Songs written for films have always been a part of our
popular music lexicon. In the 1920s, film and theater were popular places to
find top hits of the day.
Today, though music may come from many different sources now,
film still plays a vital role in popular music consumption. We continue to talk
about songs that play a big role in popular films, especially when it’s popular
artists of the day who perform them. In the last year, for example, Justin
Timberlake’s ‘Trolls’ contribution, “Can’t Stop the Feeling!,” became a Top 40
radio staple, and the ‘Hamilton’ musical soundtrack outperformed some of the
most popular artists on the charts.
It’s not hard to find film songs from the last 50 years on top
of the popular music charts. There have been many songs that have had lasting
effects on the popular music landscape that were originally written for movies.
Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has picked seven
of the most popular songs of the last half-century that were originally written
for films.
1.
Celine Dion, “My Heart Will Go On”: Inescapable
in 1997, “My Heart Will Go On” became one of the most overplayed songs on the
radio. Written by composer James Horner for the classic ‘Titanic,’ the song’s
placement during the end credits struck a chord with movie-goers and popular
music lovers alike. The song’s soft, begging verses and big chorus and build-up
at the end make it as dramatic as the film itself. (video)
2.
Neil Diamond, “America”: Seen as more of a
patriotic song nowadays, “America” was originally written by Neil Diamond as
part of his 1980 reimagining of ‘The Jazz Singer.’ The movie may have been a
bomb, but the song outlasted it, becoming one of Diamond’s biggest hits. “America”
peaked at number eight on the Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary
chart. (video)
3.
Eminem, “Lose Yourself”: Eminem was dominating
the rap scene in 2002 when he released his film ‘8 Mile,’ loosely based on his
life and career. The film was preceded by the soundtrack’s lead single, “Lose
Yourself,” which dominated Top 40 airplay charts, as well as the Billboard Hot
100 chart, where it peaked at number one. “Lose Yourself” wasn’t like some of
Eminem’s previous singles; it wasn’t angry, it wasn’t tongue-in-cheek. It was,
however, a serious bit of storytelling with a great message. (video)
4.
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”: It’s hard to forget
one of the most ear-wormy of modern earworms, Pharrell’s “Happy.” The song got
so big and got so much airplay that most people probably don’t remember that
the song came from the animated sequel ‘Despicable Me 2.’ The song spent 47
weeks on the Hot 100 in 2014, peaking at number one. Pop-y and infectious, the
song was everywhere. (video)
5.
Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”: Music
played a big role in John Hughes’ films and there is no greater testament to
that than “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” The musical framing for the final
scene in ‘The Breakfast Club,’ the song became one of the biggest hits of 1985.
It led Simple Minds to prominence, giving the band its first number one hit and
one of the longest-charting singles in chart history. (video)
6.
Idina Menzel, “Let It Go”: Broadway star Idina
Menzel, best known for her originating roles in ‘Rent’ and ‘Wicked,’ got her
chance in the pop music spotlight in 2013 with “Let It Go,” from the popular
Disney film ‘Frozen.’ The song was as big a smash as the film and found a place
on the top five of the Hot 100, as well as on Top 40 radio. (video)
7.
Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger”: Written for the
film ‘Rocky III,’ “Eye of the Tiger” became a huge hit in 1982. Holding the
number one spot on the Hot 100 for six weeks upon its release, the song
continues to be a staple at sporting events to this day. One cannot think of a
training montage without thinking about this song. (video)
Film continues to be a strong place for music to gain
popularity. Many times, artists will write a song for a film and the song will
do even better than the film. Other times, the song and the film become synonymous
with each other, launching both into cultural notoriety. These songs are proof
that movie music still has the ability to be as influential on what we listen
to today as any other outlet for music consumption.
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Find movie music and more at Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s
top new independent record shop. Whether you’re into movie soundtracks, rock
music, R&B, hip-hop or even opera, we have thousands of titles to choose
from in a wide array of genres. Browse one of the largest selections of new and
used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, DVDs and cultural memorabilia on the island. Can’t
make it to the store during business hours? Shop our selection from the comfort
of your own home at vinylbay777.com. New music is being added all the time, so
there’s always a reason to drop by or surf our site.
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