Top 10 '90s Movie Soundtracks
The '90s: a time when cinema was churning out the best of the best. The movies defined the culture, but the music behind them influenced so much more.
There's is a specific nostalgic pleasure that comes from watching old '90s movies. It's your favorite actors in their youth rocking signature vintage styles of the era. But what truly defined the '90s was the music. L'OFFICIEL looks back at some of the most iconic '90s movies soundtracks that are still worth listening to today.
Dazed and Confused might be one of the best '90s soundtracks. Full of classic rock songs that scream teenage fever, the soundtrack works perfectly with the movie to create a full 95 minutes of that epitomizes the teenage dream. If you need a something to throw on during drives with your friends or for the "sesh," the Dazed and Confused soundtrack is sure to please.
Best songs: "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith, "Slow Ride" by Foghat, and "Cherry Bomb" by The Runaways.
Baz Lurhman's Romeo and Juliet is a masterpiece of a movie with a masterpiece of a soundtrack—beyond Radiohead's "Talk Show Host." The album has a bit of everything, mixing alternative rock, R&B, pop, and even classical ballads to take the music along with the story. If you need something to satisfy all your music addictions, consider playing this soundtrack for those days when one genre just isn't enough.
Best songs: "Young Hearts, Run Free" by Kym Mazelle, "Talk Show Host" by Radiohead, and "Kissing You" by Des'ree.
For a movie as sick and twisted as Cruel Intentions, the soundtrack certain captures the mood of the film. Latent with ballads, upbeats, and an underlying tone of angst, the Cruel Intentions soundtrack is not only perfect for the movie, but also a perfect amalgamation of the '90s.
Best songs: "Coffee & TV" by Blur, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve, and "Praise You" by Fatboy Slim.
One of the classic '90s rom-coms, 10 Things I Hate About You is a time capsule of what being a teen in the '90s was like—of course, a fabricated one. Featuring The Cardigans, Letters to Cleo, and the famous Frankie Valli—who could forget Heath Ledger's rendition of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You"—the soundtrack is not what you would expect for an adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, but then again, neither is the film itself. It is the perfect encapsulation of '90s high school life and we couldn't be more obsessed.
Best Tracks: "I Want You To Want Me" by Letters to Cleo, "War" by The Cardigans, and "Cruel To Be Kind" by Letters to Cleo.
If you like Elliott Smith, you will love the Good Will Hunting soundtrack. With Smith taking up six of the 15 tracks, the Good Will Hunting score is the perfect mix of somber and excitement, thanks to the addition of more upbeat songs such as "Somebody's Baby" and "As The Rain." The compilation of songs is something to behold, with Danny Elfman contributing beautiful instrumentals to a mostly alt-rock album. The one track that stands out on the album is Al Green's cover of The BeeGees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." Green's soulful ballad comes towards the end, throwing you off your melancholy path with a soulful ballad that will tear at your heartstrings but in a way to which you can't help but sway along.
Best Songs: "Miss Misery" by Elliott Smith, "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by Al Green, and "Boys Better" by The Dandy Warhols.
Did you really think there wasn't going to be a Disney soundtrack in this list? The Lion King is arguably one of the best movies and soundtracks ever released by Disney. I mean Jeremy Irons is singing on it for crying out loud. A perfect way to reenter your childhood, The Lion King's soundtrack is star-studded and guaranteed to get you dancing.
Best songs: "Hakuna Matata" by Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, and Joesph Williams and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" by Joesph Williams, Sally Dworsky, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and Kristle Edwards.
When Harry Met Sally, a rom-com with the tunes to match. Full of love ballads from icons such as Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong and featuring Harry Connick Jr.'s beautiful jazz piano and vocals (which we won an oscar for), the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack gives you the feeling of falling in love and all the complications that come with it through focusing on jazz ballads over pop, rock, or soul.
Best songs: "Autumn in New York" by Harry Connick Jr., "Our Love is Here" by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, and "Isn't it Romantic?" by Ella Fitzgerald.
To all you Pulp Fiction lovers: sorry, but Jackie Brown arguably has one of the best, if not the best, soundtracks of any Quinten Tarantino movie. Ripe with soul, the album features the likes of Bill Withers, The Delfonics, and Minnie Riperton while interlacing rock and country throughout the tracks with Johnny Cash and The Vampire Sound Incorporation working their way into the tracklist.
Best Songs: "Inside My Love" by Minnie Ripperton, "Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)" by Bill Withers, and "Across 110th Street" by Bobby Womack and Peace.
An ode to Compton in the '90s, Boyz n the Hood's soundtrack is the epitome of what hip-hop and R&B were during the '90s. Featuring Ice Cube (whose song with Eazy-E, "Boyz n the Hood," became the title of the film, though isn't featured in the soundtrack), Dj Jazzy Jeff, Quincy Jones, and Sir Jinx, the movie's soundtrack shone a light on the music coming out of Compton but also gave commentary on the reality of living in Compton.
Best Songs: "Growin' Up In The Hood" by Compton's Most Wanted, "How To Survive in South Central" by Ice Cube, and "Black on Black Crime" by Stanley Clarke.
