Some songs will forever be synonymous with the movies they were featured in. In fact, we'd venture to say that many famous movie songs would never have become popular had they not appeared in the iconic films they're associated with. Movies have turned some songs into legitimate anthems that are sure to stand the test of time. Many of us watch our favorite movies on repeat, so we quickly learn the tunes and can't help but belt them out anytime we hear them. We're talking about songs that give us all the feels.
The iconic songs from movies like Rocky and Titanic are so nostalgic for us, and always manage to remind us of exactly where we were the first time we heard them. So honestly, even if some of them aren't technically the most amazing songs, we still love them. We actually think that's probably why so many one-hit-wonder artists have gained their 15 minutes of fame because of the movies their songs have been in.
If you love movies and music as much as we do, take this trip down memory lane with us while we reminisce about some of the most iconic movie songs of all time. Just be warned, they'll likely be stuck in your head for a few days after you read this! Check them all out below, and see if your favorite made our list of unforgettable movie songs.
'Jerry Maguire' — 'Free Fallin''
Tom Cruise's 1996 hit film Jerry Maguire is full of memorable scenes, but one of the most unforgettable was definitely when he was driving in the car belting out Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'." Of course, we know the song came out years before the movie, but the movie made it totally iconic.
'Titanic' — 'My Heart Will Go On'
Celine Dion became popular to a whole other generation of people when they heard her hit "My Heart Will Go On" in the epic Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet film Titanic. Literally all of us as middle schoolers were singing that song by an artist most of us only knew from our mothers previously.
'Pretty Woman' — 'Oh, Pretty Woman'
Remember singing this song when you were way too little to know anything about physical attraction — or for that matter, to be even be watching Pretty Woman in the first place? "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison is a classic and will always remind us of our favorite Julia Roberts and Richard Gere rom-com of all time.
'The Breakfast Club' — 'Don't You (Forget About Me)'
You know whenever you hear the Simple Minds song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" at a bar or on a TV commercial, you can't help but sing along. We can't either. That's probably because we've all watched the '80s classic The Breakfast Club so many times that we know every single lyric.
'Rocky III' — 'Eye of the Tiger'
"Eye of the Tiger" became an instant anthem when audiences first heard it in the film Rocky III, starring Sylvester Stallone. The song was written specifically for the movie and launched the career of the band Survivor. Now it's played at sporting events worldwide and is a staple on everybody's workout playlist.
'Fame' — 'Fame'
"I wanna live forever!" Man, we love that song. Fame is another one that was written specifically for a movie soundtrack, in this case the 1980 film of the same name. It was written and performed by Irene Cara, who also starred in the film and ended up winning both an Oscar and a Grammy for it.
'The Bodyguard' — 'I Will Always Love You'
We still get chills every time we hear this song. We don't know how Whitney Houston did it, but she always managed to convey the full force of her emotions in every song. That was never more the case than when she covered Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" for the film The Bodyguard, which was also her film debut.
'Saturday Night Fever' — 'Stayin' Alive'
Although a lot of us might think of Grease as being our first memory of John Travolta, he was a legitimate star before then. He played the lead character in 1977's disco flick Saturday Night Fever, and made the song "Stayin' Alive" a classic by strutting down a busy New York City street in his best-fitting jeans while it played in the background. Definitely iconic.
'She's All That' — 'Kiss Me'
The band Sixpence None the Richer gave it a good go after their song "Kiss Me" was featured in the Rachael Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze Jr. rom-com She's All That, but they were never quite able to capture the magic again. That song was just so of the moment — we still feel nostalgic whenever we hear it. It was perfect high school dance material.
'Top Gun' — 'Take My Breath Away'
"Take My Breath Away" is one of those songs we all know, but don't quite know how we know it. It of course was featured in the movie Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, which was a huge hit and has been watched again and again by many over the years, keeping the song on the radio and TV screens for decades.
'Dirty Dancing' — '(I've Had) the Time of My Life'
Most of us don't need to hear more than a single note to know when "(I've Had) the Time of My Life" is playing. It's a total classic that we never get tired of hearing thanks to the beloved film Dirty Dancing and its enduring appeal. We've seen the movie too many times to count, and at this point have probably heard the song even more.
'Men in Black' — 'Men in Black'
Men in Black was such a huge blockbuster, and star Will Smith really capitalized on what he obviously knew would be a hit, by writing and performing the theme song for the film himself. We think the song and the movie were probably equally successful, considering Will was really at his prime when they were released in 1997.
'The Lion King' — 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight'
Elton John entered a completely new and different phase of his long and storied career when he penned the music for Disney's The Lion King. Although "Circle of Life" comes in at a close second, we think "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is the most epic song of the entire film.
'Armageddon' — 'I Don't Want To Miss a Thing'
The love story between Liv Tyler and Ben Affleck's characters in 1998's Armageddon will turn your heart inside out. They were both great on-screen, but Steven Tyler's vocals and Diane Warren's lyrics for the power ballad "I Don't Want To Miss a Thing" ended up being the most phenomenal part of the film. The song is still a mainstay on FM radio many, many years later.
'Purple Rain' — 'When Doves Cry'
Prince was undoubtedly a massive talent. Not only did he act in the 1984 film Purple Rain, he was also responsible for its soundtrack. The entire album was great, but "When Doves Cry" is a truly special song that hits on a different level emotionally, especially because he sings it with so much passion and conviction.
'Frozen' — 'Let It Go'
Idina Menzel belting out "Let It Go" as Elsa in the Disney animated film Frozen touched an entire generation of young people and their parents, and made for a very special movie moment. The song is so fabulous we even hear it on the radio occasionally, and can't help but sing along any time our little ones turn it on.
'Trolls' — 'Can't Stop the Feeling'
And we just can't stop singing this song. Seriously, it's stuck in our heads all the time. Little kids get so excited every single time they hear it because it makes them relive the enjoyment of the movie Trolls all over again — and if that isn't totally epic, we don't know what is. Plus, it's so much fun to dance around to whenever the mood strikes.
'Flashdance' — 'Maniac'
We were so young that we're not sure whether we heard the song "Maniac" first or saw the movie Flashdance first, but we love both. Flashdance is '80s cinema at its best, and the song is super catchy — there was no way it wouldn't become a huge hit. All of it so awesomely '80s, it's no surprise that both are iconic.
'Ghost' — 'Unchained Melody'
"Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers is such gorgeous song. It was a hit long before it was featured in the movie Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, but it became utterly iconic after that. It was the perfect choice for the insanely romantic pottery scene that is forever etched in all of our minds.
'A Star Is Born' — 'Shallow'
We have to give it to Lady Gaga on this one. Even though the film was a remake, we think it was actually superior to previous iterations, and that goes for the music, too. "Shallow" is an incredible song. It's beautiful and soulful and it cuts right to the heart. It's good enough that it would have been a hit even if it wasn't connected to the film.
'The Wizard of Oz' — 'Over the Rainbow'
Literally everyone — young and old — knows and loves this song, which is a true testament to just how special it is. The Wizard of Oz of course is one of the best films ever made, and "Over the Rainbow" adds a beautiful moment full of hope to the story. Judy Garland belting it out as Dorothy is arguably one of the most beloved scenes in the entire movie.
