soundtrack

American  

[sound-trak] / ˈsaʊndˌtræk /

noun

1. the narrow band on one or both sides of a motion-picture film on which sound is recorded.

2. the sound recorded on a motion-picture film; audio portion of a film.

3. the music or dialogue from a film available on a commercial recording.

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soundtrack British  

/ ˈsaʊndˌtræk /

noun

1. the recorded sound accompaniment to a film Compare commentary

2. a narrow strip along the side of a spool of film, which carries the sound accompaniment

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verb

1. (tr) to provide a continuous accompaniment of sounds, esp music

Etymology

Origin of soundtrack

First recorded in 1925–30; sound ¹ + track

Explanation

The music that a movie is set to is its soundtrack. Some soundtracks are composed and recorded especially for a film, while others are made up of many songs by different musicians. TV shows and video games often have soundtracks too, although the concept started with films. During the silent film era, musicians would sometimes play live music to accompany a movie screening. The origin of the term soundtrack goes back to approximately the same time that the first "talkie," or film with sound (1929's "The Jazz Singer"), was screened for audiences. A recorded album featuring the music from a movie is also called a soundtrack.

Example Sentences

It was called Future Soundtrack for America, and it contained a hodgepodge of covers, alt versions, and unreleased tracks from an array of artists.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2024

“Open Mouth, Open Heart” showed a massive jump in their range with tracks like “Escape,” “Ruins” and “All This Love,” a foundation the band builds further upon with the new release “Funeral Soundtrack #4.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2024

Hannah Peel won best television Soundtrack for her work on Sky's sci-fi drama The Midwich Cuckool, while John Powell took home best original film score for Don't Worry Darling.

From BBC • May 18, 2023

Today, I’ve added about 20 tracks to the California Soundtrack.

From New York Times • May 10, 2023

PHOTOS: Soundtrack of this year's March Madness begins with 'CLANK!'

From Washington Times • Mar. 23, 2023