Superhero movies have some of the best soundtracks in modern film history. Mixing both instrumental film scores with songs produced by some of the most famous musical artists in the industry today, the soundtracks of the best superhero movies carry the films across its epic action sequences and through the more emotional moments. Just like with any film in any genre, music is key to immersing audiences in the story and investing in their characters.
A prime example of a great superhero movie soundtrack is Guardians of the Galaxy. The music compiled by Star Lord’s mother for Peter was the soundtrack to the movie itself, while also a pivotal entry-point for his character. Upon the film’s release, its soundtrack topped music charts and sold countless copies, even making it to be pressed into vinyl. Some soundtracks on our list have even gone on to win Grammy Awards for the songs and for the artists performances of said songs. From the DCU to the MCU, here are the best superhero movie soundtracks, ranked.
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8 Suicide Squad
Warner Bros.
Suicide Squad follows a team of criminals trying to get time off their respective sentences. To do so, they are tasked by Amanda Waller to destroy a god-like entity that is, per usual, trying to destroy the world. The soundtrack, titled Suicide Squad: The Album, has songs featuring top artists like Skrillex, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, and many more. The most popular song that soared on the charts, of course, was “Heathens” by Twenty-One PIlots. This song broke away from its release on the album and became a staple on its own.
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7 Deadpool
20th Century Studios
In long-awaited Ryan Reynolds hit, Deadpool, the titular anti-hero seeks to avenge his mangled face and save his girlfriend from a fate he might have caused. This movie was the definitive superhero movie at the time of its release, and gained a lot of attention for the artist Junkie XL, who created the soundtrack. With hits like “Angel of the Morning” by Juice Newton and “Careless Whisper” by George Michael, the soundtrack was the perfect companion to the film’s energy.
6 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings not only had epic action sequences, pulling heavily from martial arts movies, but also had an equally grand soundtrack to go along with it. The soundtrack boasted singles from popular artists like Anderson .Paak, DJ Snake, Saweetie, and even a song called “Hot Soup” with lead actor Simu Liu credited on it. Following the new MCU hero on his search to find his estranged father and dead mother, the album delivers modern anthems through the film.
5 Birds of Prey
No matter how critics received this movie, Birds of Prey was an all around fun time with Margot Robbie returning as her icon of a character, Harley Quinn. Harley forms the girl gang, Birds of Prey, to defeat the evil mob boss, played by Ewan McGreggor. The soundtrack that accompanied the film surely pulled out all the stops, creating feminine power anthem after power anthem, with artists like Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Normani, and Halsey. One of the most popular hits from the soundtrack was “Boss Bitch” by Doja Cat, which was also released on her album.
4 Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Sony Pictures Releasing
The comic book-style animated hit, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, follows a young Miles Morales as he tries to navigate his newfound superpowers. The smash hit brought new characters to the screen and introduced the world to the notion of alternate universes in superhero movies. This soundtrack was a huge success, its number one hit being the team-up of Post Malone and Swae Lee, “Sunflower.” Other hits include Blackway and Black Caviar’s “What’s Up Danger,” “Scared of the Dark” by Lil Wayne, music by Ty Dolla Sign and XXXTENTACION, and “Start a Riot” by Duckwrth and Shaboozey.
3 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Marvel Studios / Disney
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Star-Lord is on a quest to find his father and find out who he truly is. The music in this movie is almost a character in itself. With hits from the 80s and earlier, there is everything from Fleetwood Mac to Glen Campbell to Cat Stevens. These songs are all in the film, and set the tone for the entire narrative. The Guardians wouldn’t have the same impact if not for their action scenes undercut with some classic rock music.
2 Black Panther
Marvel Studios
Winning two Grammy Awards, one for Best Rap Performance and the other for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, the Black Panther soundtrack gained traction almost instantly. With artist Kendrick Lamar as the creator of the album, it also featured many other musical icons like SZA, Swae Lee, Khalid, and The Weeknd. Black Panther was a huge success, as was the album, creating the vibe that director Ryan Coogler wanted, mixing the traditional sounds of Wakanda with the modern music of today.
1 Guardians of the Galaxy
At number one, solely because it seemed to have started this trend of releasing the music that the character listen to, is Guardians of the Galaxy. In the movie, Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, receives a mixtape from his mother. When she dies of cancer, Peter is abducted by alien pirates called the Ravagers, and the only thing he carries with him is the Walkman and mixtape. This essentially becomes the soundtrack to his life, as well as the entire movie. It is exciting as an audience to be able to hear what the characters hear, and was even cooler when Awesome Mix Vol 1 came out for purchase. It was the mixtape Peter’s mother made, and audiences got to have a piece of the fictional movie brought to life.
