Worst2First: My Top Ten Film Soundtracks

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Film Soundtracks

When it comes to film, a soundtrack can be just as important as the visuals being seen on screen.  Sometimes they help heighten what's happening, other times it's the driving force for what we're seeing.  Without a great soundtrack, a film is severely lacking.

I'm omitting soundtracks from musicals, because that could be a list all by its own.  Instead, I found ten films where their soundtracks helped add to the overall feel of the film, and how it's lasted through the years.

Here are my personal top ten film soundtracks, worst2first...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

The Graduate

Dustin Hoffman stars as Benjamin, a recent college graduate who falls for an older married woman's seductions, leading him to make important life decisions.  The film is heightened by the soundtrack, including several songs from Simon & Garfunkel, not to mention the now-iconic song "Mrs. Robinson," an anthem for illicit love, as well as "The Sound of Silence," which is used during three pivotal points in the film.

#9

Ghostbusters

Who you gonna call?  Very few soundtracks have withstood the test of time, and include a song that's so well-known decades later.  Yet Ray Parker Jr.'s title theme song is as infectious and catchy as it was in the late 80s, and helped heighten the popularity of the film.

#8

Baby Driver

Ansel Elgort plays Baby, a getaway driver who suffers from tinnitus, so he listens to music on his iPod and uses the melody to coincide with his driving.  It's a beautiful pairing that adds to the excitement and action the film delivers, including hit songs by the likes of Queen, The Beach Boys, Beck, and The Damned.

#7

Top Gun

Tony Scott's film about a hotshot fighter pilot has lasted through the decades due to the spectacular performance from Tom Cruise, but also from the incredibly catchy soundtrack.  Kenny Loggins takes us to the "Danger Zone," while "Take My Breath Away" has never had more an impact.  Plus there's other iconic songs like "Great Balls of Fire," "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" and "Heaven in Your Eyes."

#6

American Graffiti

Before "Star Wars," George Lucas took us back to the diners and streets of America in 1962, where young people crowded the streets for some good old fashioned car races, and summer love was in the air.  To further add to the sense of nostalgia, Lucas incorporated an amazing soundtrack to the film, with songs from the likes of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, The Beach Boys, Flash Cadillac and many more.

#5

Apocalypse Now

War is hell, and very few films express this mantra than "Apocalypse Now," centering on the Vietnam War.  While "American Graffiti" included songs that were reminiscent of the 60s, the soundtrack for "Apocalypse Now" could've been used to portray the negative aspects of the Vietnam War.  Songs like Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries," The Rolling Stones "Satisfaction," and especially The Doors' "The End" are perfect hallmarks of such an intense, powerful film.

#4

Guardians of the Galaxy

When Marvel released a film that centered on a group of intergalactic superheroes - including a talking raccoon and tree - many people thought it would be an downright disaster.  Nothing could've been farther from the truth, as the world fell in love with the Guardians of the Galaxy, due to tremendous acting and an incredibly catchy soundtrack reminiscent of the 70s and 80s.  Songs like "Hooked on a Feeling" and "Ain't No Mountain High" receive an other-worldly significance, as the mixtape Peter Quill keeps with him reminds him of life on Earth.

#3

8 Mile

In this semi-autobiographical film, B-Rabbit is a blue collar worker from Detroit who wants to make it as a rapper, and we see the struggles he faces in order to achieve his dream.  Eminem stars and sings the majority of the songs on this urban soundtrack, which surprisingly earned the rapper an Oscar for Best Original Song.

#2

Saturday Night Fever

Disco may be dead, but thanks to films like "Saturday Night Fever," it will never be forgotten.  The soundtrack is listed as one of the best-selling soundtrack of all time, selling more than 16 million copies, and also earned inclusion into the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress.  The album is almost entirely made from songs by The Bee Gees - including their iconic works "Stayin' Alive," "Jive Talking," "You Should Be Dancing," and "How Deep is Your Love" - but also included hits by KC and the Sunshine Band ("Boogie Shoes") and David Shire ("Night on Disco Mountain").

#1

The Bodyguard

Selling over 18 million copies in America and 42 million copies worldwide, "The Bodyguard" soundtrack propelled a film that would've been forgotten in the annals of history to an unforgettable masterpiece.  Whitney Houston performed the majority of the songs, many of which became her most popular.  From the upbeat "I'm Every Woman" to "Queen of the Night" and "Run to You," this album is every bit as memorable as you'd find out there.  Then there's THE quintessential song, the song that propelled Houston to legendary status, the Dolly Parton-penned "I Will Always Love You," which remains a feat of musical prowess that hasn't been duplicated.