Music — whether songs are specifically made for a film or just added to certain scenes — is the emotional undercurrent of movies. It can make people cry, laugh, sympathize, or feel displaced. Whatever the case, many songs become inseparably linked to the movies they are featured in, becoming part of entertainment history.
24/7 Tempo reviewed the American Film Institute rankings to list the 50 greatest songs from movies in the last 100 years.
The majority of the best songs from movies over the past century are from films released more than 50 years ago. The newest movie on the list is “Titanic,” which came out in 1997. The most popular song from the movie — “My Heart Will Go On” — earned Céline Dion several Grammys, including Record of the Year in 1999.
Four movies appear twice on the list of the 50 greatest songs from movies. Perhaps not surprisingly, one of them is the musical “West Side Story.” “A Star Is Born” is another movie title that shows up twice, but each is a different remake — the one from 1954 with Judy Garland and the one from 1976 with Barbra Streisand.
Both of these actors appear in record numbers on this list of iconic movie songs. Barbra Streisand has the most songs, with four of the 50 best songs from films, two from her “Funny Girl” movie. Judy Garland appears three times — with songs from different movies. Garland is tied only with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, though both have a song on this list that they sing with other people.
Several of the songs on this list are not the original versions but were made famous by the movies in which they were featured. For example, the song “Everybody’s Talkin’,” originally recorded in 1967 by Fred Neil, became a hit when it was featured in the 1969 film “Midnight Cowboy.” Harry Nilsson performed the song in the film and even won a Grammy.
Movies will not be the same without music. In some cases, songs are arguably more popular than the films themselves — here is the most popular soundtrack every year since 1964.
Click here to see the 50 best songs from the movies
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
50. Rock Around the Clock
> Performed by: Bill Haley ï¼ His Comets
> Movie: Blackboard Jungle (1955)
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
49. Make ‘Em Laugh
> Performed by: Donald O’Connor
> Movie: Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
48. Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)
> Performed by: Doris Day
> Movie: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
47. Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
> Performed by: James Baskett
> Movie: Song of the South (1947)
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
46. Don’t Rain On My Parade
> Performed by: Barbra Streisand
> Movie: Funny Girl (1968)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
45. That’s Entertainment
> Performed by: Jack Buchanan, Fred Astaire, Nanette Fabray, and Oscar Levant
> Movie: The Band Wagon (1953)
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Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
44. Wind Beneath My Wings
> Performed by: Bette Midler
> Movie: Beaches (1988)
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
43. The Way You Look Tonight
> Performed by: Fred Astaire
> Movie: Swing Time (1936)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
42. Luck Be A Lady
> Performed by: Marlon Brando
> Movie: Guys and Dolls (1955)
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
41. New York, New York
> Performed by: Gene Kelly, Jules Munshin, and Frank Sinatra
> Movie: On the Town (1949)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
40. Fight the Power
> Performed by: Public Enemy’
> Movie: Do the Right Thing (1989)
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
39. Days of Wine and Roses
> Performed by: Andy Williams
> Movie: Days of Wine and Roses (1963)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
38. Theme from Shaft
> Performed by: Isaac Hayes
> Movie: Shaft (1971)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
37. Swinging on a Star
> Performed by: Bing Crosby
> Movie: Going My Way (1944)
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Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution Company
36. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
> Performed by: Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke
> Movie: Mary Poppins (1964)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
35. America
> Performed by: Rita Moreno and George Chakiris
> Movie: West Side Story (1961)
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Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
34. Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off
> Performed by: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
> Movie: Shall We Dance (1937)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
33. Aquarius
> Performed by: Ren Woods
> Movie: Hair (1979)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
32. I Got Rhythm
> Performed by: Gene Kelly
> Movie: An American in Paris (1951)
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Source: Courtesy of United Artists
31. Theme from New York, New York
> Performed by: Liza Minnelli
> Movie: New York, New York (1977)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
30. Stormy Weather
> Performed by: Lena Horne
> Movie: Stormy Weather (1943)
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
29. Born To Be Wild
> Performed by: Steppenwolf
> Movie: Easy Rider (1969)
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Source: Courtesy of Magna Theatre Corporation
28. Some Enchanted Evening
> Performed by: Giorgio Tozzi
> Movie: South Pacific (1958)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
27. Unchained Melody
> Performed by: Righteous Brothers
> Movie: Ghost (1990)
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
26. The Trolley Song
> Performed by: Judy Garland
> Movie: Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
25. High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin)
> Performed by: Tex Ritter
> Movie: High Noon (1952)
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
24. Ol’ Man River
> Performed by: Paul Robeson
> Movie: Show Boat (1936)
Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
23. Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head
> Performed by: B. J. Thomas
> Movie: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
22. Everybody’s Talkin’
> Performed by: Harry Nilsson
> Movie: Midnight Cowboy (1969)
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
21. Jailhouse Rock
> Performed by: Elvis Presley
> Movie: Jailhouse Rock (1957)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
20. Somewhere
> Performed by: Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood
> Movie: West Side Story (1961)
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Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios
19. Some Day My Prince Will Come
> Performed by: Adriana Caselotti
> Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
18. Cabaret
> Performed by: Liza Minnelli
> Movie: Cabaret (1972)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
17. I Could Have Danced All Night
> Performed by: Audrey Hepburn
> Movie: My Fair Lady (1964)
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
16. Evergreen
> Performed by: Barbra Streisand
> Movie: A Star Is Born (1976)
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
15. Cheek to Cheek
> Performed by: Fred Astaire
> Movie: Top Hat (1935)
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
14. My Heart Will Go On
> Performed by: Céline Dion
> Movie: Titanic (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
13. People
> Performed by: Barbra Streisand
> Movie: Funny Girl (1968)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
12. Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend
> Performed by: Marilyn Monroe
> Movie: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
11. The Man That Got Away
> Performed by: Judy Garland
> Movie: A Star Is Born (1954)
Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
10. The Sound of Music
> Performed by: Julie Andrews
> Movie: The Sound of Music (1965)
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
9. Stayin’ Alive
> Performed by: Bee Gees
> Movie: Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
8. The Way We Were
> Performed by: Barbra Streisand
> Movie: The Way We Were (1973)
Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios
7. When You Wish Upon A Star
> Performed by: Cliff Edwards
> Movie: Pinocchio (1940)
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Source: Courtesy of Embassy Pictures
6. Mrs. Robinson
> Performed by: Simon & Garfunkel
> Movie: The Graduate (1967)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
5. White Christmas
> Performed by: Bing Crosby
> Movie: Holiday Inn (1942)
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
4. Moon River
> Performed by: Audrey Hepburn
> Movie: Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
3. Singin’ in the Rain
> Performed by: Gene Kelly
> Movie: Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
2. As Time Goes By
> Performed by: Dooley Wilson
> Movie: Casablanca (1942)
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Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
1. Over the Rainbow
> Performed by: Judy Garland
> Movie: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
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