Various – Batman Forever (2xLP, Blue & Silver Vinyl)

Various Artists' Batman Forever: Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture captures a very specific mid-90s moment, when blockbuster soundtracks were assembled as major pop events in their own right. Built around the 1995 film produced by Tim Burton, it pulls together big-chart names and leftfield alternatives in a way that says as much about the era as it does about the movie. The headline songs still loom large: U2's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" and Seal's "Kiss From a Rose," the latter going on to win three Grammys, take an MTV Movie Award for Best Song, and reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

What makes this soundtrack stick is the range of artists it manages to hold together without feeling random. PJ Harvey, Massive Attack with Tracey Thorn, Mazzy Star, Nick Cave, Method Man, The Offspring, Michael Hutchence and The Flaming Lips give it a darker, moodier character than the usual tie-in compilation, moving between brooding trip-hop, alternative rock and sleek pop-R&B. AllMusic noted how well that sequencing works, arguing that the album creates a sustained dark, hypnotic atmosphere rather than just lining up disconnected singles.

This edition also has a clear vinyl story behind it: Rhino revived the soundtrack as part of its 2021 Soundtracks of Summer campaign, giving a long out-of-step-with-the-streaming-era compilation a collector-friendly return to vinyl. For anyone who likes their film music with real 90s alternative crossover appeal, this remains one of the more memorable superhero soundtrack albums of its decade.

Features

• 2xLP, Blue & Silver Vinyl, Limited Edition
• Rhino soundtrack campaign pressing
• Gatefold cover