20 songs that instantly remind you of iconic movie scenes

Will Smith and Kevin James star in the 2005 comedy film Hitch. One of the movie’s most memorable scenes is when Smith’s character Hitch, is trying to teach James’ character Albert how to dance while he’s out on dates and socializing. Although Hitch is attempting to teach Albert a simple two-step, once Usher’s hit song “Yeah!” comes on the radio, Albert gets a little too loose and outrageous with his dance moves. 

Marlon and Shawn Wayans are the stars of the 2004 comedy White Chicks. However, Terry Crews who plays athlete Latrell Spencer, steals a major scene in the flick. Marlon’s character Marcus Anthony is disguised as Tiffany Wilson, who ends up going on a date with Latrell. When Latrell picks Tiffany up, she plays music with the hopes of scaring him away. She ends up playing Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles,” which just so happened to be one of Latrell’s favorite songs. 

When fans hear Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” it brings them back to watching the 1982 film Rocky III. The song is immediately played in the film’s opening as Rocky loses a fight, and a montage is shown of his career. “Eye of the Tiger” was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. 

There’s no doubt that Idina Menzel’s “Let It Go” was one of the most popular songs in 2013 and 2014. Known as the theme song from the Disney animated film Frozen, the song is played in a scene when character Queen Elsa leaves her kingdom when she publicly loses her ability to create ice. In this moment, she realizes she can use her powers more freely and not live up to the expectations of other people. And of course, there’s the famous line in the song that says, “The cold never bothered me anyway.”

Omarion and Marques Houston starred in the 2004 dance film You Got Served. Part of the premise is centered around dance battles between Omarion and Houston’s crew against another crew. Joe Budden’s 2003 hit single “Pump It Up” is the main song during the film’s final scene when the crews battle it out during the MTV Big Bounce Competition. 

In 2004, Jon Heder starred as the title character in the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite. One of the film's most memorable scenes occurs when Napoleon performs at a school assembly to help his friend Pedro and his campaign for class president. Pedro was a bit discouraged that he would be required to perform a skit as part of his campaign, that's when Napoleon gets on stage to dance to Jamiroquai's hit song "Canned Heat." 

Movie fans can’t think of the 1992 film Wayne’s World without Queen’s hit song “Bohemian Rhapsody” coming to mind. There’s a scene in which Mike Myers’ character Wayne and Dana Carvey’s character Garth are cruising in their car with some of their pals. As “Bohemian Rhapsody” plays on the car stereo, the group gets lost in the song as they start singing along, playing air instruments, and headbang in unison as they show they love their love for a rock classic. 

Whitney Houston made her film debut alongside Kevin Costner in the 1992 film The Bodyguard. The movie's premise is centered around Costner's character Frank, who is a former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, who is hired to protect Houston's character Rachel, an actor and singer, from a stalker. Fans hear Houston's cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" at the end of the film when Frank and Rachel part ways. 

In 1983, Tom Cruise starred in the teen comedy film Risky Business. Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock n Roll” is heard when Cruise’s character Joel has the house to himself after his parents leave for the weekend. Joel makes sure to take full advantage of being carefree to wear whatever he wants and dance around the house.

Furious 7 is one of the most emotional films in the Fast and Furious franchise, simply because it’s the last one that actor Paul Walker stars in before his fatal car accident. The movie’s final scene showcases Walker’s character Bryan pulling up in a car beside Vin Diesel’s character Dom. The road they are on eventually splits in two, with Dom going in one direction and Bryan going the other way. It serves as the perfect tribute and send-off while the Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth song “See You Again” plays. 

Smash Mouth’s 1999 hit single “All Star” is played during the opening scene in the animated film Shrek. During the scene, the song sets the scene as the film’s main character Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers), is going through his daily routine such as getting ready for the day and frightening any intruders. 

Sean Patrick Thomas and Julia Stiles starred in the 2001 film Save The Last Dance. Part of the film's premise is Stiles' character Sara preparing to audition for acceptance into the Juilliard School. In one scene, Thomas' character Derek is giving Sara some hip-hop dance lessons, and that's when Donell Jones' hit song "U Know What's Up" is heard. 

It only made sense for Roy Orbison’s 1964 track “Oh, Pretty Woman” to be the theme song of the 1990 film Pretty Woman. In one particular scene, Julia plays the character of Vivian Ward, who luxury store clerks initially snubbed. She then goes back to the luxury stores with a different look and goes on a shopping spree, and this is where viewers hear the theme music. 

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker star in the action comedy film Rush Hour. One of the memorable scenes comes from supporting actress Julia Hsu who plays Soo-Yung Han. In the scene, Soo-Young is riding in a car on the way to school as she’s accompanied by bodyguards. While in the car, she starts joyfully singing Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy,” right before the car is ambushed by masked men to attack the bodyguards and kidnap her. 

When music fans think of the disco era, one group that comes to mind is the Bee Gees. Their hit song “Stayin’ Alive” is heard during the opening scene of the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. John Travolta stars as Tony Manero and he opens the film strutting through the streets of New York.

Julia Roberts stars as Julianne “Jules” Potter in the 1997 film  My Best Friend’s Wedding, who is secretly in love with her best friend, who is set to marry someone else. In one of the memorable scenes, Jules is trying to sabotage the wedding and her friend George poses as her fiancé at a pre-wedding lunch. The attendees start asking how the two met, and that’s when George tells a crazy story and then breaks out in the song “Say A Little Prayer,” which leads to a sing-along with the rest of the attendees.  

Jack Black stars as Dewey Finn, who poses as a substitute teacher in the 2003 film  School of Rock. One of the most memorable scenes is when Finn invites Principal Mullins, played by Joan Cusack, out for drinks to try to convince her to let his students play in the Battle of the Bands. Finn goes over to the jukebox to play Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen,” which ultimately leads Mullins to let her guard down, and she starts singing along to the song and then considers Finn’s request.

Although Public Enemy’s hit song “Fight The Power” is heard throughout Spike Lee’s film Do The Right Thing, it’s one particular scene that brings the song and movie together. The character Radio Raheem is blasting the song on his boombox as he walks into Sal’s Pizzeria, and Sal demands that he turn the music off. A heated argument led to a physical altercation, and once the police arrived, it led to Raheem’s death at the hands of the officers.

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook star in the 1999 film She’s All That, and it’s easily the type of teen movie that is a bit extinct in Hollywood these days. The movie is centered around Prinze’s character Zack taking on a bet that he can make any girl in the school popular, so he chooses Cook’s character Laney. In one scene, Laney is given a makeover and she walks downstairs in a red dress. Zack is enamoured by her beauty and that’s when fans hear the song “Kiss Me.” 

The 2007 film Stomp the Yard starred Columbus Short as the character DJ, who attends a historically black college, and part of the premise is DJ competing in different step and dance competitions. DJ Unk’s hit song “Walk It Out” is heard in a dance battle scene in which DJ shows off his best moves, and while some peers were impressed, some fraternity members felt disrespected.