It wouldn’t be ‘tis the season of Luke Cage without some Sweet Christmas songs. Marvel has released Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad’s dynamic track, “Bulletproof Love” (featuring Method Man), but the thirst has not been quenched. We need a full soundtrack.
The Netflix series has been widely praised for its story, acting, and how it treats its supporting characters. However, some of its biggest critical acclaim has come from its music. It’s clear the series has taken its time to cultivate a gorgeous hip-hop soundtrack, drawing on the spirit of its Harlem setting with classic artists and newer talent. Plus, all of the episode titles are named after songs by early hip-hop group Gang Starr.
It’s no secret that Marvel’s had a long-standing soundtrack problem. While earlier films like Spider-Man (a Sony film based on a Marvel comic) had dynamic and recognizable scores, more recent movies like The Avengers tend to be more forgettable in the music department. The main exception would be the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy, which, while solid and fun, relied a bit heavily on nostalgia. Check out the video from Every Frame a Painting for a solid breakdown of Marvel’s music problem.
You can buy “Bulletproof Love” from Luke Cage on iTunes, or stream it from most music streaming services. If you love the instrumentals, Muhammad announced on Twitter this weekend that the score will be released October 7, but no word in what format. In addition, Luke Cage composer Adrian Younge created a Spotify playlist featuring many of the tracks from the show. Sweet Christmas indeed.
[Geek]
Clarification: Added Spider-Man production company and playlist creator.
Update: Added score release details.