Though countless factors are involved in making a quality film, movie soundtracks should be acknowledged as the principal way to create a memorable experience for fans and foster a new community.
Iconic movie soundtracks have existed as long as the medium itself, from original themes and instrumentals to full albums created to accompany a film.
However, with production companies' commitment to quantity over quality, especially within streaming services, moviegoers find fewer films that take advantage of the emotion-capturing power of music.
"(Music) makes the other half of the experience," said Brittany Lane, a junior studying art with a focus in animation. "The visual is obviously the most important part, it's what you’re going to see on screen, but what you hear around you, it creates the entire rest of the experience."
Iconic soundtracks and themes go as far back as film itself, with John Williams' "Star Wars" main theme being perhaps the most recognizable. Despite being classic, "Star Wars" is one of many timeless scores that is often not listened to outside of the film itself. But new movie soundtracks have changed the game.
Some of the iconic modern movie soundtracks that have made waves outside of the film include "Oppenheimer," "Call Me by Your Name," "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," "Guardians of the Galaxy" and, most recently, "Challengers."
Some are collaborative albums made by popular artists, some are compilations of already-released music and some are original soundtracks made by composers.
What they all have in common is an artistic direction and intentional tie to the film and story within. To be successful, the music has to be complementary to the visuals and story on screen.
The success of these soundtracks can be seen in that each of these specific films cultivated some sort of community and discussion about the music itself and allowed listeners to use their imagination.
"Call Me by Your Name," directed by Luca Guadagnino, and other 'peaceful' films, use music to amplify the coziness presented on screen.
"When you have these really beautiful songs in the background, you start to feel like it's almost desirable, or it's almost worth romanticizing and taking something away from it that you may not have experienced in your own life," said Taylor Underwood, a 2024 ASU graduate.
"Challengers," another Guadagnino film, has utilized a completely opposite aesthetic in its soundtrack that has been a key element in the movie’s relevance and success.
The techno, groovy and synth-heavy score created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross was in stark contrast to what most viewers were expecting after the cozy atmosphere cultivated in "Call Me by Your Name."
"My whole group, we listened to the soundtrack the whole way back from the theater," said Josie DeBord, a junior studying film and media production. "It really elevated the movie because it felt to me like a bit of a tone shift. The way that they went about the soundtrack really, really, really helps the movie to stand out."
At the height of the film's popularity, the soundtrack left a large mark across social media platforms. The official score has over 20 million combined streams on Spotify, and users on TikTok have posted tens of thousands of videos using these songs.
"Online communities carry so much of the conversation," Underwood said. "My Twitter was flooded with people talking about the soundtrack, or even, 'I'm going to go buy a tennis skirt now.'"
In jest or not, movies like "Challengers" have an incredible influence on the audience and film industries' standards of a high-quality movie. The characteristics of music and its collaboration with visuals amplify the longevity and values of beautiful films today.
Editor's note: The opinions presented in this column are the author's and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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Edited by Senna James, Sophia Ramirez and Alysa Horton.
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Andrew is a junior studying journalism and mass communication. This is his third semester with The State Press. He has also worked at The Arizona Republic.
