Vinyl LP Records - Soundtrack / Compilations

Soundtracks and compilations on vinyl bring you music from films, TV series, video games and musicals. You can choose by the work the music comes from or by composer: the range includes Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman, Joe Hisaishi and Howard Shore. Compilations labelled Various Artists bring songs by different performers together on one record. Most editions are on 12-inch LPs, with some released on coloured vinyl or as picture discs.

What is the difference between a film score and a song soundtrack?

A film score is instrumental music written by a composer specifically for a film or TV series, often for an orchestra. This includes records by Hans Zimmer, John Williams and Ennio Morricone, such as Zimmer's selection The Classics on two LPs. A song soundtrack, on the other hand, is a collection of tracks heard in the film, usually by different performers, as with Pulp Fiction or Dirty Dancing. Bohemian Rhapsody brings you Queen's songs from the film about the band on two LPs. In product titles, both kinds often carry the abbreviation OST, meaning original soundtrack.

Can you also find music from video games and TV series here?

Video game music is represented by composer C418 with Minecraft Volume Alpha on clear green vinyl and Minecraft Volume Beta on two LPs with a fiery splatter pattern. TV series include Stranger Things, with music from the fourth season on a clear red record, and the anime Cowboy Bebop, recorded by the band Seatbelts. From Studio Ghibli's animated films, you'll find Joe Hisaishi with his music for Howl's Moving Castle.

What should you check when choosing a musical or a collector's edition?

The musical Hamilton was released as an original Broadway cast recording in a box containing four LPs. For longer works, it's worth checking the number of records and the sleeve format: The World of Hans Zimmer - A Symphonic Celebration contains three LPs on 180-gram vinyl in a gatefold sleeve. For a picture disc, you could choose the songs from the film Cars (Songs From Cars), for example. You'll find more multi-record collections among the vinyl LP box sets, and other music genres on vinyl in the vinyl LP records category.