Lists

Top Ten Movie Rock Music Moments

By Brent Chittenden

Music and movies go hand and hand. Like peanut butter and jelly, there are a a ton of movie moments where music just added to the scene. And rock music has really added to some pivotal moments in some great movies. Which brings us to this week’s list. Here’s a compilation of my favourite rock music movie moments.

10) Office Space / Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangster

The perfect soundtrack to a scene that everyone one who has ever worked in an office can relate to.

9) Watchmen / The Times Are A Changin

Watchmen – Minutemen intro from José Pedro Gomes on Vimeo.

 

A great mix of timing, subject matter and music, we get to see superheros through the ages with a song that belongs to the ages. It’s pretty damn awesome.

8) The Breakfast Club / Don’t You (Forget About Me)

A John Hughes music / movie moment. Must admit, I’ve walked out of a place when this song has come on and thrown my fist up like Bender.

7) American Psycho / Hip To Be Square

A prime example that how under the right circumstances, even the tones of Huey Lewis and the News can be nerve wracking.

6) Fight Club / Where Is My Mind?

Just the timing of the explosions with the son is perfect. Director David Finch should be proud of himself… of course he was a music video director so he’s probably pretty good at it.

5) Goodfellas / Layla

Martin Scorsese has always had a knack for placing music within his films but one of his finest moments is this scene in Goodfellas matched with Layla. (if you’re looking for another good one, look at House of the Rising Sun in Casino)

4) Back to the Future / Johnny B Goode

Back to the Future is the only reason anyone under thirty knows what a DeLorean is but one of the best scenes in the movie is when marty breaks out a song that hadn’t been written yet. As a bit of trivia, Michael J Fox isn’t actually singing, it’s Max Carl who currently serves as lead singer for Grandfunk Railroad.

3) Almost Famous / Tiny Dancer

Almost Famous is a great movie about a music writer touring with a rock band… by a filmmaker who used to be a music writer who toured with rock bands. This scene is just classic and one of the best uses of Elton John’s music in film.

2) Wayne’s World / Bohemian Rhapsody

This scene and it’s use in the Wayne’s World trailer helped bring back this Queen classic back to the charts in 1992, sixteen years after it had originally hit the charts. Not only that, up to a higher US chart position (#2) then it’s original release (#9) in 1978.

1) Say Anything / In Your Eyes

One of the most iconic images in 80’s film history is Lloyd Dobler holding up his boom box with Peter Gabriel blasting In Your Eyes to the love of his life… I think I’ve got something in my eye (sadly, I couldn’t find the full clip on the net, but this gives you a good idea).

What about you guys? Feel free to suggest a scene below as I am all for revisiting this post again.  In the meantime I’ll leaave you with a bonus scene that didn’t make the cut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brent Chittenden

Brent Chittenden is a freelance writer with a gift for the geek. Currently a writer with A Journal Of Musical Things and a podcaster with True North Nerds, he's also written for Comic Book Daily, Explore Music and a dozen other places. Currently, he is the co-host of the True North Nerds podcast. You can find out more at www.facebook.com/bcchittenden

Brent Chittenden has 195 posts and counting. See all posts by Brent Chittenden

6 thoughts on “Top Ten Movie Rock Music Moments

  • Both Trainspotting and Pulp Fiction had well-crafted used of music, including the twist contest at Jack Rabbit Slim's in Pulp Fiction, the Lust for Life intro to Trainspotting and this:

    Reply
  • That song in Office Space is NOT "Damn it Feels Good To Be A Gangsta" Yes the song is used in the movie, however in the Printer beat down scene, the Geto Boys song used is called "Still"

    Reply
  • Stuck In The Middle (Stealer's Wheel) in Reservoir Dogs.

    -G.

    Reply
  • I was going Reservoir Dogs as well. Awesome scene.

    Reply

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