BEST KIDS MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS: 18 OF OUR FAVOURITES

Curious about the best kids movie soundtracks? You've come to the right place - we've rounded up 18 of our all-time favourites, from animation classics to award-winning modern scores.

Children engage more with visually and aurally stunning films, so kids' movie soundtracks are, more often than not, outstanding. Studios like Disney Animation, Pixar, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination Entertainment regularly work with top-tier talent to create music that captures the attention of little ones while entertaining older viewers too.

What does a kids' movie soundtrack sound like? That depends entirely on the film. Like a movie targeted at adults, a kids' film will feature a soundtrack that reflects its genre - Paramount's animated Western Rango (2011) has a cowboy-inspired score by Hans Zimmer, while MGM's The Addams Family (2019) leans horror.

Below, we run through the best soundtracks in the history of children's film - from 1988 through to 2024 - and serve up plenty of inspiration for your own kids' movie soundtrack from our catalogue of production music tracks.

18 of the Best Kids’ Movie Soundtracks

Before we get into it, here's the full list of films:

• Monsters, Inc.
• Toy Story 4
• Inside Out
• Inside Out 2
• Despicable Me 3
• Trolls
• Encanto
• My Neighbor Totoro
• The Wild Robot
• The Muppets
• The Princess and the Frog
• Hercules
• Shrek
• Shrek 2
• Sing
• The Lion King
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Frozen

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

We're kicking off our best kids' soundtracks list with early-00s Pixar film Monsters, Inc. Composed by the studio's favourite composer, Randy Newman, the Oscar-nominated soundtrack is an absolute delight. It's the jazz-inspired moments at the beginning and end of the film that we treasure most.

The title track - heard over the opening credits - features light drums, peppy horns and energetic keys. The closing credits track finds Billy Crystal and John Goodman (the voices of Mike and Sully) channelling their inner Dean Martin and Nat King Cole. Keen to discover more jazz music? We've loads more on our jazz page.

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Toy Story 4 surpassed all expectations - nobody expected the third sequel to be as necessary as it is. Once again, Randy Newman did a tremendous job with the soundtrack.

Just like the film, the Toy Story 4 soundtrack takes the most lovable elements of the saga to create a masterpiece, sometimes reusing songs from earlier entries (‘You've Got A Friend In Me’) and sometimes capturing the franchise's spirit in new compositions. Our favourite is the chirpy, meaningful hit ‘I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away’ - practically impossible not to sing along to.

Inside Out (2015)

Which Pixar movie has the best soundtrack? We'd argue it's Inside Out. Although the score eschews vocals, it's just as memorable as anything else on this list.

Composed by Michael Giacchino, the soundtrack brings the inside of Riley's mind to life with sounds that are fun, warming and full of emotion.

Inside Out 2 (2024)

Ten years after the original, Inside Out 2 became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and the score keeps pace with the emotional stakes. This time composer Andrea Datzman - a longtime collaborator of Michael Giacchino - takes the reins, making her the first woman to score a Pixar feature.

To capture Riley's teenage years (and her new emotion, Anxiety), Datzman leans into a grungier, more rock-inflected sound, especially in the ice hockey scenes, building on Giacchino's blueprint while giving it a jolt of adolescent energy. Need music with a similar sense of movement? Explore our upbeat background music page.

Despicable Me 3 (2010)

The jewel in Illumination Entertainment's crown is, undoubtedly, the Despicable Me franchise - we simply can't resist those Minions. Each time a film in the main saga is produced, Universal-owned Illumination calls on Pharrell Williams and Brazilian composer Heitor Pereira to compose the soundtrack.

It may not be the most popular, but we believe Despicable Me 3's soundtrack reigns supreme. The album is brimming with memorable moments - from ‘Freedom’ to ‘Yellow Light’ to ‘There's Something Special’ - that add depth to the easy-to-watch animation.

Trolls (2016)

It's easy to think of DreamWorks Animation as a thing of the 90s/00s, but one of the most successful animations of the 2010s came from the studio: Trolls. DreamWorks placed the soundtrack in the hands of Justin Timberlake, doubtless inspired by Illumination's decision to let Pharrell oversee Despicable Me.

Working alongside super-producers Shellback and Max Martin, Timberlake created one of the best kids' movie soundtracks ever. The album features huge pop covers performed by the likes of Gwen Stefani, Anna Kendrick and Ariana Grande, plus original songs including the top-10 hit ‘Can't Stop the Feeling!’. Discover more upbeat tracks like those on the Trolls soundtrack over on our upbeat background music page.

Encanto (2021)

No modern kids' movie soundtrack has had a bigger cultural moment than Encanto's. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote eight original songs for the film, and ‘We Don't Talk About Bruno’ spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 - the longest reign of any Disney song in the chart's history.

Behind the songs, composer Germaine Franco wove in Colombian instruments like the tiple and rhythms from joropo and bullerengue, becoming the first woman to score a Disney animated feature and the first Latina composer nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score. We've broken down the full Encanto soundtrack, song by song, if you want to dig deeper.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Studio Ghibli films offer a healthy dose of escapism, and so do their soundtracks (usually created by Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi).

