Some movies are remembered for their plots. Others are remembered almost entirely for their music. A handful of soundtracks have become so massive that the songs outlived the films, topping charts on their own and showing up at weddings, gyms, and karaoke nights decades later. These albums turned simple movie tie-ins into full-blown cultural institutions, sometimes completely overshadowing the very story they were written to support. Whether it’s one of the disco classics or a contemporary needle drop, from here are twelve film soundtracks that made bigger stars than the movies that made them.
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
The Bee Gees were able to make a small motion picture about a disco drama into a global event almost overnight. It topped the charts with multiple songs and sold tens of millions of copies, making it one of the most successful albums of all time. Today, most casual fans can hum the falsetto hooks, without ever being forced to watch John Travolta strut down that Brooklyn sidewalk.
Purple Rain (1984)
It didn’t take long for Prince’s album to outlast the semi-autobiographical film, as it spent weeks on the Billboard charts and won a Grammy and an Oscar for its score. The title song was a staple at graduations and tributes, and it was heard more than the movie was ever seen.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
The story of this dance romance has been forgotten by many, but the ending duets that are heard during the iconic “lift” are well known by almost everyone. The score went on to sell over 30 million copies globally, and even inspired a sequel album, as the songs had a much longer shelf life than the story.
The Bodyguard (1992)
A small action-romance became one of the biggest-selling soundtrack albums of all time thanks to Whitney Houston’s vocals. Her signature song became an indispensable part of weddings and karaoke bars around the world, and the film itself is largely forgotten, except for the fact that she was the one who introduced that song to the world.
Footloose (1984)
The title song of Kenny Loggins’ album was used as an aerobics class and wedding reception staple until after the dance-ban in small town had been a regular rotation for too long. The film’s soundtrack created a number of hits and is still very familiar to those who don’t even remember the name of one of the characters.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Quentin Tarantino’s mixtape of surf rock and soul brought a new generation to some of the great tracks that are often forgotten. The soundtrack came to embody cool, and songs from the soundtrack have been used to set the scene for dances and commercials for decades since the film’s convoluted crime saga hit theaters.
Trainspotting (1996)
This gritty Scottish drama about addiction is as focused on its addictive beats as it is on its subject matter. The music was a gateway for the main stream into the realm of Britpop and electronics and the opening song has become one of the iconic pieces of music that are played over any needle drops in films of today.
8 Mile (2002)
Eminem’s soundtrack, anchored by his Oscar-winning single, became a defining anthem on motivational playlists everywhere. The track’s underdog message has been used in commercials, sports highlight reels, and graduation speeches far more often than the underdog rap drama itself ever gets referenced today.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
This space opera from Marvel is a collection of old rock and soul hits that became an unexpected chart-topping mixtape at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. So popular was the idea that it resulted in a sequel volume with songs written from both, which are now just as well-known as the characters who used the boombox to travel around the galaxy!
A Star Is Born (2018)
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s track went straight to the Oscars and into the radio charts for months following the awards night. The song is now a regular part of wedding music and singing competitions, and is often played by individuals who have never watched the film it was taken from.
Frozen (2013)
The signature song of the Disney animated movie was an anthem that was impossible to avoid in classrooms, assemblies, and on the radio for years following. It seems like the song’s popularity surpassed that of the film itself, as a single show-stopper became one of the most parodied and re-recorded songs of the decade.
Top Gun (1986)
Two tracks from this aerial action film became radio staples that have outlived most people’s memory of the actual dogfights. One soared to the top of the charts and won an Oscar, while the other became a slow-dance standard, both still played decades after the jets first roared across movie screens.
About the Author
