Top 10 Best Selling Soundtrack Albums

Everyone has had the experience of loving a film soundtrack. Sometimes the music in a scene literally makes the movie. And some movie soundtracks have become epically successful, selling millions of copies.

Here's a look at the top selling soundtrack albums of all time ranked by U.S. sales. Notably, other than a few massive-selling Bollywood soundtracks, this top 10 pretty much mirrors the world rankings as well. 

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Also, check out our video about the Top 10 Best Selling Movie Soundtrack Albums here at our MusicGoldmine YouTube™ channel:

Before we jump into the 10 best-selling, let’s give some love to a few soundtracks that didn’t quite crack the top spots but are right there. Here are all the soundtracks tied for 11th spot all tied at six million sold each: 

•    The Big Chill (1983) - Full of 60s classics like “Good Lovin’” and “Whiter Shade of Pale”.
•    8 Mile (2002) - Basically an Eminem album full of rap hits like “Lose Yourself” but Jay-Z, Xzibit and Macy Gray also make an appearance.
•    The Little Mermaid (1989) - Samuel E. Wright and Disney struck gold with “Under The Sea”, winning two Oscars and two album Grammys.
•    Pure Country (1992) - A starring vehicle for George Strait, who played the lead role and made this his best-selling album.
•    Flashdance (1983)  - Well, you know, “what a feelin’!” Irene Cara belted out the hit heard around the world.
•    Space Jam (1996) - Seal, Coolio, Salt-N-Pepa and more lent music-cred to this Bugs Bunny-infused basketball flick.

So on to the top 10. These albums weren’t just background music for movies; they became permanent parts of pop culture: 

#10 Waiting To Exhale (1995) 7M sold  

Whitney Houston’s first appearance on this chart-- but not her last--she is joined on this soundtrack by a host of R&B talents from Toni Braxton to TLC, Aretha Franklin to Chaka Khan and more.

“Let It Go” headlines this Broadway-themed soundtrack that features Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Demi Lovato and others.

Folk music found a home in this film and the soundtrack won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002, surprising plenty of people as to the strength of a well put-together celebration of historical folk, Bluegrass, and Americana tracks.

“Danger Zone”, “Take My Breath Away”, and more launched this soundtrack off the musical aircraft carrier in 1986 with Kenny Loggins, Berlin and more contributing. And that iconic soaring guitar riff on the film’s theme track? Did you know that Billy Idol's guitarist Steve Stevens played that on the record?

Kenny Loggins makes a second appearance on the chart with his work on the film’s theme and others helped to make the soundtrack iconic as well, with Heart’s Ann Wilson joining Loverboy’s Mike Reno, for the tender “Almost Paradise”.

A completely animated film with a great soundtrack for which Elton John and Hans Zimmer made magic, with "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and more.

You couldn’t escape Celine Dion’s four-time Grammy-winning "My Heart Will Go On" and the imagery of Jack and Rose in 1997, but composer James Horner also created some moving pieces of instrumental music for this soundtrack.

#5 Forrest Gump (1994) – 12M sold

This double-album was basically a "Best of the 60s & 70s" playlist before streaming was a thing. You’ve got Elvis, The Doors, Bob Dylan on this soundtrack—it’s like a whole history lesson in rock.

Of course more of a Prince album than a soundtrack, but nonetheless this is soundtrack of the memorable film also starring the Purple One. The title track alone is a total classic. 

#4 TIE: Grease (1978) – 13M sold

If you’re a Gen X, you probably still know every word of this 1978 blockbuster, which is Olivia Newton-John’s starring moment on this top 10. The soundtrack also featured Frankie Valli, who sung the Barry Gibb-penned title track, ShaNaNa, and others.

#3 Dirty Dancing (1987) – 14M sold

Who hasn’t heard Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes “(I've Had) The Time of My Life" or Eric Carmen’s “Hungry Eyes”? This super successful soundtrack took the crown from all the films released in the 80s.

#2 Saturday Night Fever (1977) – 16M sold 

A soundtrack that defined disco and which spawned four #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Even if you weren’t a fan, you knew these songs. And if you were a fan, you probably owned some questionable bell-bottoms and wobbly platform shoes. This soundtrack made the Bee Gees truly global superstars.

Whitney Houston’s rendition of the Dolly Parton-penned classic "I Will Always Love You" always brought the house down, whether performed on the Grammy stage or in one of Whitney’s concerts. The album won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1993, picked up several Oscar nominations, and also won an MTV Movie Award. It also set records for the best-selling album in music history by a woman and the best-selling album of the 90s.