What I mean by Compilation Type is that the soundtrack does not consist of songs written for the movie but a compilation album from multiple different artists. Otherwise I would have included half of the soundtracks composed by Jon Brion and lots of other movies that have soundtracks by just one artist.
Maybe I will make lists for those types, too, at some point.
Most of the soundtracks on this list influenced my taste in music greatly and were my gateway to some of my favorites bands and musicians.
SPOILER WARNING FOR GARDEN STATE
1. High Fidelity
This soundtrack changed my taste in music completely. I was so obsessed with it as a teenager. It introduced me/pushed me towards so many of my all-time-favorite bands and musicians. The Kinks, Love, The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan. I don’t know where I’d be without it. And the last needle drop of the movie, where he talks about making a mix tape for someone and then it plays I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) by Stevie Wonder is one of my favorite needle drops in movie history.
2. The Royal Tenenbaums
It feels a little wrong not putting this on the first place, ngl. This was basically just as important for my development into the person I am today as High Fidelity if not even more so.
Because this was the movie that introduced me to Elliott Smith. Also it has MULTIPLE of the best needle drops in history in it. These Days and Needle the Hay being the most obvious ones.
It also has Nick Drake, The Clash, The Ramones, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, The Velvet Underground and great use of the Beatles, too.
I can’t overstate how good this soundtrack is and how perfect the music is intertwined with the scenes and plot of the movie.
3. Garden State
I love this so so so much, as do probably most weird artsy people my age or 5-10 years older. This soundtrack is so fucking good.
New slang is a top tier needledrop. I will forever be in love with Natalie Portman’s face looking happy and insecure at the same time while Zach Braff is judging her taste in music.
But it’s not even my favorite needledrop of the movie. My favorite is the last scene where Andrew is trying to leave Sam and “Let go” by Frou Frou plays and he realizes his mistake and runs back, does his little monologue about how fucked up his life is, asks “What do we do?” and then the second he kisses her the break into the chorus happens and Imogen Heap sings the words: “So let go, so let go. Jump in! Oh well, whatcha waiting for? It’s alright. Cause there’s beauty in the breakdown” PERFECTION!!!!!!!!!!!
Also important on the soundtrack: Nick Drake, Coldplay (only stuff from the one album of them I actually really love), Zero 7 (also a 10/10 needledrop btw), more of the Shins, etc. etc.
4. Juno
This is another soundtrack that is kind of a basic choice for people who are around my age or a little older, because seemingly every cool teen back when the movie came out was obsessed with this soundtrack. But with good reason!!! This slaps!
It introduced me to Kimya Dawson, the Moldy Peaches, Sonic Youth, Belle and Sebastian, Hole, Cat Power, it has GREAT use of the Kinks and The Velvet Underground (which, let’s be honest, should both be on every good soundtrack).
The use of Anyone Else But You might be my favorite. The song so perfectly captures the cute friendship and love between Juno and Bleeker. It just fits so well.
5. Rushmore
Wes Anderson is the king of movie soundtracks. There is no one better than him. Not even close.
Rushmore was one of my Top 3 favorite movies when I was a teenager and the soundtrack had a lot to do with it.
The Kinks, Cat Stevens, John Lennon, The Who, all great choices.
My favorite needledrops in this are the compilation scene of Max doing all of his many weird hobbies (so me!) set to Making Time, the scene where Max swindles himself into Rosemary’s bedroom and brings his own tape with him that has Rue St. Vincent on it and best of all the dance scene at the end where “Ooh la la” by The Faces plays. Epic scene and great song.
6. Twilight
This soundtrack was sooo important to me growing up. I was just the right age when the movie came out to be completely obsessed with the movie as well as the soundtrack.
It introduced me to Paramore and Muse. And made me obsessed with Robert Pattinson’s weird ass mumbly singing. My favorites from the whole soundtrack are the two songs he wrote.
Eyes on Fire is epic, so is Full Moon and of course Supermassive Black Hole, which will forever be linked to the baseball scene.
As a tiny baby teen I also listened to Flightless Bird, American Mouth a lot, but in kind of an unhealthy way. (I don’t wanna eloborate. Sorry. Let’s just say it made me really sad.)
7. Wristcutters: A Love Story
This is probably the most obscure one by far on this list, which is sad because it’s really great. The movie is okay (I haven’t seen it in a long time so I’m not really sure at this point). I found it as a teen through my morbid obsession back then with all things suicide.
The soundtrack is by far superior to the movie.
It introduced me to my favorite Tom Waits record “Real Gone” and to the band Gogol Bordello. Also Screaming Lord Sutch, Joy Division and the Song “Gloomy Sunday” by Artie Shaw, which is sad af and really really great.
The first scene in the movie (a scene of the protagonist killing himself, Spoiler warning lol) is set to Dead and Lovely by Tom Waits, which goes sooo hard in general but especially as a suicide scene song. I low key could make a banger suicide scene song list, which feels kind of weird (I’m not gonna. Don’t worry!).
8. (500) Days of Summer
I think I said it before on here somewhere but I was such a hater of this movie, while also secretly being obsessed with it and owning it on DVD and watching it all the time IN SECRET. I felt like it appropriated my hipsterdom in some way which seems so stupid and pretentious now. I was a fan of the Smiths and the Pixies and Belle and Sebastian and didn’t want to share them with a “normie” audience, because no one would get the Smiths like I got the Smiths and they were all just posers for acting like it. I am so glad I am not like this anymore.
Also it introduced me to Regina Spektor’s music which I am very glad about! The use of her song Hero is my favorite in the film.
9. Trainspotting
Epic soundtrack. This is not a hot take. This was a best selling album. I don’t know if it is a true fun fact or just a meme that someone made up, I honestly don’t care, but I read somewhere that Noel Gallagher chose for Oasis not to be on this soundtrack because he thought the movie was about trains and gonna be really boring. It’s probably not true, but the idea is so funny.
Anyway…great use of Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Brian Eno, Pulp.
Just a great album overall!
10. Almost Famous
Cameron Crowe knows his music, which makes sense considering what this movie is about. I really love his soundtracks even for his movies I didn’t even like (*cough* Vanilla Sky). The whole film revolves around loving music and it bringing people together. It’s a giant love letter to it, so it’s no wonder that the soundtrack is very solid. I was not as obsessed with it as with some of the others on this list so I don’t have that strong of an opinion on it other than that it’s good. The obvious needledrop in this one is the scene where they all sing Tiny Dancer in the tour bus.
Honorable Mentions:
basically all Wes Anderson movies (especially The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom)
lots of Quentin Tarantino movies (especially Jackie Brown, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Reservoir Dogs)
10 Things I hate about you
The Holdovers
