Empire's best movie soundtrack songs of 2020
These are brilliant
Last updated 4th Dec 2020
While 2020 may have felt a quieter year than most on the movies front, with its global pandemic and the subsequent ripple effect on the film industry, there were still plenty of outstanding musical moments across newly-released movies to make a song and dance about.
This year saw a crop of outstanding original songs, stunning covers, and perfectly-placed needle drops that give a film, and the relating song, a brand new meaning. From Taylor Swift at her most political, to Bill & Ted's excellent return, and a 1979 reggae classic you'll be humming until 2021, listen to the best movie soundtrack songs of 2020, as chosen by our friends at Empire.
'Helden' – David Bowie (Jojo Rabbit)
Taika Waititi sprinkles a few German-language editions of iconic pop songs across Jojo Rabbit – but it’s David Bowie’s alternative version of ‘Heroes’ that makes the biggest impact.
In the final scene of the movie – SPOILER WARNING – both young Jojo and Elsa have survived the dying days of World War II. Finally free, they begin their new life dancing in the street as the wailing guitars of ‘Helden’ echo in. Cue the goosebumps.
Read Empire's Jojo Rabbit review
'Only the Young' – Taylor Swift (Miss Americana)
Taylor Swift notoriously kept her politics private for years, as the people in her team thought it would be best if she stuck to music. Luckily the star stood her ground, and her access-all-areas Netflix documentary premieres her protest song tackling school shootings, Donald Trump and rigged elections. Luckily, it also happens to be a banger.
Read Empire's Miss Americana review
'The Plan' – Travis Scott (Tenet)
It’s the most unlikely collab of the year – mega-star rapper Travis Scott, teaming up with none other than Christopher Nolan. Tenet wasn’t the sort of film you’d expect to have a tie-in song, and while ‘The Plan’ doesn’t really have much to say about the time-inverting espionage epic, there’s a weird thrill to Scott’s auto-tuned “skrrrt-skrrrts” topping off an original Nolan blockbuster. The real treat here is Scott spitting bars over Ludwig Göransson’s shuddering electronic score. Weird, but it works.
'It's A Man's Man's Man's World' – Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Birds Of Prey)
Black Canary's superpower is her canary cry – a high-frequency scream emitting violent ultrasonic vibrations – but in the case of Jurnee Smollett-Bell, who plays the iconic DC superhero in Cathy Yan's Birds of Prey, she also has a singing voice that melts like butter. Her cover of James Brown's classic is an instant all-timer.
Read Empire's Birds of Prey review
'What's Going On' – Marvin Gaye (Da 5 Bloods)
Spike Lee has always been a revolutionary, and with his masterful Vietnam War film Da 5 Bloods he went and did it again. The filmmaker uses a number of tracks from Marvin Gaye's 1971 album 'What's Going On', with the most stunning moment of the film using an a cappella version of the title track. Lee had called the track "a plea for humanity, love and kindness" – and it makes for a movie moment that packs a real emotional punch.
Read Empire's Da 5 Bloods review
Cast of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga)
Love it or loathe it, both the Eurovision song contest and Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga have embraced and reshaped the landscape of pop music like no one else. Will Ferrell's outlandish Netflix movie boasts a number of original songs, but its crowning moment is undoubtedly the mashup song (dubbed the "song-a-long") featuring plenty of Eurovision alumni and all your favourite anthems from the contest.
Read Empire's Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga review
'Honey' – Robyn (And Then We Danced)
With And Then We Danced, Levan Akin gave the world both a tender love story and a crucial education about strict Georgian traditions. But in one gorgeous scene between dancer Merab and the object of his affections, Irakli, a seductive sunkissed dance set to Robyn's anthemic pop song makes the encounter feel totally universal.
Read Empire's And Then We Danced review
'In This World' – Moby (Bad Education)
For his second feature after Thoroughbreds, director Cory Finley set his sights on the largest public school embezzlement scandal that shook American history, no less. It's often tense, Hugh Jackman playing the highly-strung superintendent Dr. Frank Tassone brilliantly. But towards the end of the film, as Frank's jig is soon up, Moby's ethereal classic offers a moment of respite, of actual fleeting happiness before the cookie starts to crumble. It's gorgeous, and quite heartbreaking.
'Pursuit Of Happiness' – Kid Cudi (The King of Staten Island)
It's a song that's been doing the rounds for over a decade now, that whenever you listen can automatically take you back to 2009. It feels fitting for Judd Apatow's loosely fictionalised biopic of Pete Davidson, suffering from a severe case of arrested development. The trailer nods to his search for meaning as a bumbling 24-year-old, and when the song is used in the final moments of the film, everything clicks into place.
Read Empire's The King of Staten Island review
'Always On My Mind' – Pet Shop Boys (Matthias Et Maxime)
Nobody loves a pop song like Xavier Dolan does. The Québecois wunderkind regularly flirts with Oasis and Céline Dion and more in his films, and his latest is no exception. Honourable mentions must go to Britney Spears' 'Work Bitch' and Arcade Fire's 'Signs of Life', but Harris Dickinson's blissed-out introduction set to the Pet Shop Boys' classic steals the show.
Read Empire's Matthias et Maxime review
'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' – Tears For Fears (Tesla)
Tesla is far from your standard biopic: Ethan Hawke plays Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla with gruff standoffishness, and the film often plays with fact and fiction to tease out the best story. Which is why, although Tesla probably didn't mumble along to Tears for Fears about his hungry ambition to be the best inventor in the world, this karaoke scene might just be the best in the whole film.
