Tag: Showstopper

Jonah Hill’s ‘Mid90s’ and Spotify Team Up for Our First-Ever Official Motion Picture Playlist

October 16, 2018

Everyone who grew up in the ’90s remembers its diverse and provocative soundtrack, from gritty hip-hop to the rebellious spirit of the punk and alternative scenes. Academy Award nominee Jonah Hill’s fondest music memories involve the skate videos that introduced him to a new world of sounds from his hometown of Los Angeles and beyond. In the new film Mid90s, his directorial and screenwriting debut, music evokes that similar sense of sonic nostalgia—which is why we’ve teamed up with A24 and Jonah for the Mid90s Official Motion Picture Playlist. The first of its kind, the playlist launches October 16, in advance of the October 19 LA and NY movie releases, and the October 26 nationwide release of the film.

The Mid90s Official Motion Picture Playlist creates a unique soundtrack listening experience that shines a light on the incredible songs and artists featured in the film. The playlist features music from the film and beyond, along with exclusive new content from Jonah and the film’s cast. Over the course of the next month, fans can tune back in for additions from Jonah and the Mid90s team.

I was always a diehard fan of classic movie soundtracks, so when we started talking about the best way to release our soundtrack in the streaming era, I couldn’t have been more thrilled to collaborate with Spotify on such a new and exciting concept that I think reinvents what movie soundtracks can be going forward.

— Jonah Hill

“The music in Mid90s is incredibly personal to me,” says Jonah. “The film was written and shot to these specific tracks, many of which were so important to my own life growing up. I was always a diehard fan of classic movie soundtracks, so when we started talking about the best way to release our soundtrack in the streaming era, I couldn’t have been more thrilled to collaborate with Spotify on such a new and exciting concept that I think reinvents what movie soundtracks can be going forward.”

First, tune into our socials on October 16 for Jonah’s One Track Mind interview, which will give fans insight into his personal music preferences and how they contributed to the making of the film. Hear Jonah discuss everything from his favorite ’90s music and what songs he listened to on set to his choice tracks.

It all culminates in the Mid90s Official Motion Picture Playlist, shaped by the songs he listened to as a ’90s kid—including the deep cuts and hip-hop B-sides Spotify helped him rediscover, from Nirvana’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” to The Pharcyde’s “Passin’ Me By.” Follow the playlist for new content from Jonah.

Recently, the collaboration kicked off with a special screening with Jonah and the cast in New York, as well as the first-ever live recording of Spotify’s Showstopper podcast. In the episode, also launching October 16, Jonah talked about the making of the film and the playlist.

Listen to Jonah’s Mid90s Official Motion Picture Playlist on Spotify.

The Handmaid’s Tale, The O.C., and 7 Other Shows That Have Formed Our Music Tastes

April 25, 2018

If you ugly cry during This Is Us, it could be that The Cinematic Orchestra’s heartbreaking song is tugging at you just as much as Rebecca and Jack. And if Phantom Planet or Snow Patrol have shown up in your Spotify playlists, chances are it’s because you’re feeling nostalgic for The O.C. or Grey’s Anatomy. TV shows of a newer era are known not only for evoking an urge to binge watch, but for uncovering new artists and influencing the music we listen to.

When shows began writing music into the key moments in their scripts as opposed to doing it after the fact—shows of the early 2000s like The Sopranos and The O.C. get much of the credit for jumpstarting the approach—audiences became even more addicted and artists had a new platform for their music to reach the masses.

“There’s a difference between finding music just to bridge scenes and be a part of the background, and using the music to help move the narrative along. Music has actually become a character in itself,” says Xavier Jernigan, Spotify’s head of North America for shows and editorial and host of Showstopper, Spotify’s podcast that takes listeners inside the playlists of favorite TV shows. (Bonus: Every episode of Showstopper has an accompanying playlist so you can really dive into the music.)

Jernigan names The Sopranos season finale—that unforgettable diner scene featuring Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”—as a turning point. “It marked such a seminal moment in a TV series and gave that song a whole new life—it jumped up the charts,” he notes. Maggie Phillips, music supervisor for Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, agrees: “TV has grown and changed since then. There is so much great content now and thus the soundtracks are better and more elevated,” she says.

For example, season two of The Handmaid’s Tale, which premieres April 25, features a mix of indie and older but perhaps forgotten female artists. “Primarily, songs are used as a tool to illustrate what’s going on in June’s head. They act in the same way as the voiceovers do. June as a handmaid can’t speak up, or talk about her life, but we connect with her by hearing what’s going on in her head through voiceover or song,” Phillips says.

To further showcase the synergy between show narrative and soundtrack, Spotify and Hulu recently expanded their partnership through a new all-you-can-stream subscription plan, Spotify Premium, now with Hulu.

“Hulu is doing the storytelling, and Spotify can help extend that story with the music and delving into the playlists. It extends the life of these shows,” Jernigan says. Below, he shares what TV-music marriages are on his must-see, must-listen lists.

Insecure: “Sometimes a particular song by a particular artist can be a statement the show is making. It’s exactly what encouraged them to have Kendrick Lamar’s song right as the first song. It was like, ‘We are here.’ When you’re in the world of Insecure that’s a different LA then say, NCIS: Los Angeles. This is L.A., but it’s not Hollywood.”

Dawson’s Creek: “In the ‘90s, shows like Dawson’s Creek used contemporary music like the Paula Cole theme song to tap into the sound of the moment.”

The O.C.: “They took what Dawson’s Creek was doing because it’s the same kind of show, updated it, and took it to another level.”

Glee: “That one was dope because it introduced people to the world of a capella. It used the common thread of music to help aid in acceptance.”

How to Get Away with Murder: “Music added a cool factor. How to Get Away with Murder brought out a different layer of emotion that people really identify with.”

This is Us: “The soundtrack is hopeful. It’s grounded in the journeys that this family is going through, collectively and individually.”

Big Little Lies: “They use some current songs that just have that older sound; they use a lot of Leon Bridges, for example. It makes the show feel a little more timeless.”

Atlanta: “They’re using music to highlight that city in a way that hasn’t been done before. It’s an insider view, and it’s the kind of music people who actually live in Atlanta listen to.”

Craving more music and TV insights? Watch the above shows and more onHulu, and relive your favorite soundtracks on Showstopper.