Cameron Crowe's Ultimate Movie Music Playlist

Check out the best music moments throughout Cameron Crowe's filmography.

By Kunga Sagar Last updated

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It’s hard to think of a director who so perfectly incorporates the music of his youth better than Cameron Crowe. Hell, his magnum opus, Almost Famous, is centered around that very idea. The songs that spoke to you as you were coming of age. The glory years, so to speak. Coming-of-age, family, romance, and people in their 20s figuring their lives out are all themes that Crowe explores, with popular songs utilized to express them. That 15-year-old whose passion for music resonated with Rolling Stone magazine would never lose that light inside of him, and it’s clear that his best films contain needle drops that make the message of each story hit home.

1. Fast Times at Ridgemont High

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Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Judge Reinhold

Judge Reinhold

Robert Romanus

Robert Romanus

Brian Backer

Brian Backer

Phoebe Cates

Phoebe Cates

Ray Walston

Ray Walston

Scott Thomson

Scott Thomson

Vincent Schiavelli

Vincent Schiavelli

Amanda Wyss

Amanda Wyss

D.W. Brown

D.W. Brown

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker

Directed by Amy Heckerling

One of the most iconic films of the 1980s was based on a book written by a 24-year-old Crowe. It would then be adapted into a feature film in 1982, with the movie version lacking a specific plot or big-name stars. With barely any marketing effort by the studio, the film became a sleeper hit via word of mouth, launching the careers of young actors such as Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eric Stoltz, Judge Reinhold, Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker, and Sean Penn.

Nothing screams more 80s feel-good vibes than when Jackson Browne’s “Somebody’s Baby” first comes on in Fast Times. Penn’s Jeff Spicoli, a laid-back stoner surfer stumbling out of a retro minivan full of marijuana smoke, will always elicit chuckles. These teenage characters and their intentions, while albeit naughty at times, are still genuine and pure. Young, dumb, and probably a bit too interested in sex for their own good.

Check out the full Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack here.

2. Say Anything...

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John Cusack

John Cusack

Ione Skye

Ione Skye

John Mahoney

John Mahoney

Lili Taylor

Lili Taylor

Pamela Adlon

Pamela Adlon

Jason Gould

Jason Gould

Loren Dean

Loren Dean

Johnny Green

Johnny Green

Jeremy Piven

Jeremy Piven

Patrick O'Neill

Don Wilson

Don Wilson

Directed by Cameron Crowe

A humorous yet ultimately serious romantic drama for teenagers. John Cusack, Ione Skye, and John Mahoney star in this touching story of a good-hearted underachiever pursuing a valedictorian good girl concerning her stubborn divorced father. In his attempts to win over her love, her father encourages her to break up with him, which, of course, leads to absolute heartache. Cheap Trick, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Depeche Mode all shine in the film’s soundtrack, but there is one artist whose song captures the spirit of what Crowe is trying to say.

Can you name a more iconic 80s teen movie moment than Cusack’s Lloyd Dobler holding up the boombox playing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” outside of the love of his life’s house? Ferris Bueller singing The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout” in front of a parade crowd, maybe, but it’s hard to beat just how romantic this scene is and that it’s an iconic 80s tune. Love wins in the end. A cynic may claim that’s false, but when we find out Mahoney’s Jim Court doesn’t quite live up to his righteousness, the hopeful in all of us beg to differ.

Check out the full Say Anything... soundtrack here.

3. Singles

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Bridget Fonda

Bridget Fonda

Campbell Scott

Campbell Scott

Kyra Sedgwick

Kyra Sedgwick

Matt Dillon

Matt Dillon

Sheila Kelley

Sheila Kelley

Jim True-Frost

Jim True-Frost

Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman

James Le Gros

James Le Gros

Ally Walker

Ally Walker

Tom Skerritt

Tom Skerritt

Jeremy Piven

Jeremy Piven

Directed by Cameron Crowe
There's a genial untidiness about Singles, but it's unified by Crowe's affection for his characters, and by the terrific Paul Westerberg music track, which plays like a pulse-beat to these people's lives.Los Angeles Times

Taking his passion for music into the early 90s, Crowe was able to effectively capture the grunge scene phenomenon that was happening at the time in Seattle, Washington. While I wish Kurt Cobain had not turned down the chance to have a Nirvana song featured in the movie, it’s understandable that a love story would not fit the brand that his band was going for at the time (though let’s be real here, a movie featuring Seattle and grunge isn’t complete without that particular band that you may have heard of). A group of Gen X’ers falls in and out of love while aspiring as musicians living in an apartment block (hence the sign “Singles” promoting single-bedroom apartments).

Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and The Smashing Pumpkins shine in this grunge fest of a soundtrack on display. Matt Dillon, Bridget Fonda, Kyra Sedgewick, Campbell Scott, and Bill Pullman, among others, round out the familiar cast of relatable characters. Dillon’s Eddie Vedder-esque character admires Alice in Chains as they perform “Would?” and “It Ain’t Like That” during a live concert scene. Singles and their soundtrack effectively helped promote the grunge genre into the mainstream while being more influential than you think on a little television show entitled Friends.

Check out the full Singles soundtrack here.

4. Jerry Maguire

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Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise

Renée Zellweger

Renée Zellweger

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Kelly Preston

Kelly Preston

Jerry O'Connell

Jerry O'Connell

Jay Mohr

Jay Mohr

Regina King

Regina King

Bonnie Hunt

Bonnie Hunt

Jonathan Lipnicki

Jonathan Lipnicki

Todd Louiso

Todd Louiso

Jeremy Suarez

Jeremy Suarez

Directed by Cameron Crowe
There's a definite leaning towards the classics of rock & roll here, though the softer side is presented in most cases. As such, it's nice for its coherence, as well as the alternate version of Dylan's song and the outtakes from Elvis.AllMusic

We think of Mission: Impossible and Top Gun whenever Tom Cruise’s name is brought up (or the Church of Scientology); however, his run in the 80s and 90s when he was working with big-time directors such as Oliver Stone, Rob Reiner, Sydney Pollack, Paul Thomas Anderson, and the late Stanley Kubrick is one to be admired. My personal favorite has to be his work with Crowe in this 1996 sports romantic drama classic. Renee Zellweger, Cuba Gooding Jr. (in an Oscar-winning performance), Kelly Preston, Bonnie Hunt, Regina King, and young Jonathan Lipnicki all chew up the scenery in this knockout punch of a movie.

While Jerry Maguire’s soundtrack leans more reliant on Nancy Wilson’s (Crowe’s wife at the time) remarkable score, there are multiple needle-drop moments worth noting. From Jerry singing Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” in his car to Bruce Springsteen’s serene “Secret Garden” punctuating an emotional moment, the film is full of memorable music moments. Paul McCartney’s “Singalong Junk,” an instrumental version of his classic melancholic tune, is expertly used as Jerry and Dorothy become intimate. Even the most jaded of individuals can appreciate how tender, heartfelt, and flat-out sexy the scene is.

Check out the full Jerry Maguire soundtrack here.

5. Almost Famous

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Rotten tomatoes89%
iMBD90
Metacritic7.9
Patrick Fugit

Patrick Fugit

Billy Crudup

Billy Crudup

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson

Frances McDormand

Frances McDormand

Jason Lee

Jason Lee

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel

Michael Angarano

Michael Angarano

Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin

Fairuza Balk

Fairuza Balk

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Noah Taylor

Noah Taylor

John Fedevich

Directed by Cameron Crowe
If you haven't already sold your soul to rock & roll, Almost Famous should seal the deal. It’s pure pleasure. Just don’t expect the dark side. Not since A Hard Day’s Night has a movie caught the thrumming exuberance of going where the music takes you.Rolling Stone

An individual such as myself mustn’t be too biased here, as this is my all-time favorite movie, but you’d have to be a real bore to be unable to appreciate this delightful coming-of-age musical drama. It’s the kind of film this site bases itself on, celebrating the very best music moments in movies, and it is the culmination of Crowe’s illustrious career. Patrick Fugit’s acting debut as William Miller is iconic, and he is supported by heavyweights such as Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Zoey Deschanel, Anna Paquin, Noah Taylor, and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the unforgettable rock music critic Lester Bangs.

