Dive into a nostalgic musical journey through animated films with soundtracks that deserve way more recognition! From unexpected musical gems to forgotten classics, we're exploring the most underrated animated movie soundtracks that will make you want to hit replay.
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00:00Here I am, this is me.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the most brilliant soundtracks
00:10from animated films that nevertheless get constantly overlooked, even by fans.
00:15Cue the music.
00:16That you can only tell, you can't know where the fire's coming from.
00:23Number 10.
00:24Brother Bear
00:25This early 2000s animated film premiered to mixed critical reception, but one thing that
00:29isn't mediocre about this film is its soundtrack.
00:42After the success of Tarzan, Phil Collins was once again asked to compose songs for
00:46the film, this time about a young hunter transformed into a bear, apart from the jaunty On My Way
00:51sung by Collins himself.
00:53Other featured artists include Tina Turner.
01:06Some highlights are No Way Out, the poignant official theme of the film.
01:10Above all others, the transformation scene, performed by the Bulgarian Women's Choir,
01:15with its epic sweep.
01:25Number 9.
01:26The Jungle Book
01:27This Disney classic is more than a lot of fun, it has a killer soundtrack.
01:31Terry Gilkyson was initially brought in to compose before Disney hired the Sherman Brothers
01:35to deliver more light-hearted numbers.
01:48The Bear Necessities, composed by Gilkyson, is one of Disney's most beloved numbers,
01:53an iconic sequence sung by Baloo and Mowgli.
01:56Other standouts include I Wanna Be Like You, sung by Louis Prima's energetic orangutan,
02:01and The Vultures' We're Your Friends, both composed by the Sherman Brothers.
02:18Fun fact, The Vultures' barbershop quartet was initially going to be a Beatles-esque
02:22rock song, with The Vultures animated accordingly.
02:25Unfortunately, the plans fell through.
02:27No great loss with a soundtrack this memorable though.
02:37Number 8.
02:38Flushed Away
02:39One of the most forgotten animated movies of the mid-2000s, this film has the advantage
02:43of a star-studded soundtrack.
02:53With Hugh Jackman as the protagonist, the movie follows rich rat Roddy as he's flushed
02:58sewer world of Rattropolis.
02:59There are some well-loved favorites, such as What's New Pussycat?, Don't Worry Be Happy!,
03:04and even Boots Randolph's Yakety Sax.
03:07Jackman also lends his stellar pipes to Ice Cold Rita.
03:21Tina Turner even pops up once more for a gospel rendition of Proud Mary.
03:25With fun, eclectic numbers such as these, this film is worth a re-watch, if just to
03:29get your Tom Jones karaoke kicks.
03:38Number 7.
03:39A Goofy Movie
03:50This goofy film is severely underrated in at least one respect.
03:54When Max Goof decides to go to pop star Powerline's concert to impress his crush, it leads to
03:58a father-son road trip and plenty of opportunity for some great numbers.
04:12The soundtrack was composed by Carter Burwell before Don Davis was hired to rearrange the
04:16score.
04:17With more traditional musical songs such as After Today, and high-powered concert anthems
04:22such as Stand Out, this soundtrack is sure to rouse.
04:25It's the ending climactic song Eye to Eye that really elevates this film into an underrated
04:30gem.
04:43Number 6.
04:44A Secret Life of Pets
04:53This may be 2016's Toy Story with animals, but it's also a musical showcase.
05:03There are at least two pop songs, Welcome to New York by Taylor Swift and We Go Together
05:08from Grease, the latter of which is performed with happy aplomb by anthropomorphic sausages.
05:21A swaggering rap-style arrangement of Stayin' Alive even pops up.
05:25Alexandre Desplat's jazz classical score, inspired by the work of George Gershwin and
05:30Miles Davis, truly makes this soundtrack stand out in its ambition.
05:40It's a playful accompaniment to this playful movie.
05:43Number 5.
05:44Sleeping Beauty
05:45We all know this beloved Disney classic, but did you know Walt Disney did indeed seize
05:50a great opportunity?
