Twisters: The Album is the soundtrack to the 2024 film Twisters directed by Lee Isaac Chung, a standalone sequel to Twister (1996). It was released through Atlantic Records on July 19, 2024, the same day as the North American theatrical release and featured 29 songs from country music artists. The album is produced by Kevin Weaver, Brandon Davis, Ian Chipps and Joseph Khoury.
| Twisters: The Album | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Soundtrack album by various artists | |
| Released | July 19, 2024 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 92:40 |
| Label | Atlantic |
| Producer |
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| Singles from Twisters: The Album | |
| |
The album was preceded by numerous singles; the album's lead single "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma" by Luke Combs released on May 16, 2024, which followed with each single being released per weeks leading up the soundtrack's release.
Background
editOn May 8, 2024, the second trailer for Twisters was released through social media platforms and towards the end of the trailer,[1] the producers announced the soundtrack titled Twisters: The Album similar to the predecessor which also featured an accompanying soundtrack of pop hits featured in the film.[2] On May 16, the complete track list for the soundtrack was revealed which consisted of 29 songs from country music acts, such as Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Bailey Zimmerman, Megan Moroney, Tucker Wetmore, Tanner Adell, Conner Smith, Leon Bridges and several others.[3][4] Its release marked the first blockbuster film release to feature a completely original country music soundtrack since the soundtrack to Urban Cowboy in 1980.[5]
Production
editTwisters: The Album was compiled by the film's music supervisor Rachel Levy and Mike Knobloch, executive vice president of music for Universal Pictures.[6][7] Knobloch did not want to recreate the predecessor's soundtrack. Instead, Knobloch treated it as his own project. He worked closely with Chung to conceive a musical soundscape for that film which would be "organic and authentic to where the story takes place, which is in Oklahoma" resulting him to collaborate with country artists and songwriters from that location to write music for the album.[8] Knobloch collaborated with Weaver to distribute the soundtrack through Atlantic Records over multiple labels, following the success of Barbie the Album (2023) as the label had signed multiple country music artists, following the genre boom, adding "We know from past experiences that Kevin and his team, like us, are super-competitive and uncompromising perfectionists [...] They want to take big swings like we do. It just felt like Atlantic as a partner had the right attitude. Everyone on the core team [at Atlantic] has great Nashville relationships."[8] According to Weaver, he wanted the music to become a character of the film, over compiling popular music for the purpose of a soundtrack.[8]
Levy who had been a fan of country music admitted it as exciting to work with, as music supervisors do not have that opportunity to work with country musicians.[9] Weaver, Chung and Knobloch met Levy multiple times with Chung selecting over 20 scenes for which he wanted original songs. The label then solicited artists to write specifically for those sequences based on the visuals and brief about tempo, tone and thematic suggestions. All of the songs were written specifically for the film, except for one song "Boots Don't" which was performed by Shania Twain and Breland. Twain's "No One Needs to Know" (1996) was used in the first film, and Knobloch found it "cool" on her song being used for the sequel as well.[8]
Lainey Wilson was the first artist to be signed who was confirmed within early-January. Despite the busy schedules, several other artists seemed to be interested on working on the album after the team reached to them, resulted in assembling nearly 30 artists. Since the album consisted of several songs, they had to work responsibly in keeping the budget under control.[8]
Release
editTwisters: The Album was released day-and-date with the film on July 19, 2024, through Atlantic Records.[3][10] Besides its release for digital download, the soundtrack was made available through compact discs and multiple variants of vinyl records exclusively on the album's official website.[11][12] Pre-orders for the soundtrack were made digitally through Apple Music on May 16.[13]
Singles
edit
