Based on the ten best-selling soundtracks of all time, it seems clear that the golden age of the album soundtrack is over. It might also have something to do with the way music is listened to nowadays. It's been increasingly uncommon for people to buy albums outright, with streaming being the most popular way for most people to listen to music.
As such, the ten best-selling soundtracks are all for movies made before 2000. To quantify popularity by including streams with album sales would be complicated, so it could well be the case that other albums (or at least songs) post-2000 have been more popular. Still, listing these immensely popular movie soundtracks by album sales is undoubtedly nostalgic and a fascinating snapshot into what film music resonated the most with filmgoers in the past.
'The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' (1994) — 15 million copies sold
It's a little surprising that The Lion King's soundtrack only sneaks into the top ten best-selling film soundtracks of all time. After all, Disney's take on a more family-friendly Hamlet (with lions!) is one of the most beloved animated films of all time.
But on the other hand, being #10 is no small effort, and this is the best-selling Disney film soundtrack when going by actual copies sold. With several iconic Elton John songs and an assortment of amazing instrumental themes by composer Hans Zimmer, it's easy to understand why The Lion King's music resonated with so many.
'Flashdance: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture' (1983) — 20 million copies sold
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Hopefully, it's not too controversial to say that Flashdance isn't exactly a good movie. Its simple story of a down-on-her-luck young woman trying to make it big as a dancer has some questionable dialogue, pacing, and acting, meaning it's far from consistent or involving as a story.
But it can be a fun movie at times, with its uncompromising 1980s style and music, the latter of which is easily the best part of the movie. With some iconic original music written by Giorgio Moroder and a few excellently selected pop hits, Flashdance's soundtrack delivered for listeners at the time and still sounds good to anyone with a soft spot for big, bold 1980s anthems.
'Purple Rain' (1984) — 20 million copies sold
Anyone who wants to see the best of Prince on film should check out some of his concert films as a priority. That being said, his most famous film outing remains Purple Rain, with Prince playing a musician struggling with family and relationship issues while pursuing his dream of becoming a famous pop/rock icon.
Purple Rain the movie isn't bad, but the story, acting, and other qualities that make up a film do have their shortcomings. What is amazing, though, is Purple Rain, the album. It's undoubtedly one of the best albums of all time, featuring nine great songs over 44 minutes with not one second of filler. Prince's masterful album elevates the movie considerably and considering it might be the best and most consistent soundtrack of all time, it arguably deserves a higher spot than #8 on a list of all-time bestsellers.
'Aashiqui' (1990) — 20 million copies sold
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Aashiqui is an iconic Bollywood movie celebrated more for its music than its story, which focuses on a fairly typical (yet satisfying) romantic plotline. But it shows that sometimes memorable, emotionally resonant music is enough for a film's success.
Not only has the Aashiqui soundtrack sold approximately 20,000,000 copies, but it's also won awards and retained its status as an essential and memorable film soundtrack for over 30 years since its initial release.
'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' (1995) — 25 million copies sold
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (which translates to The Big-Hearted Will Take the Bride) is the bestselling Bollywood soundtrack of all time, going by traditional album sales. It's an epic three-hour romantic musical about a young couple who fall in love on vacation and then have to convince their families to approve their marriage when they return home.
Not only is the soundtrack the most popular in India (and fairly popular internationally, too), but the film itself is one of the most popular Indian films of all time. It's notable for having one of the longest-running cinema releases in history, and the music likely plays a huge role in its enduring legacy.
'Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture' (1978) — 28 million copies sold
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Grease has flaws, but it is one of the most famous film musicals of all time. There are very dated aspects to its romance plotline and depiction of American "teenagers," but the music and nostalgic qualities endure in pop culture, even somewhat ironically.
It means that Grease (and arguably even its sequel) are revered and celebrated — warts and all — with the catchy, aggressively memorable songs playing a significant role in that, making its soundtrack an unsurprising hit. When it was made in the 1970s, it was a nostalgic depiction of the 1950s, and now it serves as something with both 1950s nostalgia and 1970s nostalgia, thanks to the time it was made in.
'Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture' (1997) - 30 million copies sold
Titanic still stands as one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, and its soundtrack's sales are comparably gargantuan. The music for this epic romance/disaster film about one of the 20th century's most famous non-natural disasters resonated with audiences as much as the movie itself did.
While the best-known piece of music from Titanic is undoubtedly "My Heart Will Go On," performed by Céline Dion, most of Titanic's soundtrack is composed of orchestral music composed by James Horner. This makes it the best-selling (mostly) orchestral soundtrack in film history, which is certainly impressive, considering how many movies have original music composed for them.
'Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack from the Vestron Motion Picture (1987) — 32 million copies sold
Dirty Dancing tells the story of two people with similar passions and interests but clashing differences in personalities that they soon overcome and, as a result, begin to fall in love. It's set in the early 1960s, which is a great thing for its soundtrack because it means there's an excuse to fill it with iconic 60s pop songs.
That being said, perhaps the main reason for the soundtrack's success was the inescapably popular song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," which was written for the film. But many other songs featured on the album are iconic in their way, meaning a soundtrack for Dirty Dancing was always going to be a big seller.
'Saturday Night Fever' (1977) — 40 million copies sold
With a soundtrack full of disco hits to a movie about a man with a passion for disco dancing, and each released during the height of disco's popularity as a genre, Saturday Night Fever's soundtrack's success was a given.
The timing was perfect. John Travolta was a huge star. The Bee Gees — who had a knack for catchy melodies — were responsible for many of the album's songs. It led to a popular movie and a hugely popular soundtrack album (an unusually long one, too, running for about 75 minutes). Even people who haven't seen the film will likely know some of its music, thanks to the soundtrack's pop-cultural impact.
'The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album' (1992) — 45 million copies sold
The Bodyguard was a huge hit when it was released, grossing over $400 million worldwide (despite having less than favorable critical reviews). While Kevin Costner was at the peak of his popularity at the time of the film's release, much of the film's success has to be attributed to Whitney Houston, who performed most of the soundtrack's songs and starred in the film.
A successful movie was likely bolstered by an incredibly popular album, which has endured more than the film it accompanies. It's the best-selling movie soundtrack of all time, as well as being the very best-selling album of the entire 1990s, too.