Good movies often go hand in hand with good soundtracks. Good Will Hunting, Dirty Dancing, Singles, Pulp Fiction, 8 Mile, The Breakfast Club, Boogie Nights, and The Big Chill—to cite just a few examples—were all movies that critics generally treated kindly, and music lovers couldn’t get enough of the songs that accompanied the stories.
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Sometimes, however, a movie’s soundtrack fares far better than the film itself. Even with great music, a movie can be so dreadful that it’s not worth sitting through in order to enjoy the tunes. Luckily we can listen to the soundtracks without having to endure the movies.
Each of these four songs had the misfortune of being used in movies that were not well-received by critics. But lest you worry too much for the artists who created these gems, each climbed to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. (Note: The movie soundtrack from which each song is featured is listed in parentheses.)
1. Olivia Newton-John, “Magic” (Xanadu)
Xanadu has the unwanted distinction of being one of the films to inspire the creation of the Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies) in 1980. While Xanadu didn’t do much for Newton-John’s film career, it gave her three Top 40 singles, with “Magic” reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. (Electric Light Orchestra also charted with three Top 40 singles from the soundtrack, including the title track, which was a duet with Newton-John.) The song is brilliantly arranged, giving a lane to Newton-John’s shimmering vocals, John Farrar’s guitar hooks, David Hungate’s hummable bass line, Carlos Vega’s dancing hi-hat pattern, and Richard Hewson’s string arrangement.
2. Prince, “Kiss” (Under the Cherry Moon)
After the commercial and critical success of Purple Rain, it was practically inconceivable that Prince could fail with his next film. But Under the Cherry Moon didn’t click with fans or critics, and it “won” the 1986 Razzie for Worst Picture, tying with the infamous Howard the Duck. Prince’s soundtrack album, entitled Parade, was also not as popular with listeners. “Kiss,” though, like “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy” before it, went to No. 1.
“Kiss” didn’t disappoint Prince fans who were looking for his trademark charismatic vocals and stellar guitar work. The song includes a backing vocal part that was inspired by Brenda Lee’s “Sweet Nothin’s.” “Mountains” was the only other single from the soundtrack to reach the Top 40, peaking at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
[RELATED: Top 8 Movie Soundtracks from the 1980s]
3. Coolio feat. L.V., “Gangsta’s Paradise” (Dangerous Minds)
Dangerous Minds, the Michelle Pfeiffer film that featured “Gangsta’s Paradise,” actually has a connection to Prince, as it was scored by Revolution members Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. While the movie was widely panned, the soundtrack was a major success, topping the Billboard 200.
“Gangsta’s Paradise” had much to do with that. It featured a melody borrowed from Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise” from Songs in the Key of Life. The chorus lyrics, sung by L.V., are also largely taken from “Pastime Paradise.” L.V.’s vocal performance is so strong and unique that it almost makes you forget you’re essentially hearing a song Wonder recorded first. Coolio’s verses also give the song its own gritty identity.
4. Destiny’s Child, “Independent Women, Pt. 1” (Charlie’s Angels)
It’s an exaggeration to say that the 2000 Charlie’s Angels movie was panned, as it did get some positive reviews, but its Metacritic score of 52 reflects the generally underwhelmed reception the film adaptation of the ‘70s TV show got. “Independent Women, Pt. 1” directly ties itself to the movie, name-checking its three co-stars—Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore, and Cameron Diaz—in the intro. The post-chorus includes the line, Charlie, how your Angels get down like that?, as well.
While critics were divided on Charlie’s Angels, there is no debating this single’s status as a smash hit. “Independent Women, Pt. 1” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 11 weeks, the longest reign of Destiny Child’s four No. 1 songs. Like the group’s best work, it features plenty of vocal interplay, a playful, syncopated lead vocal from Beyoncé, and an irresistible beat.
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