One of the best thing about a great film can be it’s music. We’ve pulled together the best movie soundtracks from the last few decades, spanning Grease and Footloose to more recent legendary music from titles such as Carey Mulligan’s Promising Young Woman and Lady Gaga’s swansong A Star Is Born.
After all, Titanic‘s heartbreaking storyline wouldn’t be what it is without Celine Dion’s iconic vocals – didn’t we all spend every school disco hoping to meet their Jack when this song played? Not to mention the grooves in Pulp Fiction, Black Panther‘s amazing tribute from Rihanna and – of course – Dirty Dancing. Need we say more?
Here is GLAMOUR’s ultimate round up of the best movie soundtracks.
Legally Blonde
Who hasn’t played Hoku’s Perfect Day to lift up a bad day, or soundtrack a great one, Elle Woods style? The legendary movie turned musical, starring Reese Witherspoon, has some cracker tunes.
©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
Encanto
Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote eight original tracks for the beloved 2021 Disney musical movie about a beautiful community in the Columbian mountains and protagonist Mirabel.
The Greatest Showman
You can’t help but sing along to the musical movie favourite starring Hollywood royalty including Michelle Williams, Hugh Jackman, Zendaya and Zac Efron.
Top Gun
A true 1980s classic, with Tom Cruise in his prime. Danger Zone remains an ultimate motivational, action hero anthem to this day.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World
With four original songs from Beck performed by Scott Pilgrim’s band, this one’s the perfect soundtrack to rock out to, during or after watching the movie.
The Lion King
We can’t get enough of Hakuna Matata and the Circle of Life, not to mention Elton John’s rendition of Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
Promising Young Woman
We don’t want to give too much away for those who haven’t seen the film, but director Emerald Fennell’s use of Paris Hilton’s Stars Are Blind is sublime and should be studied.
Dirty Dancing
Where do we even begin? Use of (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life for the world’s most romantic and iconic dance scene to end a film, or the gorgeous opening with Be My Baby? The film is perfect, as is the soundtrack.
Titanic
Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On will forever belong to Titanic‘s Rose and Jack. But we pretty much adore it too, especially when we want to belt it out in the most melodramatic fashion.
Drive
Drive is not just a sexy, star-studded film featuring a romance between Ryan Gosling’s Driver and Carey Mulligan’s Irene, it also has a boppy soundtrack full of infectious electro tunes, including Desire’s Under Your Spell.
A Star Is Born
Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga broke our hearts over and over in A Star Is Born, not least with their incredible performances in Shallow, all about throwing yourself into a new relationship, and we can’t talk about Gaga’s rendition of I’ll Never Love Again without weeping.
Mamma Mia
A gorgeous Greek location, a cast stuffed with Hollywood’s best talent – Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth – and all of Abba’s best soundtracks performed on screen for all of us to delight in? The biggest treat.