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.
Singles
Legacy (1992)
Selected by Andy Healy
Working in a record store when I was younger made me appreciate a good soundtrack. And in the early ‘90s there were a few instant classic soundtracks that blew up (often bigger than the movie) including Reality Bites, The Body Guard, and Pulp Fiction. In the mix was the heavily grunge influenced soundtrack of Singles. As he did with Almost Famous and Vanilla Sky, director Cameron Crowe pulls together a playlist that feels cohesive and purposefully made.
With the rocking “Would?” from Alice In Chains opening the set, tracks from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins and Mudhoney keep the momentum throughout. A perfect encapsulation of a time and place, Singles packages the grunge era and the wider Seattle scene in a way that perfectly reflects the twisted, contorted emotions of the characters, and perhaps of the whole era.
LISTEN & WATCH: