Cameron wrote Titanic while listening to the work of the Irish new-age musician Enya.[99] After Enya declined an invitation to compose for the film,[100] Cameron instead chose James Horner. The two had parted ways after a tumultuous working experience on Aliens,[101] but Titanic cemented a successful collaboration that lasted until Horner's death.[102] For the vocals heard throughout the film, Horner chose the Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø, commonly known as "Sissel". Horner knew Sissel from her album Innerst i sjelen, and particularly liked how she sang "Eg veit i himmerik ei borg" ("I Know in Heaven There Is a Castle"). He tried around 30 singers before choosing Sissel.[103]
Horner wrote the end theme, "My Heart Will Go On", in secret with Will Jennings because Cameron did not want any songs in the film.[104] Céline Dion agreed to record a demo at the persuasion of her husband René Angélil. Horner waited until Cameron was in an appropriate mood before presenting him with the song. After playing it several times, Cameron declared his approval, although worried that he would have been criticized for "going commercial at the end of the movie".[104] Cameron also wanted to appease anxious studio executives and "saw that a hit song from his movie could only be a positive factor in guaranteeing its completion".[24]
The soundtrack was the best-selling album of 1998 with sales of over 27 million.[16]
