All the big songs from the Hunger Games’ soundtracks, ranked from flop to bop

I’ll be real with you: I think the Hunger Games films are mid. Not one of them is above a three star Letterboxd review. But you know what part of them I absolutely worship at the altar of? No, not Jennifer Lawrence – but that is also true. The songs. The soundtracks. This aspect of the Hunger Games is arguably the best of any franchise series ever. I’m not afraid to say that. Funnily enough, I’d give the runner up prize to Fifty Shades – which despite shit on my shoe films somehow have wall to wall bangers soundtracking the trilogy. But we’re here to talk Hunger Games soundtracks, so I ranked the biggest songs from all five films from flop to life-changing levels of bop.

12. Coldplay – Atlas

Cards on the table: I hate Coldplay. But even a hardened hater like me can see that clearly, Chris Martin and co occasionally have the chops to write huge, soaring songs that are incredibly cinematic. I mean, Viva La Vida? Paradise? Alas, Atlas is nothing of the sort. It is painfully dull. Catching Fire is the best Hunger Games movie and deserved better!

11. Christina Aguilera – We Remain

Catching Fire really got the shit end of the stick because, like, what is this? Obviously, Christina’s voice is faultless as always but this is just a tepid power ballad with some of the most boring production anyone could hope to conjure. Avoid.

10. Charli XCX and… [checks notes] Simon Le Bon – Kingdom

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For som reason this random collab has been stricken from the Spotify records and is no longer available to stream. It’s a shame really, because it’s one of the most bizarre and fascinating songs in Charli’s discography. A piano driven song with Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon is just so obscure. Lorde curated the Mockingjay – Part 1 soundtrack and it shows – it’s an album full of amazing songs.

9. CHVRCHES – Dead Air

A synthpop banger from Lauren Mayberry and co. One of CHVRCHES best tunes in my opinion. Another masterful addition from Lorde – everyone say thank you!

8. Sia, The Weeknd and Diplo – Elastic Heart

A rare win from the Catching Fire soundtrack comes in the form of the superior version of Elastic Heart by Sia, featuring The Weeknd and Diplo. Much better than the solo version Sia later rereleased a year after. How the tepid Coldplay track got lead soundtrack single treatment over this is beyond me – it’s far more stirring, captures the fight of Katniss and the general vibe of the franchise. A bit euphoric, dare I say! We’re allowed to stream a crumb of the terminally annoying Sia, as a treat.

7. Major Lazer and Ariana Grande – All My Love

You guessed it, baby – Lorde came through with the goods once again and gave us for my money the best Ariana Grande vocal feature on any song she’s ever done. It’s so underrated. That immaculately danceable Major Lazer production and Ari’s heavenly vocals are just perfect.

6. Tove Lo – Scream My Name

Lorde, you have done it again. Constantly raising the bar for us all, and doing it flawlessly. Tove Lo always brings a sophisticated level of pop perfection to whatever she puts her name to, and this is a bit of a forgotten classic in my opinion from her first record. Just after the big success of Habits (Stay High). Excellent tune.

5. Olivia Rodrigo – Can’t Catch Me Now

Kicking off the top five Hunger Games songs ranked with the latest, and honestly, one of the greatest. For me, Olivia Rodrigo never misses. This takes a leap into the cool waters Taylor Swift’s Hunger Games songs swam before it, and it works for Olivia as great as Taylor’s work for her. The folk feel to the first half mashed up with the pure power and cinematic fury of the latter half work incredibly.

4. Taylor Swift – Eyes Open

Have to simply bow whenever Taylor Swift leans into this epic, stadium rock sound like she did on State Of Grace and here on Eyes Open. The Red era saw her dabble in this sound a bit, but I’d love a full album of this level of arena-sounding scale. Nothing but respect for the world’s latest Time Magazine Person of the Year.

3. Stromae, Lorde, Q-Tip, Pusha T and HAIM – Meltdown

The thinking man’s Lady Marmalade. What Lorde has done when she curated this is give me my Avengers. This song could raise me from the grave. So many moving parts and all of them successful. The way all the parts come together like the end of act one in Les Mis or West Side Story is phenomenal. I am bopping until the end of time.

2. Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars – Safe and Sound

The precursor for everything Taylor Swift would go on to do with her folklore and evermore albums. AKA, the best Taylor Swift albums. I’m a sucker for a folky Hunger Games soundtrack song and none of that ilk do it better than Safe and Sound.

1. Lorde – Yellow Flicker Beat

It is truly impossible to not be stirred by Lorde’s call to arms. The centrepiece of her curated Mockingjay Part 1 soundtrack, it’s the best of all the Hunger Games songs ranked here because not only does it chronicle the rise of Katniss Everdeen in well thought out lyrics, it just sounds CORRECT. It feels like all the stakes and fury of a Hunger Games film when it’s at its best. The way the entire song starts and ends with that low hum from Lorde’s unmistakable vocals? Inject it.

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