5 Best (Underrated) Movie Compilations

If you ask what my favorite soundtrack is, I will tell you Into the Wild without any hesitation. You can never go wrong with Eddie Vedder; however, there are so many soundtracks that are worth talking about. When I asked friends via Facebook post for inspiration, I was instantly reminded that many movies have good soundtracks. Forest Gump, Breakfast Club, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Lost Boys—all of the soundtracks for these movies are amazing and really enhance the movie, but are very common favorites on a lot of websites. My top 5 favorite compilations are off the beaten path but stand out to me personally.

When I first started getting into music and borrowing my dad’s vinyl records at age fourteen, Animal House was one of the records I listened to a lot. In this way I am bias, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. Richard Berry’s version of “Louie, Louie” isn’t the best version in my humble opinion, and the one track I dislike is lengthy “Dream Girl." Regardless, the album is such a light-hearted mood lifter. It includes clips from the movie in between tracks, and two Sam Cooke songs. This soundtrack is for anyone who recognizes the value of “classic” tunes from the 50s/60s.

Favorite song: “Shama Lama Ding Dong” Otis Day and the Knights

This album is just so incredibly ingenious, and I don’t know how to stress this enough. It mixes beautiful classical music with 80s pop and punk, mimicking the film’s intertwined style. The movie is all about renewing or modernizing a classic historical tale, and the soundtrack not only keeps everything fresh but seems carefully constructed and flows with or without the film in the background. It is the only compilation soundtrack that I have every song to in my mp3 player. While I usually get rid of songs on albums to make room for better songs, I copied and pasted this soundtrack, and have not touched it since. It is just that good.

Favorite song: I can’t do that.

I WILL get all of the songs on this soundtrack, because it is a personal goal of mine. This album is hands down the best mixture of dance tunes from the clubbing 90s, and it is very hard to resist. Just like Marie Antoinette, there isn’t a song I don’t like on this soundtrack. It is for dorks who just want to dance, and people who want to get moving!

Favorite song: “Another Night” Real McCoy

I love how, per notes included in the album, director Drew Barrymore included songs that the actual cast was listening to while making the movie. The first time I watched the movie, I was too distracted by the movie to notice the soundtrack, but I really liked Landon Pigg’s music. So I got his album (he’s a jerk in the movie, but a good artist. What happened to him?). It wasn’t until years later when I listened to the soundtrack by itself track by track, that I realized how epic it was. It’s a great mixture of artists from different genres, including the Ramones, Dolly Parton, and Cut Chemist. Somehow it works!

Favorite song: VERY tough, but I found “Boys Wanna Be Her” by Peaches because of this soundtrack, and I am very grateful.

I didn’t know if I should include this album because all the songs are by the Beatles. I argue that the variety of artists included make it a compilation, from Alice Cooper to George Burns. The movie itself is undoubtedly cheesy in some scenes, but the song covers are so good. The soundtrack includes some of the Bee Gees’ greatest tunes—the timid Robin Gibb’s soft take on “Oh! Darling” to their tear-jerking cover of “Carry that Weight”. This soundtrack is for anyone who loves the movie as much as I do, and for Beatles fans everywhere.

Favorite song: Even though Steven Tyler notoriously dissed the movie, Aerosmith’s version of “Come Together” is in my opinion the best to date. It’s the reason I went through a Steven Tyler and Aerosmith phase in high school.

These just barely made my list and are worth mentioning:

• Dazed and Confused: As soon as I downloaded this, I was singing “Rock and Roll, Hootchie Coo” for weeks
• The Wedding Singer: Which is actually one of my favorite movies of all time. I have all the songs, just not in the legitimate soundtrack order
• Velvet Goldmine: I just saw this movie and I feel like once I have the full soundtrack, my life will be complete
• Stick It: My dad and I listen to this a lot.
• American Pie: A great compilation of alternative nineties bands wrapped into one.
• SLC Punk: LOVE IT.