American Beauty (1999) Soundtrack

Original score composed by Thomas Newman.

AMERICAN BEAUTY was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album.

AMERICAN BEAUTY was nominated for the 1999 Academy Awards For Best Original Score.

Widely hailed as the best film of 1999, AMERICAN BEAUTY utilizes the talents of Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening in the service of a deep, penetrating story about an American family. Much as the emotions portrayed in the film are complex and conflicting, the range of musical styles and moods on the soundtrack is highly eclectic. Pop wizard Elliott Smith turns in a gorgeously spooky cover of the Beatles' "Because." Bill Withers' irresistibly funky, carnal "Use Me" transports the listener back to the '70s. The Who's "The Seeker" provides a dose of full-on guitar rock. For swinging hipsters, there's the loungey tropicalism of Peggy Lee's "Bali Ha'I" and the sultry "Open the Door" by Betty Carter. Instrumental pieces by Thomas Newman do a nice job of bookending this diverse collection.