05:51That's right, Disney's original plan was to have the entire film's music adapted from
05:56Tchaikovsky's ballet of the same name.
06:11As it was, the garland Waltz was retained, cleverly arranged by George Bruns into two
06:16songs.
06:17The first is I Wonder, sung by Aurora in the Forest, and of course, the romantic Once Upon
06:21a Dream from the main melody, with appropriately elegant English lyrics by Jack Lawrence and
06:26Sammy Fain.
06:35Other selections based on the ballet include Hail to the Princess Aurora and the ethereal
06:39The Gifts of Beauty and Song.
06:41Who knew Tchaikovsky and Disney would make such a winning combination?
06:58Number 4.
06:59Chicken Little
07:00This film, based on a popular folktale, was a critical disappointment for Disney.
07:04One redeeming feature is almost definitely its banger soundtrack.
07:20The film features many covers of beloved songs, such as the Spice Girls' Wannabe and Elton
07:25John's Don't Go Breakin' My Heart.
07:27We even get a cute rendition of Queen's We Are the Champions, belted by Chicken Little
07:31himself.
07:32For the finale, Diana Ross's groovy Ain't No Mountain High Enough ends the film on a
07:48triumphant note.
07:50The movie may have been a dud, but it makes for a good karaoke session.
08:03Number 3.
08:04Oliver & Company
08:05Perfect isn't easy, but it's this film's soundtrack.
08:08A kid-friendly adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, this film takes a leaf out of
08:12Lionel Bart's musical to flex its own songwriting pipes.
08:16Longtime Disney lyricist Howard Ashman first cut his teeth in this movie.
08:20Featuring the opening, Once Upon a Time in New York City.
08:32Billy Joel also delivers Dodgers' Why Should I Worry, composed by Dan Hartman and Charlie
08:37Midnight, with effortless cool and rockstar energy.
08:40For a more traditional Broadway sound, Perfect Isn't Easy, sung by Mette Midler as the pampered
08:45Georgette, makes for a charming foxtrot.
08:55Fun fact, this song was co-written by Barry Manilow.
08:58With so much talent on display, this film is worth another look.
09:11Number 2.
09:12The Prince of Egypt
09:14Listen, we all love Shrek, but that this contemporaneous DreamWorks film with its beautiful animation
09:19was forgotten is definitely a miscarriage of artistic justice.
09:32Among its many strengths is undoubtedly its sweeping songs, written by Stephen Schwartz.
09:37Deliver Us, with its epic chorus and Ofra Haza's haunting lullaby, is an immediate showstopper.
09:56Other notable numbers include The Plagues, Through Heaven's Eyes, and The Menacing Playing
10:01with the Big Boys.
10:02And of course, there is the Academy Award-winning Valid, When You Believe.
10:17It's no wonder the film was eventually adapted into a stage musical.
10:21Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:25Pinocchio, for giving Disney a beautiful and iconic theme song.
10:46The Iron Giant, because Michael Caiman's score soars.
10:58The Lorax, because these earworms spawned a whole fandom.
11:12The Lion King 2, Simba's Pride.
11:14The soundtrack lives in us, and it's no disgrace.
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11:49Spirit – Stallion of the Cimarron
12:02Speaking of beautifully animated but forgotten DreamWorks movies, we'd be remiss to miss
12:06this one.
12:07Spirit may not have the strong writing of other similar coming-of-age animated films,
12:12but what it does have is a memorable soundtrack.
12:27With a score composed by Hans Zimmer and songs by Bryan Adams, Spirit's sweet, soft rock
12:32numbers and orchestral sweep match its idyllic, fluid animation.
12:36Among the more memorable songs is the spirited Get Off My Back, as Spirit rebels against
12:41his taming against the cruel Colonel.
12:51The soundtrack was certified Gold in both the U.S. and the U.K. for good reason.
12:56What other animated movie soundtrack do you feel needs more love?
12:59Let us know in the comments below.
13:09Do you agree with our picks?
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