The right soundtrack is essential to a movie’s success and long living legacy. Cinematography aside, soundtracks make movies memorable. After moviegoers exit the theater and put down their sugary and salty snacks, the best soundtracks begin to replay, transporting them back to the theater.
Story by Kennedy Williams and Savannah Olson
In honor of our favorite movie soundtracks, ORANGE Magazine has compiled a list of soundtracks we wish existed. From classic rom-coms to dramas that make us reach for the nearest box of tissues, here are our dream artist and movie pairings.
Haim x “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”
It is hard enough to find a pair of jeans that properly fit, but imagine finding a magical pair that fit you and all of your closest friends. In the movie, four friends played by America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel and Amber Tamblyn stumble on a pair of pants that look incredible on all of them. As the girls separate for the summer for the first times in their lives, the jeans allow them to stay connected. From drama with stepmoms to late night dances with boys in Mexico, the jeans are along for the ride, collecting notes and decorative patches along the way. While the friends’ lives are tumultuous, the strong relationships between them remain constant.
Photos courtesy of NPR and iTunes
Haim’s albums “Days are Gone” and “Something To Tell You” are bonafide summer jams. Tracks such as “Honey & I,” “The Wire” and “Ready for You” are coming of age stories that assert the sisters’ bold attitudes. The golden-hued sonics of Haim’s music match the aesthetics of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.”
The 1975 x “Pretty in Pink”
The 1975 unquestionably makes ‘80s themed records. Peter Gabriel, Prince, David Bowie and INXS are clear points of reference for their music, so it is fitting that they soundtrack the famous, fabulous teen movie. The group’s second album, “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it,” builds upon their pop centric debut with slick synths and expansive soundscapes. Aesthetically, the group shifted from their monochromatic color scheme to a bright pink that referenced the millennial pink and the neon of the 1980s.
Photos courtesy of The Sun and Rotten Tomatoes
The 1975 makes music that could be in the background of John Hughes’ “Pretty in Pink.” The band’s glittery pop music would be the perfect soundtrack as Andie, played by Molly Ringwald, creates her infamous pink prom dress and searches for the perfect date.
Frank Ocean x “Moonlight”
There are thematic ties between “Moonlight” and Frank Ocean’s work. Across the movie and Ocean’s albums and mixtapes, black masculinity is redefined. As “Moonlight” tells the coming of age story of a boy from Miami, Ocean’s music relates to the boy, through glimpses into his life. While “Channel Orange” is a widescreen image of Ocean’s past, “Blonde” provides a more insular look that highlights aspects of regular life such as sorrow, love and solitude. Both “Moonlight” and Ocean highlight those that are often overlooked.
Photos courtesy of Consequence of Sound and IMDB
Sade x “Sleepless In Seattle”
The ‘90s’ reign as the decade of rom-coms was defined by Nora Ephron’s timeless, “Sleepless In Seattle.” After Tom Hanks’ character Sam is tricked into speaking on a love doctors late-night radio show by his son, Meg Ryan’s Annie listens and becomes enamored of him. Through a series of letters, almost meetings and mishaps, Sam and Annie’s love story is a journey in longing. In the final moments of the movie, the two characters eventually meet on the observation deck of the Empire State Building, leaving hand-in-hand.
Photos courtesy of The New York Times and IMDB
Looking back to the time “Sleepless In Seattle” came out, Sade Anu is the best choice to curate a soundtrack. In Sade’s long career, each album consists of longing for someone. The haunting melodies performed by Sade echo of yearning, as saxophones and drums build up behind her. Within the movie, there are timeless moments where Annie and Sam almost fully meet. In each of these moments, both characters are mesmerized by the other. Sade’s jazz-pop catalogue expertly slinks through this unrealized desire for another person.
SZA x “Waiting To Exhale”
In “Waiting To Exhale,” the story focuses on a group of friends who are dealing with the woes of love. Not only is the film about the bond of female friendship, but it also shows the lengths women endure for any form of romance. SZA’s break-through album, “CTRL,” highlights a similar heartache that Bernadine, Robin, Savannah and Gloria face throughout “Waiting To Exhale.”
Photos courtesy of Top Dawg Entertainment and IMDB
SZA’s music relates to everyday troubles, whether it is body confidence, ingrateful men or the grind of working. “Waiting To Exhale” shares the same earnestness SZA has crafted, just separated by a generation. Imagine this: SZA’s confident voice dancing over an electronic R&B production as Angela Bassett’s character, Bernadine, saunters away from the fiery car filled with her cheating-husband’s belongings. Now that, is vengeance.
