Hollywood movie soundtracks have been steadily gaining popularity
When was the last time you bought a movie soundtrack album? The very thought is nostalgia fuel given how movie CDs and cassettes were all the rage in the ‘90s. And it was even more so for Indian films, which had dedicated music producers composing some of our favourite childhood melodies. But there’s a change behind the scenes as soundtrack popularity picks up in Hollywood. And it’s coming from an unexpected place.
Not just a Barbie world?
One of the major contributors to Barbie’s reception was its soundtrack. It weaved the film together and complemented the story that Greta Gerwig set out to tell. Having sold over 126,000 copies in the first week of its release, the soundtrack has been trending through the year, culminating in Ryan Gosling’s epic rendition of I’m Just Ken at the Oscars.
The surprising part is that Barbie is not a musical. While one would imagine that musicals, such as the recent West Side Story remake or Hamilton to have bestseller scores, Barbie is part of a marked change. This change is prompted in part by animated films, which have kept their musical leanings, while not being classified as musicals. Like how the Spider Verse films’ distinct soundtrack snagged them a Grammy.
A story in song
Another reason is that as opposed to earlier, when a film’s ‘soundtrack’ was limited to one or two songs from popular bands and an instrumental theme, OSTs today are much more complex. Instead of creating a mix-tape or curating popular music, Hollywood films today have dedicated composers, much like we have had A.R. Rehman.
This signals a shift that helps films increase their reach and the longevity of their stories. Thanks to social media, music has a great capacity to go viral and sell in an equally viral manner. There is also a strong financial aspect of it, which no doubt derives inspiration from Indian films. With the lack of DVD or BluRay revenue, returns on music albums provide an additional thrust to a film.
Whatever the case may be, you should stay on the lookout for more innovative soundtracks in the coming years. What’s the best one you’ve heard lately?