Composer: James Horner. Additional personnel: Josh Groban, The Bulgarian Women's Choir (vocals). Recording information: 2004. Throbbing drums, wailing chants, and ominous strings herald the onset of TROY, James Horner's sweepingly atmospheric score to Wolfgang Petersen's Homer-based epic. Horner excels at evoking celluloid in sound, be it folksy sentiments in the baseball fantasy FIELD OF DREAMS or all-consuming shipboard romance and tragedy in the period nautical-disaster movie TITANIC. Here he skillfully sets the scene with the heraldic opening salvo of "3200 Years Ago," followed by the shining city splendor of "Troy." Horner is also a master of the tense musical preamble, as evidenced by the brooding arrangement of "The Night Before," which foreshadows tragedy in "The Greek Army and Its Defeat." There's some relief from the unremitting tension in the romantic "Briseis and Achilles," but since this is a Greek myth, the tale shifts the proceedings back to the battle for Troy, to the sound of much lament...

Personnel: Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens, Lucas Grabeel, Zac Efron, Olesya Rulin, Matt Prokop, Jemma McKenzie-Brown (vocals). Audio Remasterer: Patricia Sullivan. Arrangers: Marco Luciani; Jennifer Hammond; Fred Kron; Marshall Bowen; David Guilli; David Lawrence; Robbie Nevil. For the third installment in the massively successful HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL series, the Disney production makes the leap from TV to the big screen. HSM3's music also works on a larger scale, with a fuller, more cinematic sound that is immediately revealed on the R&B/hip-hop-tinged opener, "Now or Never." While the entire cast is featured on the soundtrack, Zac Efron, who stars as Troy Bolton, gets the most airtime, with "The Boys Are Back" and "Scream" showcasing the charming young actor/singer. True to HSM form, the album is filled with lively teen-pop, making SENIOR YEAR exactly what fans had hoped it would be.

When high school jock Troy and class brainiac Gabrielle meet cute auditioning for roles in the school musical, they upset the expectations of their friends and earn the jealousy of the school's two top performing talents. The soundtrack to Disney's enjoyable 2006 original movie (the Disney Channel's first venture into musicals) features stars Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens in duets and solo settings, as well as winning performances from supporting cast members Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel. Songs range from the hip-hop style "Get'Cha Head in the Game" to the dreamy "When There Was Me and You," and there are also karaoke versions of the musical's two romantic duets, "Start of Something New" and "Breaking Free."

For this 2007 sequel to the massively successful Disney TV movie HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, the youthful cast reunited for more teen drama and, of course, lots of emotive pop songs. Highlights of the HSM 2 album include the exuberant "What Time Is It," performed by the whole cast, and "You Are the Music in Me," a soulful duet between East High lovebirds Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens).

Hollywood's hottest new action star of 2002 Vin Diesel stars as Xander Cage in the adrenaline-fueled spy games of XXX. The film's soundtrack features a stylish collection of the hottest contemporary musical acts. Chris Vrenna inches house beats into Drowning Pool's nu metal slam-fest, "Bodies." Reigning kings of stoner rock Queens Of The Stone Age weigh in with "Millionaire," featuring Foo Fighter Dave Grohl on drums. Bush vocalist Gavin Rossdale teams with pop veteran songwriter/producer Glen Ballard for "Adrenaline." Nelly will have hydraulics poppin' in the sure-fire hip-hop anthem, "Stick Out Ya Wrist," featuring Toya sizing up the song's suitor. Mack 10 passes the mic to his West Siders on "Connected For Life," while N.E.R.D. sports funky syncopation on "Truth Or Dare." Joi does her best Prince nod in "Lick," while new jack Dani Stevnson gets hands up in the air on "Yo Yo Yo." Mixmaster Timbaland lends production to Pastor Troy and Ms Jade, who make a quick exit on "Are We Cuttin'."

Producers include: Daz Dillinger, BUDDA, Nate Dogg, 2Pac Shakur, Brian "G". Engineers include: Dave Aron, Tommy Daugherty, Les Pierce. Digitally remastered by Eddy Schreyer & Gene Grimaldi (Oasis Mastering, Studio City, California). Producers include: Daz Dillinger, BUDDA, Nate Dogg, 2Pac Shakur, Brian "G". Engineers include: Dave Aron, Tommy Daugherty, Les Pierce, Troy Staton, Dwayne Armstrong. Completed just before his death, GANG RELATED is Tupac Shakur's final film in what was still a promising career. Starring with the illustrious Jim Belushi, Shakur plays the role of a crooked cop tormented by his conscience; a role that closely paralleled his musical persona of a street thug struggling to redeem himself. He also contributes several cuts to the soundtrack. GANG RELATED is a double-CD featuring the work of veteran west coast rappers Snoop Doggy Dogg, Nate Dogg and Ice Cube as well as several relative newcomers. But it's Shakur's work that is the most poignant, especially in light of his death. On "L...

