What was the first song? Does anyone know? It probably got created by accident, right? Like, some caveman banged a knick against a knack and went, “Uhhh?” and BAM, music was born.

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Yeah, let’s go with that.

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Ever since “Uhhh?” burst onto the scene 2.5 million years ago, we’ve worked tirelessly to refine our species’ musical craft, and no medium reflects that as well as the movies… except for just like, albums.

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Of course, not all movie songs are winners, and that’s the beauty of making lists: put the losers in their place to exalt the better ones! Isn’t that the whole purpose of life?

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All lists need criteria, but with movie songs, it’s hard to establish something concrete. It might zig-zag a bit and won’t please everyone, but this is the way of the world.

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As for my world, the criteria are as follows:

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1. Be a good song. Obviously.

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2. Have a legitimate application in the movie. No “Hey, let’s score a hit real quick” end credits nonsense. You have to at least use music from the movie, be inspired by an iconic line, something...

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3. Be written for the movie. Many songs have iconic moments in movies, but they weren’t written for the movie or are covers. Those don't count. However, songs from movie musicals adapted from the stage are okay because those are direct adaptations.

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4. No “used in a movie but only became famous after someone else covered it decades later or it became a staple of something else” songs.

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‍5. If it’s just kind of tacked on there at the end, even if it’s a great song and accurately depicts the film’s themes, etc. it won’t make it on. It has to feel like it’s truly part of the movie in a more tangible way. Lots of leeway here, but it won’t be ignored, Dan!

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Sadly, these criteria mean many great songs had to be left off, and we must pay tribute to them before kicking off the countdown: someone play the “My Heart Will Go On” recorder cover!

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“Kiss from a Rose” - Seal, from Batman Forever (1995)

“Shake Ya Tailfeather” - Nelly, Diddy, and Murphy Lee, from Bad Boys II (2003)

“I Will Always Love You” - Whitney Houston, from The Bodyguard (1992)

“The Way You Look Tonight” - Fred Astaire, from Swing Time (1936)

“White Christmas” - Bing Crosby, from Holiday Inn (1942)

“Love Is All Around” - Wet Wet Wet, from Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” - BJ Thomas, from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

“Love Love” - Take That, from X-Men: First Class (2011)

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Now that that's out of the way, without further adieu...

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75. “Somewhere Out There” - Phillip Glasser and Betsy Cathcart, from An American Tail (1986)

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No one who grew up with An American Tail will ever forget precocious Russian mouse Fievel and his sister Tanya gazing up at the moonlight and singing “Somewhere Out There,” a comforting reminder to remain hopeful in the face of longing. Yes, it’s moving and adorable, but it’s knocked down a peg because those little kid voices are a bit much. It’ll break your heart and make you go “Awww,” but it will also make you go, “Oh, come on…” too. Split the difference.

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74. “Don’t You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds, from The Breakfast Club (1985)

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Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you know how you’ve grown up thinking The Breakfast Club is some iconic emblem of 1980s teen filmmaking, a generational tour-de-force of adolescent, Brat Pack storytelling?

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Well, it is, but it also sucks.

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Its one saving grace is its final scene, where, along with couples that won’t last more than five days outside that Saturday detention, we get this song playing in the background while Judd Nelson launches a mighty fist pump high in the sky.

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73. “Rule the World” - Take That, from Stardust (2007)

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Reviewing Take That’s extensive discography means accepting that, although it’s a rousing ballad that caps off an underappreciated fantasy flick, “Rule the World” is a mediocre showing for Britain’s biggest man band. Still, that doesn’t detract from the closing credits song for Stardust, which combines Gary Barlow’s signature crooning with some stellar (albeit basic) instrumentation to relay the love between Charlie Cox’s Tristan and Claire Danes’ Yvaine, a literal fallen star.

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72. “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” - The Andrews Sisters, from Buck Privates (1941)

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The Andrews Sisters’ signature close melodies have influenced countless singers over the generations, and their legacy arguably began here, with perhaps their most noteworthy hit. Buck Privates established Abbott and Costello as a bonafide comedy sensation, thanks partly to LaVerne, Patty, and Maxene's vocal mastery over jazzy horns with some '40s American patriotism. Few acts could have pulled off shameless propaganda with such charm.

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71. “Moonraker” - Shirley Bassey, from Moonraker (1979)

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“Moonraker" is generally regarded as Bassey’s least impressive Bond offering, but it’s very comfortably the middle child. Bassey is at her most restrained, indicative of Moonraker’s quieter vibe (comparatively) and the perfection of Bond music when it takes a more refined, subtle approach. It’s not “Goldfinger,” but it’s effective in its own right.

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70. “Iris” - Goo Goo Dolls, from City of Angels (1998)

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“Iris” launched Goo Goo Dolls to stardom and became a staple of late-'90s music. It’s a testament to what a great songwriter can accomplish that lead singer John Rzeznik spun an earnest love song out of such a mawkish mess of a movie. It may get remembered more as an individual entity than the ending credits song to a Meg Ryan movie, but that’s fine: it not only compliments its origins, it justly transcends them.

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69. "Atlas" - Coldplay, from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

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In many ways, “Atlas,” the closing credits song to the second Hunger Games movie, is a cheap imitation of “Clocks,” Coldplay’s signature song. Still, the first flick in the franchise was a sleeper hit, a capitalization on the YA craze that defied box office expectations, turned indie darling Jennifer Lawrence into a superstar, and legitimized a genre whose best offering was the unintentional comedy of the Twilight “saga.”

