. So you know it has to have some real jams on the soundtrack. It would be hard to find a scene that doesn’t have an iconic song paired with it.

• Key Tracks:
  • “Tiny Dancer” – Elton John
  • “Simple Man” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • “That’s the Way” – Led Zeppelin
  • “America” – Simon & Garfunkel.

3. The Bodyguard 

Whitney Houston’s powerful vocals dominate this soundtrack. This was one I feel like every Mom had in their van. It got so much play, and “I Will Always Love You” became one of the greatest covers of all time.

• Key Tracks:
  • “I Will Always Love You”
  • “I Have Nothing”
  • “I’m Every Woman”
  • “Run to You”

4. The Graduate 

This soundtrack is deeply intertwined with the film’s atmosphere thanks to Simon & Garfunkel’s dulcet tones. It perfectly captures the sense of alienation and searching that is at the heart of the movie.

• Key Tracks:
  • “Mrs. Robinson”
  • “The Sound of Silence”
  • “Scarborough Fair/Canticle”

5. Pulp Fiction 

Tarantino movies are all about the music that goes with the visuals. And this soundtrack was one of the first I illegally downloaded on Limewire as a kid. It just had all the bops.

• Key Tracks:
  • “Misirlou” – Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
  • “Jungle Boogie” – Kool & The Gang
  • “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” – Urge Overkill
  • “You Never Can Tell” – Chuck Berry

6. O’ Brother Where Art Thou 

I blast this soundtrack whenever I have writer’s block. It has all the sauce and just feels like magic when you hear the songs. It creates such a vibe.

• Key Tracks:
  • “Man of Constant Sorrow” – The Soggy Bottom Boys
  • “Down to the River to Pray” – Alison Krauss
  • “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby” – Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch:

7. Saturday Night Fever 

This soundtrack defined the disco era, with the Bee Gees’ infectious rhythms and a few other key artists of the era. It’s hard not to dance when you listen.

• Key Tracks
  • “Stayin’ Alive”
  • “Night Fever”
  • “How Deep Is Your Love”
  • “More Than a Woman”

Summing Up the Best Movie Soundtracks of All Time

Music and movies have gone hand in hand since the dawn of cinema. A great soundtrack can elevate any movie and change your mood from song to song.

I know I missed some of your faves, so tell me hear all about them.

LEt me know what you think in the comments.