Every great movie needs a special music soundtrack to go with it. Music can heighten the emotion, increase the tension, or make a comedic moment even funnier. The best of these movie soundtracks take on a life of their own outside the film. Sometimes they work as a thematic playlist, and other times they work as an introduction to an era. They can even just make for great background listening.

Ever since at least Blackboard Jungle, rock 'n' roll has been an important part of movie music, sometimes as part of the mood, but often as an element within the story itself. Every rock fan needs to have a good collection of soundtracks in their playlist (and not just best-ofs culled from rockumentaries). These 10 titles will get that list off to a great start, covering half a century of music with tunes to suit any mood.

10 American Graffiti

1973

American Graffiti came out in 1973, but its soundtrack, properly called 41 Original Hits From The Soundtrack Of American Graffiti, serves as a nearly perfect introduction to music from the Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll, a decade or more prior. The movie follows a group of teenagers through a series of adventures one night in 1962, and the soundtrack arises from the music they naturally hear during the course of that night.

Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids appeared in the film as the fictional Herby and the Heartbeats. They later performed on the TV show Happy Days, reuniting on screen with actor Ron Howard.

The album is a who's who of the era. Artists represented include Bill Halley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Booker T. With rock 'n' roll, doo-wop, and a healthy dose of soul, the soundtrack covers the time period well. From "Crying In The Chapel" to "Surfin' Safari," the nearly two hours of music make this primer as informative as it is entertaining (which is saying something).

9 Dazed And Confused

1993

Like American Graffiti, Dazed and Confused tracks a group of teenagers from a previous era over a short time, in this case, their last day of school in 1976, and likewise the soundtrack comes from music the kids would have listened to. It features hard rock cuts from the early and mid-'70s, and functions like its own playlist of the era.

The movie had enough good music to warrant a follow-up soundtrack album, but the first release remains the best. It's harder and more coherent, and the run from Rick Derringer to Black Sabbath never skips a beat. Even ballads "Love Hurts" by Nazareth and "Tuesday's Gone" by Lynyrd Skynyrd keep up the tone while offering just a little relief in the pacing.

8 Pulp Fiction

1994

Pulp Fiction's soundtrack could have been notable for the inclusion of one song, Dick Dale's "Misirlou." His definitive version not only established the mood of the movie, but it also. sparked a new interest in surf rock of all kinds. Its use here helped redefine what cool was for an entire era, and it's become so entwined with the film that it's hard to look at the movie poster without the track playing in your head.

But the rest of the album keeps up, maintaining the element of cool that was so essential to Quentin Tarantino's work. The filmmaker picked some big hits, like Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," but he made some unexpected choices to fit his movie, like the Urge Overkill version of "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon." Thirty years later, the record sounds like the world of Pulp Fiction, which isn't a bad thing.

7 Trainspotting

1996

Like Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting used its soundtrack to heighten its depiction of a dark world, this one mired in addiction and existential crisis. The soundtrack, though, sounds anything but mired, and its diverse collection - including punk, Britpop, techno, and more - develops a rich sound that covers as many moods as it does genres.

The soundtrack works as a reminder of the movie and as a lesson in music history.

Opening with Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life" gives the soundtrack a jolt of energy, while suggesting the conflicted nature of the experiences to follow (Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" feels much different in the context of the film than it does in the context of an actual good day). The Britpop elements are a perfect primer, featuring Blur, Pulp, and Elastica, and the presence of Primal Scream helps make a connection to techno, notably Underworld's "Born Slippy .NUXX." The soundtrack works as a reminder of the movie and as a lesson in music history.

6 Grosse Pointe Blank

1997

Maybe movies about crime just naturally lead to great soundtracks. Grosse Pointe Blank features John Cusack as a hitman returning home for a class reunion, and it seems that exceptional music follows him in his misadventures. The soundtrack focuses on punk, ska, and adjacent sounds, but manages to mix in some classic rock (including an unexpectedly lovely Pete Townshend remix) and even some metal.

