4 of the Best 90s Alternative-Inspired Movie Soundtracks For When You’re Feeling a Little Grunge

A good soundtrack is vital to elevate a movie above its peers. Sometimes it’s the orchestral arrangements that give a film that extra push, but occasionally the best soundtracks are those that feature contemporary songs. For indie rock and alternative fans, as well as some of you goths, here are some of the best movie soundtracks to feature punk, grunge, hardcore, and more.

90s Alternative-Inspired Movie Soundtracks, from the Surprising Batman Forever to the Bizarro Tank Girl

Batman Forever, 1995

It’s almost impossible to listen to the Batman Forever soundtrack in full now unless you buy a sketchy used CD or a $100 vinyl, which is a shame because this soundtrack has some of the best names in 90s indie rock and grunge. PJ Harvey, Mazzy Star, Nick Cave, The Offspring, The Flaming Lips, as well as U2, Massive Attack, and Sunny Day Real Estate. There’s the classic Seal track “Kiss From a Rose,” which is always associated with this movie. But there’s also “The Riddler” by Method Man as a theme for Jim Carrey’s main villain. Overall, the Batman Forever soundtrack is certainly memorable, if not a bit surprising for its grunge-leaning tendencies.

The Crow, 1994

Widely regarded as one of the best movie soundtracks out there, The Crow featured more goth-leaning tracks to reflect the tone of the film. However, it’s still worth a mention for the sheer genius of it. It’s got The Cure, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails doing a Joy Division cover, Rage Against the Machine, and Violent Femmes. It’s got Rollins Band doing a Suicide cover, Pantera doing a Poison Idea, Machines of Loving Grace, and The Jesus and Mary Chain. There’s truly no stone left unturned on The Crow soundtrack, which makes it one of rock’s most beloved movie albums.

10 Things I Hate About You, 1999

This modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew has a killer late-90s/early-2000s soundtrack that perfectly reflects the film’s sensibilities. 10 Things I Hate About You was a teenage girl’s dream movie, and Kat became the blueprint for strong-willed yet studious high school girls everywhere. Letters to Cleo features heavily on the soundtrack, performing a Cheap Trick cover of “I Want You To Want Me” and a cover of Nick Lowe’s “Cruel To Be Kind.” This film also featured the ska-punk-pop-rock sound of Save Ferris with the song “I Know,” fully capturing the movie’s quirky girl-power aesthetic.

Tank Girl, 1995

Tank Girl is already a bizarro movie in its own right, so it only makes sense that the soundtrack is as varied and unique as the storytelling. It features Bjork’s “Army of Me,” first of all, which is always a sign that a movie is going to be top-notch (see: Sucker Punch). But Tank Girl also features tracks from DEVO, Stomp, Magnificent Bastards, L7, Hole, Bush, and Portishead. Additionally, there’s Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Belly, Veruca Salt, and, interestingly, Ice-T closing out the soundtrack. If you want to go on a sonic acid trip, the Tank Girl soundtrack might be a good start.

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