The Guardians of the Galaxy are synonymous with great music, which put pressure on James Gunn to create another awesome playlist in his final Marvel project. However, this time Star-Lord will not be feeling as funky as before.
While Marvel Studios as a whole has spoiled fans with a wide selection of classic rock and hit songs, the Guardians of the Galaxy films make music an integral part of its story, so it seems fitting that this emotional rollercoaster of a threequel has shifted its tone as it explores Rocket Raccoon's past. That might have been obvious for many fans thanks to the first couple of trailers, which feature Spacehog's “In the Meantime” and the more upbeat “Since You've Been Gone” by Rainbow, but it’s even more so now that the full mix is out.
As expected, music choices were a vital part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for Gunn. Considering the film will begin with an acoustic version of Radiohead's “Creep,” there’s no arguing this is “a much different tone from the beginning than the other two films,” as picked up by Rolling Stone. Nevertheless, Gunn claims picking the right songs was not a matter of jumping over to the '90s and calling it a day. He “felt very uncomfortable picking out songs” before deciding on a more modern approach befitting Peter's new Zune gadget.
Like his old Sony Walkman, Star-Lord's new Zune means a lot to him after inheriting it from his adoptive father, Yondu, and the device has become essential gear for the Guardians' travels. For that reason, Gunn opted for a more varied soundtrack that’s now available on Spotify. However, it’s not called Awesome Mix Vol. 3. Instead, it shows up as The Official Mixtape" on the app.
So what’s on the track list? Well, quite a bit of everything, as this collection of '80s gems is also bolstered by the Beastie Boys' “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” Bruce Springsteen's “Badlands,” and some odd picks like "Koinu no Carnival.” Nevertheless, since Peter now has access to a Zune, the previous owner also left some more contemporary songs like Florence + The Machine's “Dog Days Are Over" and “We Care a Lot” by Faith No More, and the now-classic "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone.
As Gunn's MCU swan song, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will add to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's amazing music collection. However, it's not as if fans didn't have plenty of other reasons to be excited over one of this year's most anticipated blockbusters.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will premiere on May 4, 2023.
Source: Rolling Stone; Spotify
