Needle Drops - Favorite Songs from 2025 Movies and Some Oldies

A category that is typically rather light in terms of quality nominees, this years shortlist for Original Song is looking pretty beefed up with not only quality songs, but hits that are actually finding their way into pop culture. Golden from Kpop Demon Hunters is the song that seems to stand out above the crowd, alongside I Lied To You from Sinners. Both songs are definitely hits, but Golden seems to have a more broad fandom due to it being a more traditional Pop hit (also because it's an absolute jam). Just to explain the phenomenon of Golden, earlier this year I went to a friend's yearly Corn Fest, and after pulling up to their house blasting Golden I watched another person get into their car only for it to be right in the middle of Golden. The song is so big, that Regal and Netflix decided to hold KPOP Demon Hunters Sing Along weekends, where a sing-along version of the movie is released for select weekends (And I can tell you from looking a few showtimes up, that it sells out).

The other frontrunner (but likely runner-up) I Lied To You from Sinners I think is the better in-movie experience, as that entire scene really stands out from the rest of the movie and had people talking about it for a while. The entire soundtrack from Sinners is pretty remarkable, and Coogler has a way of using his songs to tell a story in Sinners unlike anything I've seen in a long time. Irish songs Will Ye Go, Lassie Go? and Rocky Road to Dublin are equally mesmerizing scenes in this, and the use and meaning of Picked Poor Robin Clean (well explained in this video https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3560203550953262) is really interesting.

With both of these movies having some great hits, I wanted to go back and think of some other favorite needle drops from other movies as well. This list is not necessaraily my favorite songs, nor is it particularly Original Songs, but rather the songs that I feel like were most memorable in context of watching the movie. Although I will say... I love all these songs.

Favorite Needle Drops of 2025 and Prior

2025's Best

• The Threesome - I follow Rivers

  • I feel like this song reminds me of the meme that was going around of Jon Hamm dancing in the club (see below). Prior to the not-suprising twist of the movie, this really brings great vibes to the movie as the three central characters are out dancing the night away prior to that hammer dropping later on, which is why I think it works so well.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDIThTS8DeE

• Warfare - Call on Me (Eric Stylz)

  • This song plays a similar role as the above, as it brings excitement and camaraderie to the movie just before devastation and agony. I think I might be the only person who responds to this song playing the same way the squad does, but it's a certified throwback jam. The name of the song also has that same literal relation to the characters and story as the song below. The feeling this song creates at the beginning of this movie reminds me of All Quiet on the Western Front.

• No Other Choice - Hold On (Sam & Dave)

  • This song plays as the "protagonist" is making his hit list per say that the plot will revolve around the rest of the movie. I really just love this song, but the literal Hold On, I'm Coming (to kill you) of this is great.

• One Battle After Another - American Girl (Tom Petty)

  • I think this was an awesome song to end the movie on, this determined young girl, hoping and fighting for a better future for tomorrow. I think the way it goes against what some people would say makes you a true American, also makes it a very clever choice.

• F1 - Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin)

  • Nothing gets you into a movie and behind a character better than an incredible intro song for said character. And this is a great one. This song pumps you up from the first minute of the movie. By the way, not that there's any competition, but Led Zeppelin > Van Halen. Just in case you care.

Oldies But Goodies

• Us - I Got 5 On It/F The Police (Luniz/ NWA)

  • I got 5 On It is basically the undercurrent of the entire movie, similar to a great Hanz Zimmer score, it makes it's way in and out of the score in different ways. I was hooked on this movie as soon as I heard how they mixed it in the trailer. And the version that plays in the final fight of the movie is haunting as ever. Honorable mention to the comedic effect of F The Police palying when Elizabeth Moss's character tries to tell her Alexa to call the police.

• Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Vivaldi's Four Seasons - Summer

  • I think this may be the best-ever use of song in a movie in terms of creating emotion for the watcher. They use it twice, once in the buildup to show the fire burning between the two characters in a very small, intimate scene. Then, they hit you with it in the final moments after the main character has moved on, only to bring her to tears. It hits you like a bag of bricks and creates one of the best endings of this century.

• End of Watch - Harder Thank you Think (Public Enemy)

  • This was the first time I'd heard this song, and I probably have played it 40,004 times since. I think it's a clever use of a song, because it sounds hard/rowdy when you play it, but there is to me a bit of a juxtaposition between the song's meaning and the main characters the story is based around.

• Creed - Rocky Theme

  • When the Rocky Theme finally hits in the final round of the fight after waiting and hoping to hear it for an hour and a half...... chills. Ludwig Goransson has now gone on to make the score for just about every Coogler movie, and he does not miss. This scene will now be presented for your viewing without comment. Feel free to fast forward to 5:15 if you hate peak levels of goosebumps.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4OqB35WpHo

• Shrek 2 - I Need a Hero (Bonnie Tyler)

  • This is without the doubt the best Shrek movie, and in large part because the climax with Shrek making his way to Fiona while this song is blasting in the background. How the song begins with The fairy godmother saying "Hit it!" ,the way they cut back in forth between Fiona and Charming dancing and Shrek's crusade, absolutely prestige filmmaking.

• Call Me By Your Name - The Mystery of Love (Sufjan Stevens)

  • Did you know that Sufjan Stevens wrote an entire musical album about people, places, and events from the state of Illinois called.....Illinoise. While not the most popular singer/songwriter, I think both of his songs fit this movie perfectly. This one of the two has just stuck with me for a much longer time and I come back to it frequently.

• She's All That - Kiss Me (Sixpence None The Richer)

  • Movie trope of cool jock makes nerdy girl pretty when he takes her glasses off? Not the best. This movie may be one of the first of said trope but it is also, not the best. But Sixpence None The Richer hitting with a shot of nerdy girl coming down the stairs and Freddy whatever his name is falling in love instantly after setting down what I think was a martini even though he's in high school? 10/10 scene.

• Baby Driver - Brighton Rock (Queen)

  • I'm notoriously a sucker for Queen, so while Bellbottoms at the start of the movie is probably the best part of the movie (the intro for Baby), this is my pick. It's a great call back, as Baby calls this his killer song when talking to Buddy (Jon Hamm; another appearance on the list) earlier in the movie, for Buddy to play this in the climax of the movie when he tries to kill Baby and Doc (Kevin Spacey). Edgar Wright is a master when it comes to picking songs, as the song is about two lovebirds who have a sort of secret fling and want to run off together like Baby and Deborah in this. Edgar Wright had a lot of consideration on this list, as I easily could've picked the Don't Stop Me Now scene from Sean of the Dead. I'm starting to think Edgar and I equally love Queen. If you're reading this Lucas Kindron you're welcome for Baby Driver.

Honorable Mentions

• James Bond: Skyfall - Skyfall (Adele)

  • I don't know if I would necessarily say this belongs on this list, but ya know what, this is undoubtedly the greatest Bond song there is. Adele absolutely killed this. And the way they open to this song is also excellent.

• Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - Walk Hard

  • I didn't want to include this the same way I didn't want to include any musical movie songs like every song from The Greatest Showman. But since this movie is a Parody of music biopics and not musicals, I say it works. This movie had no business having two genuinely good songs, as the parody would've worked I think with or without them, but this is a good song! If you were to stumble onto a channel playing this the moment he sings this song, you're in for the whole movie.

• She Rides Shotgun (2025) -

  • This is the name of a movie from this year starring Taron Egerton. I don't know if there is a single song in this entire movie. However, when I was watching the movie, I couldn't stop thinking of Shotgun by Ezra something or other.

I absolutely missed some good choices on this list. Please let me know so I can completely rewrite and adjust all of this accordingly.