A soundtrack is recorded sound which accompanies a film or television production. It encompasses all dialogue, sound effects, and music used within a production. In many cases, the music within a soundtrack is composed and conducted specifically for a production. There are some cases, however, where previously recorded music is added to a soundtrack with permission from the writer and/or artist of that music.
The majority of music used in soundtracks for Star Trek productions are instrumental and are generally original compositions created for those productions. One notable exception is the theme music for Star Trek: The Next Generation, which is an updated form of the fanfare composed by Jerry Goldsmith for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The beginning of this music, in turn, is comprised of an excerpt from Alexander Courage's theme for the original series. The Next Generation was subsequently re-used on the soundtracks for the Star Trek movies featuring the TNG cast.
The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode "Subspace Rhapsody" is the first Star Trek production in the musical genre, featuring several songs sung by the show's cast as part of the episode.
Star Trek soundtracks have also used previously recorded music on occasion. Star Trek: First Contact featured Roy Orbison's song "Ooby Dooby" and Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride". Star Trek Nemesis had Brent Spiner performing Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" (music of which is also included in Jerry Goldsmith's score of the film). Then there is "Where My Heart Will Take Me", a cover of Rod Stewart's "Faith of the Heart" performed by Russell Watson and played over the opening credits of Star Trek: Enterprise.
A soundtrack also refers to a compilation of music from a specific production, collected on a CD or cassette. There have been numerous soundtrack albums released for the various Star Trek productions, including twelve separate albums for each of the feature films.
Soundtracks[]
- Star Trek: The Original Series
- Star Trek: The Original Series Soundtrack Collection
- Star Trek: The Original Series - The 1701 Collection
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
- Star Trek: Voyager
- Star Trek: Enterprise
- Star Trek: Discovery
- Star Trek: Picard
- Star Trek: Prodigy
- The Best of Star Trek
- Star Trek - The Astral Symphony
- Star Trek: 50th Anniversary Collection
- Star Trek films
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
- Star Trek Generations
- Star Trek: First Contact
- Star Trek: Insurrection
- Star Trek Nemesis
- Star Trek
- Star Trek Into Darkness
- Star Trek Beyond