4 Wildly Different (but Great) Movie Soundtracks From 1997 That Hit No. 1

As the mid-1990s turned into the late-1990s, you could feel the world changing. Things are starting to get a little slicker, a little more well-produced. In the world of entertainment, people had learned from the gritty early part of the decade. Now, it was all about the commercial appeal.

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Below, we wanted to examine four movie soundtracks from 1997 that showcased this shift, four albums that displayed great tunes but also a sense that the decade was changing. Indeed, these are four wildly different movie soundtracks from 1997 that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200.

‘Titanic: Music From The Motion Picture’ (1997)

It’s ironic that perhaps the biggest movie of all time was about perhaps the biggest disaster of all time. Indeed, the biggest boat ever—The Titanic—sank when it hit the iceberg. But the movie based on that boat did anything but. The movie smashed box office records, and the accompanying film soundtrack, which included songs from Céline Dion and James Horner, hit No. 1. Not too bad!

‘Gridlock’d – The Soundtrack’ (1997)

This drama-comedy crime movie starred some pretty famous names, including Tupac Shakur, Tim Roth, and Lucy Liu. But its hip-hop soundtrack was another Who’s Who of big names, including Snoop Dogg, Babyface, Nate Dogg, and, of course, Shakur. For all these reasons and more, the release topped the Billboard Top 200.

‘Private Parts: The Album’ (1997)

For those who dove into the wacky world of radio personality Howard Stern in his autobiographical movie, Private Parts—whew, did you see a lot. But you also heard a lot on the accompanying soundtrack, which rocketed up the charts and hit No. 1 on the Top 200. Its list of performers included Rob Zombie, LL Cool J, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ramones, Green Day, and many more.

‘Men In Black: The Album’ (1997)

When it comes to slick movie production in the late 1990s, look no further than Men In Black. But its soundtrack was also worthy of discussion. Featuring songs from the movie’s star Will Smith, along with others like Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, The Roots, and D’Angelo, it’s no wonder how or why this movie soundtrack fared so well on the charts.

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