Name: Top 10 Songs Made Famous by Iconic Movie Endings
Uploaded: 2026-01-09T17:13:00.000Z
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Welcome to watchmojo and today we're counting down our picks for the songs whose use in memorable movie endings made their popularity skyrocket.

To be clear, we won't be including any songs specifically written for the movies they appear in, although a few remixes might appear also, naturally.

Number 10 a real hero by College Featuring Electric Youth Drive, This ethereal synth song features prominently throughout this Ryan Gosling crime film, effectively acting as the main theme for Gosling's unnamed driver.

A Real Hero truly shines with the movie's BitcoinSweet ending.

The driver's attempt to save his neighbor Irene and her son sees him stabbed by a mobster.

However, he manages to kill the man in return and decides to leave the money, effectively putting an end to the conflict and ensuring Irene's safety.

As the driver drives off into the night, leaving her behind for her safety, the song's frequent refrain and title has never been truer.

The film truly helped A Real Hero become a real hit, receiving accolades and notoriety after its release.

Real Human Being and A Real Hero Number nine the Promise by When In Rome Napoleon Dynamite.

There are a ton of tracks throughout this indie cult hit comedy that received new or renewed attention, particularly from the 80s, and

the song that closes it out is no exception.

In a simple scene, the titular Napoleon is joined for a game of tetherball by Deb as the Promise plays, lending this moment of friendship a timeless nostalgic feeling.

Take a look all around and I'll be there Although When In Rome's classic synth pop tune was a hit upon initial release in 1988, it reached a whole new generation with its inclusion here.

When you need a friend, this song will be there I'm sorry, but

I'm just thinking of the ride words I promise I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be Number eight Slow Ride by Foghat Dazed and Confused.

The ultimate hangout movie, Dazed and Confused is loaded from top to bottom with incredible 70s rock songs.

While Foghead Slow Ride has long been a fixture of classic rock, it's still inextricably tied to this ending.

After a wild night, Mitch settles down to listen to the tune as several of the older characters he met along the way drive off to buy concert tickets.

Slow Ride perfectly captures the chill rock and roll attitude of the film.

It's become so linked with the movie that it's equally famous as the ultimate hangout song.

Take it easy all right, all right, all right Number seven the End by the Doors Apocalypse now this is the end, Beautiful friend.

It's fitting that a song called the End helps close out this epic, often surreal war film, even if it does open it too.

During Willard's climactic assassination of the mad Colonel Kurtz, this uncanny frantic rock song accompanies the long anticipated act.

Mind bending, long and loaded with countercultural elements, the song perfectly fits this truly unique Vietnam War movie.

While the End had already been a hit for the doors for over 10 years prior, the remixed version used in Apocalypse now helps secure the track's legacy as the quintessential dark, psychedelic auditory journey, just imagining the movie without it.

Number 6 oh yeah by Yellow Ferris Bueller's Day Op the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California oh yeah.

There's just no escaping that iconic chorus, is there?

Although used several times during the film, the Yellow's legendary New Wave song is played in full during the ending.

Ferris Bueller's nemesis, Principal Rooney, is forced to hitch a ride with his students after having his plans foiled by Ferris at every turn.

Its overpowering presence in the finale only further emphasizes Ferris victory over Rooney and has helped cement it as being not only synonymous with the movie, but

also with the unrestrained freedom and desire embodied by Bueller Bueller his himself.

Number 5 Wake up by Rage against the Machine the Matrix.

Just about every frame of this cyberpunk action thriller oozes cool, but

the song that underscores its ending takes it to another level.

After Neo delivers a badass speech to the machines running the Matrix, promising to open the eyes of everyone trapped inside it to the truth, this hard rock song drops as he flies past the camera.

While its headbanging sound and rebellious lyrics are certainly enough to make an impact, the song's association with the Matrix has kept the perfectly titled Wake up but the equally appropriately named Rage against the Machine just as much of a cultural touchstone built up inside of me.

Fist in the Air in Atlantic Hypocrisy Number four the Stars in youn by Ray Noble's Mayfair Dance Orchestra Featuring Al Bolly the Shining it's good to see you, it's good to be back, Lloyd but let's be silent the Hair of the Dog that Bit Me Nearly everything about this iconic horror film is unnerving, and

Earlier in the film, Jack Torrance is seduced by a phantasmal party within the abandoned Overlook Hotel, where this same foxtrot ballad plays, and

by the film's end, Jack has been driven mad and seemingly frozen to death, except in the final shot, the camera zooms in on Jack in a period photo from years earlier, having apparently become a part of the Overlook's history.

The Stars in youn is an otherwise pleasant classic tune, but

its use in this ending has secured its reputation as an eerie, unnerving song if its use in other movies and shows as anything to go by saying I surrender all my love to you number three we'll meet again by Vera Lin Dr.

Again this dark comedy often pairs bleak events with more uplifting or comedic content.

However, this reaches its crescendo in its literally explosive climax.

After incompetence and bad luck set off a chain of nuclear reactions that seemingly end the world, we're treated to a sequence of these detonations paired with Vera Lynn's wartime ballad We'll Meet again Just like you always do Till the blue skies drive the dark cloud.

While the song has always had a certain tragic nostalgia to it, its ironic pairing with the most grim imagery of all has lent the tune a comedic air along with making it world famous.

Number two Mad World by Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules Donnie Darko all around me are familiar faces Worn out places, worn out faces.

While the song was originally written and performed by Tears for Fears, this version created for Donnie Darko is arguably more well known.

The finale of this mind bending movie sees the titular Donnie return to the past and dies with those he met in the future, apparently having vague recollections of the other timeline.

This montage is underscored by a haunting yet simple piano melody and Gary Jules breathy vocals.

Mad World has practically become the go to song for melancholy and lamenting one's fortunes in various media, and

this version of it is practically the definitive one.

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The conclusion of the film about the thing we don't talk about sees the unnamed narrator overcome his alternate personality Tyler Durden, in rather violent fashion.

He's then joined by one off love interest Marla, as they watch the mayhem Tyler unleashed play out and the Pixie's echoing tune plays.

Although Where Is My Mind Was successful upon its release, its association with this perennial cult film has lent the song an equally devoted following and has helped make it the Pixies most famous song.

It's practically impossible to think of one without the other being on our minds.

Is there a song that got famous because of a movie ending we forgot?