An integral element in the chances of future success, a good soundtrack can make or break a film, a state of affairs reflected by the final form of some of the greatest movies of all time. The right choice of songs can serve to elevate the standard of the wider film, but a misjudged selection can rob proceedings of any credibility in an instant. Accordingly, the quality of a film's soundtrack is of vital importance if it is to have any hope of lasting success or cultural impact among a never-ending stream of competitors.

Fortunately, many of cinema's best movie scores have provided plenty of inspiration for subsequent adaptations. Popular culture boasts a veritable catalog of first-rate soundtracks to match the considerable quality of their parent movie, meticulously selected, timed, and implemented to elevate the quality of the final product even further. Much like a flawless album from one's favorite artist, the standard of music on offer in these outings is so high that we could listen to these movie soundtracks on repeat every day without ever getting tired of them.

10 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (Soundtrack From & Inspired By The Motion Picture)

In addition to the movie's spectacular visuals, stirring narrative, and first-rate vocal performances, critical acclaim has been directed toward the epic soundtrack of 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Comprised of a score from Daniel Pemberton and original songs from an array of artists composed specifically for the movie, the film's varied soundtrack pays fitting tribute to Miles' diverse ethnic and cultural background in a manner that never feels forced.

Boasting endlessly catchy hits from the likes of Post Malone, Juice Wrld, and Lil Wayne, Into the Spider-Verse's hair-raising use of Blackway and Black Caviar's What's Up Danger? also serves as a notable highlight among a smorgasbord of memorable numbers from some of the best and brightest talents in the music industry. A state of affairs that was carried on by 2023's Across the Spider-Verse and appears set to continue with the trilogy's conclusive entry, the Spider-Verse franchise would appear to have the formula for exemplary soundtracks on lock.

9 Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest Gump: The Soundtrack

One of the most divisive movies of all time, Robert Zemeckis' Academy Award-winning comedy-drama Forrest Gump is typically either revered as a masterpiece or derided as one of the most overrated films ever made. However, while the debate over the 1994 Tom Hanks-led outing's overall quality rages on, the fact that Forrest Gump's collection of songs represents one of the best movie soundtracks of all time is not up for debate.

Robert Zemeckis insisted that all the music in Forrest Gump must be songs by American artists, as he strongly felt that Forrest wouldn't buy any music that wasn't American.

Loaded with hits from musical titans like Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, and Creedence Clearwater Revival to name but a few, Forrest Gump: The Soundtrack is one of the most star-studded examples that popular culture has to offer. Using hit songs from different eras as musical markers to pinpoint specific time periods, Forrest Gump's universally appealing collection of smash hits offers a tour through American history like no other.

8 Trainspotting (1996)

Trainspotting: Music From The Motion Picture

Capturing a mesmerizing screenshot of the British music scene in the 1990s through a carefully selected array of hits from the likes of Blur, Sleeper, and New Order, the endlessly replayable Trainspotting: Music from the Motion Picture is one of cinema's most beloved soundtracks. Based on Irvine Welsh's novel of the same name, 1996's Trainspotting is widely regarded as a seminal piece of cinema, a state of affairs that wouldn't be possible without its glorious soundtrack.

Legendary English rock band Oasis snubbed the offer to be featured on Trainspotting's soundtrack, as Noel Gallagher was under the impression that the movie centered on literal trainspotters.

Director Danny Boyle's choice of music proved to be a driving factor in creating some of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history. Whether it be the memorable "Choose life!" monologue from the movie's opening scene set to Iggy Pop's Lust for Life, or the sequence depicting Renton overdosing juxtaposed against the soothing tones of Lou Reed's Perfect Day, there are few films that can rival Trainspotting when it comes to choosing an unforgettable backing track.

7 Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther: The Album

Co-executive produced by musical titan Kendrick Lamar, it should come as little surprise that the acclaimed soundtrack to 2018's Black Panther has lost none of the appeal that led many fans to label it as one of the finest film-inspired albums ever made. A visionary collection of tunes from a group of remarkably gifted musicians, talents like Jorja Smith, Future, and The Weeknd all lend their considerable flair and skill to this phenomenal soundtrack.

From the enthralling strains of All of the Stars to the swaggering thump of Pray for Me, Black Panther's laundry list of endlessly replayable head bangers is arguably the coolest superhero music soundtrack of all time. Simultaneously featuring a heavy authentic African influence that draws attention to the movie's central themes of identity and self-determination, Black Panther's meticulously selected medley of hits is a testament to one of the most intricately designed Marvel movies of all time.

6 A Complete Unknown (2024)

A Complete Unknown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

James Mangold's A Complete Unknown is far from a flawless biographical offering, but the 2024 musical drama charting the life of Bob Dylan boasts one of the better soundtracks in recent memory; hardly surprising, considering that the central subject of the movie is one of the greatest musicians of all time. Timothée Chalamet produces a remarkable imitation of the singer's trademark rugged tones and gritty intonation, while Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton also do exemplary work as folk icons Joan Baez and Pete Seeger, respectively.

