90s Movie Magic: Top Songs That Outshone the Films

The 1990s was a decade of cinematic adventures, delivering iconic movies like Home Alone, Jurassic Park, and Titanic. While these films captivated audiences, some of their soundtracks gave us songs that achieved even greater fame. Think of Jill Sobule’s “Supermodel,” Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” and Roxette’s “It Must Have Been Love.” But what about those unforgettable tracks from movies that didn’t quite hit the mark?Let’s dive into the top 10 songs from the 90s that were way better than the movies they came from!

Len’s “Steal My Sunshine” from Go (1999)

Go, a film released in 1999, garnered positive reviews, boasting a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it struggled to escape the shadow of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. The movie earned just $16.9 million domestically, mirroring the average box office take for that year. “Steal My Sunshine” by Len, a Canadian brother/sister duo, emerged from an electronic music festival. Marc Costanzo, one half of Len, captured a night’s energy in the lyrics, later enhanced by sampling Andrea True Connections’ 1976 hit “More, More, More.” Initially unimpressed, Marc shelved the recordings until its inclusion in Go. Radio stations embraced it, turning it into a sleeper hit, cracking the US Hot 100’s top 10 and becoming a one-hit-wonder staple.

Gin Blossom’s “Till I Hear It From You” from Empire Records (1995)

Empire Records was a theatrical disappointment, earning only $273,000 domestically against an average of $17.8 million in 1995. Despite this, the soundtrack, hailed as “a soundtrack in search of a movie” by Variety, featured gems like Edwyn Collins’ “A Girl Like You” and Gin Blossoms’ “Till I Hear It From You.” The latter, a collaboration between Gin Blossoms’ Jesse Valenzuela, Robin Wilson, and Marshall Crenshaw, also appeared on their album Congratulations I’m Sorry. Billboard praised the song as “the closest thing to a perfect pop song to hit radio in recent memory,” and it secured the 15th spot in Billboard’s Top 100 for 1996.

Goo Goo Doll’s “Iris” from City of Angels (1998)

City of Angels, a remake of Wim Wender’s Wings of Desire, grossed nearly $200 million worldwide but received mixed reviews. The soundtrack included two exceptional songs: Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited” and Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris.” Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik wrote “Iris” during a personal crisis in 1997. Initially underwhelmed by the film, Rzeznik was motivated by the inclusion of U2 and Peter Gabriel on the soundtrack. He wanted to be on the same record as them, and the song quickly came together. The title was inspired by singer-songwriter Iris DeMent, whose name Rzeznik found in LA Weekly.

Lisa Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You)” from Reality Bites (1994)

Reality Bites, aimed at Generation X, made $21 million domestically, which was slightly above average for 1994. Lisa Loeb penned “Stay (I Missed You)” during a breakup. She turned to the radio for solace and found that even the most cliché lyrics captured her feelings. Loeb said, “If you’re going through difficult times, it’s hilarious how you turn on the radio and even the most cliché things perfectly capture how you’re feeling.” Ethan Hawke, one of the film’s co-stars, passed the song to Ben Stiller, and Hawke directed the music video, filmed in a New York Soho loft.

Madonna’s “I’ll Remember” from With Honors (1994)

With Honors, directed by Alek Keshishian, was critically panned, earning just $20 million domestically. Madonna contributed “I’ll Remember” to the soundtrack, adding to her history of soundtrack hits like “Crazy For You” and “Vogue.” “I’ll Remember” became Madonna’s fifth single to reach number two on Billboard’s Hot 100, tying Elvis Presley’s record at the time.

Céline Dion’s “Because You Loved Me” from Up Close and Personal (1996)

Up Close and Personal, a heavily Disney-fied version of Jessica Savitch’s biography, failed to impress critics, who lamented its lack of courage in telling a legitimate story. Diane Warren wrote “Because You Loved Me” after watching the film with director Jon Avnet, inspired by Michelle Pfeiffer’s character thanking Robert Redford’s character. Thinking of her father, Warren wrote a tribute to him. The song went double platinum, was nominated for an Oscar, and won a Grammy.

Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” from Dangerous Minds (1995)

Dangerous Minds, based on the autobiography of LouAnne Johnson, grossed $85 million domestically and $95 million internationally but was criticized for stereotypes and clichés. Coolio recorded “Gangsta’s Paradise” for the film after L.V. sent him a demo sampling Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise.” Coolio and L.V., along with producer David Rasheed, crafted lyrics reflecting the experiences of at-risk youths. The song became the first rap single to sell a million copies in the UK, went triple platinum in the U.S., and won a Grammy.

Jon Bon Jovi’s “Blaze of Glory” from Young Guns II (1990)

Young Guns II mirrored its predecessor’s box office and critical reception. Emilio Estevez approached Jon Bon Jovi to use “Wanted Dead or Alive” as the theme song, but Bon Jovi felt it wasn’t a good fit. After reading the script, Bon Jovi sketched out “Blaze of Glory” on a napkin and presented it to John Fusco, who loved it. Estevez still has the napkin. The single went double-platinum in the U.S., was nominated for an Oscar, and won a Golden Globe.

Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” from Armageddon (1998)

Armageddon, a mega-success, had more plot holes “than you could send that asteroid through.” But it gifted us Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” Diane Warren wrote the song after hearing Barbara Walters interview Barbra Streisand and James Brolin. Streisand shared that Brolin didn’t want to fall asleep because he’d miss her. Warren envisioned someone like Celine Dion singing it, but it went to Aerosmith. The band had been rocking for 28 years and had yet to have a number 1 single. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” finally gave them that top spot.

Trisha Yearwood’s “How Do I Live” from Con Air (1997)

Con Air was a popcorn action flick that did reasonably well but didn’t break any records. The film featured a song by Trisha Yearwood, “How Do I Live,” a track that became an industry-wide sensation and was the third song written by Diane Warren on this list. Soon after Warren submitted the song to be considered for the Con Air soundtrack, she ran into LeAnn Rimes in a restaurant, who went on to create a demo of the song. Despite this, studio executives thought that the then 14-year-old Rimes was too young for the song and turned to county singer Trisha Yearwood. Much to Trisha Yearwood’s dismay, Label—Curb Records—got wind of this and decided to release Rimes’ own version of the song.

Warren was able to convince Rimes to proceed, and on May 27, 1997, the two artists released the same song on the same day, creating a competition between the two artists. The success each artist achieved would mirror each other’s, with each having achieved the opposite audience to the other. And while each version had different followings – one country, one pop – both felt hurt and betrayed by the industry that put them in that predicament. Both artists would individually have achieved grammy nominations, and it would be Yearwood that would come out on top, winning Best Country Female Vocal Performance with Rimes stepping on stage to song the song just moment’s later.

These songs prove that sometimes the music can overshadow the movie. They’ve become classics, living on in our hearts and playlists long after the credits rolled.

Which of these songs is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments below!