The soundtrack to anime classic My Neighbor Totoro begins with ‘Hey Let's Go’ - an opening theme that pulls the viewer into the world of forest spirits with marching drums and powerful trumpets - and ends with a whimsical, 80s J-pop title track. Each track in between reflects the magic of the film's narrative.

The Wild Robot (2024)

DreamWorks' The Wild Robot proves an entirely instrumental score can carry as much emotional weight as any sing-along hit. Composer Kris Bowers earned his first Oscar nomination for the sweeping score, which tracks robot Roz's journey from castaway machine to adoptive parent through swelling strings and warm, organic textures.

If you're scoring a project that needs the same kind of emotional orchestral build, our orchestral movie soundtracks roundup is a good place to start.

The Muppets (2011)

2011's The Muppets is perfect: nostalgic, heart-warming and, above all, hilarious - and the songs are infused with just as much humour. One track performed by Mary (Amy Adams), ‘Me Party’, revolves around the comical concept of having a party by oneself.

Our favourite song from the soundtrack is ‘Man or Muppet’, performed by Walter and his brother Gary (Jason Segel). It tackles the relatable concept of figuring out one's identity, but does so in the most light-hearted way imaginable.

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

We love an underrated gem - take Disney's overlooked, hand-drawn The Princess and the Frog, for example. It's the Randy Newman-produced soundtrack that wins us over.

The music works because it captures the spirit of 1920s New Orleans and its Black community. ‘Almost There’, performed by Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), is, in our opinion, one of the greatest Disney songs - a reminder that dreams are achievable if you work hard.

Hercules (1997)

From 1920s New Orleans to Ancient Greece: Hercules is the next Disney animation on our list. Centred on the tale of Zeus's demi-god son, the film uses music to drive the narrative - it opens with The Muses setting the scene via the storytelling track ‘The Gospel Truth’.

The soundtrack was produced by Alan Menken, who also composed music for Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Little Mermaid (1989) and Pocahontas (1995).

Shrek (2001)

The 90s/00s era is largely regarded as DreamWorks Animation's golden age, and right at its centre is the studio's most popular film, the Academy Award-winning Shrek.

The unorthodox love story follows a grumpy green ogre sent to rescue a princess who turns out to be an ogre herself. The Shrek soundtrack is just as iconic as the film - featuring covers of ‘Hallelujah’, ‘I'm A Believer’ and ‘All Star’ performed by the likes of Smash Mouth and Rufus Wainwright.

Shrek 2 (2004)

Shrek 2 - the sequel to a film about two ogres falling in love, which casts the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella as the antagonist - has no right to be as good as it is. The same applies to the soundtrack.

Filled with a diverse range of covers, the soundtrack moves confidently from upbeat rock to power ballad to disco hit. We can't decide whether our favourite moment is Butterfly Boucher and David Bowie's ‘Changes’ or Jennifer Saunders' version of Bonnie Tyler's ‘Holding Out For A Hero’.

Sing (2016)

Another soundtrack that reinterprets classics for the whole family is Illumination's Sing. The original soundtrack is packed with world-renowned artists - Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Hudson - singing hits like Shocking Blue's ‘Venus’, Taylor Swift's ‘Shake It Off’ and Elton John's ‘I'm Still Standing’, plus an original song by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande, ‘Faith’. If you're after pop inspiration for your next project, explore our pop categories.

The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King soundtrack isn't just one of the best kids' movie soundtracks ever - it's one of the best movie soundtracks, full stop. Unsurprisingly, three of the biggest names in the industry were behind it: Hans Zimmer, Elton John and Tim Rice.

What's the secret to its success? It harmoniously infuses Disney's tried-and-tested musical formula with African-inspired beats, rhythms and vocals. Looking to produce an Africa-set project? Browse the tracks in our Africa playlist.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

In 2005, Tim Burton told Roald Dahl's story in a completely unique way, rarely compared to Mel Stuart's 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Burton relied on long-time collaborator Danny Elfman to bring his vision to life through music.

Like most Elfman-Burton soundtracks, this one combines several genres - gothic, adventure and fairytale. Each composition suits its scene: ‘The Indian Palace’, which plays as Grandpa Joe tells the story of Prince Pondicherry, incorporates Indian instruments to make the scene more believable.

Frozen (2013)

Frozen was Walt Disney Animation Studios' biggest success story for the best part of a decade - the original film and its sequel, Frozen II (2019), were the two highest-grossing animations of all time until Inside Out 2 arrived in 2024 - and it's no coincidence the music is A1.

The star track is the power ballad ‘Let It Go’, sung by Elsa (Idina Menzel). At the start, a solo piano riff conjures snowflakes falling to the floor; as the song unfolds, the music becomes more intense, like a blizzard.

Discover Our Catalogue of Family-Friendly Music Tracks

Working on a kids' project? We hope you'll take advantage of our ever-expanding catalogue of family-friendly music tracks.

Start exploring the categories on our children's music pages - perhaps you'll find something in our fantasy playlist, or a track from our children 11–15 selection that suits your production better. Or browse our playlist hub for even faster inspiration.