The Best Songs from Movie Soundtracks

What are the best songs found on movie soundtracks?

The term soundtrack originated in the 1950s, when film studios decided to release albums as a promotional gimmick for upcoming movies. They then labeled these recordings as "music from the original motion picture soundtrack." Technically, the music does not come from the "soundtrack" of the film--which would also contain the dialogue and sound effects. Instead, it comes from the music track, but I digress.

Once upon a time, music featured on a soundtrack was always featured in the film. This is not the case anymore and the term soundtrack now most commonly refers to the music used in a movie and on the album sold containing that music. Any music that is featured on the album, but not in the movie, is considered "inspired by" the film.

Choosing the best movie soundtracks songs was not an easy task. In doing so, we found we had enough songs to create separate pages for both James Bond Songs and Disney Songs. So we created a special page for each of them instead of listing them here.

For your convenience, we have included links to the sheet music on Sheetmusicplus.com as well as the CD on Amazon.com whenever available. If you are looking to purchase the mp3 or would like to listen to a sample, then click on either the Amazon, Rhapsody, or iTunes links.

Rhapsody provides both music subscriptions as well as individual mp3s for sale in WMA format and iTunes only provides MPEG-4 audio files for sale. However, Amazon does offer mp3s that are compatible with both Windows Media Player and iTunes. For more information about where to purchase music online, we provide it on our Music Downloads page or our Music Subscriptions page.

1. "As Time Goes By" by Dooley Wilson from Casablanca (1942)
    Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
2. "Almost Paradise" performed by Ann Wilson & Mike Reno from Footloose (1984)
    Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
3. "Because You Loved Me" performed by Celine Dion from Up Close and Personal (1996)
    Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
4. "Cabaret" from Cabaret (1972)
    Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
5. "Cheek to Cheek" performed by Fred Astaire from Top Hat (1935)
    Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
6. "Come What May" performed by Nicole Kidman And Ewan McGregor from Moulin Rouge! (2001)
    Find it on:      Sheetmusicplus
7. "Crazy For You" by Madonna from Vision Quest 1985
    Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
8. "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" by Marilyn Monroe from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
    Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
9. "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilsson from Midnight Cowboy (1969)
    Find it on:        Sheetmusicplus
10. "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
11. "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy from Do the Right Thing (1989)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody
12. "Hero" by Chad Kroeger from Spider-Man (2002)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
13. "Hopelessly Devoted to You" by Olivia Newton-John from Grease (1978)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
14. "I Could Have Danced All Night" by Marni Nixon, Rex Harrison & Wilfrid Hyde-White from My Fair Lady (1964)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
15. "I Cross My Heart" performed by George Strait from Pure Country (1992)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
16. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston from The Body Guard (1992)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
17. "I've Had the Time of My Life" performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes from Dirty Dancing (1987)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
18. "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette from Pretty Woman (1990)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
19. "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis Presley from Jailhouse Rock (1957)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
20. "Moon River" by Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)
     Click to find it on        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
21. "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon & Garfunkel from The Graduate (1967)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody
22. "Old Time Rock And Roll" by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band from Risky Business (1983)
     Find it on:      Sheetmusicplus
23. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland from The Wizard of Oz (1939)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
24. "People" by Barbra Streisand from Funny Girl (1968)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
25. "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" by B.J. Thomas from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
     Find it on:     
26. "Singin' In The Rain" by Gene Kelly from Singin' in The Rain (1952)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
27. "Separate Lives" performed by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin from White Nights (1985)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
28. "She's Like The Wind" performed by Patrick Swayze from Dirty Dancing (1987)
     Find it on:        Sheetmusicplus
29. "Soul Man" by Blues Brothers from The Blues Brothers (1980)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody
30. "Take My Breath Away" performed by Berlin from Top Gun (1986)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
31. "The Man that Got Away" performed by Judy Garland from A Star Is Born (1954)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
32. "The Way You Look Tonight" performed by Tony Bennet from My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
33. "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers from Ghost (1990)
     Find it on        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
34. "Up Where We Belong" performed by Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes from An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
35. "White Christmas" performed by Bing Crosby from Holiday Inn (1942)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
36. "Wind Beneath My Wings" performed by Bette Midler from Beaches (1988)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
37. "You're the One that I Want" by John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John from Grease (1978)
     Find it on:        Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus

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