Starting with May 16, each song from Twisters: The Album were released as singles leading to the album's release, that provided a long musical runway and social media campaigns. Knobloch and Weaver deciphered on the release strategy, which would make as big an impact and create interest and awareness for a long period of time in the run up to the film's release and the songs "have the ability to have their own moment, [so that] they perform better typically".[8]
The song "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma" was the first to be released as a single from the album; it was performed by American country music singer Luke Combs who co-wrote it with Jessi Alexander and Jonathan Singleton. It soundtracked the film's second trailer released on May 8, 2024 and was written specifically for the film.[14][15] On May 16, 2024, the full song in its entirety was released to digital platforms with an accompanying music video directed by Alex Bittan and featuring NASCAR driver John Hunter Nemechek.[16] Speaking to Audacy, Inc., Combs described it as an "high-energy, high-octane" track that matched the film's vibe intentionally.[17] The song debuted at number 24 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart week dated May 25, 2024.[18]
Following "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma", a string of additional promotional singles were released leading up to the release of the soundtrack. "Hell or High Water" by Bailey Zimmerman was released next on May 23.[19] "Never Left Me" by Megan Moroney was released on May 31;[20][21] it was Moroney's maiden contribution for a film music project and felt that it was her idea to write about her childhood home, adding "It's about how you leave, but when you come back, nothing changes. It's still the place that made you."[22] It was then subsequently followed by "Already Had It" by Tucker Wetmore on June 7, "Too Easy" by Tanner Adell on June 14, "Out of Oklahoma" by Lainey Wilson on June 20,[23] "Song While You're Away" by Tyler Childers on June 28,[24] "Feelin Country" by Thomas Rhett,[25] "Steal My Thunder" by Smith featuring Wetmore on July 10,[26] and "Ain't in Kansas Anymore" by Miranda Lambert on July 12.[27] "Tear Us Apart" by Sam Barber, "Before I Do" by Wyatt Flores and Jake Kohn, "Stronger than a Storm" by Dylan Gossett, "Leave the Light On" by Jelly Roll featuring Alexandra Kay and "Dead End Road" by Jelly Roll were subsequently released during July 15–18, prior to the soundtrack's release.[4][28] "Dead End Road" would be used as an official theme song for WWE's SummerSlam event in 2024.[29]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma" | Luke Combs | 3:30 | |
| 2. | "Ain't in Kansas Anymore" |
| Miranda Lambert | 3:14 |
| 3. | "Steal My Thunder" |
| Conner Smith featuring Tucker Wetmore | 3:09 |
| 4. | "Feelin' Country" |
| Thomas Rhett | 2:44 |
| 5. | "The Cards I've Been Dealt" | Warren Zeiders | 2:48 | |
| 6. | "Never Left Me" |
| Megan Moroney | 3:11 |
| 7. | "Out of Oklahoma" |
| Lainey Wilson | 3:28 |
| 8. | "Hell or High Water" |
| Bailey Zimmerman | 3:14 |
| 9. | "Dead End Road" |
| Jelly Roll | 2:32 |
| 10. | "Country Classic" |
| Kane Brown | 2:55 |
| 11. | "Tear Us Apart" |
| Sam Barber | 2:45 |
| 12. | "Song While You're Away" | Tyler Childers | Tyler Childers | 5:00 |
| 13. | "Already Had It" |
| Tucker Wetmore | 2:45 |
| 14. | "Chrome Cowgirl" |
| Leon Bridges | 2:28 |
| 15. | "Death Wish Love" |
| Benson Boone | 3:43 |
| 16. | "Boots Don't" |
| Shania Twain and Breland | 2:28 |
| 17. | "Stronger than a Storm" |
| Dylan Gossett | 4:06 |
| 18. | "Chasing the Wind" |
| Lanie Gardner | 2:53 |
| 19. | "Leave the Light On" |
| Jelly Roll featuring Alexandra Kay | 3:20 |
| 20. | "Before I Do" |
| Wyatt Flores and Jake Kohn | 3:49 |
| 21. | "Caddo Country" |
| The Red Clay Strays | 3:21 |
| 22. | "Blackberry Wine" |
| Tanner Usrey | 3:33 |
| 23. | "Too Easy" |
| Tanner Adell | 2:30 |
| 24. | "Shake Shake (All Night Long)" |
| Mason Ramsey | 3:01 |
| 25. | "New Loop" | Tyler Halverson | Tyler Halverson | 3:02 |
| 26. | "Touchdown" |
| Flatland Cavalry | 3:07 |
| 27. | "Driving You Home" |
| Nolan Taylor | 4:08 |
| 28. | "Wall of Death" | Richard Thompson | Wilderado, Ken Pomeroy, and James McAlister | 2:29 |
| 29. | "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" | Stan Jones | Charley Crockett | 3:27 |
| Total length: | 92:40 | |||
Charts
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[30] | 29 |
| Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[31] | 4 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[32] | 35 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[33] | 6 |
| UK Compilation Albums (OCC)[34] | 1 |
| UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC)[35] | 1 |
References