'Toxic' – Britney Spears (Promising Young Woman)
There's always been something slightly ominous about Britney Spears' 'Toxic': a perfect pop song, for sure, that still hides a hint of menace. It's perfect, then, for Promising Young Woman: the track is given a bit of a facelift and rearranged with dramatic strings in the trailer, suggesting the high-stakes drama set to unfold in Emerald Fennell's incendiary tale of revenge. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, after all. While the film won't hit UK screens until next year, this is the perfect tee-up.
'Reflection' – Christina Aguilera (Mulan)
What year is this? Surely, with Christina Aguilera covering ‘Reflection’ from Disney’s Mulan, it has to be 1998? But no – in the most surprising remake of the year, Xtina came back to do another cover of the same song she originally belted out 22 years ago, with a brand new video and everything. Pure millennial nostalgia catnip, but a suitably widescreen rendition of the song to match the epic scope of Niki Caro’s live-action (and song-free) remake.
Read the full list over at Empire
Now take a look at albums released in 2020:
Selena Gomez, 'Rare'
Selena Gomez released her third album 'Rare' on 10th January 2020, which featured singles 'Lose You to Love Me' and 'Look at Her Now' as well as the title track 'Rare'.
Halsey, 'Manic'
Halsey released her third album 'Manic' on 17th January 2020, spawning singles 'Without Me', 'Graveyard' and 'Clementine' amongst others.
Louis Tomlinson, 'Walls'
Former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson is the last of the band to put out their debut solo album, but 'Walls' was finally released on 31st January 2020.
Justin Bieber, 'Changes'
Justin Bieber's new album 'Changes' was released on Valentine's Day! His fifth record was out on 14th February 2020, and features his newest single 'Yummy'.
Lauv, 'How I'm Feeling'
Lauv's debut album 'How I'm Feeling' was released on 6th March 2020, spawning singles 'Lonely', 'Tattoos Together' and 'Feelings'.
Niall Horan, 'Heartbreak Weather'
Former One Direction star Niall Horan released his second album 'Heartbreak Weather' on 13th March 2020! The follow-up to 'Flicker' came out amid the Coronavirus, which Niall joked wasn't the best time to release new music.
Dua Lipa, 'Future Nostalgia'
Dua Lipa announced that her second album 'Future Nostalgia' was set to be released on 3rd April 2020, featuring her huge single 'Don't Start Now'. Unfortunately, the album was leaked, so Dua released it two weeks early on 27th March.
Lady Gaga, 'Chromatica'
Lady Gaga's sixth album 'Chromatica' was due to be released on 10th April 2020, but she decided to move the release date back due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It was then released on 29th May.
Ellie Goulding, 'Brightest Blue'
Ellie Goulding's fourth album 'Brightest Blue' was released on 17th July, with Ellie explaining that it would be "split into two halves" - one more classical and one more pop-focused.
Taylor Swift, 'Folklore'
Taylor Swift dropped her eighth studio album 'Folklore' totally by surprise on 24th July. The record was written and recorded in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reached Number 1 in the UK charts!
The Killers, 'Imploding The Mirage'
The Killers' sixth album 'Imploding The Mirage' was set to be released on 29th May 2020, but was pushed back to 21st August 2020, featuring singles 'Caution' and 'My Own Soul's Warning'.
Katy Perry, 'Smile'
Katy Perry had a pretty huge year in 2020 - not only did she welcome her first baby with fiancé Orlando Bloom, but she also released her sixth album on 28th August!
Alicia Keys, 'Alicia'
Alicia was set to release her self-titled seventh album on 20th March 2020, but it was pushed back due to the global pandemic and instead released on 18th September.
The Vamps, 'Cherry Blossom'
The Vamps released their fifth album 'Cherry Blossom' on 16th October 2020, featuring single 'Married In Vegas' which they performed on Strictly Come Dancing!
Ariana Grande, 'Positions'
Ariana Grande dropped her sixth album 'Positions' on 30th October! It contained songs like the title track as well as '34+35' and 'Motive' with Doja Cat.
Sam Smith, 'Love Goes'
Sam Smith released their third album, 'Love Goes', on 30th October, featuring singles such as 'Dancing with a Stranger' and 'How Do You Sleep?'. It was originally set for a 5th June release date, but was pushed back.
Little Mix, 'Confetti'
Little Mix released their sixth album 'Confetti' on 6th November! The record contains incredible hits like 'Sweet Melody', 'Holiday' and 'Break Up Song'.
Miley Cyrus, 'Plastic Hearts'
Miley Cyrus dropped her seventh album 'Plastic Hearts' on 27th November. Announcing the record in October, Miley wrote that her original seventh album had been destroyed after her home was lost in the California wildfires, 'Nature did what I now see as a favor and destroyed what I couldn't let go of for myself. I lost my house in a fire but found myself in its ashes.'
Shawn Mendes, 'Wonder'
Shawn Mendes released his fourth album 'Wonder' on 4th December 2020. Collaborating with the likes of Justin Bieber, the record featured singles 'Wonder' and 'Monster', and even had an accompanying Netflix documentary following Shawn's life in the lead up to the release.
Taylor Swift, 'Evermore'
Two albums in one year is pretty good going - Ariana Grande knows what's up! Taylor put out another record less than five months after 'Folklore', saying, "To put it plainly, we just couldn't stop writing songs."
Read more:
Empire's ultimate list of 2020's best films