This is simply too stacked of a soundtrack to name just one singular moment. The first 15 minutes are magical, transitioning scenes between Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” into The Who’s “Sparks” flawlessly. Led Zeppelin’s “That’s the Way” and “Tangerine” serve as a mid-road trip moment and the film’s closer, respectively. Nancy Wilson penned the song “Fever Dog” for the fictitious band Stillwater featured, and it’s a legitimate banger. It’s hard not to ultimately choose Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” as the peak of the movie. Our group puts their frustrations aside to sing this utterly melodic tune. Feel the music and keep on rollin’.

Check out the full Almost Famous soundtrack here.

6. Vanilla Sky

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Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise

Penélope Cruz

Penélope Cruz

Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell

Jason Lee

Jason Lee

Noah Taylor

Noah Taylor

Timothy Spall

Timothy Spall

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton

Michael Shannon

Michael Shannon

Delaina Mitchell

Delaina Mitchell

Shalom Harlow

Shalom Harlow

Oona Hart

Oona Hart

Directed by Cameron Crowe
By combining newer songs and stone-cold classics from different genres, Crowe and company were able to create a soundtrack that perfectly reflects the mercurial film. But it also serves as an excellent standalone listening experience, even without seeing the scenes unfold on-screen.The Second Disc

While romance is ultimately infused in this venture, Crowe tries his hand at a science-fiction psychological thriller with this 2001 feature. Cruise is back in the mix, with Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Jason Lee, and Kurt Russell tearing up the scene. The story tackles nepotism, as Cruise’s David Aames inherits a large publishing company from his father. He leaves the company to his trusted associates while living as a playboy in Manhattan. A love triangle between two women leads to jealousy and an eventual car crash, forcing David to get facial surgery.

Nancy Wilson would once again take over the score of this film, evoking the spirit of Brian Wilson during his Pet Sounds era with The Beach Boys. R.E.M., Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, and Bob Dylan are among the artists featured on the soundtrack. Paul McCartney’s “Vanilla Sky,” written for the movie, would receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, and it is the perfect encapsulation of the weird yet comforting fever dream that this film is. It’s more offbeat than his other works, but the Crowe touch is there through and through, both in his ability to incorporate popular music into such a twisted vision and how love will make us do crazy yet courageous things.

Check out the full Vanilla Sky soundtrack here.

7. We Bought a Zoo

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Matt Damon

Matt Damon

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson

Thomas Haden Church

Thomas Haden Church

Colin Ford

Colin Ford

Maggie Elizabeth Jones

Maggie Elizabeth Jones

Angus Macfadyen

Angus Macfadyen

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning

Patrick Fugit

Patrick Fugit

John Michael Higgins

John Michael Higgins

Carla Gallo

Carla Gallo

J.B. Smoove

J.B. Smoove

Stephanie Szostak

Stephanie Szostak

Directed by Cameron Crowe
Whatever role the trio of Jónsi, Nico Muhly, and Crowe envisage for these songs in the context of their film, the soundtrack for We Bought a Zoo, taken on its own, serves two purposes, and it fulfills both of them efficiently.Slant

All of Crowe’s movies include family dynamics, but this is the one that depicts it head-on, particularly the father-son relationship. Matt Damon plays a widowed father who purchases a zoo with his family in a difficult attempt to prepare the zoo for its reopening to the public. His son Dylan, against the idea of moving away from his friends, becomes more reclusive while being increasingly resentful of his father. He goes against his brother's and his son’s wishes to sustain the family that he had created with his deceased wife. Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Elle Fanning, and Colin Ford are among this capable cast. Such a complex main character arc would require deeper music.

This act of courage from a father to bring his grieving family together encapsulates the totality of Crowe’s career. His special ability to incorporate memorable songs into these films is uniquely shown in his utilization of the talent of Jónsi, lead singer of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós. Crowe had remained in collaboration with the band since featuring their music on Vanilla Sky, and his constant listening to their music while making We Bought a Zoo ultimately made him make this wise decision. He could’ve gone with Eddie Vedder, Neil Young, or a more popular American artist for the soundtrack, but he stuck to his guns and followed his heart. “Sinking Friendships” perfectly suits the emotional memories scene in the film.

Check out the full We Bought a Zoo soundtrack here.

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