4 Biggest Selling and Unforgettable Movie Soundtracks of All Time

Many times, a good movie is nothing without the perfect soundtrack. The right music, along with the right plot, the right cast of characters, and the perfect ending all contribute to a movie’s success. Movie soundtracks have also been influential in defining each decade with the memorable tunes that the whole world sings. With that being said, here are four of the biggest-selling movie soundtracks of all time.

Biggest Movie Soundtracks: Saturday Night Fever (1977)

In the late 1970s, a cure for disco fever was something that no one wanted. It was the only “sickness” that felt good and sounded even better.  As a result, it’s no surprise that Saturday Night Fever had a tremendous impact on pop culture while helping to popularize disco music around the world.  Before the release of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Saturday Night Fever was the best-selling album in music history.  It still ranks among the best-selling soundtrack albums globally, with sales of over 40 million copies.  In the US, the album was certified 16× Platinum. 

Ultimately, the  soundtrack topped the charts for 24 straight weeks in 1978. Additionally, it stayed on Billboard’s album charts for 120 weeks until March 1980.   Along with Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You”, three singles by the Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive“, “How Deep Is Your Love“, and “Night Fever”, all reached No. 1 in the US.  In the UK, the album spent 18 consecutive weeks at No. 1. 

Produced by Robert Stigwood and directed by John Badham, the film stars John Travolta as Tony Manero, a young Italian-American man who is continuously dealing with adversity in his family, as well as, in his  Brooklyn neighborhood. Every weekend, he seeks refuge in dancing and mingling at his local nightclub.  The blockbuster movie also catapulted Travolta, who was already known for his role in the TV sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, into superstardom. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, at the time becoming the fourth-youngest nominee in the category. 

Grease (1978)

Released in the United States on June 16, 1978, Grease depicts the lives of high-school students Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) who became attracted to each other during a summer romance.  Newton-John’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You“ was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 51st Academy Awards.   The film also received five nominations at the 36th Golden Globe Awards. These included Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and two for Best Original Song, for Frankie Valli’s “Grease”, and the popular Travolta/Newton-John duet “You’re the One that I Want”.  In the UK, “You’re the One That I Want“, and  “Summer Nights“, were both number one hits.

Both went on to become two of the best-selling singles of all time.  Additionally, Frankie Valli’s “Grease” also went to number-one.   The Grease soundtrack ended 1978 as the second best-selling album of the year, in the US. This was only behind the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, which also starred Travolta.  

Purple Rain (1984)

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist are just a mere few words to describe the mega-talented Prince.  Honing his skills as a teenager, the Minneapolis native released his first album, For You, in 1979. Despite his musical prowess, no one would have predicted just how prolific he would later become. Fast forward to the summer of 1984. It’s June 25, and neither record stores nor radio stations were prepared for the forthcoming Prince pandemonium.

The nine-track album featured multiple chart toppers, including “When Doves Cry“ and Let’s Go Crazy,”  which both reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.  The title track, “Purple Rain,” peaked at number two,  and “I Would Die 4 U” peaked at number eight.  Recorded with his band the Revolution, Purple Rain spent six consecutive months atop the US Billboard 200 chart and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. Additionally, it won  Grammy Awards for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media,  

Ultimately, the movie of the same name was released on July 27, 1984. Grossing $70.3 million worldwide, Purple Rain eventually became one of the greatest musical films of the 20th century. In 1984, Prince became the first singer to simultaneously have a number-one album and two number-one singles in the US.  To date, the Purple Rain soundtrack is 13× Platinum and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.

The Bodyguard (1992)

The 90s was a huge decade for Whitney Houston. Just as she had done throughout the 1980s, Houston undeniably maintained her status as one of the greatest voices in music history.  Released on November 17, 1992, The Bodyguard Soundtrack was released to astounding acclaim. The lead single from the soundtrack, “I Will Always Love You,” was originally written and sung by Dolly Parton in 1973. The mega-hit gave Houston her tenth number-one single and stayed at number one for fourteen consecutive weeks. Ultimately, “I Will Always Love You” sold over 24 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.

The album’s second single, “I’m Every Woman”, became another hit, reaching the top five of the Billboard Hot 100. Written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the song was originally performed by soul icon Chaka Khan. The album’s third single, “I Have Nothing”, also became a major hit, eventually peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.  Released in theaters on November 25, 1992, The Bodyguard was highly anticipated. In her film debut, Houston portrays Rachel Marron, an Academy Award-nominated music superstar and actress. After being harrassed with death threats, a bomb explodes in her dressing room. Her manager then hires a former Secret Service agent and professional bodyguard (Kevin Costner) to protect her.   

The soundtrack resulted in multiple accolades for Houston, including seven American Music Awards, and the 1994 Grammy Award  for Album of the Year. Additionally,  both “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You” were each nominated for Academy Awards for Best Original Song.  To date, the Bodyguard Soundtrack has sold 45 million copies globally. 

Although it has been years since their initial release dates, these classic soundtracks will only become more phenomenal with time.