All the Catchiest, Most Earworm-y Theme Songs From Genre Movies
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The eternal question—“Who you gonna call?”—has come back around thanks to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Ray Parker Jr.’s 1984 anthem has us thinking about the pop songs so prominently featured in some of our favorite sci-fi, animated, and superhero movies, they’ve become just as well-known as the movies they’re featured in.
Sometimes, soundtrack cuts become even more popular than the theme songs themselves—like with The Lost Boys’ sax-man jam “I Still Believe” overshadowing “Cry Little Sister (Theme From The Lost Boys).” Other times, songs take on a new life after being used in films, like Smash Mouth’s “All Star” in Shrek, or “Hip to be Square” by Huey Lewis and the News in American Psycho.
Including Back to the Future, Beetlejuice, and many Batman movies, as well as Spider-Man movies, Twilight, Will Smith’s iconic sci-fi theme songs, and modern hits featured in recent blockbusters like Nope, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Barbie—here are all our favorites.
“Ghostbusters,” Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters
“Rainbow Connection,” Kermit the Frog -The Muppet Movie
“The NeverEnding Story,” Limahl - The NeverEnding Story
“Killer Klowns,” The Dickies - Killer Klowns From Outer Space
“Magic Dance,” David Bowie - Labyrinth
“The Power of Love,” Huey Lewis and the News - Back to the Future
“Back in Time,” Huey Lewis and the News, Back to the Future
“Ninja Rap,” Vanilla Ice -Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
“Cry Little Sister (Theme From The Lost Boys),” Gerard McMahon, The Lost Boys
“I Still Believe,” Tim Cappello -The Lost Boys
“Weird Science,” Oingo Boingo - Weird Science
“Day-o (Banana Boat Song),” Harry Belafonte - Beetlejuice
“Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora),” Harry Belafonte - Beetlejuice
“Batdance,” Prince - Batman
“Space Jam,” Quad City DJ’s - Space Jam
“Wild Wild West,” Will Smith ft. Dru Hill and Kool Mo Dee - Wild Wild West
“Men in Black,” Will Smith - Men in Black
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” Aerosmith - Armageddon
“Kiss From a Rose,” Seal - Batman Forever
“Hip to Be Square,” Huey Lewis and the News - American Psycho
“All Star,” Smash Mouth - Shrek
“Hero,” Chad Kroeger ft. Josey Scott - Spider-Man
“Mad World,” Gary Jules - Donnie Darko
“Vindicated,” Dashboard Confessional - Spider-Man 2
“Decode,” Paramore - Twilight
“Tip Toe Through the Tulips,” Tiny Tim - Insidious
“Safe and Sound,” Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars - The Hunger Games
“I Got 5 On It [Tethered Mix],” Luniz ft. Michael Marshall - Us
“Sunflower,” Post Malone - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
“Something in the Way,” Nirvana -The Batman
“Sunglasses at Night (Jean Jacket Mix),” Corey Hart - Nope
“Peaches,” Jack Black -The Super Mario Bros. Movie
“Walk the Night,” Skatt Bros. - M3GAN
“Can’t Catch Me Now,” Olivia Rodrigo -The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
“What Was I Made For?,” Billie Eilish - Barbie
“I’m Just Ken,” Ryan Gosling - Barbie
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