50 Fun Facts About Movie Soundtrack

Which soundtrack is the best-selling of all time, with more than 45 million copies sold?

Whitney Houston's five singles from it included 'I Will Always Love You', which topped the charts in 34 countries.

Which co-star talked a reluctant Whitney Houston into taking the lead in her 1992 film debut?

He was also a co-producer on the film.

Which group wrote and sang the biggest hits on the 1977 John Travolta disco film's soundtrack?

They were only brought in during post-production; John Travolta had actually danced to Stevie Wonder and Boz Scaggs on set.

'Stayin' Alive' was rewritten from a song with what original title?

Maurice Gibb said there were already too many songs by that name, including one by the Bay City Rollers.

Which album held the title of best-selling album in history until Michael Jackson's Thriller?

It has sold more than 40 million copies and defined the disco era on both sides of the Atlantic.

Which two Purple Rain singles reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100?

TV executives found the 'When Doves Cry' video too explicit; the album went on to sell 25 million copies.

Who composed the Titanic score, the best-selling primarily orchestral soundtrack ever?

He wrote it with Enya's style in mind, and Norwegian singer Sissel provided the wordless vocals.

Who initially opposed putting a pop ballad like 'My Heart Will Go On' in Titanic?

He relented after hearing Horner's demo; the song went on to sell more than 18 million copies.

Which Four Seasons singer sang the Grease title song despite no other link to the film?

Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees wrote it, and it went to number one in the US.

How many of the Grease soundtrack's 24 tracks actually feature John Travolta or Olivia Newton-John?

Rock revivalists Sha Na Na handled much of the rest, though the cover put the two stars front and centre.

Who recorded 'Danger Zone' for Top Gun after Toto were blocked by legal wrangling?

Toto had also written a love theme called 'Only You' that was dropped in favour of Berlin's 'Take My Breath Away'.

Which Top Gun song won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song?

Berlin recorded it after the Motels had been considered for the track.

How many weeks did the Dirty Dancing soundtrack spend at number one on the Billboard 200?

It is certified 14-times platinum in the US and remains the best-selling album ever in Germany.

Which cast member of Dirty Dancing sings 'She's Like the Wind' on the soundtrack?

Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes sang the Oscar-winning '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' and Eric Carmen did 'Hungry Eyes'.

Which composer produced Flashdance's music and shared the Oscar for 'Flashdance... What a Feeling'?

Irene Cara sang it to six weeks at number one; Michael Sembello's 'Maniac' also topped the Hot 100.

'Eye of the Tiger' was written for Rocky III after Queen refused Stallone the use of which song?

Survivor built the riff's chord changes to match the punches in the fight scenes; it spent six weeks at number one.

Which musician sued Ray Parker Jr., claiming the Ghostbusters theme copied 'I Want a New Drug'?

It settled out of court in 1985; Parker later sued Lewis for breaking the confidentiality deal on VH1's Behind the Music.

Which song beat 'Ghostbusters' to the 1984 Oscar for Best Original Song?

Stevie Wonder's ballad came from The Woman in Red.

Which soundtrack was the first made entirely of previously released songs to top the Billboard 200?

The 1960s and 70s songs on Peter Quill's Walkman were meant as his link to the Earth he lost.

Which composer scored The Lion King, with songs by Elton John and Tim Rice?

The album was later certified Diamond, and it knocked the Forrest Gump soundtrack out of the number two spot in 1994.

Who sings 'Let It Go' within the film Frozen?

Demi Lovato's version plays over the credits; the album spent thirteen weeks at number one.

'We Don't Talk About Bruno' was Disney's first US number one since which 1992 song?

Encanto also became the first Disney animated film with multiple Hot 100 top-ten hits.

Which surf-guitar track opens Pulp Fiction and its soundtrack?

Tarantino called surf music 'rock 'n' roll Ennio Morricone'; Dick Dale's version was suggested by musician Boyd Rice.

Which Neil Diamond song did Urge Overkill cover for Pulp Fiction, reaching number 59 on the Hot 100?

The album mixed nine songs with tracks of dialogue and peaked at number 21.

Which Coen brothers film's soundtrack won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002?

Dan Tyminski provided George Clooney's singing voice on 'I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow'.

How many movie soundtracks have ever won the Grammy for Album of the Year?

Two 1970s-90s blockbusters and one bluegrass-heavy Coen brothers film are the trio.

