Looking for movie recommendations? Maybe some new music as well? You’re at the right place! Here are some great movies that I think have the best soundtracks of all time!Â
The Twilight Saga
I had to start off with the no-brainer. The entire saga is full of banger after banger, with radio hits like It Will Rain by Bruno Mars and A Thousand Years by Christina Perry, and more alternative pop punk hits like Paramore’s Decode and I Caught Myself. The saga is also notorious for its inclusion of indie artists and songs such as 15 Step from Radiohead and a Thom Yorke track called Hearing Damage during his separation from Radiohead. There is also the inclusion of some iconic indie folk artists like Bon Iver on the track Roslyn. Overall, the Twilight saga is packed densely with an insane lineup of music worth diving into!Â
The Perks of Being A Wallflower
A spectacular movie with an equally spectacular soundtrack! My favorite track off of this soundtrack is Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drop by Cocteau Twins, an elegant & heart-wrenching song that matches the tone of the movie perfectly. The Smiths are featured in the soundtrack as well with their song Asleep. Of course, to mention this soundtrack without including Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners would be a cardinal sin. This soundtrack pulls you into the movie, and can also stand alone as a beautiful collection of music. I recommend only ever watching the movie once. I still haven’t recovered emotionally.
Clueless
Out of left field comes the soundtrack for Clueless! After watching the movie and doing research, this soundtrack has so many interesting pieces that seemingly go undetected. The inclusion of an acoustic version of Radiohead’s Fake Plastic Trees, as well as the studio version of My Iron Lung, was a surprise that somehow blended well with the movie. There were also some inclusions of great 90’s rock bands like Cracker with Shake Some Action and My Forgotten Favorite by Velocity Girl. If you’re looking for a fun watch with a few surprising grungy elements that really amplify the time period, I would watch this immediately!Â
The Royal TenenbaumsÂ
Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums is not alone in his collection of works with great soundtracks. However, this movie stands out as one of my absolute favorites. I think the use of These Days by Nico was amazing. The soundtrack is also accompanied by hits from indie artists like Elliot Smith with his song Needle In The Hay, as well as some deeper cuts from extremely popular artists such as Wigwam by Bob Dylan. This is an eclectic movie with an eclectic soundtrack that’s definitely worth your time.Â
500 Days Of Summer
Last but most certainly not least, the soundtrack for 500 Days of Summer earns its rightful spot on this list. With iconic features from The Smiths, such as There’s A Light That Never Goes Out and Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, both the movie itself and these songs have worked in tandem to maintain each other’s cultural relevance and popularity. 500 Days of Summer has become a cult classic among Gen Z, and so have these tracks from The Smiths. The soundtrack also features covers from She & Him, the band of the star of the movie, Zooey Dechannel, as well as other great tracks like Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel. This movie & the soundtrack have cemented themselves as icons for this generation, as well as being reflective of the “Twee” aesthetic of the 2009 time period. An overall amazing watch and listen!Â
Soundtracks tend to be the most underappreciated aspect of a movie. I hope you enjoyed me showing a little TLC to my favorite movies & soundtracks, and I hope you discovered something you like as well!