Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time, representing a varied cross-section of films and musical genres. Click “Next Soundtrack” below to explore each soundtrack in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & soundtrack index here.
Judgment Night
Immortal/Epic Soundtrax (1993)
Selected by Justin Chadwick
Rap-rock fusion and experimentation have proven to be tricky propositions over the past four decades. The good? Well, of course there’s the classic of all classics, the Run-DMC/Aerosmith tag-team “Walk This Way.” You can also include “Bring The Noise” (Public Enemy/Anthrax) and “Kool Thing” (Chuck D/Sonic Youth) in the top tier. These pairings were destined to succeed, largely because they involve masters of their respective genres. Oh, and I’d throw in the bulk of the Ice-T helmed Body Count’s discography as well.
The solid but not spectacular? I’d say R.E.M. and KRS-One’s “Radio Song,” Linkin Park and Jay-Z’s Collision Course EP (2004) and the inaugural, eponymous 2017 Prophets of Rage album qualify.
The bad? Well, at the risk of stating the obvious, Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock come most immediately to mind.
Arguably the finest long-form example of hip-hop/rock collaboration that actually works well is the 1993 soundtrack to the critical and commercial flop Judgment Night. A quick glance at the cover artwork is enough to pique one’s interest, even before you press play on the record. The boldly conceived collaborations largely reflect the parallel ascendance of alternative rock and hip-hop that accelerated during the early ‘90s, with Teenage Fanclub & De La Soul’s “Fallin,’” Dinosaur Jr. & Del The Funky Homosapien’s “Missing Link,” and Pearl Jam & Cypress Hill’s “Real Thing” representing the standout tracks. Additionally, contributions from Biohazard (title track with Onyx), Living Colour (“My, Myself & My Microphone” with Run-DMC), and Slayer (“Disorder” with Ice-T) speak refreshingly to just how broad rock music’s sub-genre spectrum really is.
While Judgment Night the film is forgettable, its soundtrack remains unmissable.
LISTEN & WATCH: