Soundtracks can make or break a movie. Even if you don’t notice the music and sound in the background of the film, it’s important. Try and watch a clip of a film or TV show missing a soundtrack. It’s eerie and seems off. Music can really build a moment. It adds suspense and gives viewers and the audience hints at what’s to come, without just visual cues.
Some movies use soundtracks better than others. Sometimes, the soundtracks themselves are even better than the movie. There are plenty of films where viewers and fans remember the music more than the plot or characters. A great example of this is “Alvin and the Chipmunks.”
Truthfully, although the movie is cute and okay, it isn’t anything groundbreaking. But the soundtrack and songs used are hard to forget, especially with their squeaking voices. This film’s soundtrack stayed on the Billboard 200 list for five weeks. To compare to the audience’s love for this film, “Alvin and the Chipmunks” scored a 64% audience score and a 29% on the Tomatometer.
An honorable mention not written in this list is the soundtrack used in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” This fun film is a favorite for many Marvel fans, but it wouldn’t be so iconic without the soundtrack. Songs played in this movie include “Hooked On a Feeling,” “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
Are you ready to discover other incredible soundtracks that are better than their movies? Follow along to learn more.
To determine the soundtracks that are better than their movie, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on IMDb ratings and historical Billboard 200 chart performance. Soundtrack albums were ranked based on the difference between their Billboard 200 chart performance and the IMDb user rating for their movie. Billboard 200 chart performance was measured using an inverse point system wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 200 points, a week at No. 2 is worth 199 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 200, worth one point.
Billboard 200 chart performance and IMDb user rating were both normalized on a scale of 0 to 1 and subtracted from one another. Only soundtracks that spent at least 20 weeks on the Billboard 200 in movies with IMDb user ratings below 6.5/10 were included. Chart data is current through March 16, 2024. (Check out the 18 of the most memorable TV theme songs ever.)
Here is the list of films with soundtracks that are better than their movie.
40. The Players Club (1998)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 10 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 25 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (7,285 votes)
39. Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 18 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 38 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (19,047 votes)
38. Wild in the Streets (1968)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 12 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 32 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (2,194 votes)
37. Breakin’ (1984)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 8 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 23 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (7,190 votes)
36. The Nutty Professor (1996)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 8 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 21 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (123,227 votes)
35. Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 34 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (2,314 votes)
34. Runaway Bride (1999)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 33 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (104,104 votes)
33. Booty Call (1997)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 24 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 28 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (9,495 votes)
32. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 30 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (49,972 votes)
31. Lost Horizon (1973)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 58 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 21 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (2,837 votes)
30. Charlie’s Angels (2000)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 7 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 36 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (195,530 votes)
29. Godzilla (1998)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 26 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.4/10 (202,314 votes)
28. The Woman in Red (1984)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 3 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 40 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (17,205 votes)
27. Mortal Kombat (1995)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 10 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 46 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (124,191 votes)
26. Daredevil (2003)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 9 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 24 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (228,441 votes)
25. The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 42 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (13,653 votes)
24. Spawn (1997)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 7 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 25 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (72,040 votes)
23. Thank God It’s Friday (1978)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 10 (for 3 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 27 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.4/10 (3,097 votes)
22. Sliver (1993)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 23 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 23 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.1/10 (33,806 votes)
21. The Dukes of Hazzard (2005)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 26 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 28 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.1/10 (81,681 votes)
20. Casino Royale (1967)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 22 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 21 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.0/10 (32,293 votes)
19. Batman Forever (1995)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 3 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 34 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.4/10 (265,555 votes)
18. Cocktail (1988)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 61 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (91,383 votes)
17. The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 6 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 48 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (41,897 votes)
16. Xanadu (1980)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 3 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 36 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (15,244 votes)
15. Endless Love (1981)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 9 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 20 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 4.9/10 (9,500 votes)
14. Annie (2014)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 12 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 49 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (40,331 votes)
13. Suicide Squad (2016)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 72 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (719,574 votes)
12. Boomerang (1992)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 5 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 54 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (31,225 votes)
11. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 37 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.0/10 (67,178 votes)
10. Who’s That Girl (1987)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 7 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 28 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 4.8/10 (11,011 votes)
9. Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 29 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 4.6/10 (110,815 votes)
8. The Jazz Singer (1980)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 7 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 115 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (4,979 votes)
7. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 58 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (94,122 votes)
6. Graffiti Bridge (1990)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 6 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 24 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (2,245 votes)
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 6 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 33 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 4.5/10 (54,096 votes)
4. Batman & Robin (1997)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 22 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (267,109 votes)
3. Coyote Ugly (2000)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 10 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 104 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (120,509 votes)
2. Twilight (2008)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 95 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (485,404 votes)
1. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
- Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Billboard 200: 54 weeks
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (334,499 votes)