Soundtracks more often than not are our gateway to a realm of unheard tracks and undiscovered artists. But mind well, directors have a tough time putting them together. Think copyrights and frustrating nights of convincing musicians to feature their eponymous works.

We have put together a list of OSTs that we think do a darn good job of taking the story of the movie/show they were made for, forward. Let the drum roll begin.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY AWESOME MIX VOL.1 & 2

Music plays a vital role in the GoTG franchise. The 70’s songs in the first movie are part of a compilation tape, Awesome Mix Vol. 1, which Quill gets from his deceased mother. Awesome Mix Vol. 2 is a natural follow-up to Vol. 1 (you must watch GoTG 1 till the end to know why).

So put on your space gear, because these two mixes will thrust you into outer space – Redbone’s Come and Get Your Love, David Bowie’s Moonage Daydream, Jackson 5’s I Want You Back, ELO’s Mr. Blue Sky, Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain, Silver’s Wham Bam Shang-A Lang and more.

JAWS

It was this collaboration between John Williams and Steven Spielberg that earned the composer his first Oscar. He did a marvelous job of manipulating the viewer’s emotions with his mix of idyllic, and menacing tunes that are replete with brass-heavy concertos.

The ominous title theme that plays before every impending shark attack in the movie is now a sonic archetype for unimaginable horrors depicted in popular culture. There’s no chance that you haven’t heard it.

DRIVE

There isn’t much driving in Drive. Rather, it’s a movie about the choices that drive people. No wonder its music also qualifies as a befitting soundtrack for our ever-changing lives.

The majority of the electronic-pop soundtrack was composed by Cliff Martinez, whose work on Sex, Lies, and Videotape prompted Nicolas Refn to appoint him as the chief composer. However, Desire’s Under Your Spell and Kavinsky’s Nightcall are earworms that stand out.

BABY DRIVER

6-time Grammy winning producer Danger Mouse’s medley of 29 tracks is the perfect companion to Edgar Wright’s newest genre-defining film. In fact, the album is an instant aural fix for speed junkies.

The 30^th track on the OST – Chase Me – is DM’s collaboration with Run The Jewel and Big Boi and absolutely loop-worthy. The rest are equally deserving of your attention – Queen’s Brighton Rock, Blur’s Intermission, Focus’ Hocus Pocus, Kid Koala’s Was He Slow?, David McCallum’s The Edge (a revelation) amongst others.

DIRTY DANCING

A soundtrack such as this is a rarity. It was a musical companion to a movie almost no one believed in, but became a multi-platinum #1 selling album of 1987. What’s more? It has sold 32 million copies worldwide to date.

A potpourri of 60’s oldies, Latin instrumentals and new material by veteran acts who hadn’t had hits in years, the soundtrack includes the iconic  (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, Patrick Swayze’s She’s Like The Wind, Bruce Channel’s Hey Baby and more.

KILL BILL VOL. 1

Every other Quentin Tarantino movie is replete with curse words, mayhem, torture, and killing.  But when you take all of that and multiple by 10, you get Kill Bill Vol.1. It’s a feat for any average viewer to sit through Tarantino’s iconic reel of exaggerated violence, only made possible by an equally amplified soundtrack.

Wu Tang Clan’s RZA organised, produced and orchestrated most of the soundtrack. Al Hirt’s Green Hornet, 5.6.7.8’s Woo Hoo, Nancy Sinatra’s Bang Bang, Isaac Hayes’ Run Fay Run, Quincy Jones’ Ironside are some of the gems thrown into this loot of a soundtrack.

RESERVOIR DOGS

Quentin Tarantino has good taste in music. It’s little wonder that the soundtrack to his rousing crime film, now a classic, made it to our list.

Only five songs feature in the soundtrack – George Baker’s Little Green Bag, Blue Swede’s Hooked On A Feeling, Joe Tex’s I Gotcha, Steelers Wheel’s Stuck In The Middle With You, and Harry Nilsson’s Coconut. The rest of the material includes Tarantino’s signature dialogues.

RUSHMORE

Way before The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited and everything else came Rushmore – Wes Anderson’s story about an overenthusiastic student who’s put on academic probation.

Wes originally intended for the soundtrack to be almost entirely composed of songs by The Kinks. However, by the end of filming, only one Kinks song made it to the album. But that’s no reason for dismay. John Lennon’s Oh Yoko!, Faces’ Ooh La La, The Who’s A Quick One, While He’s Away, Until 4 + 2’s Concrete and Clay are some of the tracks that made it to the album.

STRANGER THINGS

Stranger Things is replete with influences from the 80’s. So it’s no surprise that the soundtrack to one of Netflix’s immensely popular shows takes its viewers on a roller-coaster ride through the 80’s soundscape.

An analog soiree or an hour of moving, transcending and invigorating music, Stranger Things Vol.1 is a must have soundtrack. It includes Joy Division’s Atmosphere, Jefferson Airplane’s She Has Funny Cars, Modern English’s I Melt With You, Toto’s Africa. However, we’ll leave you with Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein’s title theme.