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Thus, Catching Fire was one of the last films to be a genuine event, and crafting a song to reflect its epic stature within pop culture and the movie's spirit was a tall order. The subtle piano and Martin’s typically restrained vocal create an aura that feels like a proper conclusion to the movie’s themes and events while instilling deep foreboding as we ponder all that’s to come for Panem and its Mockingjay.

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68. “Lift Me Up” - Rihanna, from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

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Rihanna’s return to music came with more than a whimper than a bang. Sure, “Lift Me Up,” a moving tribute to departed Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, shot to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and scored an Oscar nod, but it wasn’t the super smash we expected.

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Still, although it feels a tad out of place musically and a bit tacked on as an end-credits bid for Oscar glory, Rihanna’s vocals and some stripped back production make “Lift Me Up” one of the more listenable songs in recent movie history. The film might not totally justify its inclusion, but it still feels like a proper way to send-off Boseman and a return to balladry form for Rihanna.

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67. “You Know My Name” - Chris Cornell, from Casino Royale (2006)

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The Daniel Craig era began with a complete overhaul: new Bond, fewer gadgets, actual character development, and concrete ideas about where to take the franchise instead of going movie-by-movie. “You Know My Name” was a killer way to introduce Craig’s take: edgy, uncompromising, relentless, but not so brooding that he's uninteresting. Few Bond songs match their style with the idea behind their movie: Cornell (RIP) deserves credit for legitimizing Bond songs as genuine thematic creations.

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66. “No Time to Die” - Billie Eilish, from No Time to Die (2021)

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Eilish has made a career out of faux-edge and melodic whispers; the magic of “No Time to Die” is that the Bond music canon insists upon a more sophisticated approach, allowing producer (and brother) Finneas to rule the roost with production and let Eilish’s more natural talents shine. It’s not the most inventive Bond song, but it masters what it sets out to accomplish well enough to feel like a representative conclusion to the Craig era and a worthy track in its own right.

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65. “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" - Julie Andrews, from Mary Poppins (1964)

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Okay, we have to get this out of the way: technically, this word doesn’t totally align with its use in the movie, and for that, it must be penalized (yes, it actually has a meaning). That aside, if you ever do need a word to describe how you’re feeling when it seems none exists, then recall the whimsy of Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke dancing while belting out “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

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64. “Live and Let Die” - Wings, from Live and Let Die (1973)

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It’s the most overrated Bond theme, but that doesn’t mean “Live and Let Die” doesn’t deserve its legacy. Few numbers could evoke the bonkers, fun-loving energy of those demented ‘70s Bond flicks while being a genuinely killer, albeit disjointed, track. McCartney has loads of stinkers in his illustrious discography (“Say, Say, Say” anyone?), but he nailed it with “Live and Let Die.”

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63. “When Christmas Comes to Town” - Matthew Hall and Meagan Moore, from The Polar Express (2004)

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It’s a little too schmaltzy, even for a song about a poor boy who’s never known the joys of Christmas. Still, if ever there was a song to act as a beautiful overture from one child to another in desperate need of companionship (and a dose of holiday spirit), this is it, thanks to a pair of very earnest vocal showings.

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P.S. Does anyone put up their Christmas tree with their friends? Like, is that a thing?

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62. “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” - Whitney Houston, from Waiting to Exhale (1995)

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Whitney Houston was determined to not record any songs for the all-female, black-led Waiting to Exhale, wanting to focus on acting. Alas, when composer Babyface brought her “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” Houston couldn’t resist. It’s a warm, soulful ballad perfectly emblematic of its film. Life will knock us down, throw us for a loop, and force upon us obstacles that often feel insurmountable, but if we have friends to wish us well, we’ll find our point when we exhale.

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‍61. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” - Kristle Edwards, Joseph Williams, Sally Dworsky, Nathan Lane, and Ernie Sabella, from The Lion King (1994)

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It was predictable that the Academy would give The Lion King’s big ballad the Oscar instead of one of its more upbeat (and better) songs. One day, they’ll learn that just because a tune swells with melodrama doesn’t mean it's superior.

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Eh, no, they won’t.

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Still, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” is a fitting reintroduction for Simba and Nala, the cubhood pals reunited after years of the latter’s existence under Scar’s thumb and the former’s slurping bugs with a meerkat and a warthog. It doesn’t quite go for the kill, which makes it work. It’s as much a question for our characters as it is for the audience, fully aware that no Disney flick would end without them getting together, but in suspending that disbelief, admiring the crafting of this reunified friendship/burgeoning romance.

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60. “O… Saya” - A.R. Rahman and M.I.A., from Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

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Much of what inspired fascination with Slumdog Millionaire was the frenetic energy of Danny Boyle’s direction. A film with so many quick cuts and shaky camera work needed a soundtrack to match that vigor. The on-screen product is hit-and-miss, but A.R. Rahman’s music is not. “Jai Ho” walked away with Oscar gold, but “O…Saya” is the better song, used to perfection as Jamal and Salim dart their way through the slums of Bombay to meet a movie star.

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59. “Dosti” - Vedala Hemachandra, from RRR (2022)

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RRR is the ultimate bromance movie, and every bromance needs a theme song. Lyrically, the masculine melodrama - all falcons and dragons and deep seas and revolutions - that establishes this unbreakable bond, while arguably asinine in any other movie, works wonders here, and the composition has a deep, dramatic aura that delivers the indefinable quality that solidifies our belief in these two men to bond for life and conquer the unconquerable.

