Generally speaking, the term soundtrack refers to the recorded sound in a motion picture.
In terms of film formats, the soundtrack is the physical area of the film which records the synchronized sound.
The term soundtrack is also commonly used to refer to the music used in a movie, and/or to a record album sold containing that music. Sometimes, the music has been recorded just for the film or album (e.g. Saturday Night Fever), though this is rare. In 1916, Victor Schertzinger recorded the first music specifically for use in a motion picture, and releasing soundtracks of songs used in films became standard in the 1930s.
Notable Soundtracks:
- American Graffiti (massive-selling double album of rock oldies)
- Apocalypse Now (another hit, memorable use of the Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner)
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (successful soundtrack, using contemporary hits)
- Flashdance (launched several hit songs, surprise hit)
- A Hard Day's Night (early rock and roll soundtrack by The Beatles)
- The Harder They Come (massively successful soundtrack and movie, launched career of Jimmy Cliff, early mainstream reggae music)
- I Am Sam (soundtrack a massive hit, consisted of covers of Beatles songs)
- The Jungle Book (first soundtrack in the modern sense, scored by Miklos Rozsa)
- O Brother Where Art Thou? (surprise bluegrass hit, Grammy winner)
- Saturday Night Fever (massive hit mostly by the Bee Gees, brought disco to the mainstream)
- The Stoned Age (early teen film focused on a cult band, Blue Oyster Cult)
- Till the Clouds Roll by (soundtrack and film inspired by life of Jerome Kern, early use of the release of a soundtrack to promote a film)