The soundtracks to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies are iconic—each one different from the last and just as important to who Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is as a character. He brings his love of music to the Guardians, and throughout the films, we’ve seen how each character connects with the music that Peter plays for them—none more than Rocket.
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, we see that while Peter is still coping with Gamora’s death and then a different Gamora appearing, Rocket has taken charge, and with that has come his appreciation for the music that Peter was constantly playing for them. The minute I watched the movie open with Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) walking around and singing “Creep” by Radiohead, I knew that this was going to be one of the best soundtracks yet—quite a feat!
Vol. 2 upped the game for me with “Father and Son” by Cat Stevens, but that’s nothing compared to this one. Playing with the eras present on Peter’s Zune, Guardians writer/director James Gunn used the soundtrack to not only color action sequences, but he weaved in the love of Peter’s music with the Guardians as a whole, while also making music something even the High Evolutionary could relate to.
It’s easily one of the best soundtracks because the music is something they’re all sharing together instead of something that’s Peter’s thing, and it just makes for really emotional journeys throughout the film.
Springsteen, Florence, AND Radiohead? Thanks, James!
Saying that Gunn has great musical taste in his movies is stating the obvious, but this just felt different. Maybe it’s because after crying over Rocket Raccoon for over two hours, we’re gifted with “Badlands” by Bruce Springsteen in the credits, or maybe it should be attributed to the joy that “Dog Days Are Over” brings me, but the soundtrack just really makes this movie special to me. It’s fun, exciting, and a collection of songs that are clearly not all just Peter’s picks. This soundtrack feels like more of a team playlist than those of the previous films did.
Rocket Raccoon singing along to Radiohead was not something I ever thought I’d see, but it made me cry for my own love of Radiohead, as well as my love of Rocket. But then you have moments when Peter Quill is fighting and listening to “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” by the Bestie Boys, and you remember why these soundtracks stay with you.
For me, they’ve just kept getting better and better, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the soundtrack that I want on vinyl to listen to over and over again—for the Radiohead and Springsteen, obviously.
(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
