Every so often, a special movie emerges that features not only great dialogue, but also a song performed by the actors that makes a cultural impact. In many instances, the tunes from the soundtrack are by outside musicians, by the Rolling Stones in Goodfellas. However, these songs performed by the actors play a major role in the film itself.

The impact they make doesn't just lead to them being praised by the fans; they have actually become appreciated by even the most astute music pundits, helping these tracks place on the Billboard charts and win prestigious awards. Whether these songs originate from past decades or are more recent, they are all relevant in their own right. More than just helping to set the tone in a movie, they can fit the feelings in real life as well.

10 Give In to Me - Leighton Meester & Garrett Hedlund

Album: Country Strong Soundtrack (2010)

Around the time that the movie Country Strong debuted, Leighton Meester was balancing a career between acting and making music. While she is ed for making a mark at the time, singing the track "Good Girls Go Bad" with Cobra Starship, it wasn't the only song for which she would become known.

Her performance of "Give In to Me" with Garrett Hedlund from Country Strong was a resounding hit. Praise for their duet was deserved, as standing out among a cast that also included Tim McGraw and Gwyneth Paltrow was not easy. However, the song, which was also sung by Faith Hill, became known for the movie appearance of the two.

9 Let’s Do Something Cheap And Superficial - Burt Reynolds

Album: Smokey And The Bandit II Soundtrack (1980)

Known for his iconic roles in movies such as The Longest Yard and Deliverance, Burt Reynolds became a legendary actor. Another standout role he had was in Smokey and the Bandit, but it was actually Smokey and the Bandit II where his Billboard charting song would take place. Although Reynolds never took himself too seriously, this performance truly paid off.

It takes a special tune to place on the Billboard Hot 100, but that's where Reynolds' song "Let's Do Something Cheap and Superficial" stayed for five weeks. This may not have been his most beloved film, but the fact that he was able to accomplish something like this deserves praise. There are plenty of talented musicians who never attain what Reynolds did.

8 How Do I Deal - Jennifer Love Hewitt

Album: I Still Know What You Did Last Summer Soundtrack (1998)

While it remains to be seen if Jennifer Love Hewitt will have another hit song in the 2025 remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer, this was an achievement she accomplished back in 1998. Her song "How Do I Deal" came from the franchise's original set of movie sequels, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

In her only appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, Hewitt cracked the Top 60 and spent seven weeks on the chart.

In her only appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, Hewitt cracked the Top 60 and spent seven weeks on the chart. Adding to the song's legacy was a music video that shows the singer performing the song in a garage while watching herself act in a movie on a screen. This piece of history has become one of the most memorable parts of the movie's sequel.

7 Peaches - Jack Black

Album: The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2023)

Famously, when it comes to his music career, many think of Jack Black performing alongside Kyle Gass at Tenacious D since the 1990s. However, beyond their four studio albums, filmography, and touring life, Black has also found success as a solo musician as well. One of his most recent triumphs came from his role in the 2023 film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

In the film, Black voices the character Bowser and delivers a memorable performance of a song titled "Peaches," which is dedicated to Princess Peach and not to be confused with the Justin Bieber song of the same name. Black's performance paid off as this song was nominated for many awards, including a Golden Globe.

6 Cups (Pitch Perfect's 'When I'm Gone') - Anna Kendrick

Album: Pitch Perfect: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2012)

After Pitch Perfect was released in 2012, the song "Cups (Pitch Perfect's 'When I'm Gone')" performed by Anna Kendrick became ingrained in pop culture. This led to viral videos of people stacking cups along with the song. Truly, because of this tune, stacking cups became an art form and a competitive activity that might otherwise not have achieved such popularity.

In addition to becoming a viral trend, the song reached multiple Billboard charts for both weekly and yearly placements. Additionally, a music video was created to its commercial success. Although Kendrick didn't want this to develop into a full-blown singing career, she can still feel content knowing her biggest hit is now 3x platinum.

5 You're Welcome - Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Album: Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2016)

When the 2016 film Moana was released, fans went from asking if you could smell what "The Rock" was cooking, to asking if you could hear what he was singing. The former professional wrestler turned actor had a lot of roles in his day, but his voicing of Maui has turned out to be one of the most iconic characters he's ever played.

The song "You're Welcome" became arguably the biggest tune from the first movie. This was huge for Dwayne Johnson, as having a legendary song in a Disney movie helped solidify the career he had been building since the early 2000s. For everything Johnson has done, this tune is one of his crowning achievements, and it helped this movie turn into a franchise.

4 She's Like the Wind - Patrick Swayze Ft. Wendy Fraser

Album: Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack From The Vestron Motion Picture (1987)

After a rise in dancing in both music and film during the 1970s, the '80s kept the party going. There were plenty of tunes created for movement, along with films. One of the most well-known was Dirty Dancing. While there were many memorable performances from the movie, one of the biggest was the song "She's Like the Wind," performed by Patrick Swayze and Wendy Fraser.

The song became a hit, reaching the third spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was also a number one hit in nine other countries. The success of this tune helped boost sales for the movie's soundtrack, which now sits at 14x platinum, making it one of the best-selling in that category of all time.

3 You’re The One That I Want - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John

Album: Grease: The Original Soundtrack From The Motion Picture (1978)

There have been many productions created telling the story of Grease, from onstage to onscreen. The 1978 film version starred John Travolta as Danny and Olivia Newton-John as Sandy. The two became iconic together, with one of their best performances in the movie being the song "You're the One That I Want." This became more than just a track in a movie; it was a major hit.

While this was significant for Travolta, it was even bigger for Newton-John, who, with songs like this, sold over 100 million records in her career.

The tune would reach the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, along with a Top 15 finish in the chart's year-end polling. Since its release, the song has been used many times, including a recent appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine. While this was significant for Travolta, it was even bigger for Newton-John, who, with songs like this, sold over 100 million records in her career.

2 Shallow - Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

Album: A Star Is Born Soundtrack (2018)

To stand out when remaking a film that has already seen three different productions, it takes something truly special to create a unique legacy. One way that the 2018 adaptation of A Star Is Born achieved this was through the song "Shallow." The hit version of the track is a duet between co-stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, who deliver one of the most poignant performances of their careers.

After its release, the song immediately made an impact on the charts, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Following that, it continued to appear on various charts for several years. Additionally, the song has nearly three billion streams on Spotify. Enhancing its legacy are the tremendous cover versions, including a sensational duet by country stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.

1 Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

Album: Beaches: Original Soundtrack Recording (1988)

In less than a decade, the song "Wind Beneath My Wings" received many prominent versions, but perhaps the most famous was the rendition sung by Bette Midler. This version was for the 1988 film, Beaches. However, it became much more than just a song on a soundtrack. Ending up a number one hit was success enough, but the tune had even bigger achievements ahead.

At the 1990 Grammy Awards, the song won two major awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

At the 1990 Grammy Awards, the song won two major awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year. This placed it in permanent history as one of the best tracks ever recorded. Beyond the accolades, Midler has given memorable performances of the song, with one occurring at Yankee Stadium days after September 11, 2001.