John Carpenter’s “Halloween” music? A “Star Wars” compendium? It’s no shock to see these show up on a list of soundtrack label Varèse Sarabande’s historical 10 biggest selling albums. More surprising? Non-genre soundtracks like “Rudy” and “The Man from Snowy River,” which film music fans snatched up in numbers matching some of the more obvious fare. Here are the imprint’s 10 most popular releases from their first 40 years:
1. “Ghost”
Maurice Jarre, 1990
Varèse’s sole platinum album to date, selling an estimated 1.5 million units. Its inclusion of the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” accounted for many of these sales.
2. “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”
Brad Fiedel, 1991
Fiedel’s electronic score proved enduringly popular.
3. “The Star Wars Trilogy”
Varujan Kojian conducting Utah Symphony, 1983
One of several classic film-score recordings produced for Varèse by George Korngold with London orchestras.
4. “The Last of the Mohicans”
Joel McNeely conducting Royal Scottish National Orchestra, 2000
New recording of the Trevor Jones-Randy Edelman score for the Michael Mann period adventure.
5. “The Man From Snowy River”
Bruce Rowland, 1982
The popularity of this Australian drama on cable drove sales of the score on LP and, eventually, CD.
6. “Father of the Bride”
Alan Silvestri, 1991
Comedy scores rarely find the buying audience this one did.
7. “The Crow”
Graeme Revell, 1994
The cult following for Brandon Lee’s final film helped push sales of Revell’s score.
8. “Halloween”
John Carpenter, 1978
Varèse released the LP in 1983 in the aftermath of the label’s release of Carpenter’s “Escape From New York” (1981), another big seller.
9. “Witness”
Maurice Jarre, 1985
Jarre’s all-synthesizer score was a curiosity, and an Oscar nominee.
10. “Rudy”
Jerry Goldsmith, 1993
Varèse released more than 40 Goldsmith scores, including the ground-breaking “Planet of the Apes,” but this football movie remains his best seller.