The ‘Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1’ Soundtrack: A Pop Evolution?

When the list of tracks on the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 soundtrack was revealed last month, we were acutely aware of two things: 1.) Muse were nowhere to be found for the first time in the vamp franchise’s music history, and 2.) just as the sun is peaking out on the cover art, things had gotten slightly more poppy with the inclusion of Bruno Mars and Christina Perri. Pop chart mainstay Mars’ “It Will Rain” was given the plum opportunity of being selected the first single off the Breaking Dawn soundtrack. The Grammy winner’s angsty love song anchors tracks by lesser-known (by the mainstream, at least) artists such as Mia Mammoth, Sleeping At Last and The Features. (And to think, the Edward/Bella/Jacob triangle could have possibly been even more bright if only Sia’s contribution hadn’t been axed.)

Reflecting back on the very first Twilight soundtrack, from 2008, it was peppered with dark and gloomy jams by Muse, of course, as well as artists like MUTEMATH, Paramore, Black Ghosts and Linkin Park.

But by last year’s Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight saga, the music landscape in general had become decidedly more pop-leaning since ’08, and Cee Lo Green and Florence + The Machine (not to mention Sia) crept onto the tie-in soundtrack.

The full album of music from Breaking Dawn – Part 1 will be released on November 8, while the film itself hits theaters in November 18. Are you pleased with the new direction the soundtracks seem to be veering in?