The Greatest Soundtracks of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated November 21, 2019 66.2k votes 11.2k voters 243.9k views291 items

List RulesNo scores, no musicals, or concert films; just soundtracks.

The best soundtracks ever are more than just a collection of songs in a particular order; they evoke and accentuates the feelings of a movie during, and long after, it has been viewed. This is a list of the greatest soundtracks ever recorded, as ranked by the Ranker Community. Sometimes a great soundtrack can elevate a mediocre movie into something that makes it iconic. Top Gun, Footloose, Grease... (best soundtracks ever!) these are great soundtrack albums that you listened to over and over, making the songs themselves so ingrained with the movie that they BECAME the movie in your head.

What are the top soundtracks ever? Vote on this list of the best soundtracks of all time, pick your faves, add what's missing, and rank the best!

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3,007
1,139
Forrest Gump
"Hound Dog"
"California Dreamin'"
"On the Road Again"
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2
1,075
836
Footloose
"Footloose"
"Almost Paradise"
"Dancing In The Sheets"
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#59 of 781 The Greatest Chick Flicks Ever Made#74 of 126 The Greatest Date Movies Of All Time
3
1,348
1,059
Dirty Dancing
"(I've Had) The Time of My Life"
"She's Like the Wind"
"Hungry Eyes"
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#70 of 84 Great Movies That Take Place in Autumn#3 of 105 The Best Valentine's Day Movies
4
962
726
Back to the Future
"The Power of Love"
"Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)"
"Johnny B. Goode"
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5
1,294
1,021
Pink Floyd – The Wall
"In the Flesh?"
"Mother"
"Goodbye Cruel World"
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6
1,120
875
Top Gun
"Danger Zone"
"Take My Breath Away"
"Great Balls of Fire"
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7
1,559
1,239
Pulp Fiction
"Let's Stay Together"
"Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon"
"Son of a Preacher Man"
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8
663
389
Walk the Line
"Ring of Fire"
"I Walk the Line"
"Wildwood Flower"
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#375 of 549 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made#6 of 275 The Best Movies Based On True Stories
9
1,693
1,351
Purple Rain
"When Doves Cry"
"Let's Go Crazy"
"Purple Rain"
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#39 of 661 The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked#237 of 585 The Greatest Guitar Rock Albums of All Time
10
643
353
Stand by Me
"Let the Good Times Roll"
"Great Balls of Fire"
"Stand by Me"
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11
735
566
Ghostbusters
"Ghostbusters"
"In the Name of Love"
"I Can Wait Forever"
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12
523
402
Help!
"The Night Before"
"Ticket to Ride"
"Yesterday"
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#244 of 557 The Greatest Film Scores of All Time#234 of 356 The Best Musical Movies Of All Time
13
1,234
999
The Breakfast Club
"Don't You (Forget About Me)"
"Waiting"
"Fire in the Twilight"
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14
961
594
Guardians of the Galaxy
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715
575
The Graduate
"The Sound of Silence"
"Mrs. Robinson"
"April Come She Will"
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#726 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever#39 of 369 The Best Movies Based On Books
16
626
492
Reservoir Dogs
"Hooked on a Feeling"
"Stuck in the Middle with You"
"Coconut"
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#3 of 126 The Greatest Directorial Debuts Of All Time#13 of 123 The Best Mafia Films Of All Time
17
666
512
The Bodyguard
"I Will Always Love You"
"I'm Every Woman"
"Queen of the Night"
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18
627
538
Flashdance
"Flashdance... What a Feeling"
"Maniac"
"Romeo"
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#91 of 112 Albums You're Guaranteed To Find In Every Parent's CD Collection#110 of 382 The Greatest Movie Themes
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492
389
Almost Famous
"Sparks"
"Tiny Dancer"
"Something in the Air"
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#484 of 1,540 The Most Rewatchable Movies#104 of 246 The Best Rainy Day Movies
20
1,304
1,315
Saturday Night Fever
"Stayin' Alive"
"More Than a Woman"
"Boogie Shoes"
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#47 of 63 Movies Set in Brooklyn#125 of 339 The Greatest Album Covers of All Time
21
342
213
The Lost Boys
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#31 of 722 The Best Horror Movies Of All Time#22 of 83 The Greatest Supernatural & Paranormal Teen Films
22
501
428
American Graffiti
"At the Hop"
"Almost Grown"
"The Great Pretender"
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#22 of 553 The Best '70s Movies#37 of 261 The Best Ensemble Movies
23
454
416
Pretty in Pink
"If You Leave"
"Pretty in Pink"
"Wouldn't It Be Good"
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#94 of 305 The Funniest '80s Movies#53 of 200 The Best Teen Romance Movies

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Trainspotting
"Lust for Life"
"Temptation"
"Our Lips Are Sealed"
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#453 of 922 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films#97 of 102 The 100+ Best Movies Streaming On The Criterion Channel
25
159
113
Good Morning, Vietnam
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#71 of 675 The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars#25 of 152 Movies That Should Never Be Remade