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‍58. “Happy Working Song” - Amy Adams, from Enchanted (2007)

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Amy Adams had turned out stellar work in studio flicks like Catch Me If You Can and scored an Oscar nod in 2005 for indie comedy Junebug, but Enchanted gave her superstardom. No song from Disney’s acclaimed live-action musical reflects her chops better than “Happy Working Song,” Gisele’s summoning cry to her animal friends to clean an apartment. It’s ludicrous as often as delightful, delivered with enough charm to sell you on Adams for a lifetime.

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57. “Everything is Awesome” - Tegan and Sara ft. The Lonely Island, from The Lego Movie (2014)

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Hey, it’s never been said that a song has to be complex to be good. It’s cut and dry: everything is awesome, especially when you’re part of a team. The Lego Movie never tries to be any more than what it’s capable of: colorful, fun, and light-hearted. It deserves an anthem that reflects those characteristics, and you know what? Everything is awesome!

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56. “Do Re Mi” -  Julie Andrews and the Von Trapp children, from The Sound of Music (1965)

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The Sound of Music’s first half is a film for the ages, taking full advantage of its Austrian backdrop and showing Julie Andrews at the top of her game. “Do Re Mi” is the perfect encapsulation of this genius: it’s upbeat, whimsical, and one of the rare musical songs that actually serves a purpose within the narrative. If the Von Trapp children’s bond to Maria is to justify the film’s dramatic weight, songs like “Do Re Mi” must exist.

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All together now! Doe: a deer, a female deer…

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55. “Into the West” - Annie Lennox, from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

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The Lord of the Rings trilogy deserved a song worthy of its iconic status and the moving conclusions for its many characters. Aragorn has become King of Gondor and married Arwen, while Eowyn’s love has been refocused on Faramir and is mercifully mutual. The Hobbits return to the Shire, and though Frodo must pass on to the Grey Havens and leave his friends behind, “Into the West” reminds us of how epic an adventure the Fellowship has completed and the extent to which it’s impacted their, and our, lives.

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P.S. Totally remember every move of the interprative dance I made up when I was 8, but not bragging or anything...

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54. “Chim Chim Cher-ee” - Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice, and Matthew Garber, from Mary Poppins (1964)

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No matter your station, regardless of your occupation, irrespective of your presentation, you have a little “Chim Chiminey” in you. It’s true: Dick Van Dyke says so. Sure, he’s a chimney sweep, face black as coal come day’s end and marching joyously to an inevitable case of black lung, but he’s happy. Our choices (and how we make the most of what we have) define our lives and how much happiness we derive from them, and everyone has something to offer. No song has ever relayed that message with such addictive cutesiness as “Chim Chim Cher-ee.”

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53. “GoldenEye” - Tina Turner, from GoldenEye (1995)

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By the time the Bond franchise returned in 1995, with a new 007 (Pierce Brosnan) in tow, it’d seen some serious lows. The last few Roger Moore installments were duds, and the Dalton flicks, though arguable precursors to the acclaimed Daniel Craig era, didn’t land. We needed a shot in the arm, and Tina Turner gave it to us with the Bono-penned “GoldenEye.” At long last, a Bond song gave us a dose of mystery, not just in the image-heavy lyrics of smoke and mirrors but in the opening instrumentation and Turner’s (initially) hushed vocals. Eventually, it unleashes hell, just like any good Bond song (or movie) is wont to do.

“GoldenEye” was more than a great song: it was the dawning of a new age.

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52. “Accidentally in Love” - The Counting Crows, from Shrek 2 (2004)

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One of the many ways that Shrek 2 is inferior to its predecessor is its opening number, because nothing can compare to Smash Mouth’s “All-Star” playing over a montage of our beloved green ogre terrorizing the townsfolk and bathing in mud.

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However, that’s a testament to the original (and far superior in literally every conceivable way) movie’s genius because “Accidentally in Love” is an effin’ banger.

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Dreadful “strawberry ice cream” line aside, this is a perfect song for a comic montage of Shrek and Fiona doing what all ogre newlyweds adore: terrifying children, murdering mermaids, fleeing from villagers, and farting.

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51. “Believe” - Josh Groban, from The Polar Express (2004)

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Josh Groban’s voice could give any track a case to crack a greatest movie songs list, but the closing song to The Polar Express perfectly captures a more contemplative side of the holidays. It’s a testament to the core tenet of the movie: rich or poor, boy or girl, a million presents or only one, we all have everything we need if we just believe.

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50. “When Doves Cry” - Prince, from Purple Rain (1984)

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If featured in any other movie, “When Doves Cry” wouldn’t work. It has a very distinct vibe befitting of its artist, who deserves respect for basically willing himself into existence. In Purple Rain, an entire movie plucked straight out of bizarro land, it works like a charm. Its lack of a bassline creates an unforgettable sound, and even though its context of losing his girlfriend to another man makes the idea of getting compared to crying doves a tad silly, it’s still an incredible relic of the '80s.

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49. “Cheek to Cheek” -  Fred Astaire, from Top Hat (1935)

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We’ve heard scores of love songs with soaring instrumentation and poetic lyrics; it’s nice to venture back, nearly 90 years ago, to a time where we let the sentiments speak for themselves. Your week is better; it feels like heaven. Tack on some tickling analogies and a charming Fred Astaire and you have a genuine, simplistic classic on your hands. If you could swap places with Ginger Rogers, you would.

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48. “Fight the Power” - Public Enemy, from Do the Right Thing (1989)

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It’s always best to get the hot takes out of the way first: “Fight the Power” is a better message than it is a rap song, and for that, it doesn’t fall as high as it would on most lists. It’s a fantastic rallying cry and refreshingly unapologetic even 34 years later, a perfect accompaniment to Lee’s similarly unrelenting style. It’s one of those songs everyone needs to hear more than they want to, but Do the Ring Thing couldn’t have found a better musical mate if it’d searched for 1,000 years, and Chuck D’s merciless roast of white cultural icon John Wayne remains an all-time high point in music history.

