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Most Popular Movie Soundtrack Since 1964

Most Popular Movie Soundtrack Since 1964

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 1963, the first year for which Billboard top 200 albums data is available. 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.

To determine the most popular soundtrack album since 1964, 24/7 Tempo reviewed historical data from the Billboard 200 top album chart going back to 1963. Billboard’s album rankings are based on Nielsen SoundScan sales data.

 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.

 The only exception in the list is the soundtrack for “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 1971. This album, which was recorded by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, was the most popular that year. However, the actual musical, which was based on the album, was made in 1972.

Source: United Artists / Moviepix via Getty Images

1964
> Movie: West Side Story
> Starring: Natalie Wood, George Chakiris, Richard Beymer
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 8/17/1963
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 3
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1964: 52

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

1965
> Movie: My Fair Lady
> Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 10/10/1964
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 4
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1965: 52

Source: Bruce Bailey / Archive Photos via Getty Images

1966
> Movie: The Sound Of Music
> Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 3/20/1965
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1966: 53

Source: Terry Fincher / Hulton Archive via Getty Images

1967
> Movie: A Man And A Woman
> Starring: Anouk Aimée, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Pierre Barouh
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/19/1966
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 10
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1967: 52

Source: tom-margie / Flickr

1968
> Movie: The Graduate
> Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 3/16/1968
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1968: 42

Source: Archive Photos / Archive Photos via Getty Images

1969
> Movie: Romeo & Juliet
> Starring: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 2/8/1969
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1969: 47

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

1970
> Movie: Woodstock
> Starring: Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Roger Daltrey
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 6/6/1970
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1970: 30

Source: Courtesy of Verve

1971
> Movie: Jesus Christ Superstar
> Starring: N/A
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/21/1970
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1971: 52

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Moviepix via Getty Images

1972
> Movie: Shaft
> Starring: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 8/21/1971
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1972: 41

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

1973
> Movie: Jesus Christ Superstar
> Starring: Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 6/30/1973
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 21
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1973: 27

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Moviepix via Getty Images

1974
> Movie: American Graffiti
> Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 9/1/1973
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 10
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1974: 42

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

1975
> Movie: Tommy
> Starring: Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 3/29/1975
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1975: 35

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

1976
> Movie: Mahogany
> Starring: Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Perkins
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 11/8/1975
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 19
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1976: 18

Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

1977
> Movie: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
> Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 6/18/1977
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 2
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1977: 29

Source: Paramount Pictures / Moviepix via Getty Images

1978
> Movie: Grease
> Starring: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 5/20/1978
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 1
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1978: 33

Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

1979
> Movie: The Muppet Movie: Original Soundtrack Recording
> Starring: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson
> First Billboard 200 appearance: 7/21/1979
> Peak position on Billboard 200 chart 32
> Weeks spent on Billboard 200 chart in 1979: 24

Source: Hulton Archive / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Columbia Pictures / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Hulton Archive / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Hulton Archive / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

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

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Family Entertainment

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

Source: Archive Photos / Moviepix via Getty Images

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

Source: Getty Images / Hulton Archive via Getty Images

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

Source: Getty Images / Hulton Archive via Getty Images

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

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

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

Source: Courtesy of Miramax

2003
> Movie: Chicago
> Starring: Renée 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

Source: Courtesy of Disney Channel / Martin Chase Productions

2004
> Movie: The Cheetah Girls
> Starring: Raven-Symoné, 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

Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of DISNEY CHANNEL

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

Source: Stephen Shugerman / Getty Images

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

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

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

Source: Courtesy of Summit Entertainment

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

Source: Courtesy of Fox Network

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

Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Corp.

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

Source: Courtesy of Summit Entertainment

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

Source: Jason Merritt/TERM / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

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

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of The Walt Disney Co.

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

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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

Source: Melissa Hillier / Flickr

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

Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

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

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

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

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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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