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.
The Royal Tenenbaums
Hollywood (2001)
Selected by Justin Chadwick
My personal favorite of Wes Anderson’s films due to its top-tier ensemble performances, The Royal Tenenbaums is an absorbing deep-dive into the damaged souls that comprise the endearingly dysfunctional Tenenbaum family. Adding to the film’s many charms is its soundtrack, the songs of which fluctuate from the melancholic (Nico’s “These Days” and “The Fairest Of The Seasons,” Elliott Smith’s “Needle In The Hay”) to the buoyant (Ramones’ “Judy Is A Punk,” Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard”). A shame, however, that legal issues couldn’t be sorted out so as to include the pair of Rolling Stones songs (“Ruby Tuesday,” “She Smiled Sweetly”) and the Van Morrison tune “Everyone” that closes the film.
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