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47. “All for Love” - Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting, from The Three Musketeers (1993)

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Despite being a classic '90s power ballad, “All for Love” suffers on this list: its use of the Musketeers motto is a bit of a stretch, and although it certainly incorporates Michael Kamen’s original score well (since, ya know, he co-wrote it), it feels a bit like a cheap grab for a big hit, which it was… and was.

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Still, with that detraction aside, we have an all-time great love ballad featuring three iconic male singers collaborating (and blending seamlessly). It’s fairly contrived but is among the best of its genre.

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46. “Down to Joy” - Van Morrison, from Belfast (2021)

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Belfast is not a good movie. In fact, none of Kenneth Branagh’s movies are that good.

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But, because Belfast itself is so lackluster, it was critical that “Down to Joy” evoked everything Branagh could not. Sometimes songs are at their best when we can’t quite put the words to its effectiveness. “Down to Joy” isn’t particularly distinctive, but it carries that special quality that inspires true nostalgia and those retrospective feelings of both triumph and tragedy. It sounds like more than Morrison’s most die hard fans would likely tell you it is, but that’s fine; it only needs to meet its goals, not trump all that came before in its artist’s discography.

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45. “We Belong Together” - Randy Newman, from Toy Story 3 (2010)

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It’s the weakest of the three Toy Story songs (rumors of a fourth film have been greatly exaggerated), no question. In fact, it’s probably not as good of a song as several it’s ranked above. But, let’s not forget: Woody and Buzz are the preeminent cinematic friendship, and they deserve a jazzy, sentimental, straightforward ode to that incredible bond, one that the alleged fourth film totally didn’t ruin at all………….

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44. “Blame Canada!” - Mary Kay Bergman and Trey Parker, from South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (1999)

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Trey Parker and Matt Stone made it look easy with “Blame Canada!,” but satire is hard, usually dependent on making the right choices an audience doesn’t always consider. If they’d chosen any country other than Canada to have their characters blame for their children’s woes, it wouldn’t have worked. But they did, so it does. On its own, it’s a riot; in context, it’s genius, and anyone who claims it got robbed at the Oscars by Tarzan’s “You’ll Be In My Heart” has a solid case.

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43. “Love Me Like You Do” - Ellie Goulding, from Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

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Here’s where the criteria come into play: “Love Me Like You Do” is a colossal pop masterpiece, and got robbed of a Best Original Song nod in favor of The Weeknd’s far inferior (but more Oscar-friendly) “Earned It.” The lyrics are very faux-BDSM lite, much like the novel on which its film is based. It all fits.

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Unfortunately, it doesn’t have that special something as a movie song. It doesn’t sound completely organic, more like a producer knew the movie was hot garbage and called in a favor to land a massive hit to lend the movie some gravitas. It worked; “Love Me Like You Do” is Goulding's biggest hit, went to number one in over 30 countries, and was one of the biggest songs of the 2010s, but have you heard it used in the movie? Rough….

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42. “Over the Rainbow” - Judy Garland, from The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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It had to be here, and it more than earned its spot, but truth be told, “Over the Rainbow” is overrated. Garland nails Dorothy’s wistful innocence, and everything she’s ever wanted forces its way into our imagination with the song’s colorful, childlike imagery, but it’s a tad too on-the-nose. Future deliveries of this variety expose it a bit; it’s a great song… but not the best.

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41. “Falling Slowly” - Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, from Once (2007)

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Knowing the full story behind Glen Hansard’s romance with Markéta Irglová makes Once and its Oscar-winning song a tough pill. Isolated from its suspect roots, it’s a gentle indie folk song that doesn’t hide behind pretentious aims at poetic exploration. It’s about falling in love and all its highs and lows, and no one need comb over it a thousand times to see it. We need more songs like this, especially in movies.

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40. “Come What May” - Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, from Moulin Rouge! (2001)

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Moulin Rouge! is Baz Luhrmann at his most excessive and extravagant, which figures, since, ya know it’s set at the Moulin Rouge.

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Amazingly, the film finds balance between that unabashed opulence and the simple (though occasionally bombastic) romance between forbidden lovers Satine and Christian. McGregor and Kidman are an incomparable vocal force; no song could find a means of expressing the secret love between them beter than this one.

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P.S. Stupid Oscar rules precluded this song from the Best Original song nominations in 2001, and shame on them for that.

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39. “Tomorrow Never Dies” - Sheryl Crow, from Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

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Many Bond fans take the contrarian route and claim k.d. lang’s “Surrender” should’ve been the opener to the 1997 Bond movie.

No.

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lang’s offering is bland and lifeless; Crow’s has mystique and aura, which are far more than dancers in a nightclub. Yes, it’s lyrics don’t speak to the film’s theme as well as lang’s song, and Crow doesn’t have the range to belt as often as she does, or at all.

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But “Tomorrow Never Dies” is late '90s-Brosnan Bond in a nutshell: a little camp, a little self-serious, a smidge too sure of itself, but all in all solid.

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38. “When She Loved Me” - Sarah McLachlan, from Toy Story 2 (1999)

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Hot take: Jessie’s background story of having her owner age her into obscurity and then abandon her by a tree isn’t as heartbreaking as everyone claims. It’s a bummer, sure, but it mostly relies on principle, so the scene is actually one of the film’s weak spots on its own: it’s McLachlan’s delivery that sells it (even better at her Oscars performance). If you shed a tear, it’s because Randy Newman and McLachlan made it that way; that’s a lot of power for a song to pack.

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37. “Down to Earth” - Peter Gabriel, from WALL-E (2008)

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Pixar hadn’t scored a great song since before the millennium by the time “Down to Earth” closed out WALL-E. If there was a man to break it out of its funk, it was Peter Gabriel, which he did. He and composer Thomas Newman create a musical impression of the world through the big eyes of the film’s childlike titular character, a brilliant pairing of song to protagonist that feels rare in the modern cinematic landscape.

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Also, it’s a reminder of who was the better frontman for Genesis. Just sayin’...

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36. “Lovin’ You Lots and Lots” - The Norm Wooster Singers, from That Thing You Do! (1996)

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Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do! relies heavily on creating a tangible 60s energy, and “Lovin’ You Lots and Lots,” sung by the fictional Norm Wooster Singers, does just that. The film opens with the song playing over a montage of classic American muscle strolling down the streets of Erie, Pennsylvania while future drumming sensation Guy Patterson maneuvers his father’s neighborhood appliance store. If you doubt you’re in for a musical treat, and an undeniable ode to 60s mania, after this intro, it’s on you, not the movie.

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35. “Everything I Do (I Do It for You) - Bryan Adams, from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

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It feels almost cliche, doesn’t it? Bryan Adams, though an already globally renowned rockstar by 1991, shot into the stratosphere with the ending song of the Kevin Costner vehicle Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which went to number 1 on every planet in the Solar System and sold 5 trillion copies worldwide.

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In all seriousness, Adams expertly weaves Michael Kamen’s love theme into what still proves, over 30 years later, the preeminent rock-romance shredder of all time. It’s a simple message: everything I do, I do it for you. Costner’s atrocious acting and a wooden Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio won’t sell you on that, so Adams must: he clearly would’ve made a fantastic used car salesman.

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34. “Food, Glorious Food!” - The Orphan Boys, from Oliver! (1968)

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The opening number to Oliver! is best evaluated in retrospect; by film’s end, we’re massively disappointed.

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You see, Oliver! sucks, and we’d have never guessed that by “Food, Glorious Food!” Not only is it a great setup for the grimy existence forced upon the title character, but a humorous musical objection to exploitation that takes form in vile gruel and fat, bellowing men.

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33. “The Candy Man” - Aubrey Woods, from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

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One could (and probably has) contend that Aubrey Woods’ (Bill, the shop owner) rendition feels more natural and reflective of the tiny English village that plays home to Charlie Buckett, thus making it perfect for the film.

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You’d need Clarence Darrow to argue that one.

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It does sink the song a bit, but it’s so cheery and a perfect means to provoke our imaginations about what awaits the five children slated to enter Willy Wonka’s mysterious factory. If that’s not enough to land a spot on the list, Woods’ vocals aside, I don’t know what is.

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32. “The Ballad of High Noon” -  Tex Ritter, from High Noon (1952)

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“The Ballad of High Noon” could not be more on-the-nose if it tried, with lyrics plainly reflective of both the film’s plot and its anti-McCarthyism message accompanied by Tex Ritter’s rich, baritone voice powering through the song.

Good.

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High Noon doesn't try to mask its intentions, so why should the song? Its theme is a fantastic introduction to all it is and stands for, and more movie songs could take note of its effectiveness.

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31. “Hold My Hand” - Lady Gaga, from Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

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Any song that makes Hans Zimmer say, “This is my score” is a great song; that alone would have landed “Hold My Hand” a spot on the list. But it’s actually a genuinely great song; simple, forthright, beautifully produced and sung with Gaga’s signature belting passion. It’s odd; it doesn’t seem like it would fit the ending of a movie like Top Gun: Maverick, but somehow, it does, and rather seamlessly at that.

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30. “Ghostbusters” - Ray Parker, Jr., from Ghostbusters (1984)

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Let’s address the elephant in the room: the infamous lawsuit Huey Lewis filed against Ray Parker, Jr., accusing him of stealing the melody from his band’s song, “I Want A New Drug,” was justified.

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It’s also the better song.

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All that messiness aside, we live in a time where it feels like even movies that you think couldn’t have the fun sapped out of them somehow manage to feel lifeless. Look no further than the most recent Ghostbusters installment, Afterlife…

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So, it’s nice to listen to Parker Jr.’s iconic theme and revisit a simpler age of shameless, unadulterated fun. That’s what Ghostbusters is, and what song could ever do that justice than, well, “Ghostbusters?”

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29. “Pure Imagination” - Gene Wilder, from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

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Generations of children have gathered around the TV to take in annual showings of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It’s a movie overflowing with memorable sequences, but the one that’s most earned its cultural impact, the years of viewers raised on its whimsy, is the moment Gene Wilder opens the door to the candy room, equipped with edible, well… everything: gummy bears! candy canes! piñata balls! licorice! mushrooms filled with cream! Who can forget that chocolate river, tainted by that gluttonous Augustus Gloop?

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It truly is a room, and a moment, of pure imagination, and Gene Wilder’s gentle delivery sells it.

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28. “Goldfinger” - Shirley Bassey, from Goldfinger (1964)

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Bassey’s first Bond song is bold, brassy, and bombastic, a melodramatic introduction to the series’ most iconic villain. If ever a song justified Bassey’s reckless lack of restraint, this is it. Sure, it may become a tad too screechy towards its relentless climax, but “Goldfinger” is the Bond song for a reason: it’s a character and all the stakes of battling his mania put to song, and those opening notes are unforgettable.

