Music plays a vital role in most films. When images and dialogue aren’t enough, music can give a movie the added emotion it needs to become a complete cinematic experience. But when it comes to recognizing achievements in music, the Academy Awards categories of Best Original Song and Best Original Score hardly cover all the bases. So in the spirit of the awards season, I've created a new lifetime achievement category: “Best Use of a Popular Song in a Film Ever.” Here are the nominees:

“Needle in the Hay” – Elliott Smith (“The Royal Tenenbaums”)

Wes Anderson has built a reputation on his meticulous direction. And poignant music, unsurprisingly, has consistently played a major role in the success of his cult classics. “Needle in the Hay” is a striking selection as background music for Richie Tenenbaum’s attempted suicide. Smith’s frail vocals and stripped-down acoustic guitar give the scene a raw and intimate feel, enhanced by lyrics about heroin addiction — an appropriate metaphor for Richie’s addiction to his sister.

“Tiny Dancer” – Elton John (“Almost Famous”)

In "Almost Famous," fictional band Stillwater is on the verge of making it big, but halfway through a cross-country tour it is on the threshold of breaking up. Until, that is, “Tiny Dancer” enchants the bus into a triumphant sing-along and a renewed sense of cohesion grips the band. And when teenage journalist William Miller says “I have to go home” to groupie Penny Lane, who responds “You are home,” the moment basks in the sunny rays of Sir Elton’s unforgettable piano riff.

“Where Is My Mind” – Pixies (“Fight Club”)

The Pixies provide a bittersweet anthem for the apocalypse as the "Fight Club" 's narrator and Marla Singer revel in a fireworks show of crumbling buildings. With lyrics like “With your feet in the air and your head on the ground / try this trick and spin it, yeah / Your head will collapse / But there's nothing in it,” the song is a perfect reflection of the scene’s nihilistic sentiment.

“Twist and Shout” – The Beatles (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”)

Ferris Bueller is the coolest kid ever. At least for a day. His 24 hours of blissful shenanigans are what every teenager dreams of doing instead of going to school. The day of ultimate hooky comes to a high point when Ferris hops on a float during the middle of a parade and lip-synchs The Beatles’ classic cover. Ferris is cooler than John Lennon. At least for three minutes.

“If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” – Cat Stevens (“Harold and Maude”)

Cat Stevens’s folk ditties can be spotted in critical moments all over this cult classic. These accompanied scenes stand in cheery contrast to the main characters’ affinity for death and disorder. When Maude, Harold’s elder by 59 years, decides her time on Earth is up, Harold has this optimistic tune to remind him of the only person he ever loved.

“I Found a Reason” – Cat Power (“V for Vendetta”)

This loose take on the Velvet Underground’s “Run, Run, Run” is a sparse but breathtaking display of timid piano paired with fragile vocals. Evey finds the song on a jukebox loaded with other music blacklisted by Britain’s totalitarian regime. The moment is a turning point for her character, who becomes torn between V’s revolutionary cause and simple adherence to the repressive government.

“Playground Love” – Air (“The Virgin Suicides”)

These French electronica pioneers create an ominous atmosphere, generating a feeling of instability throughout this film about six upper-class girls planning to end their lives.