Movies will not be the same without music. Imagine watching “The Graduate” without the folk-rock of Simon & Garfunkel. The songs in some movies, especially in the 21st century, have often gone viral. In some cases, they are arguably more popular than the movie itself.
24/7 Tempo reviewed historical data from the Billboard 200 top album chart going back to 1980. These rankings are primarily based on physical album sales but also include streaming and downloads starting in 2014.
The most popular soundtracks on the list are song-driven and have had significant cultural impact in several ways. These soundtracks have either top charts for weeks, or have sold millions of copies, or have helped create iconic movie scenes.
Several genres are represented in the list, from classical music to rock, punk, and pop.
Some soundtracks are universally loved and have remained popular throughout the years. The best songs have become musical standards — these are the absolute best songs in history.
Click here to see the most popular movie soundtracks since 1980
We ranked the albums based on an aggregate score composed of the number of weeks each album spent on the Billboard 200 chart in the year of its release weighted by the position it occupied each week. A week at No. 1, for example, would be worth 200 times more than a week spent at No. 200 in the aggregate score.
An album’s score is based on its performance in the 365 days following its first appearance on the Billboard 200 chart.
1980
> Movie: Urban Cowboy
> Starring: John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 5/17/1980
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 3
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1980: 33
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1981
> Movie: Heavy Metal
> Starring: Richard Romanus, John Candy, Joe Flaherty
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 8/8/1981
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 12
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1981: 21
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1982
> Movie: E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial
> Starring: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 7/3/1982
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 37
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1982: 26
1983
> Movie: Flashdance
> Starring: Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Lilia Skala
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 4/30/1983
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1983: 36
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1984
> Movie: The Big Chill
> Starring: Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 10/22/1983
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 17
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1984: 52
1985
> Movie: Beverly Hills Cop
> Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 1/12/1985
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1985: 51
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1986
> Movie: Top Gun
> Starring: Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Kelly McGillis
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 6/7/1986
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1986: 30
1987
> Movie: La Bamba
> Starring: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 7/25/1987
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1987: 23
1988
> Movie: Dirty Dancing
> Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 9/19/1987
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1988: 53
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1989
> Movie: Beaches
> Starring: Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, John Heard
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 1/21/1989
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1989: 50
1990
> Movie: Pretty Woman
> Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Jason Alexander
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 4/7/1990
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 4
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1990: 39
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1991
> Movie: New Jack City
> Starring: Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Allen Payne
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 3/23/1991
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1991: 37
1992
> Movie: Boomerang
> Starring: Eddie Murphy, Robin Givens, Halle Berry
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 7/18/1992
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 4
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1992: 24
1993
> Movie: Aladdin
> Starring: Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/28/1992
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 6
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1993: 52
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1994
> Movie: Sleepless In Seattle
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Ross Malinger
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 7/10/1993
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1994: 51
1995
> Movie: The Lion King
> Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 6/18/1994
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1995: 52
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1996
> Movie: Waiting To Exhale
> Starring: Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 12/2/1995
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1996: 41
1997
> Movie: Space Jam
> Starring: Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, Theresa Randle
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/30/1996
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1997: 52
1998
> Movie: City Of Angels
> Starring: Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan, Andre Braugher
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 4/18/1998
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1998: 37
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1999
> Movie: Tarzan
> Starring: Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Brian Blessed
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 6/5/1999
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 5
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1999: 30
2000
> Movie: Romeo Must Die
> Starring: Jet Li, Aaliyah, Isaiah Washington
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 4/15/2000
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 3
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2000: 28
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2001
> Movie: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
> Starring: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 1/13/2001
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2001: 51
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2002
> Movie: Shrek
> Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 6/2/2001
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 28
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2002: 52
2003
> Movie: Chicago
> Starring: Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 2/1/2003
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2003: 48
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2004
> Movie: The Cheetah Girls
> Starring: Raven-Symone, Adrienne Houghton, Kiely Williams
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 8/30/2003
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 33
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2004: 43
2005
> Movie: Garden State
> Starring: Zach Braff, Peter Sarsgaard, Natalie Portman
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 8/28/2004
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 20
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2005: 39
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2006
> Movie: High School Musical
> Starring: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 1/28/2006
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2006: 49
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2007
> Movie: Hannah Montana
> Starring: Miley Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/11/2006
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2007: 52
2008
> Movie: Alvin And The Chipmunks
> Starring: Jason Lee, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., Janice Karman
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 12/22/2007
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 5
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2008: 50
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2009
> Movie: Twilight
> Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/22/2008
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2009: 52
2010
> Movie: Glee: Season One: The Music Volume 1
> Starring: Lea Michele, Jane Lynch, Matthew Morrison
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/21/2009
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 4
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2010: 52
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2011
> Movie: Burlesque
> Starring: Cher, Christina Aguilera, Alan Cumming
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 12/11/2010
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 18
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2011: 44
2012
> Movie: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1
> Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/26/2011
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 4
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2012: 22
2013
> Movie: Pitch Perfect
> Starring: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 10/13/2012
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 3
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2013: 52
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2014
> Movie: Frozen
> Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 12/14/2013
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2014: 52
2015
> Movie: Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1
> Starring: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 8/16/2014
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2015: 50
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2016
> Movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
> Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 1/9/2016
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 5
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2016: 11
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2017
> Movie: Moana
> Starring: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 12/10/2016
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2017: 52
2018
> Movie: The Greatest Showman
> Starring: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 12/30/2017
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2018: 52
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2019
> Movie: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
> Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 12/29/2018
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2019: 43
2020
> Movie: Frozen II
> Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/30/2019
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 2020: 42
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