As explained on their website, jurors (it doesn’t say who they were or how many) were asked to select songs from feature-length films in English. They were asked to consider songs that were featured in films “that set a tone or mood, define character, advance plot and/or express the film’s themes in a manner that elevates the moving image art form.” They were also asked to consider the legacy and cultural impact by choosing “songs that have captured the nation’s heart, echoed beyond the walls of a movie theater.”
The TV special, hosted by John Travolta, aired on June 22, 2004. The website features a list of 400 nominated songs as well as the final 100 selected. Note: the performers listed with the songs are those who performed the rendition used in the movies. In some cases – especially with musicals – a remake of the song may have been more successful. In addition, the actor may be lip syncing and the actual singer is indicated. Also, the year indicated in parentheses refers to the release of the movie. In some cases, the song came out earlier.
Click here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations.
1. Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow” (1939): The Wizard of Oz
2. Dooley Wilson “As Time Goes By” (1942): Casablanca
3. Gene Kelly “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952): Singin’ in the Rain
4. Henry Mancini with Audrey Hepburn “Moon River” (1961): Breakfast at Tiffany’s
5. Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers "White Christmas (1942): Holiday Inn
6. Simon & Garfunkel “Mrs. Robinson” (1968): The Graduate
7. Cliff Edwards “When You Wish Upon a Star” (1940): Pinocchio
8. Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” (1973): The Way We Were
9. Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977): Saturday Night Fever
10. Julie Andrews “The Sound of Music” (1965): The Sound of Music
11. Judy Garland “The Man That Got Away” (1954): A Star Is Born
12. Marilyn Monroe “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” (1953): Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
13. Barbra Streisand “People” (1968): Funny Girl
14. Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (1997): Titanic
15. Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman’s Orchestra “Cheek to Cheek” (1935): Top Hat
16. Barbra Streisand “Evergreen (Love Theme from ‘A Star Is Born’)” (1976): A Star Is Born
17. Marni Nixon “I Could Have Danced All Night” (1964): My Fair Lady
18. Liza Minnelli “Cabaret” (1972): Cabaret
19. Adriana Caselotti “Some Day My Prince Will Come” (1937): Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
20. Marni Nixon “Somewhere” (1961): West Side Story
21. Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957): Jailhouse Rock
22. Harry Nilsson “Everybody’s Talkin’” (1968): Midnight Cowboy
23. B.J. Thomas “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” (1969): Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
24. Paul Robeson “Ol’ Man River” (1928): Show Boat
25. Tex Ritter “High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’)” (1952): High Noon
26. Judy Garland “The Trolley Song” (1945): Meet Me in St. Louis
27. The Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” (1990): Ghost
28. Giorgio Tozzi “Some Enchanted Evening” (1958): South Pacific
29. Steppenwolf “Born to Be Wild” (1968): Easy Rider
30. Lena Horne “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)” (1943): Stormy Weather
31. Liza Minnelli “Theme from New York, New York” (1977): New York, New York
32. Gene Kelly “I Got Rhythm” (1951): An American in Paris
33. Ren Woods & Ensemble “Aquarius” (1979): Hair
34. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” (1937): Shall We Dance
35. Rita Morena, George Chakiris, & Ensemble “America” (1961): West Side Story
36. Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, & Ensemble “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (1964): Mary Poppins
37. Bing Crosby “Swinging on a Star” (1944): Going My Way
38. Isaac Hayes “Theme from Shaft” (1971): Shaft
39. Chorus “Days of Wine and Roses” (1962): Days of Wine and Roses
40. Public Enemy “Fight the Power” (1989): Do the Right Thing
41. Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, & Jules Munshin “New York, New York” (1949): On the Town
42. Marlon Brando & Ensemble “Luck Be a Lady” (1955): Guys and Dolls
