A film could have the biggest stars attached to it; it could boast the most innovative cinematography and the coolest effects; it may even show a butt, however, a movie is nothing without its soundtrack.
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It takes an impressive score to play in the background of an epic, multi-million-dollar production. Over the last few years and the last dozen blockbuster titles, composer Lorne Balfe has been the name behind such soundtracks. With the ability to tell an entire story in a single key change, Balfe has scored action, drama, and romance, sometimes all in the same movement. His latest effort is found on the soundtrack of Black Adam, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Here are six times composer Lorne Balfe has mesmerized movie-goers.
1. “Top Gun Anthem” from Top Gun: Maverick
It’s hard to live up to the “Take My Breath Away” cheesiness of the original, but somehow the soundtrack for Top Gun: Maverick did it, surpassed it even.
A star-studded team, composed of Balfe alongside Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, and Lady Gaga, gave new life to the continuation of the nearly 30-year-old story. The original Top Gun soundtrack reflected the time and that ’80s sound is paid homage to with the new.
Top Gun: Maverick Soundtrack:
1. Main Titles (You’ve Been Called Back to Top Gun)
2. Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins
3. Darkstar
4. Great Balls of Fire (Live) by Miles Teller
5. You’re Where You Belong / Give ‘Em Hell
6. I Ain’t Worried by OneRepublic
7. Dagger One is Hit / Time to Let Go
8. Tally Two / What’s the Plan / F-14
9. The Man, the Legend / Touchdown
10. Penny Returns – Interlude
11. Hold My Hand by Lady Gaga
12. Top Gun Anthem
2. “Fallout” from Mission: Impossible Fallout
The instantly recognizable Mission: Impossible theme is revamped in the sixth installment of the film franchise. It’s given a deeper, more rounded arrangement compared to the iterations that came before it.
It’s an arguably overdone cinematic theme, some form of it often used throughout spy movies and parodies alike, but Balfe gives it a freshness.
Mission: Impossible Fallout Soundtrack
1. A Storm Is Coming (1:12)
2. Your Mission (2:14)
3. Should You Choose to Accept… (2:34)
4. The Manifesto (1:44)
5. Good Evening, Mr. Hunt (4:19)
6. Change of Plan (5:47)
7. A Terrible Choice (2:54)
8. Fallout (1:30)
9. Stairs and Rooftops (6:00)
10. No Hard Feelings (4:20)
11. Free Fall (4:14)
12. The White Window (4:42)
13. I Am the Storm (2:07)
14. The Exchange (5:54)
15. Steps Ahead (1:02)
16. Escape Through Paris (5:05)
17. We Are Never Free (6:57)
18. Kashmir (4:29)
19. Fate Whispers to the Warrior (3:54)
20. And the Warrior Whispers Back (3:56)
21. Unfinished Business (1:49)
22. Scalper and Hammer (5:10)
23. The Syndicate (6:00)
24. Cutting on One (3:42)
25. The Last Resort (2:55)
26. Mission: Accomplished (1:15)
3. “Miami Dolphins Still Suck” from The Tomorrow War
Guttural rumbling, anxious ticking, and frantic strings build in the song, below, adding drama and intrigue to the scene. Dissolving just as quickly as it exploded, the orchestral masterpiece is the perfect addition to any sci-fi action adventure.
The Tomorrow War Soundtrack:
1 Multiply
2 Spikes Attack
3 Who’s With Us?
4 Reunited
5 Back to the Past
6 The Tomorrow War
7 The Whitespikes
8 The Draft
9 Goodbye
10 So It Begins
11 Fight
12 Message From the Future
13 The Nest
14 Test Tubes
15 The Cube
16 Pushing
17 Miami Dolphins Still Suck
18 Colonel Forester
19 Dan Forester
20 Homecoming
4. “Bad Boys for Life” from Bad Boys for Life
An operatic rock-funk number, the theme from Bad Boys for Life is worthy of slow-motion walks, background explosions, and millions of dollars in luxury car crashes. Using “Bad Boys for Life” in the soundtrack of your every day will have you feeling like a sunglasses-inside-leather-jacket-in-the-dead-of-summer badass.
