AFI's 100 Years.100 Songs is a list of the 100 top movie songs of all time. The songs on this list are from American films and set a tone or mood, define character, advance plot and/or express the film's themes in a manner that elevates the moving image art form.
Many films contain musical cues that are more iconic than some of the imagery contained in the feature. Here, then, are eleven of my favourite examples of iconic theme tunes. And do feel free to add your own in the comments at the bottom.! The Exorcist - Tubular Bells Taken from Mike Oldfield's debut album of the same name, the use of this track in William Friedkin's 1973 horror masterpiece complimented the mood of the film and lead to a boost in album sales for Oldfield. For a piece of music that is so recognisable for its inclusion in the film, it was a surprise for me to learn that it wasn't the director's first choice and was, in fact, used after Friedkin rejected Lalo Schifrin's original score. The Godfather - The Godfather Waltz Nino Rota's score for Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 adaptation of Mario Puzo's gangster novel is one of the finest scores of all time.
Best Movie Theme Songs Ever
It utilises a number of leitmotif's and switches from beautiful and elegant to moody and menacing in a way that perfectly complements the film and makes it instantly recognisable when listening to it away from the film. Despite the quality of the score, it was deemed ineligible for an Academy Award nomination, as one of the themes borrows a melody from another film. Although the mood of the pieces vary drastically, the similarities were deemed to be enough to warrant its disqualification. Interestingly, Rota's score for The Godfather Part II was nominated and won the Academy Award for Best Original Score a few years later, despite using the same theme. Superman - Theme From Superman Composed by John Williams and played by the London Symphony Orchestra, with whom Williams collaborated a number of times prior to recording this, Superman's theme is arguably one of the most instantly recognisable and iconic pieces of music of all time.