Warning: This article contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 soundtrack is full of unforgettable needle-drops from such renowned musical artists as Radiohead, the Beastie Boys, and Florence + the Machine. Ever since Peter Quill danced his way to the Power Stone to the tune of Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” music has been an integral part of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Like Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright, James Gunn has a knack for picking the right musical accompaniment for each scene. The Guardians’ arrival on Knowhere was set to David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream,” Quill’s first dance with Gamora was set to Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” and Quill’s triumphant last stand against Ego was set to Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”
The soundtracks of the previous Guardians films were confined to the ‘60s and ‘70s tracks that Quill’s mom introduced him to via the “Awesome Mix” tapes. But after Ego destroyed Quill’s Walkman in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kraglin gave him a Zune he swiped from Earth. This opened up the Vol. 3 soundtrack to more eras and styles of music. The needle-drops in Guardians Vol. 3 range from ‘80s funk metal to ‘90s grunge to ‘00s indie pop. Every scene is paired with the perfect song, but some of Vol. 3’s needle-drops stand out more than others.
"Creep (Acoustic)" By Radiohead
The opening bars of Radiohead’s acoustic version of “Creep” kick in as baby Rocket cowers away from the High Evolutionary’s looming hand in the first shot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The shot fades to an older Rocket as the camera tracks him around the Guardians’ new homebase on Knowhere. This Boogie Nights-esque long take reintroduces all the beloved characters that audiences have been following for almost a decade, while keeping the focus on Rocket to establish the threequel as his story. The lyrics that Rocket sings along to reflect the self-loathing instilled in him by the High Evolutionary’s torture and emotional abuse: “I wish I was special / But I’m a creep / I’m a weirdo.” After the first two movies opened with upbeat dance numbers set to “Come and Get Your Love” and “Mr. Blue Sky,” this grim, grungy track immediately sets the tone for a darker, heavier Guardians of the Galaxy movie in Vol. 3.
"In The Meantime" By Spacehog
One of the most refreshing things about the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 soundtrack is that the songs from the trailers are actually in the movie, which is rarely the case. Rainbow’s “Since You Been Gone” nicely ties into how much Quill misses the original Gamora and feels lost without her, but the best use of a trailer song in Guardians Vol. 3 is “In the Meantime” by Spacehog. “In the Meantime” has a psychedelic, otherworldly sound that pairs beautifully with the gonzo on-screen visuals of Guardians in multicolored spacesuits landing on the Orgoscope. It also links to the overarching themes of the movie, as it’s a song about acceptance and togetherness: “We love the all, the all of you.” The Guardians love the all of Rocket, and will do whatever it takes to save him.
"Do You Realize??" By The Flaming Lips
Gunn’s use of “Do You Realize??” by The Flaming Lips puts the focus squarely on the music. It’s not just background noise for an action sequence; Quill puts his headphones in, gazes out into space, and thinks about what the words mean. The lyrics of “Do You Realize??” tie in perfectly with Quill reflecting on the untimely end of his relationship with Gamora and reckoning with the fact that it’s over: “Life goes fast / It’s hard to make the good things last.” The song signifies Quill coming to some realizations of his own. It sets the stage for his half-sister Mantis’ poignant lilypad analogy.
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" By The Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys’ head-banging hip-hop classic “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” kicks in when Quill, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot are plotting to save Drax, Mantis, and Nebula from the High Evolutionary’s monster-infested dungeon. When Drax, Mantis, and Nebula arrive and reveal that they’ve already saved themselves, Quill revises the plan: leave right now. But Rocket says, “I’m done running,” and starts heading back into the ship to defeat the High Evolutionary once and for all. One by one, the other Guardians join him. The Beastie Boys hit provides the perfect musical backdrop for the Guardians to do one last slow-motion walk into battle. This moment sets up the incredible hallway sequence that showcases the finely tuned teamwork between the Guardians.
"Dog Days Are Over" By Florence + The Machine
Before leaving the Guardians to reunite with his estranged grandfather at the end of the movie, Quill gifts his Zune to Rocket, the new captain of the team. Rocket immediately goes to the 2000s playlist and starts playing Florence + the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over” on Knowhere’s speaker system. He and Groot start dancing to the song, then Mantis and the kids join in, and eventually even the usually stern-faced Drax and Nebula have a boogie. The use of “Dog Days Are Over” brings the soundtrack full circle. After the movie opened with “Creep,” a really bleak and unhappy song, it hammered home the message of love and family to end on a happy, uplifting track. From Quill recounting the legend of Kevin Bacon to Gamora tapping her feet to Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home to Me,” dancing has always had a deep symbolic importance in the Guardians trilogy. Closing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on a rollicking dance number provided the perfect ending for that trilogy.