As much as anything, the record serves as a gateway album into ska. Rock and metal fit comfortably alongside a sometimes forgotten genre, and cuts from the Clash and the Jam enable a smooth transition to the English Beat and the Specials. It doesn't seem like Faith No More and Johnny Nash should be partners, but it works. The smart collection allows for a coherent feel (pretty much the movie's general tone) while moving across key genres.

5 Boogie Nights

1997

Boogie Nights used a mix of disco and pop rock to brighten up a movie that grew increasingly dark. The soundtrack works happily outside its cinematic context, working like a mixtape of the late '70s and early '80s, collecting both vital hits and forgotten treasures for a bright listening experience.

The hits - including the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows," Eric Burdon and War's "Spill The Wine," and Night Ranger's "Sister Christian" - carry the soundtrack, but a simple best-of isn't nearly as interesting as a clever mix. The inclusion of Walter Egan's "Magnet And Steel" (not to be confused with "flint and steel") and Melanie's "Brand New Key" establish the mood of the work. Add tracks like "Best Of My Love" and "Jungle Fever," and you have nothing short of a classic soundtrack.

4 Rushmore

1998

Wes Anderson had a run of impressive soundtracks, but the most memorable of these came from Rushmore, the strange tale of a private school student. Anderson built the soundtrack around British invasion music, but largely avoided the obvious choices. Choosing songs from the Creation, Unit 4 + 2, and Chad & Jeremy keeps the sound consistent while throwing in a few pleasant wrinkles.

The score for the film, included in the soundtrack, comes from Mark Mothersbaugh, perhaps best known as one of the founders of Devo. Mothersbaugh's score doesn't rock, but it keeps the mood while adding a sonic narrative. The structure allows the big moments, notably the Who's "A Quick One, While He's Away" and Faces' "Ooh La La" to have the same sort of impact that they did on screen.

3 High Fidelity

2000

Of course, this one makes the list. High Fidelity is another John Cusack flick, this time featuring him as a music nerd, and his character's taste and knowledge make their way to the real-world soundtrack. If "Dry the Rain" could sell five copies of The Three EPs by the Beta Band in the film, then it almost certainly sold many more copies of it to viewers, and it's become a high point of this collection.

The rest of the soundtrack is a mix of indie nuggets (Smog, Stereolab) and surprising choices from obvious artists ("Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" from the Kinks, "Most Of The Time" from Bob Dylan). Jack Black's performance of "Let's Get It On" makes the cut, an absolutely ridiculous idea that suits the album. More than anything else, this soundtrack plays like an old-fashioned mixtape, one made carefully and knowingly.

2 Almost Famous

2000

The Almost Famous soundtrack also had music nerd cred, as the film is somewhat based on Cameron Crowe's early career as a music journalist. The story takes place in 1973, and the Grammy-winning soundtrack functions as a time capsule of the era. From folk to hard rock to R&B to prog, the music covers the highs of the first years of the '70s across genres.

It's as if 1973 radio came back to life, with only an ideal selection playing.

Most of these songs only made brief appearances in the film, but Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" was central to one of its most memorable scenes, and, for fans, holds the soundtrack together. With cuts from The Who, Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers Band, and more, the disc usually turns more raucous, while making sure to vary the tempo. It's as if 1973 radio came back to life, with only an ideal selection playing.

1 Guardians Of The Galaxy

2014

Music played an important role in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, as protagonist Peter Quill held onto his mom's mixtape to get him through his adventures. Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1, then, was a natural release and an obvious success. As befits the character, these songs are generally fun and accessible. Of course, Star-Lord would be listening to "Hooked On A Feeling" and "I Want You Back."

That doesn't mean everything is obvious, and the surprises are part of the fun. Neither 10cc nor the Raspberries are obvious picks, despite their great cuts. The inclusion of "Come and Get Your Love" helped bring more attention to Redbone, whose legacy should be something better than a one-hit wonder. That status might apply to some of the other acts here, but bringing them together makes for a listening experience that's, so to speak, out of this world.