Clueless fans everywhere are celebrating the 20th birthday of the iconic '90s film, and those with a bent for music are listening to its acclaimed compilation, including the Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Coolio and more (or maybe they're re-watching Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" tribute). It's a solid collection to be sure but there are other films that had an even bigger impact musically. Here are six soundtracks from the decade that left a footprint in both the music AND film industries, ranked by influence.
06) Space Jam (1996)
Michael Jordan is the most marketable athlete of all time. Just look at his shoe line. All Warner Brothers had to do was put him in a movie with the Looney Tunes cast, come up with a semblance of a plot, carry out some slapstick jokes and chuckle all the way to the bank. There didn't need to be much attention paid to a soundtrack, and yet producers went the extra mile and it paid off, both in terms of sales and effect. The world was shocked by Tommy Boy Records and Jock Jams Vol. 1 during 1995, and Warner Brothers took note. After all, this was a film ultimately about basketball. The Quad City DJs took the arena vibe and spun out the original title track, while original single "I Believe I Can Fly" is still the highlight of R. Kelly's career (just ask the two Grammys he won for it). New audiences were introduced to the Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like An Eagle" and KC & The Sunshine Band's "That's The Way (I Like It)." A track that's gotten less appreciation is "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)," which put Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Method Man, Coolio and B-Real on the same track.
05) Above The Rim (1994)
Considering that hip-hop had bubbled over at the end go the '80s, it's no surprise that a number of films tried to show life "in the hood" to wider audiences. One would think that Boyz N The Hood, a film named after an N.W.A. hit and starring that group's Ice Cube, would be the optimal place to introduce the larger audience to West Coast hip-hop. Although we don't question the quality of that film, the flick that best represents the scene is Above The Rim, a movie focusing on a high school athlete trying to make it on a college scholarship and escape more criminal enterprises in Harlem. Although Tupac Shakur plays a role in the film, Snoop Dogg is the most prevalent contributor to the soundtrack, appearing solo, as guest and as a member of Tha Dogg Pound. The most notable Dogg on the soundtrack is Nate however, as he and Warren G's "Regulate" was premiered as part of the compilation. SWV also opens the album strong with "Anything."
04) Pulp Fiction (1994)
Quentin Tarantino is a database of pop culture knowledge, and it applies to the soundtracks of his films-sometimes creating inescapable moments (The 5.6.7.8's "Woo Hoo" from Kill Bill Vol. 1) and occasionally he gets on our nerves by writing asides just to expound upon his obscure tidbits (the request for "Hold Tight" by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich during Death Proof). His biggest contribution to pop culture, both from a cinematic and a musical outlook, has to be Pulp Fiction. Everything about this film was a tasty slice of throwback, and it's shocking to imagine how many people would be totally unfamiliar with guitarist Dick Dale if it hadn't been for his iconic take on "Misirlou" during the trailer for the film (note: It wasn't iconic before this movie debuted). Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell" served as the backdrop for the recognizable dance scene between John Travolta and Uma Thurman (memorialized in Fall Out Boy's "Uma Thurman"). It was a reminder that old-fashioned rock 'n' roll and soul was still the hippest thing imaginable, five years before we met Jack White.
03) Trainspotting (1996)
Trainspotting is somewhat the UK version of what Pulp Fiction was in the United States during the same era: an incredible film (that your parents didn't want you to see) with an incredible soundtrack to boot. We've got to give Danny Boyle's flick the benefit of the doubt over Tarantino however for recognizing that modern music could be blended with the old, that new songs would one day be the classics that Tarantino enjoys today. Considering that the film was tied to the lives of heroin addicts in Edinburgh, it makes all the sense in the world that Lou Reed and Iggy Pop make appearances on the tracklist, of course including the latter's "Lust For Life." More importantly, of course, the soundtrack turned viewers on to the more alternative side of Britpop, from music of Damon Albarn and Blur, to the splendid debut of Elastica, and a sprawling title-track from the acid house/alt rockers Primal Scream. The success of the first album inspired a second volume of tracks and we're not complaining.
02) Singles (1992)
Cameron Crowe's Singles did not launch the grunge movement—Nirvana's Nevermind and Pearl Jam's Ten had already rocked the charts for more than a year—but it did give listeners access to the deeper parts of the scene, and deeper cuts from the bands that everyone already knew. Many of the now classic songs featured on the album were first here, but can still be heard on rock radio today: Pearl Jam performed "State of Love and Trust" for the first time as part of the compilation, Alice in Chains released its single "Would?" at around the same time it was featured during the film...it was the first place where the Screaming Trees' "Nearly Lost You" appeared on an album, and Soundgarden's "Birth Ritual" never appeared on any of the band's actual LPs. No, Nirvana isn't here, but Crowe perhaps realized that the most popular band to come out of the movement was actually the least "grungy" of any of them.
01) The Bodyguard (1992)
Whitney Houston was not exactly new-news when The Bodyguard hit theaters during 1992. More than six years earlier, her debut album had topped the Billboard 200 for 14 weeks, and had come the bestselling album of 1986. It's tough to say that the soundtrack really inspired any movements in the general music industry, but anytime a performer can put up the kind of sales numbers that Houston et al did here, it's worth recognition. To date, the album has moved an estimated 44 million copies, placing it behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon for overall sales. It couldn't hurt that "I Will Always Love You"—a Dolly Parton cover—was actually sung by Houston in the film in its entirety. No background dialogue to distract listeners, no credit sequences to leave early from. The majority of the audience left the theater floored by Houston's huge performance, and perhaps went straight to the record store.
Note: We considered the 'Buena Vista Social Club' soundtrack for this list but felt that would create an inaccurate portrayal of the album and film. Ry Cooder's collection of recordings with Cuban musicians was a platinum seller during 1996 and the documentary based on his time there came out years later. To suggest then, that the album was the "soundtrack" to the film, seems incorrect.
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