The Twilight Saga, a film series focused on the dramatic romance between a human (Bella Swan) and a vampire (the sparkly Edward Cullen) and the woeful, over-the-top issues their weird love brings, is not everyone’s cup of tea. Despite this mixed reception, the soundtracks of the films are god-tier. In this article, a few of our writers celebrate the albums that accompany these *ahem* interesting films.
The Twilight Saga: Twilight
Two Paramore songs, Muse, Linkin Park and Mutemath – all on one album? To me that sounds like the best emo soundtrack you could find. Opening with ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, the album perfectly encapsulates the feelings of the Twilight franchise. Take ‘Decode’ for example; Hayley Williams has said that this song was entirely written for the first movie, as it centres on the building tensions between Bella and Edward. It’s seemingly from Edward’s view, as Bella is the only mind he cannot read. ‘Decode’ adds a different narrative to the story and furthers our understanding of each character. This can be said for the songs that were not written for the movie, like ‘Leave Out All The Rest’ which is the perfect backdrop to Bella and Edward’s break-up. Author Stephenie Meyer has noted that music inspired her creations and this album captivates the importance music has to the story.
Morgan McMillan
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Being devoted to Team Edward, I always used to think New Moon was the worst of the whole The Twilight Saga in terms of the book, the film, and the soundtrack. However, as I’ve got older, I’ve come to realise my mistakes, as the soundtrack is perfect for the story. The depression Bella experiences due to Edward’s departure makes this the darkest instalment of the saga, and this mood is reflected in the songs. Most famously, the scene in which the seasons pass as Bella stares out the window is accompanied by Lykke Li‘s ‘Possibility’. The lyrics magnificently encapsulate the pain she feels. The resonance does not stop there; The Killers’ ‘White Demon Love Song’ feels like Jacob’s lamentation pleading Bella to move on. Bon Iver and St Vincent‘s ‘Rosyln’, and Grizzly Bear and Victoria Legrand‘s ‘Slow Life’, both have a haunting, ethereal quality which suits the film down to the ground. There are far too many gems to mention here, but my favourites include Thom Yorke, Band of Skulls and Death Cab for Cutie – all helping to make this, in my opinion, one of the best soundtracks ever.
Becky Davies
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Eclipse was EASILY one of the worst films of the Twilight series, or at the very least had some of the worst moments. The soundtrack, however, absolutely slaps. Muse, Florence and the Machine, Sia, Vampire Weekend, and The Black Keys all in one album? It’s a seemingly random assortment of musicians, but it works.
The best song on the album for me has got to be ‘Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever)’ by Muse. It’s an epic love song, especially with Matt Bellamy’s killer vocals. For a song that’s supposed to be about Bella and Edward’s immortal love, it’s a pretty hardcore anthem. Of course, Florence Welch‘s voice is perfect for the ethereal themes that run throughout The Twilight Saga. ‘Heavy in Your Arms’ encapsulates the feelings of the main relationship perfectly, with Bella’s mortal nature dragging them down, as well as all the mystery and backstory that comes from Edward. Eclipse might not be a great movie, but it’s soundtrack is certainly worth a listen.
Alice Fortt
