A film’s music can convey emotion, propel action and nail a finale like nothing else, but some movies go above and beyond by skipping the more tasteful Academy Award-winning fare in favor of a musical medley of total badassery. Here are some of the coolest movie soundtracks ever, what’s your favorite?
Photo credit: YouTube/FilmDistrict
8 ‘The Matrix’
I’m not talking about this movie’s score; I’m talking about The Matrix: Music from the Motion Picture, which includes a wealth of techno, industrial, nu-metal and alternative rock that’s best known for enhancing scenes like the lobby shootout and the Neo/Morepheus training sequence. Prodigy, Deftones, Ministry, Rage Against the Machine and Rammstein, among others, make this a hard rock lover’s wet dream.
Photo credit: YouTube/Warner Bros. Pictures
7 ‘The Rock’
The Rock could never ever win anything for its score because its composer, Hans Zimmer, so perfectly captures what it must like to be inside of Michael Bay’s mind when he’s putting together his latest “everything exploding” action sequence. Seriously, don’t ever listen to this soundtrack while you’re driving; no matter what speed you’re going you will feel like your life is in grave danger.
Photo credit: YouTube/Buena Vista Pictures
6 ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’
This is one of the most epic soundtracks of all time, which is pretty spot-on since this is one of the most thrilling movies ever made. Listen to this one while jogging T-1000 style and you may just find yourself making record time.
Photo credit: YouTube/TriStar Pictures
5 ‘8 Mile’
Music From and Inspired by the Movie 8 Mile was a lengthy 68 minutes and as of 2012 has sold almost 5 million copies. Damn. Eminem wrote and/or produced about half of the album at the height of his career, propelling it to #1 on music charts in America, Japan and Australia.
Photo credit: YouTube/Universal Pictures
4 ‘Purple Rain’
The badassery of this particular soundtrack is certainly subject to debate, but its success isn’t. At over 20 million in sales worldwide, it’s one of the highest selling albums of all time. Plus, Prince decked out in purple, on a purple motorcycle under a haze of purple mist is the most badass album cover ever.
Photo credit: YouTube/Warner Bros.
3 ‘South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut’
What other soundtrack could get away with songs like “Uncle Fucka,” “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch,” “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” and “Blame Canada?” Pure genius.
Photo credit: YouTube/Paramount Pictures
2 ‘Pulp Fiction’
Any soundtrack that has Sam Jackson spitting his patented brand of frustranger in between the unintended violence-inducing surf licks of “Misirlou” and the soulful “Son of a Preacher Man” is unarguably a badass soundtrack.
Photo credit: YouTube/Miramax Films
1 ‘Drive’
Electro-pop and retro 80’s synth lend themselves to atmospheric flourishes and emotional build-ups, making this a unique soundtrack to a great indie film that would have been muddled with hard rocking nonsense mayhem had it been a mainstream offering.
Photo credit: YouTube/FilmDistrict
(Previously published April 8, 2013.)