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27. “Stayin’ Alive” - Bee Gees, from Saturday Night Fever (1977)

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The '70s disco craze knows no better anthem than “Stayin’ Alive,” and the image of a young John Travolta strutting down the streets of New York to the tune to open Saturday Night Fever is an indelible pop culture image. It’s an infectious throwback that never ages, equal parts instantly recognizable and delightfully irresistible. Bee Gees got their shot to leave their mark on Hollywood, and gave a song so good it left a mark on the whole world.

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26. “It's the Hard-Knock Life” - The Orphan Girls, from Annie (1982)

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Man, these orhpans songs are raking, amirite?

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First, this is for the version from the 1982 original, not from the dreadful 2014 remake, because what the actual fuck is that scene?

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Now that that’s out of the way, “It's theHard-Knock Life” benefits from having actual children’s vocals not auto-tuned to high heaven. These kids are getting hosed, and the song’s approach makes that abundantly clear. It’s fun, a little silly, but an overall fantastic way to let kids let loose their feelings about the adults forcing them through the hard-knock life.

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P.S. The best version is actually from the 1999 television movie.

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25. "Circle of Life” - Carmen Twillie and Lebo M, from The Lion King (1994)

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A movie has to sell you on it in the first five minutes: what if I told you one movie pulled it off in the first five seconds?

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South African singer Lebo M belts out a literal welcome to Simba, the future King of Pride Rock, and in doing so, teams with Carmen Twillie to provide the perfect musical accompaniment to a vibrant, colorful introduction to Disney’s most iconic movie.

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It reflects how much creative genius goes into our most beloved films; Disney could’ve taken the more conventional route and kicked things off with some expository dialogue and a corny musical number but leaned into an authentic intro for a movie that stands as the most iconic statement of the Disney Renaissance.

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24. “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” - Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson, and Laura Williams, from The Lion King (1994)

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Why is it always the dramatic, weepy songs that get the Oscar? In fact, “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” wasn’t even nominated. In fairness, there are only so many slots and many songs from The Lion King to nominate, but they excluded the best one. It’s got the most fun production and the most sing-a-long quality of the entire soundtrack. It's a fun song and brilliant retrospective foreshadowing of why Simba ventures to the gorge where his father gets killed. What more could you want, Academy?

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23. “When You Wish Upon A Star” -  Cliff Edwards, from Pinocchio (1940)

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It's a bonafide classic, no doubt. Cliff Edwards’ gentle vocal as Jiminy Cricket, Pinnochio’s most trusted ally, pairs with an (admittedly weepy) instrumentation to create a sensation of truly wishing on a star and a swell of hope that those wishes could come true. In that sense, it accomplishes its title's aims, but we really need to address that “bridge.”

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Fate is kind/She brings to those who love/The sweet fulfillment of/their secret longing…

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I’m sorry, find me a single child walking this planet who could tell you what that means.

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22. “Happy” - Pharrell Williams, from Despicable Me 2 (2013)

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A pet peeve is when movies don’t live up to their title, and that irritation crosses over to songs. As such, Pharrell Williams was to live and die by a seemingly simple task: make his song for Despicable Me 2 sound "happy."

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Well, if ever it was claimed that was a simple task, no one will ever claim so again. “Happy” sounds like whoever created language specifically had this song in mind when coming up with the word and definition and insisted it be the preeminent description of all positivity from that moment until the end of time. It’s repetitive, simplistic, and far from the most innovative work, and thank heavens for that (and not for little girls, like some very creepy movies).

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21. “Moon River” - Audrey Hepburn, from Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

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“Moon River” is a testament to authenticity. Songwriter Johnny Mercer’s lyrics evoke his cherished childhood memories of Savannah, Georgia, and Hepburn sings the song herself in lieu of an overproduced dubber swooping in and (though probably giving a more technically proficient performance) sapping the emotion. It’s the moment struggling writer Paul Varjak falls in love with socialite Holly Golightly, for which we can’t knock him. It was brilliant to take such a simple song and refine an elegant beauty like Hepburn to a sweatshirt, jeans, and a towel wrapped around her hair while strumming a guitar by a window. The pairing makes for an iconic scene befitting an iconic song.

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‍20. “May It Be” - Enya, from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

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It isn’t quite a travesty that Enya walked away winless on Oscar night for “May It Be,” but it’s sinful in retrospect. The Fellowship of the Ring is the least polished of the trilogy, which is actually a compliment. It feels like a fantasy movie with its own world, untainted by perfection. It’s visually immersive and thematically dense, with emotional highs and lows that end on a somber, though hopeful, note. All of this gets captured by Enya in a way few songwriters could’ve managed; as we feel soothed (though contemplative) with its mellow melody, its lyrics instill a feeling of promise and hope for our heroes as they embark on the next chapter of their epic journey.

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19. “The Weary Kind” - Ryan Bingham, from Crazy Heart (2009)

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In truth, it's Jeff Bridges’ performance that elevates Crazy Heart above its familiar trappings more than anything else, but “The Weary Kind” helps. Bingham’s rasp layers the song with an emotional weight that expertly reflects the journey of alcoholic singer Otis Blake as he finds redemption through his relationship with a younger journalist, her young son, and his own child from a decades-old relationship. It’s a moving acknowledgement of all the ways he’s erred, how deep the hurt he’s caused runs, what realizations he’s concluded about life, and how ardently he’s devoted to being better moving forward.

