soundtracks

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   The recorded music that goes with a film, TV show, or video game.

   Grammar: Countable: one soundtrack, two soundtracks; often used with "to" or "for".

   Patterns

   • the soundtrack to a film
   • the soundtrack for a show
   • on the soundtrack

   The soundtrack to that film won an award.

   She listens to video-game soundtracks while she studies.

   The soundtrack for the series was released on vinyl.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   The songs and music of a particular period or style, thought of as a group.

   Grammar: Countable and usually singular in this figurative use: "the soundtrack of the sixties".

   Patterns

   • the soundtrack of a period
   • the soundtrack of someone's life

   Those bands were the soundtrack of my teenage years.

   The documentary uses jazz as the soundtrack of the era.

Word forms

Common combinations

original soundtrack

The original soundtrack was recorded with a full orchestra.

release a soundtrack

They released the soundtrack a week before the film came out.

soundtrack album

The soundtrack album sold surprisingly well.

the soundtrack to a film

He hummed the soundtrack to the film all day.

Synonyms and how they differ

score

A score is the instrumental music written for a film; a soundtrack may also include songs by popular artists.

music

Music is the general word; a soundtrack is specifically the music tied to a film or show.

Word family

soundtrack noun

The singular form: the music for one film or show.

soundtracked adjective

Having a particular soundtrack: a soundtracked documentary.

Commonly confused: soundtracks or song?

Practice

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