A Complete Unknown earned eight Academy Award nominations at the 97th Academy Awards.

A Complete Unknown features most of Dylan's smash-hit songs, from the early stages of his career up until the fateful events of the Newport Folk Festival, with beloved numbers like Girl from the North Country, Masters of War, and Like a Rolling Stone all featuring throughout Mangold's offering. Chalamet's rendition of The Times They Are A Changin' is a foot-stomping triumph, but Barbaro's hauntingly beautiful take on House of the Rising Sun is the movie's crowning musical glory, a jaw-dropping performance of a classic tune that never fails to elicit goosebumps.

5 Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas Music From The Motion Picture

Universally regarded as a movie that has defined the gangster genre, 1990's Goodfellas' label as a seminal piece of cinema is underlined by one of the greatest soundtracks in the history of popular culture. Martin Scorsese's magnum opus is loaded with songs that he selected specifically; the director chose numbers that he felt appropriately reflected the character or scene that was being featured at the time and insisted that the movie avoid musical anachronisms to lend proceedings further authenticity.

The end result is a glorious selection of iconic hits from the various time periods the sprawling gangster epic portrays, from the romantic refrain of The Crystals' Then He Kissed Me all the way to the thunderous riffs of The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter towards the film's back end. From Dean Martin to Derek and the Dominos, there's something for everybody in the seemingly endless catalog of magical musical numbers that is Goodfellas' soundtrack.

4 Baby Driver (2017)

Baby Driver - Music From The Motion Picture

An ensemble offering from Edgar Wright, Baby Driver's soundtrack is an indispensable element of the movie's sense of identity, as Ansel Elgort's titular getaway driver requires a constant stream of music through his headphones to combat his tinnitus. This state of affairs leads to a non-stop selection of hits against the backdrop of this acclaimed 2017 action-thriller, beginning with the movie's iconic introductory robbery scene set to the sound of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's Bellbottoms.

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 slated for a similar release date as Baby Driver, Wright ed the movie's director, James Gunn, to make sure that the two films did not feature any of the same tracks.

However, the bangers just keep on coming from Baby's seemingly endless collection of iPods. Memorable numbers from names like The Commodores, The Beach Boys, and Barry White serve to flesh out this excellent collection of tunes even further, while an electric climactic sequence set to Queen's blood-pumping hidden gem, Brighton Rock, acts as the cherry on the cake for one of the better soundtracks in modern movie history.

3 Drive (2011)

Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Earning rave reviews on release in 2011, particular praise was reserved for Drive's atmospheric soundtrack. Replacing Johnny Jewel with Cliff Martinez proved to be an inspired choice for the Ryan Gosling-led action drama. The involvement of the former Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer helped to engineer one of the most timeless and influential soundtracks in modern cinematic history, featuring first-rate numbers from synth-heavy names like Kavinsky and Chromatics.

A trippy cocktail of electronic and retro tones, Drive's ethereal blend of Europop and synthwave reinforces the film's trademark dreamy aura in effortless fashion. Leveraging an array of haunting female vocals and vintage keyboards to maximum effect, College and Electric Youth's stirring number A Real Hero during Drive's ambiguous ending serves as a particular highlight, but the movie's memorable soundtrack invariably maintains its excellence from start to finish.

2 Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

All three of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy movies boast a standout soundtrack, but none more so than the beloved original installment. One of the past decade's best feel-good movies, the director's choice to use a blend of upbeat '60s and '70s classics in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy proved to be nothing short of inspired, instantly providing his rag-tag motley crew outing with a unique sense of identity that many films take years to achieve.

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) was the second-best-selling soundtrack album of 2014.

Whether it's Starlord cooly strutting past an array of dangers to the strains of Redbone's Come and Get Your Love or the upbeat tones of Blue Swede's Hooked on a Feeling as the Guardians enter the Kyln, Guardians of the Galaxy's triumphant array of nostalgic classics never fail to score big. Featuring hits from the likes of David Bowie, Marvin Gaye, and the Jackson Five to round out the movie's feel-good aura, Guardians of Galaxy's Awesome Mix Vol. 1 does exactly what it says on the tin.

1 Pulp Fiction (1994)

Music From The Motion Picture Pulp Fiction

A 1990s movie masterpiece from Quentin Tarantino, 1994's Pulp Fiction boasts a soundtrack worthy of a cinematic tour de force. Many of the movie's most memorable sequences wouldn't possess the iconic reputation that they do without a carefully selected backing track for the ages, like the sequence depicting Butch sneaking up on his captors with a samurai sword, or Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega's legendary dance number.

From the upbeat thump of Dick Dale's Misirlou during the movie's opening credits to Urge Overkill's memorable cover of Neil Diamond's Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon as Mia Wallace gears up for the most spectacular overdose in cinematic history, Pulp Fiction is loaded with endlessly replayable tracks to rubber-stamp the movie's status as a classic. All the director's films have a reputation for possessing killer soundtracks, but none more so than his magnum opus.