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18. “Second Nature” - Bon Iver, from Don’t Look Up (2021)

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If your closing credits song is going to be this shameless of an Oscar grab (which failed), it needs to feel like a truly great song and really needs to have the film’s themes come full circle. Bon Iver creates an addictive atmosphere with a light, hypnotic production, and speaks to Don’t Look Up’s environmental measures (which, considering how many private jet using stars occupy its cast list, are admittedly ironic). It feels like an additional resolution to a movie where everyone dies, and one that feels just as worth listening to, an impressive feat.

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17. “Crazy for You” - Madonna, from Vision Quest (1985)

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This has nothing to do with the song, but why is this movie named Vision Quest? Why would any movie, ever, ever, EVER, be named Vision Quest? You had a hit song from pop’s biggest new star in a movie about two people falling in love. Ya know, going… CRAZY FOR EACH OTHER?!?! It was RIGHT THERE!!!

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Anyway, “Crazy for You” is Madonna’s first ballad. Considering she’s the world’s best-selling female recording artist, we cannot justifiably say she should’ve leaned into the genre more often. Still, this is an incredible song: catchy, straightforward, and a fantastic anthem for Louden (Yeah, the guy’s name is Louden) and Carla as their romance unfolds in a smoky bar.

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16. “Oom-Pah-Pah” - Shani Wallis and The Three Cripples Crowd, from, Oliver! (1968)

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“Oom-Pah-Pah” is about getting plastered and fucking, which is great, because that’s what most songs are about and they're topics of which we never tire. It’s even better considering it’s so upbeat and catchy that you’d gladly sing it while drunk (though maybe not during the other thing). As a devilish Nancy rouses the bar crowd to a raucous performance, little Oliver temporarily escapes the wrath of the evil Sikes. No better song could ever mask a mad dash to freedom.

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15. “Under the Sea” - Samuel E. Wright, from The Little Mermaid (1989)

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The original “Under the Sea” (and the film itself, quite frankly) look significantly better by comparison after taking in the atrocious 2023 remake. You’d think there’s no way to make a movie like this so muddied, colorless, and lifeless, but wow, did Disney pull it off.

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Still, as a standalone achievement, “Under the Sea” is everything you could want from a Disney song: clever, bouncy, distinct (you can never go wrong with a steel drum), and most of all, fun. God is this song fun. We need more fun in our lives, and if we ever need a welcome dose of it, all we have to do is venture… under the sea (I’m sorry).

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14. “My Heart Will Go On” - Celine Dion, from Titanic (1997)

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You’d think it’d be a lock for the top ten, right? It has all the ingredients: a legendary songstress, the world’s biggest movie, its indelible place in the cultural zeitgeist, and how ubiquitous it is within the film itself, always appearing at the most swelling, romantic moments.

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So, what gives? Well, because some of these lyrics are, well, bad.

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“Love was when I loved you?” Huh?

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Praise James Horner for his shameless recycling, which ultimately gave birth to the world’s most recognizable cheesefest, but the actual words… sink… Dion’s signature tune to outside the top ten.

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‍13. “Nobody Does It Better” - Carly Simon, from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

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If this had been a best songs list, this very likely would’ve been number one. Radiohead’s Thom Yorke was on the money calling this the “sexiest song ever written.” It’s not just Carly Simon’s sensual delivery, but the simplistic romance of writer Marvin Hamlisch’s to-the-point message about “The Spy Who Loved Me:” nobody does it better. Too many movie songs have meant more to their movie while being similarly strong on their own to warrant placing it any higher, but make no mistake: this is one of the greatest songs ever.

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12. “Gangsta’s Paradise” - Coolio ft. L.V., from Dangerous Minds (1995)

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In order to secure the iconic sample from Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise,” Coolio had to promise he wouldn’t use any profanity. It was a far cry from the rapper’s previous work, but it challenged him into writing a song that, while thematically dad, still resonates nearly 30 years later. L.V.’s passionate vocals prove a worthy match for Coolio’s unabashed aggression, lending Dangerous Minds’ group of troubled teens a worthy anthem.

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11. “9 to 5” - Dolly Parton, from 9 to 5 (1980)

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You can’t not love Dolly Parton, and she’s likely the only singer who could’ve pulled this off. Yes, anyone could’ve sang it, but Parton’s inherent charisma sells it well beyond the capability of your average singer.

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Let’s be honest: this song hits hard. Screw the man. The man sucks. Why won’t he promote us? What’s that about?

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But ya know what? We got dreams he can’t take away, and we’re gonna down as much caffeinated ambition as we need to reach them. Those simple ideas somehow really sell you on the lengths to which Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton go to serve some humble pie to their wicked boss… and maybe give us dreams of doing it the same to our own some day.

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Thanks, Dolly!

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10. “Always Look On the Bright Side of Life” - Eric Idle, from Monty Python: Life of Brian (1979)

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Life of Brian’s comic genius is few and far between, but the image of the titular character preparing for crucifixion with a musical ode to finding the bright side is unforgettable. There really isn’t much one can say: the song speaks for itself.

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9. “Rainbow Connection” - Kermit the Frog, The Muppet Movie (1979)

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“Rainbow Connection” is the better version of “Over the Rainbow.” The plucky banjo is a perfect accompaniment to the swelling strings and Kermit the Frog’s innocent delivery of some very Muppet messages: the power of belief, keeping faith, staying positive, and finding the good in everyone. Kermit’s journey in the movie is driven solely by his desire to make the world a happy place: no song could make that clearer than “Rainbow Connection.”