edit- ^ Twisters | Official Trailer 2. Universal Pictures. May 8, 2024. Event occurs at 3:02. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Charlie Ridgely (May 8, 2024). "Twisters Receiving Full Original Soundtrack and Vinyl Pressing". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Jessica Nicholson (May 16, 2024). "Luke Combs, Jelly Roll & More Share New Music For 'Twisters' Movie Companion Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 16, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Tess Patton (July 19, 2024). "Here Are All the Songs in 'Twisters'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Lauren Boisvert (July 19, 2024). "'Twisters: The Album' Marks First Fully Original Country Soundtrack for a Blockbuster Movie in Decades [Exclusive]". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "New Star-Studded Sountrack 'Twisters: The Album' Announced, with Exhilarating First Single 'Ain't No Love in Oklahoma' from Global Superstar Luke Combs" (Press release). Warner Music New Zealand. May 17, 2024. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Dan Solomon (July 19, 2024). "A Perfect Storm: How Texas Artists and a Country-Friendly Climate Made the 'Twisters' Soundtrack Take Off". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Melinda Newman (July 19, 2024). "How the 'Twisters' Soundtrack Become Country Strong". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Sadie Bell (July 19, 2024). "'Twisters' Creates an Unprecedented Pop Cultural Windstorm With Its Original Soundtrack". Marie Claire. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Daoud Tyler-Ameen; Stephen Thompson (July 19, 2024). This week's new albums, including the 'Twisters' soundtrack (Radio broadcast). NPR Music. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024 – via National Public Radio.
- ^ "Twisters: The Album". Atlantic Records. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Charlie Ridgely (May 16, 2024). "Twisters: The Album Full Tracklist Announced". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ "Twisters: The Album – Album by Various Artists". Apple Music. May 16, 2024. Archived from the original on June 16, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Jeremy Chua (May 16, 2024). "Luke Combs drops new single "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma": Watch the stormy music video". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ Alexia Ashton; Brandy McDonnell (May 13, 2024). "Luke Combs new single 'Ain't No Love in Oklahoma' to be featured in 'Twisters' movie". The Oklahoman. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ Kelly Fisher (May 16, 2024). "Watch Luke Combs Join Forces With Storm Chasers In Adrenaline-Rushing Video". The Bull. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ^ Monica Rivera (May 16, 2024). "World Premiere: Luke Combs – 'Ain't No Love In Oklahoma'". Audacy, Inc. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard. May 17, 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "Bailey Zimmerman has his new song "Hell or High Water" in Twisters: The Album". RFD-TV. May 24, 2024. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Casey Young· (May 23, 2024). "Megan Moroney Teases New Song For 'Twisters' Movie, "Never Left Me"". Whiskey Riff. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Jeremy Chua (May 31, 2024). "Megan Moroney drops 'Twisters' track, "Never Left Me"". WJBD Online. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Cabe, Caroline (July 17, 2024). "Megan Moroney And More Talk Twisters: The Album". Cowboys and Indians Magazine. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Millman, Ethan (June 20, 2024). "Lainey Wilson Unleashes New Single for 'Twisters' Soundtrack". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- ^ Larisha Paul (June 28, 2024). "Tyler Childers Rides Down Memory Lane on 'Twisters' Single 'Song While You're Away'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Sean Burke (July 4, 2024). "Thomas Rhett has a NEW single called "Feelin' Country" from the Twisters movie". CFWE FM. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Madeleine O'Connell (July 10, 2024). "Conner Smith Teams Up With Tucker Wetmore On New Song 'Steal My Thunder' From 'Twisters' Movie Album". Country Now. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Clayton Edwards (July 12, 2024). "Miranda Lambert Releases Stormy New Single "Ain't in Kansas Anymore" from 'Twisters: The Album'". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Cooper Hood (July 19, 2024). "Twisters Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Jessica Nicholson (July 18, 2024). "Jelly Roll Releases New Song 'Dead End Road' From 'Twisters' Soundtrack". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ "Official Compilations Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ "Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2024.