Based on a popular series of children's fantasy novels, THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES benefits from an orchestral score by veteran film composer James Horner (TITANIC, TROY). On tracks such as "Writing the Chronicles" and "Thimbletack and the Goblins," Horner effectively uses strings, horns, and woodwinds to capture the wonder of discovering a magical world, often recalling John Williams's work on the initial HARRY POTTER movies.

Personnel: Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens, Lucas Grabeel, Zac Efron, Olesya Rulin, Matt Prokop, Jemma McKenzie-Brown (vocals). Audio Remasterer: Patricia Sullivan. Arrangers: Marco Luciani; Jennifer Hammond; Fred Kron; Marshall Bowen; David Guilli; David Lawrence; Robbie Nevil. For the third installment in the massively successful HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL series, the Disney production makes the leap from TV to the big screen. HSM3's music also works on a larger scale, with a fuller, more cinematic sound that is immediately revealed on the R&B/hip-hop-tinged opener, "Now or Never." While the entire cast is featured on the soundtrack, Zac Efron, who stars as Troy Bolton, gets the most airtime, with "The Boys Are Back" and "Scream" showcasing the charming young actor/singer. True to HSM form, the album is filled with lively teen-pop, making SENIOR YEAR exactly what fans had hoped it would be.

This five-CD/one-DVD box set presents the soundtracks to HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and its sequel in both regular and karaoke versions, along with THE CONCERT in audio and video form. For those who want to hear the Troy/Gabriella romance unfold in the studio, on the stage, and with their own voices chiming in, this Disney collection is ideal.

Original Soundtrack: Sharpay, Gabriella, Ryan, Troy, Chad. Additional personnel: Joe Friedman (guitars); Michael Nigro (keyboard programming). This version of the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 soundtrack allows ardent fans of the wildly popular Disney TV movie to experience the entire album in remixed dance-oriented form. In addition to lively pop tunes such as "What Time Is It," the compilation includes "The Megamix," which weaves together HSM2's highlights as a beat-driven extended track. For those devoted to Troy, Gabriella, and their East High classmates, NON-STOP DANCE PARTY is the perfect addition to any HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL collection.

Producers: Brent Havens, Sybil Robson, Frank Schroeder, James Stroud, Tom Bahler, Bruce Swedien, Zac Harmon, Christopher Troy, Charles Fox. Engineers: Gary Gray (track 9).

Performers include: The Outlawz, Prince Ital Joe, Snoop Dogg, Big Hutch, Xzibit, U.T.P., South Central Cartel, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Cool Dre, The F Gang, Jayo Felony, Mike West, Mopreme Shakur, Spice 1, Above The Law, Lil Troy, Fiend, Lil Jay, Grill, JT Money, Original P, Crucial Conflict, Napoleon, Mr. Mix, Body Snatchaz, TQ, Da Vandalz. Producers: Giovanni, Mark Taylor, Cold 187, Victor Flawless, Twen.

Performers include: Ray J., Missy Elliott, Mr. Cheeks, Tawny, The Clipse, Slim Thug, Bone Crusher, Crazy, Donnell Jones, Cherub, Murphy Lee, Red Cafe, Chamillionaire, Sean Paul, TOK, Bounty Killer, Boo & Gotti, Pastor Troy, 8-Ball & MJG, C.O.C., Rasheeda, Slyboogy, Mike Jones, Kiotti, I.O.F., Twisted Black, Terry Panic, Killa Will, Danni.

When high school jock Troy and class brainiac Gabrielle meet cute auditioning for roles in the school musical, they upset the expectations of their friends and earn the jealousy of the school's two top performing talents. The soundtrack to Disney's enjoyable 2006 original movie (the Disney Channel's first venture into musicals) features stars Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens in duets and solo settings, as well as winning performances from supporting cast members Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel. Songs range from the hip-hop style "Get'Cha Head in the Game" to the dreamy "When There Was Me and You," and there are also karaoke versions of the musical's two romantic duets, "Start of Something New" and "Breaking Free."