Best '70s Soundtracks

Movie soundtracks began coming of age in the 1970s, as executives saw how successful pairings of music and film could be. Soundtracks were some of the most successful records of the era, regularly churning out hit singles and earning multi-platinum status

Here are the best '70s soundtracks, counted down in reverse order from six to one.

Best 70s soundtracks #6: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
This may come as heresy to some but I've never been a fan of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I just can't figure out what the appeal is. The soundtrack album is more likable, though, featuring several of the musical numbers from the movie, including Richard O'Brien's "Time Warp." Meat Loaf also contributes "Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul." The record is a fun listen.

Best 70s soundtracks #5: Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)
An entire soundtrack by Bob Dylan? Yep, and it came out on the same day as the equally sought-after Live and Let Die soundtrack. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid is renowned for producing the classic "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," a song Dylan wrote specifically for a scene in the film. That song is universally regarded as one of the best rock songs ever written. The full album meshed country, folk and rock into a pleasing combination.

Best 70s soundtracks #4: Super Fly (1972)
Soul legend Curtis Mayfield, singer of hits like "People Get Ready," put together the Super Fly soundtrack. The album's nine tracks compose one of the best albums of the early part of the decade and are a perfect fit for the blaxploitation film they represent. "Freddie's Dead" and the title track both became top 10 pop and R&B hits.

Best 70s soundtracks #3: Grease (1978)
The soundtrack for Grease is dominated by the film's two stars, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, who duet on "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "You're the One That I Want," and the classic "Summer Nights," one of the all-time best karaoke duets. Other highlights include offerings by Stockard Channing, Sha-Na-Na and Frankie Valli, who sang the title track, a composition by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.

Best 70s soundtracks #2: Shaft (1971)
The Shaft soundtrack is most-known for the scintillating Isaac Hayes title track, but the double-album contained a full 15 songs, mostly instrumentals by Hayes, some of which also featured the Bar-Kays.

The Shaft record couldn't have been bigger in terms of commercial and cultural impact. The soundtrack won three Grammy Awards. "Theme from Shaft" won the Oscar for Best Original Song. The album and the theme song hit #1 on the album and singles charts, respectively. And the record continues to live on as one of the best 70s soundtracks.

Best 70s soundtracks #1: Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Disco might have been a passing fad, but the best of the genre was captured forever on Saturday Night Fever. The Bee Gees were the kings of the era, and the legendary, 15-times-platinum soundtrack features their best songs, including dance floor anthems "Stayin' Alive," "Jive Talkin'" and "Night Fever," as well as beautiful ballads "How Deep is Your Love" and "More Than a Woman." Another standout is the Bee Gees-penned "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman.

Other disco standouts include KC & the Sunshine Band's "Boogie Shoes," Walter Murphy's creative instrumental "A Fifth of Beethoven," and the Trammps' "Disco Inferno," the "burn baby burn" classic. Saturday Night Fever is the sound of an era, and even non-disco fans have come to appreciate its legacy as the best 70s soundtrack.

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Best 70s soundtracks: Sources
www.allmusic.com