10 of the best movie soundtracks from 2017
There are some great tunes!
This year has been a fantastic year for movies, with everything from Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Dunkirk, to Paddington 2 and La La Land making our best movies of 2017. Now it's time to look back at the soundtracks that made us go weak at the knees this year.
As expected, you'll definitely find Baby Driver in there, but we also hope to bring your attention to some composers and scores that you might not have yet become acquainted with this year.
Enjoy.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Composer: Henry Jackman, Matthew Margeson
Matthew Vaughn's sequel packs a mighty punch and its music matches it every step of the way. The signature theme is still integral to the sequel, but the joy is in the American twists added due to The Golden Circle's geographical changes.
Opening track 'Eggsy Is Back' made it onto our favourite tracks of the year list, but we'd also strongly suggest you start with 'Kingsman Hoedown', 'Tornado In A Trailer Park' and 'Temple Battle'.
Dunkirk
Composer: Hans Zimmer
You knew this one was coming. Joined by Benjamin Wallfisch and Lorne Balfe, Hans' score is designed to make you feel, in turn, claustrophobic and hopeful.
Eight-minute nail-biter 'Supermarine' puts you in the heart of the action, while the score is at its most magnificent, breathtaking best when twisting 'Elgar's Nimrod' (from his Enigma Variations) into 'Variation 15'.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge
Composer: Geoff Zanelli
You might think you've heard it all before, but Geoff Zanelli updates Hans Zimmer's well-loved themes to inject something a little different. 'Dead Men Tell No Tales' sets the scene and 'No Woman Has Ever Handled My Herschel' (along with best track name of the year) delivers the most fun, before 'El Matador Del Mar' and 'Kill The Sparrow' turn it up to eleven with more aggressive strings and electric guitar than ever graced Hans' previous installments.
Baby Driver
Composer: Various
Edgar Wright turned to the kings and queens of rock (The Damned!), pop (Sky Ferreira!), soul (Barry White!) and indie (Blur!) for what is, let's be honest, the soundtrack of the year. Three of the film's meticulously-chosen cues ended up on our Best Tracks Of 2017 list, but credit must be given to the inclusion of Queen's Brighton Rock during one of the film's more intense set-pieces. Freddie Mercury has never sounded so angry.
Fast & Furious 8
Composer: Various
This soundtrack might be a bit too cool for us, but we still recognise a good bop when we hear one. Furious 8's soundtrack is full of them, from the toe-tapping 'Good Life' (G-Eazy and Kehlani) to legitimate head-nodder, 'Horses' (PnB Rock, Kodak Black & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie).
For those who fancy something a bit harder, head straight to Bassnectar's (feat. Ohana Bam and Lafa Taylor) 'Speakerbox'. Oh, and good luck getting Hey Mama's (J Balvin & Pitbull feat. Camila Cabello) chorus out of your head once you've listened to it.
La La Land
Composer: Justin Hurwitz
January's La La Land took home an Oscar for Best Score, with Hurwitz (and lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) also winning a little gold man for Best Song (City Of Stars).
A blend of live vocals ('City Of Stars' duet, 'Audition') and studio-recorded tracks ('Another Day Of Sun', 'Someone In The Crowd'), Damien Chazelle's film is all the richer for his composer's lush orchestrations.
John Legend's odd-one-out 'Start A Fire' may be written with plot in mind, but we genuinely – and controversially – believe it to be one of the best songs on the album. And yes, that definitely has a lot to do with Ryan Gosling's dazzling Seaboard Grand solos...
Thor: Ragnarok
Composer: Mark Mothersbaugh
Mothersbaugh's work is splattered with eighties beep-boops but still manages to stay suitably epic and regal (see 'What Heroes Do' for solid proof). It also boasts some the year's most fun pieces: most notably 'Parade' and 'Planet Sakaar'.
Final track 'Grandmaster Jam Session' will have you picturing Jeff Goldblum freestyling around his multicoloured lair.
War For The Planet Of The Apes
Composer: Michael Giacchino
Matt Reeves' ape-ocalypse was accompanied by one of the best Michael 'oh-my-gosh-does-he-ever-sleep' Giacchino scores we've ever laid our ears on.
It excels in the ominous 'Assault Of The Earth', in its uniquely hopeful-yet-sombre hybrids 'Exodus Wounds', in the effectively catchy 'Planet Of The Escapes', and in the truly devastating 'Paradise Found'.
The only negative is that this is the last time Giacchino will – we think – get to work on this franchise.
Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol. 2
Composer: Various
Let's be honest: we knew that James Gunn wouldn't let us down after his barnstorming debut Guardians compilation. Vol. 2 wasn't quite as 'rocky' this time around, instead opting for some more laid back jams that were still just as effective.
Yusuf's (Cat Stevens) 'Father And Son' brought the gravitas, while ELO's 'Mr. Blue Sky' and 'Guardians Inferno' guaranteed the neon fun remain intact.
The LEGO Batman Movie
Composer: Lorne Balfe
Lorne Balfe's score is nothing short of inspired. Having earnt his musical stripes composing additional pieces for Hans Zimmer's Dark Knight scores (as well as many of Hans' other big hits such as Pirates, Sherlock Holmes and Inception), Balfe is undeniably one of the most exciting composers working.
His LEGO Batman score delivers tenfold, weaving infectiously fun childish strokes with nods to Batman soundtracks past and present. It is, quite frankly, an utter joy.
This article was originally written Emma Thrower and appeared on Empire >>