'Lose Yourself', which won the Oscar for Best Original Song, came from which film's soundtrack?

The album debuted at number one with more than 700,000 copies sold in its first week.

Which song from A Star Is Born (2018) won the Academy Award, the Golden Globe and two Grammys?

Lady Gaga plays Ally opposite Bradley Cooper's Jackson Maine, in her first lead film role.

Which rapper curated Black Panther: The Album and duetted with SZA on 'All the Stars'?

Ryan Coogler had only asked for a few songs; Ludwig Göransson's score won the Oscar.

Which Barbie the Album track won the Grammy for Song of the Year?

Billie Eilish's ballad topped the charts in the UK, Ireland, Switzerland and Australia; Mark Ronson produced the album.

Which Simon & Garfunkel song was adapted from a work in progress to fit The Graduate?

It won the Grammy for Record of the Year; 'The Sound of Silence' is heard three times in the film.

Which soundtrack made Isaac Hayes the first R&B artist to release a double album of new material?

He wrote its theme for the opening titles after seeing raw footage; the album spent sixty weeks on the Billboard 200.

Whose Super Fly soundtrack topped the Billboard album chart and sold more than 12 million copies?

Unlike Shaft, its lyrics were pointed social commentary on the very characters in the film.

How did Steven Spielberg react when John Williams first played him the two-note Jaws theme?

He had expected something more melodic; the score won the Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy.

A disco version of the Star Wars theme went to number one in the US in 1977. Who recorded it?

John Williams' original main title, played by the London Symphony Orchestra, peaked at number 10.

Which Greek composer played the entire Chariots of Fire score himself on synthesizers, piano and drums?

The album topped the Billboard 200 for four weeks and its 'Titles' theme reached number one on the Hot 100.

Which soundtrack spent 109 weeks in the Billboard top ten, the most of any in the chart's history?

Rodgers wrote both words and music for the new songs because Hammerstein had died in 1960.

Which producer oversaw the all-female-star Waiting to Exhale soundtrack?

Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, TLC, Brandy, Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige all appear; it earned eleven Grammy nominations.

Which actor-director won a Grammy for hand-picking the Garden State soundtrack?

Natalie Portman's character hands him headphones playing the Shins' 'New Slang' with the promise it will change his life.

Whose 'All Star' was a temporary placeholder in Shrek's opening scene, then kept after test audiences preferred it?

The band then also recorded the closing cover of the Monkees' 'I'm a Believer'.

Whose version of 'Hallelujah' is heard in Shrek, even though Rufus Wainwright sings it on the album?

Wainwright got the album slot because he was on the DreamWorks label.

Which 1938 Disney film produced the first commercially released soundtrack album?

The first orchestral-score soundtrack album followed in 1942 for Alexander Korda's Jungle Book, composed by Miklós Rózsa.

Whose score for Korda's 1942 Jungle Book was the first orchestral film score issued as an album?

Before home video, soundtrack albums often included dialogue clips as one of the few ways to relive a film.

Which Footloose soundtrack song by Deniece Williams joined the title track at number one on the Hot 100?

The nine-track album held the top of the Billboard 200 from April 21 to June 23, 1984, with six top-40 hits.

How many consecutive weeks did Prince's Purple Rain spend atop the Billboard 200?

It stayed on the chart for 167 weeks in total and has sold about 25 million copies worldwide.

Three Purple Rain tracks, including the title song, were recorded live at which Minneapolis venue?

The 3 August 1983 show yielded 'I Would Die 4 U', 'Baby I'm a Star' and 'Purple Rain', later overdubbed and edited.

Which singer was originally asked to write lyrics for 'Purple Rain', then conceived as a country song?

She received a ten-minute instrumental and said she was too scared to take it on, calling it too much for her.

Whose cover of Steve Miller Band's 'Fly Like an Eagle' debuted on the 1996 Space Jam soundtrack?

The album peaked at number two behind Aerosmith's Nine Lives and was certified six times platinum by 2001.

Who sings the end-credits version of 'Let It Go' on the Frozen soundtrack?

Her cover was the album's lead single in October 2013; the soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 for 13 non-consecutive weeks.

Roughly how many copies of Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 sold in the US on cassette?

The retro format suited an album built from Peter Quill's Walkman mixtape; total US sales reached 1.75 million.