I’m a big fan of soundtracks and scores and 2009 was full of some really wonderful ones. There were three soundtracks and four scores that I particularly loved. 

The first soundtrack that caught my fancy in 2009 was Adventureland, an amazing mixture of fabulous tunes from the 70s and 80s. I would go far as to say that it is one of my favorite soundtracks of the decade.

My favorite track off the soundtrack is definitely Don’t Change by INXS. 

There are also two stellar tracks by The Replacements – Bastards of Young  and Unsatisfied.

The soundtrack also features two tracks from 70s rock icon Lou Reed. One from his solo career – Satellite of Love and one from his Velvet Underground days – Pale Blue Eyes.

What I love so much about this soundtrack is that it compliments that film  – one of my favorite of the year – so perfectly well, but also works as a stand-alone album as well.

The next soundtrack I loved was The Twilight Saga: New Moon. I really did not like the soundtrack to the first film. It was full of over-produced, glib power pop tracks. This time around, the soundtrack was full of indie favorites – much to the chagrin of hipsters everywhere.

My favorite track off the album is from one of my favorite bands – Slow Life by Grizzly Bear. Not only is it a wonderful song for this band, it was use perfectly in the film.

It also features a singer I discovered in the Spring of 2009 – Lykke Li. Her track – Possibility – was also used wonderfully in the film.

And lastly, it featured a powerful track by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke – Hearing Damage .

The final soundtrack I want to talk about is An Education. It’s a melange of early 60s cool and modern artists capturing that same spirit. 

The first artist featured prominently on the soundtrack – and in a nightclub scene in the film – British songstress Beth Rowley. She has two tracks on the soundtrack – You’ve Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger and A Sunday Kind of Love. Her jazzy voice is an excellent fit for the mood of the film.

60s French chanteuse Juliette Gréco is a favorite of Jenny’s in the film and has two tracks on the soundtrack: Sous le ciel de Paris and Sur Les Quais Du Vieux Paris.

The film’s score by Paul Englishby is also one of my favorites from 2009.

Two of my favorite scores from 2009 came from the same composer – Michael Giacchino. His scores for the Sci-Fi blockbuster Star Trek and the Pixar animated feature Up were both heartbreakingly beautiful. The latter score is the frontrunner this year for Best Original Score at the Oscars and rightfully so.

The last score on my list is Han Zimmer’s score for Sherlock Holmes. Zimmer used a variety of unique instruments to create the memorable score to this film. Zimmer is my favorite film composer and never disappoints.