43. Fred Astaire “The Way You Look Tonight” (1936): Swing Time
44. Bette Midler “Wind Beneath My Wings” (1989): Beaches
45. Fred Astaire, Nanette, Fabray, Jack Buchanan, & Oscar Levant “That’s Entertainment” (1953): The Band Wagon
46. Barbra Streisand “Don’t Rain on My Parade” (1968): Funny Girl
47. James Baskett “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” (1946): Song of the South
48. Doris Day “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)” (1956): The Man Who Knew Too Much
49. Donald O’Connor “Make ‘Em Laugh” (1952): Singin’ in the Rain
50. Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1955): Blackboard Jungle
51. Irene Cara “Fame” (1980): Fame
52. Loulie Jean Norman “Summertime” (1959): Porgy and Bess
53. Shirley Bassey “Goldfinger” (1964): Goldfinger
54. Marni Nixon “Shall We Dance” (1956): The King and I
55. Irene Cara “Flashdance...What a Feelin’” (1983): Flashdance
56. Maurice Chevalier “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” (1958): Gigi
57. Noel Harrison “The Windmills of Your Mind” (1968): The Thomas Crown Affair
58. Bill Conti “Gonna Fly Now” (1977): Rocky
59. Marni Nixon “Tonight” (1961): West Side Story
60. Frank Sinatra/Harry Connick Jr. “It Had to Be You” (1989): When Harry Met Sally
61. Judy Garland “Get Happy” (1950): Summer Stock
62. Angela Lansbury “Beauty and the Beast” (1991): Beauty and the Beast
63. Bob Hope with Shirley Ross “Thanks for the Memory” (1939): The Big Broadcast of 1938
64. Julie Andrews “My Favorite Things” (1965): The Sound of Music
65. Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992): The Bodyguard
66. Johnny Mandel “Suicide Is Painless” (1970): M*A*S*H
67. Carly Simon “Nobody Does It Better” (1977): The Spy Who Loved Me
68. Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994): Philadelphia
69. Shirley Temple “On the Good Ship Lollipop” (1934): Bright Eyes
70. John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, & Ensemble “Summer Nights” (1978): Grease
71. James Cagney “Yankee Doodle Boy” (1942): Yankee Doodle Dandy
72. Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, & Donald O’Connor “Good Morning” (1952): Singin’ in the Rain
73. Maurice Chevalier & Jeannette MacDonald “Isn’t It Romantic?” (1932): Love Me Tonight
74. Kermit the Frog (voiced by Jim Henson) “The Rainbow Connection” (1979) The Muppet Movie
75. Joe Cocker with Jennifer Warnes “Up Where We Belong” (1982): An Officer and a Gentleman
76. Judy Garland “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1945): Meet Me in St. Louis
77. Chorus “The Shadow of Your Smile” (1965): The Sandpiper
78. Dolly Parton “9 to 5” (1980): Nine to Five
79. Christopher Cross “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (1981): Arthur
80. Ensemble “Springtime for Hitler” (1968): The Producers
81. Keith Carradine “I’m Easy” (1975): Nashville
82. Ensemble “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead” (1939): The Wizard of Oz
83. Bette Midler “The Rose” (1979): The Rose
84. Anita Ellis “Put the Blame on Mame” (1946): Gilda
85. Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor “Come What May” (2001): Moulin Rouge!
86. Bill Medley with Jennifer Warnes “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” (1987): Dirty Dancing
87. Bob Hope “Buttons and Bows” (1948): The Paleface
88. Julie Andrews & Ensemble “Do Re Mi” (1965): The Sound of Music
89. Gene Wilder & Peter Boyle “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (1974): Young Frankenstein
90. Diane Keaton “Seems Like Old Times” (1977): Annie Hall
91. Carly Simon “Let the River Run” (1988): Working Girl
92. Gene Kelly & Martha Mears “Long Ago and Far Away” (1944): Cover Girl
93. Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002): 8 Mile
94. The Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (1983): The Big Chill
95. Bing Crosby & Bob Hope “We’re Off on the Road Road to Morocco” (1942): Road to Morocco
96. Kenny Loggins “Footloose” (1984): Footloose
97. Ruby Keller, Dick Powell, & Ensemble “42nd Street” (1933): 42nd Street
98. Catherine Zeta-Jones & Rene Zellweger “All That Jazz” (2002): Chicago
99. Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, and Joseph Williams “Hakuna Matata” (1994): The Lion King
100. Bob Seger & Silver Bullet Band “Old Time Rock and Roll” (1983): Risky Business
Resources/Related Links:First posted 3/30/2021. | 
