Listen to Solo: A Star Wars Story’s official motion soundtrack for free
Photo Credit: [
] LucasArts/Lucasfilm]
Solo: A Star Wars Story’s official motion soundtrack is out now on Spotify. Here’s why you should go listen to the latest music from a galaxy far, far away right now.
John Williams is one of the most iconic composers of all time and an enormous part of the Star Wars universe. However, like Rogue One before it, Solo: A Star Wars Story has followed in the first Star Wars standalone’s footsteps by featuring music from a different musical talent.
John Powell, most known for his musical composition in animated films like Ice Age and How To Train Your Dragon, served as the film composer for Solo.
You can listen to Solo’s official motion soundtrack now on Spotify, which we have linked for you a few lines down. It’s a powerful score that fits right into the Star Wars musical realm. Just because John Williams didn’t score Solo doesn’t mean his presence isn’t felt throughout the film.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Rob Latour/BEI/REX/Shutterstock (9667808be)
John Powell
‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ film premiere, Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA – 10 May 2018
You can check out the Solo: A Star Wars Story’s official motion soundtrack tracklist below
- The Adventures of Han
- Meet Han
- Corellia Chase
- Spaceport
- Flying with Chewie
- Train Heist
- Marauders Arrive
- Chicken in the Pot
- Is This Seat Taken?
- L3 & the Millennium Falcon
- Lando’s Closet
- Mine Mission
- Break Out
- The Good Guy
- Reminiscence Therapy
- Into the Maw
- Savareen Stand-Off
- Good Thing You Were Listening
- Testing Allegiance
- Dice & Roll
Like Michael Giacchino’s work on Rogue One, Powell managed to implement various well known Star Wars musical motifs, earlier developed by Williams, into the score for Solo.
The track “Reminiscence Therapy,” for example” prominently features the classic and pulsing “TIE fighter attack” music from A New Hope (which was also featured in The Last Jedi). Powell also implemented Williams’ iconic theme from “The Asteroid Field” in the Empire Strikes Back later in the same track. “Reminiscence Therapy,” like its name, becomes very reminiscent of classic Star Wars music and brings plenty of nostalgia to Solo.
Photo Credit: Starwars.com
John Williams’ influence can also be felt in the soundtrack’s opening piece, “The Adventures of Han.” In fact, he fully composed this piece! Yes, Williams’ actually wrote an official motif for Han Solo.
The Original Trilogy never had an official “Han Solo Theme,” but the legendary composer wanted to contribute the main theme to Solo.
That doesn’t mean, however, that Solo’s soundtrack only relies on fanboy nostalgia. Powell really pushes the envelope to develop new music that still feels like Star Wars.
The tracks “Marauders Arrive” and “Savareen Stand-Off” serve as the musical backdrops for Enfys Nest’s Cloud Riders, an outlaw group that rivals Han’s crew of scoundrels.
Both tracks feature haunting choral work that simultaneously brings to mind old-school western standoffs and The Phantom Menace’s “Duel of Fates.” Powell’s work here truly elevates the scenes featuring the Cloud-Riders.
Photo Credit: [Solo: A Star Wars Story] Lucasfilm
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Powell built his score around William’s main theme, and his musical talents are successfully captured throughout the entire soundtrack. Another particular action-packed standout piece is “Train Heist,” which plays during Han and company’s attempt to capture a trainload of coaxium, a type of very expensive space fuel. The music’s fast-paced, hard-hitting pounding during the train heist contributes to the tension of the scene.
Powell also wasn’t afraid to go out of the box in certain areas of his composition. The track “Chicken in the Pot,” which plays during Han and Tobias Beckett’s visit to Dryden Vos’ space-yacht brings an exotic feel to the high-class location.
It’s also a piece of in-universe music, which has been a staple throughout the Star Wars franchise – consider the cantinas in A New Hope and The Force Awakens and the various musical numbers of Jabba the Hutt’s palace.
While we’re on the topic of exotic, “Is This Seat Taken?” is another interesting piece featuring various percussion instrument that plays during Han and Lando’s first game of Sabacc.
Photo Credit: Lucasfilm
One of the neatest musical Easter Eggs from Solo though is the upbeat, propaganda-esque “Imperial March” that overlays the Empire’s recruitment video in the spaceport on Corellia. Unfortunately, this isn’t featured on the official motion soundtrack, but it does make John Williams canon!
Next: Solo Easter eggs bind the galaxy together
Listen to the Solo: A Star Wars Story official motion soundtrack now on Spotify!
Solo: A Star Wars Story is playing in theaters, worldwide.