| Musical soundtracks became very popular in the | | | | songs used in the film, but even the background |
| 1940s through 1960s, around the same time | | | | or incidental music. Background music refers to |
| musicals became worldwide hits. Moviegoers | | | | the sounds used during dialogue and transition |
| flocked to see screen-based adaptations of | | | | scenes. This music is, more often than not, a |
| popular stage plays, which were perceived to be | | | | purely instrumental version of themes or songs |
| more accessible than their Broadway | | | | that are sung by the characters in other parts of |
| counterparts. This trend seems to be resurging, | | | | the movie. Background music is incidental, which |
| with the success of such Hollywood musicals as | | | | means it is passive and runs unacknowledged by |
| Moulin Rouge and Chicago. | | | | the characters. |
| What's in a musical soundtrack? First, the title | | | | Almost all of the feature-length animated cartoons |
| song. Most musicals have titles that are based on | | | | produced by such labels as Disney are musicals |
| their main song. For example, the musical "The | | | | (the same is not true for Pixar, though). Animated |
| Sound of Music" is titled after the song of the | | | | films work just like their real-actor counterparts, |
| same title. The same is true for "Jesus Christ | | | | but their soundtracks have one distinguishing |
| Superstar," which also had a song with the same | | | | characteristic - their music is more novel, done in |
| title. | | | | the same tradition as nonmusical film soundtracks. |
| A title song does not necessarily become a hit | | | | Soundtracks of animated musicals oftentimes |
| song, though. In the case of "Jesus Christ | | | | become very sellable. Some commercial hits are |
| Superstar," it was a minor song entitled "I Don't | | | | songs performed by Céline Dion for |
| Know How to Love Him" that hit the top charts. | | | | "Beauty and the Beast," and songs performed by |
| Most musical soundtracks not only contain all the | | | | Elton John for the "The Lion King. |