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8. “Lose Yourself” - Eminem, from 8 Mile (2002)

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Eminem was no stranger to controversy when 2002’s 8 Mile got released; he’d amassed a slew of commercial hits, but it didn’t seem that his talent would ever override his lightning-rod nature and find him critical acclamation and commercial viability.

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All that changed with the film’s lead single, “Lose Yourself,” which topped charts worldwide and earned him a Best Original Song Oscar. The lyrics are powerful, and Eminem’s delivery relentless, likely a result of the song’s autobiographical nature. Whatever the inspiration, few hip-hop songs pack such an emotional punch, and few movie songs capture the protagonist's arc with such firepower.

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7. “Chaiyya Chaiyya” - Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi, from Dil Se (1998)

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Lyrically, “Chaiyya Chaiyya” conveys the poetic fanaticism with which executive Amarkant pines for extremist suicide bomber Moina, no doubt. After all, songwriter A.R. Rahman derived the lyrics from a Sufi folk song written by a poet.

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But the true magic of “Chaiyya Chaiyya” is its hypnoticism, from Sapna Awasthi’s booming introduction to the musical abandon with which the remainder of the song plays out atop a train traveling through the Indian countryside. Dil Se is not the movie to show if you want to convince people to get into Bollywood, but “Chaiyya Chaiyya” would go a long way in creating some converts.

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6. “Take My Breath Away” - Berlin, from Top Gun (1986)

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It’s impossible to choose one song to define the '80s, but if one were to choose a song to encapsulate '80s cheese, it would be Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away.” Make no mistake: that’s a good thing. On its own, it’s a fantastic song, but in context, it’s a testament to everything that’s made '80s filmmaking so memorable. Played over a ludicrous car-motorcycle chase that ends with a wooden Kelly McGillis trying to convince herself she’s in love with Tom Cruise and then a smooth transition to a horribly-shot, blue-lit lovemaking scene between the mismatched lovebirds, the merciless synth and epic bellowing make for an unforgettable musical experience.

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5. “The Power of Love” - Huey Lewis and the News, from Back to the Future (1985)

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Generally, “The Power of Love” has nothing to do with Back to the Future, but in a more specific sense, it has everything to do with it. The movie, perhaps the only perfect one ever made, relies heavily on the feel and aesthetic of the '80s to contrast Marty McFly’s journey to 1955. If someone can find a more '80s kick-off than McFly being late for school and skateboarding to the blazing synth of Huey Lewis and the freaking News, have at it.

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Not only is it one of the greatest songs of all time, but its actual use in the movie, where McFly’s band presents a more hard rock version to the review board for the school dance auditions only to be told they’re “too loud,” is fantastic.

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4. “Springtime for Hitler” - The Cast of Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp With Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden, from The Producers (1967)

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In The Producers, Zero Mostel’s Max and Gene Wilder’s Leo team up to oversell interests in a play doomed to fail. The duo finds their golden goose in a play penned by a deranged ex-Nazi celebrating the rise of the Third Reich.

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The opening number, which must sell audiences on the comic validity of this premise, had to be undeniable. We can say, “It’d been 22 years since the end of WWII; who cared?” Well, if someone tried this with Al-Qaeda today, 22 years after 9/11, we can imagine how that would play out.

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“Springtime for Hitler” nails the assignment. Not only is it funny (Springtime for Hitler and Germany/Winter for Poland and France) from start to finish, but it’s delivered with the gusto and flamboyance of an all-time musical number, equipped with irresistible kitsch and even a dramatic key change. Never did an ode to the Nazi Party sound so good… literally, never.

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3. “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” - Randy Newman, from Toy Story (1995)

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Arguably, no two movie friendships have left as powerful an impression as those between Woody and Buzz and Woody and Andy. In fact, all the deep bonds between the toys allow the Toy Story movies to resonate… all three of them.

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Newman is not a complex lyricist, but his songs exemplify why that doesn’t matter; sometimes the deepest messages need the lightest touch, and “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” is a direct, country-inspired introduction to the heartwarming bond between Andy and his favorite cowboy as well as foreshadowing all the heartfelt displays of friendship and devotion that have made the Toy Story movies classics… all three of them.

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2. “Beauty and the Beast” - Angela Lansbury, from Beauty and the Beast (1991)

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Angela Lansbury, playing Mrs. Potts, brought the entire studio to tears upon giving her first rendition of Beauty and the Beast’s title song, with good reason. Lansbury’s vocal is what every Disney song should aspire to be: simple, restrained, and moving. The song has a romantic production befitting the colorful ballroom sequence that unites Belle and the Beast in loving harmony, and the lyrics transcend the physical differences between them to speak to a more transformative change happening within. In every way, it’s a flawless, romantic song and well-deserved of its monumental legacy.

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1. “That Thing You Do!” - The Wonders, from That Thing You Do! (1996)

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Was there ever any doubt? Let’s set aside that it’s a genuinely fantastic song in its own right, its lyrics are gloriously simple in relaying how awesome that special someone is, or the swinging ‘60s vibe that captures the film so flawlessly.

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It’s best to discuss that this song had one job: The Wonders are a one-hit wonder, so their one hit has to sound like a classic jam and one-hit wonder.

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Historically, one-hit wonders have a specific vibe, this indefinable quality that encapsulates why we knew, in the moment, even if we desperately wanted to believe otherwise, that the artist better soak up their moment in the sun because an endless night would soon come.

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“That Thing You Do!” has that something Justice Potter Stewart would love: the thing we cannot define but know when we see (or hear). After all, isn’t that the song, that someone doing that “thing” they do?

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Yes, it is, and for all of that, “That Thing You Do!” is the greatest movie song of all time.

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