Our Favorite Soundtrack Albums

As the World Cup takes over my city this month, I find myself hunkering down here in the B&V labs. It’s not that I don’t like large crowds of people, but as they say in Barfly, “I just sort of feel better when they’re not around.”

Although admittedly, I’m hearing the folks from Scotland drank all the beer in Boston… that’s quite a feat. Trust me, I lived in Boston one summer. That actually sounds like something that might get me out on the streets, but alas, I’m too far away.

Whenever the Rock Chick and I are hidden in our bunker, it’s typically to binge watch some show she’s decided we’re watching. Every couple has a “keeper of the shows-to-watch list” and in my house it’s not me. Better yet we might watch a movie. Or even better (best) a concert video or rockumentary like the newish doc on the Chili Peppers (The Rise Of The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother Hillel).

Lately I’ve been watching Almost Famous, Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical story of a young journalist. I think it’s a cool movie and it’s been on repeat on one of the movie channels of late. It may also have to do with my just finishing his book, Uncool. In my next life I want to be Cameron.

Watching that movie got me thinking about the use of music in movies. I’ve always thought the rise of MTV brought about a lot better music in films. It truly influenced how music is used on screen, especially in action sequences. Even the TV show Miami Vice used music extensively.

But that’s probably an unfair assessment. There were a lot of good movies with great soundtracks prior to MTV. This internal debate in my head got me thinking about soundtracks and how many great ones are out there. I posted a playlist once on original songs written specifically for a movie. I think that was during COVID when we couldn’t go to the movies.

I thought I might sit down and compile a list of my favorite soundtracks. I mean, we’re in a bit of a summer lull in terms of new music right now while we wait for new LPs from the Stones and Jack White. These are the soundtracks that I absolutely love but I also think they had some cultural significance.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive. I’m sure there are great soundtracks out there that I’m forgetting here, as I’m only listing 15… If there’s a great soundtrack that I’m forgetting, please drop it in the comments so I can check it out. Hell, I might even watch the movie just to hear the music.

And yes, I’m Cameron Crowe heavy here… but he’s kind of top of mind. Am I wrong to think he looks like Severus Snape? Well, on Wikipedia he does, but I digress. Here is my “tip of the iceberg” list.

• The Big Chill (1983) – This might be my favorite movie… other than maybe Highlander. This soundtrack introduced me, a newly minted high school graduate to a bunch of great stuff from the 60s that I’d never heard.
• Saturday Night Fever (1977) – I’m a “Death Before Disco” guy, I don’t dance, when I do paramedics show up and try to force wood between my teeth, but you can’t ignore one of the highest selling soundtracks of all time.
• Singles (1992) – Our first of several Cameron Crowe flicks… This soundtrack is like a Grunge primer.
• Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – This movie and its soundtrack capture my high school/suburbs/mall growing up experience to a T. And Phoebe Cates certainly owns “Moving In Stereo.”
• Almost Famous (2000) – The Rock Chick owned this soundtrack when I met her. It turned her onto Zeppelin’s “Tangerine” so it had to be on here.
• Purple Rain (1984) – This feels like cheating. Prince saw the impact of 3-4 minute videos and blew that up into a movie. Greatest music of his career?
• A Hard Day’s Night and Help! (1964 and 1965) – These were more long form videos than actual movies. And as John Lennon said on Live At The Hollywood Bowl, “One is in color and one is black and white.” So much great Beatles’ music on these albums.
• Rushmore (1998) – Great Bill Murray film, great soundtrack. From the Kinks to John Lennon to my favs the Faces. It’s all offbeat stuff and I love it.
• High Fidelity (2000) – Great movie based on a great book about a guy who owns a used vinyl shop. How was I gonna skip this one? It made “Walking On Sunshine” listenable to me.
• Dazed And Confused (1993) – Another movie I felt like I grew up in. It spawned not one but two compilations of some of the greatest 70s rock n roll ever. Like the man says, “Alright, alright, alright.”
• The Harder They Come (1972) – This film introduced so many people to reggae and the legend Jimmy Cliff.
• The Crow (1994) – A dark soundtrack for a dark movie. I may be the only person who just loved this soundtrack, but sometimes the selections are only for me.
• Heavy Metal (1981 – An animated feature I saw at the midnight movies! It has not one but two theme songs, one by Sammy Hagar and one by Don Felder. Very groovy stuff.
• Highlander (1986) – Ok, this soundtrack that features only songs by Queen was a last minute add after I mentioned it above. This soundtrack got me interested in Queen again in the 80s, so there’s that. “There can be only one…”

These are our favorites down at B&V. I’m sure I’ve missed hundreds of other soundtracks that are simply awesome. Please drop your favorites in the comments section for all to share! I need some good movie ideas while I’m hiding out from the World Cup droves of people…

Cheers! (And I hope wherever you are your World Cup Team does well)!