From ‘The Bodyguard’ to ‘Barbie’: Is the movie soundtrack back and bigger than ever?

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Throughout the billion-dollar “Barbie” film, an instrumental version of Billie Eilish’s hit “What Was I Made For” weaves in and out, soundtracking the famous doll's existential crisis. Often, studios will license recognizable, pre-existing music — likely “the safer play,” as Gary Trust, Billboard’s chart director says — because two-thirds of all music streams are older music. Take Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 indie dance hit “Murder on the Dancefloor"; recently, the song went viral because of its use in a very memorable final scene in the divisive film “Saltburn.” In January, “Murder” broke the Billboard Hot 100 — a career first for Ellis-Bextor — 23 years after the song’s release. What’s more, the industry data and analytics company found that 42% of female Gen Z consumers are more likely to discover new music through film soundtracks, which is 20% more than the general public — and could likely speak partially to the success of a film like “Barbie.” “The film is not a musical, but it was always going to have music at the heart of it,” says Mark Ronson, the executive producer of the “Barbie” soundtrack.