Bad Boys for Life Soundtrack:
1. Bad Boys for Life (2:47)
2. It’s Good Shit Lieutenant (3:19)
3. Take Back What’s Ours (2:09)
4. We’re Dangerous People (3:46)
5. What Else You Got (3:13)
6. Prayer (3:12)
7. God’s Gun (2:37)
8. The Truth (4:52)
9. Promise to God (2:59)
10. We Ride Together, We Die Together (6:02)
11. Ambulance Heist (2:59)
12. One Last Time (1:57)
5. “Yelena Belova” from Black Widow
The ghostly “Yelena Belova” is the theme song for the Black Widow character of the same name. The somber, slow-building theme features Russian vocalists performing a haunting number until the song erupts in intensity. Slow-burning-meets-attention-grabbing arrangements seem to be Balfe’s signature.
Black Widow soundtrack:
1 Natasha’s Lullaby
2 Latrodectus
3 Fireflies
4 The Pursuit
5 The First Bite Is the Deepest
6 Last Glimmer
7 Dreykov
8 You Don’t Know Me
9 Yelena Belova
10 From the Shadows
11 Hand in Hand
12 Blood Ties
13 Whirlwind
14 Arise
15 Natasha’s Fragments
16 A Sister Says Goodbye
17 I Can’t Save Us
18 Red Rising
19 The Betrayed
20 The Descent
21 Faces to the Sun
22 Natasha Soars
23 Last Love
24 Into the Past
25 Broken Free
26 A Calling
6. “Black Adam Theme” from Black Adam
The latest Balfe project, Black Adam, will be unleashed Oct. 21. The movie’s soundtrack is already so captivating, it doesn’t matter how successful the movie is. The theme is a dark, heavy, soul-stirring composition that readies audiences for an action-packed time.
Check out the motion picture soundtrack, HERE, and get hyped up for Black Adam, set for release on Friday (Oct. 21).
Black Adam Soundtrack:
1. Teth-Adam (3:33)
2. Kahndaq (6:09)
3. The Awakening (3:04)
4. The Revolution Starts (1:29)
5. Introducing the JSA (4:41)
6. Shaza-Superman (2:23)
7. Our Only Hope (2:06)
8. Change Your Name (1:27)
9. What Kind of Magic? (2:10)
10. Is It the Champion? (0:57)
11. Your Enemies (1:50)
12. Black Adam Spotted (1:37)
13. Not Interested (1:41)
14. Just Say Shazam (4:11)
15. Ancient Palace (3:15)
16. Little Man (1:40)
17. Time to Go (1:35)
18. Release Him (0:56)
19. Father & Son (3:36)
20. Black Adam Theme (3:57)
21. Fly Bikes (3:25)
22. Nanobots (1:33)
23. Through the Wall (2:54)
24. 23lbs of Eternium (2:27)
25. Is This the End? (2:05)
26. It Was Him (5:49)
27. Lake Baikal (2:59)
28. Capes and Corpses (1:07)
29. Hawkman’s Fate (2:10)
30. The JSA Fights Back (2:12)
31. A Bad Plan Is a Good Plan (1:56)
32. Dr. Fate (1:20)
33. Prison Break (2:35)
34. Wet Rocks (0:54)
35. Not a Hero (1:22)
36. The Doctor’s Destiny (0:55)
37. Slave Champion (1:27)
38. Legions of Hell (2:17)
39. The Man in Black (0:46)
40. Adam’s Journey (3:50)
41. The Justice Society Theme (5:12)
42. Black Adam Theme (iZNiiK Remix) – iZNiiK & Lorne Balfe (4:01)
43. The Justice Society Theme (iZNiiK Remix) – iZNiiK & Lorne Balfe (3:52)
Lorne Balfe photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images
