10 Hit Songs Originally Written For Movies
Let it… oh – sorry, didn’t see you there, just testing my movie-soundtrack vocals.
Some of the catchiest songs on your playlist actually started out on the big screen, written to hit right in the feelings. A few of them escaped their films and became even bigger than the stories they came from.
Once one of these tunes starts playing, good luck not singing along.
Note: This article is provided for general informational and entertainment purposes.
1. My Heart Will Go On (Titanic) – Celine Dion
That flute intro still gives you goosebumps, doesn’t it?
Celine Dion’s voice turned James Horner’s composition (lyrics by Will Jennings) into a tear-triggering centerpiece. Titanic swept the 70th Academy Awards, and ‘My Heart Will Go On’ won Best Original Song.
James Cameron was hesitant about using a pop song, but the demo ultimately won him over.
Good call, because this ballad became the emotional anchor for a generation of moviegoers who needed tissues by the boatload.
2. Let It Go (Frozen) – Idina Menzel
Parents around the world can sing every word, even if they never meant to learn it. Idina Menzel’s soaring performance turned “Let It Go” into a global anthem that kids joyfully repeated for years.
The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and became one of Disney’s biggest modern soundtrack breakouts.
Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez built a number that feels like both a Broadway showstopper and a bold personal declaration. Catchy melody sticks in your head long after it ends, lingering like glitter that never quite disappears after a craft project.
3. Shallow (A Star Is Born) – Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper learned to sing for this movie, and boy, did it pay off.
His gravel-and-honey voice blended with Lady Gaga’s powerhouse vocals to create pure magic. The song captures that lightning-in-a-bottle moment when two artists connect, and it earned them an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2019.
Watching them perform it live at the Academy Awards felt like intruding on an intimate moment. The raw vulnerability in every note made this duet the rare movie song that sounds like it was ripped straight from real life.
4. Eye Of The Tiger (Rocky III) – Survivor
Iconic opening guitar riff instantly sounds like pure determination.
Stallone enlisted Survivor to write ‘Eye of the Tiger’ for Rocky III after Queen denied permission to use ‘Another One Bites the Dust.
Single raced up the charts, spending six weeks at number one and becoming a go to workout anthem. Those first notes make it feel like you could power through a tough workout or at least finally conquer a daunting to do list.
Song helped turn a straightforward sports sequel into a lasting cultural touchstone that still fires people up decades later.
5. Ghostbusters (Ghostbusters) – Ray Parker Jr.
Who you gonna call? If you just sang the answer in your head, Ray Parker Jr.’s infectious theme has done its job.
Director Ivan Reitman needed a catchy commercial jingle disguised as a movie theme, and Parker delivered in spades.
The song’s call-and-response structure made it perfect for singalongs, and that unforgettable bassline became shorthand for supernatural comedy. Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker Jr. alleging the melody resembled ‘I Want a New Drug,’ and the case was settled out of court.
6. Lose Yourself (8 Mile) – Eminem
Eminem’s palms were sweaty, and so were ours watching his semi-autobiographical film.
This Oscar-winning track captured the desperation and hunger of seizing your one shot at success. The song’s relentless energy and brutally honest lyrics made it the first hip-hop track to win Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
It’s the ultimate underdog anthem, perfect for psyching yourself up before a big moment. Eminem didn’t attend the ceremony in 2003, later explaining he didn’t expect to win.
7. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing (Armageddon) – Aerosmith
Raspy, emotional delivery from Steven Tyler helped turn “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” into Aerosmith’s only number one single.
Songwriter Diane Warren wrote the ballad for the blockbuster film Armageddon, where it served as the emotional anchor amid all the large scale destruction.
Sweeping orchestration and heartfelt lyrics about savoring every moment resonated with listeners around the world. Romantic tone helped the track become a favorite at weddings and school dances alike.
Unexpectedly tender message about staying awake for love proved that even an asteroid disaster movie could inspire a lasting love song.
8. Take My Breath Away (Top Gun) – Berlin
Shimmering synths turned a simple beach volleyball montage into something that felt almost like art. Dreamy vocals from Berlin floated over lush production by Giorgio Moroder, giving Tom Cruise’s romance its signature sound in Top Gun.
Award winning hit “Take My Breath Away” claimed the Oscar for Best Original Song and climbed charts around the globe.
Breathless mood of new love tangled with danger fits perfectly in a story about elite fighter pilots.
Sultry atmosphere helped transform a military action blockbuster into an unexpectedly swoon worthy romance for audiences everywhere.
9. Footloose (Footloose) – Kenny Loggins
Movie soundtrack dominance earned Kenny Loggins the reputation as Hollywood’s go to hitmaker with “Footloose.” Infectious anthem captured the spirit of Footloose, where a small town’s ban on dancing only fueled a teenage urge to cut loose.
Chart success followed quickly, with the single spending three weeks at number one and picking up an Oscar nomination.
Driving rhythm and celebration of youthful freedom make staying still nearly impossible, which fits the movie’s message perfectly.
High energy groove still works as a dance floor ignition switch whenever a DJ needs the crowd moving fast.
10. Up Where We Belong (An Officer And A Gentleman) – Joe Cocker, Jennifer Warnes
Joe Cocker’s gravelly voice paired with Jennifer Warnes’ smooth vocals created pure magic.
This soaring duet became the emotional payoff for Richard Gere’s journey from troubled recruit to hero, and it swept both the Oscars and the Grammys. The song’s message about love lifting you higher resonated with audiences who’d just watched one of cinema’s most romantic endings.
That final scene where Gere carries Debra Winger out of the factory wouldn’t have packed the same punch without this anthem playing over it.
