The 5 Most Powerful Film Soundtracks of 2020

This year has been witness to not only a flood of brilliant films but also their accompanying soundtracks. Crafting a track for a film is a whole different ball game, yet one the newbies seem to have mastered with ease.

Very often, it’s a film’s soundtrack that becomes its defining factor. It helps shape the mood of the visual, while also heightening the crowd’s emotional response to the film. And as if these two factors haven’t proved to be challenging enough, the score of a film also needs to reflect certain elements of the plot. Be it through songwriting or the mere soundscape of the track itself – it should sprinkle just enough without giving away too much.

This year, a number of rising stars have dabbled in the world of film soundtracks for the very first time. And they go by the names: Billie Eilish, Doja Cat and Travis Scott. But then again, we’ve also included some old hands: Justin Timberlake, SZA and Beyonce. Their respective scores have arrived with a spectrum of different moods, themes and sounds all aligning with the concept behind the visual. This is an art that not many can master and yet, the challenge of attempting to do so has forged some brilliant pieces of work. Take a look…

‘No Time to Die’ – Billie Eilish

Crafting the opening theme for a Bond film already poses a sea of pressure. And knowing that your contemporaries go by the names: Sam Smith and Adele, makes the task even harder to chew. Despite having to fill up some big shoes, Billie Eilish did so effortlessly. And this led her to become the youngest artist to craft a Bond theme song.

‘No Time To Die’ was penned down and produced by the young star and her brother, Finneas O’Connell. The piano driven track weaves gently around Billie’s melancholic vocals which rise to a superb crescendo. Much like the previous Bond theme songs, ‘No Time To Die’ witnesses similar chords and powerful bits of songwriting. And in line with the plot, it also arrives with a sense of finality, both in terms of sound and lyrics.

Was I stupid to love you?
Was I reckless to help?
Was it obvious to everybody else

That I’d fallen for a lie?
You were never on my side
Fool me once, fool me twice
Are you death or paradise?
Now you’ll never see me cry
There’s just no time to die

Poignant and heartbreaking, these words travel through the track, making it an emotionally ripe masterpiece – one that both rivals and stands alongside the scores of her contemporaries.

‘The Other Side’ – Justin Timberlake Feat. SZA

Moving on to a lighter piece, ‘The Other Side’ served as the lead single for the “Trolls World Tour”. While this is neither Justin Timberlake nor SZA’s first rodeo when it comes to soundtracks, you have to admit that this is an unusual collaboration.

Lined with a funky piano riff, Justin’s signature falsettos and SZA’s infectious vocals – this tracks drags you right out to the dancefloor from the first few notes. Interestingly enough, ‘The Other Side’ did exceedingly well on charts across the globe. And considering that it settled comfortably in the disco-pop genre, some would say that it made the track ideal for airplay.

The clouds will open up
Blue skies are willing

Back on your feet again
Lift your head, hold it high
You wanna run it back
But you can’t turn the time
You start to feel like you’re losing your shine
But the grass ain’t always greener on the other side

Much like the film itself, the lyrics prove to be straightforward, fun and uplifting. Now, coming to film scores, Justin Timberlake has also dabbled in 2016’s “Trolls”. He made his landing at the time with the equally groovy number, ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’. SZA on the other hand, played a big part in Marvel’s “Black Panther” score. She worked alongside Kendrick Lamar for ‘All The Stars’.

But this time around, both artists have proven that they’re no one hit wonders when it comes to the world of film soundtracks.

‘Boss B*tch’ – Doja Cat

2020 has been a big year for Doja Cat. Not only did she notch some fine collaborations from the likes of Nicki Minaj and The Weeknd, but she also scored her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And adding to that steadily growing list of accolades is the track for the hit DC film, “Birds of Prey”.

This track saw Doja channel her inner Harley Quinn, as she spit fiery rhymes over a sleek set of trap beats. Much like the anti-hero herself, the track embodies all sides of Quinn’s character: the unapologetic, the sassy, the confident and of course, the slightly sinister bits too. Here, take a dip into the lyrics:

Said, b*tch, I’m the after you been the before
I been a stallion, you been a sea horse
Don’t need a report, don’t need a press run
All of my bad pics been all my best ones

And I do my dance and cancel the plans
Said, boo, don’t be mad ’cause you had a chance

While this track managed to capture the perfect character sketch, it also left room for more to be drawn. Precisely speaking, ‘Boss B*tch’ went on to do the rounds on Tik Tok, which further skyrocketed it to fame. And so, Doja Cat continues to conquer new musical realms with an enviable ease.

‘Already’ – Beyonce

Just a couple weeks back, Beyonce dropped her highly-anticipated visual album, “Black Is King”. Her track, ‘Already’ dropped a day prior to this, giving fans a taste of what was to come.

The tune, featuring Shatta Wale and Major Lazer, opens with a poignant spoken-word piece. As ‘Already’ unfolds, we witness a string of Beyonce’s gorgeous melodic runs, interspersed with some feisty rhymes and hip hop beats. From start to finish, this track is in its essence, a celebration of Black culture and power. ‘Already’ serves as one of the many teachings that find a space on the narrative of “Black Is King”.

Remember who you are, ooh
Real king always win, oh
Give up your bread, oh
I’ll show your people my love
It’s time already, I say it’s time already
The line already, I say, line already
Only you got the remedy, I say you got the remedy

Considering that this is after all a visual album, Beyonce puts a lot more emphasis on the music to tell her story. Which is in no way a simpler feat, though it does give her free reign over the narrative.

‘The Plan’ – Travis Scott

After leaving behind the cryptic cover art for this track, Travis Scott finally made his landing with ‘The Plan’. It finds a warm spot on the soundtrack for Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi Thriller, “Tenet”.

Much like Nolan’s visuals, this track proves to be immersive and suspenseful. Driven by a thumping bass line and ghostly melodies, ‘The Plan’ leaves you intrigued within the first few seconds. As the track unravels, each layer features a new rap verse from Travis Scott. They build and build, before dropping you from a height, right into a maw full of distorted sounds. The young rapper worked alongside Ludwig Goransson, who previously had a strong hand to play in the “Black Panther” soundtrack. Now, as we mentioned before, both the soundscape of this track and the lyrics mirror plot points and certain moods from “Tenet”. Take a look:

Ride on land, Boeing jet, make it land
In slow motion when I dance
In your eyes I see your trance
I run away and then you prance (Yeah)
If I show the hideaway would you hide out and let it blam? (Yeah, yeah)
Ain’t no time, I’m facin’ scams, nah, nah (Yeah)

You don’t know where we stand
It’s true
Know the plan

And so, much like the previous artists, Travis Scott has also proven that a film’s score is just as powerful as its visuals.

By: Nina Karun