One of the most common criticisms of theMarvel Cinematic Universeis that it doesn’t have any memorable musical themes that audiences can leave the theater humming. Unlike John Williams’ unforgettable orchestrations, which haveburned themselves in the minds ofStar Warsfans permanently, Marvel’s scores have mostly come and gone without making a lasting impression. There are certainly exceptions – Ludwig Göransson’s Oscar-winningBlack Pantherscore being the obvious example – but for the most part, Marvel’s movies tend to have a safe, generic blockbuster score that does its job without drawing attention to itself.
However, Marvel does have one thing in its musical toolkit thatStar Warsdoesn’t: the ability to use licensed music. Most of Marvel’s most memorable music moments don’t involve original compositions (although any time Alan Silvestri’sAvengerstheme made an appearance was pretty exhilarating), but rather existing classics. James Gunn madeGuardians of the Galaxystand out in a number of ways, but the most notable wasits use of a diegetic soundtrackof pop hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s blaring through the hero’s Walkman.
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The music inGuardianswas so refreshing that it influenced the rest ofthe MCU. Now, Marvel’s filmmakers seem to beencouraged to bring needle-drop soundtrack momentsto the table, and more often than not, these moments involve a beloved track from the rock ‘n’ roll genre. Over the course ofmore than a decade dominating multiplexes, the MCU has featured songs by some of the biggest names in rock ‘n’ roll: Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, the Kinks, George Harrison, AC/DC – the list goes on.
The MCU’s affinity for rock music was established from the outset, asIron Man–the very first entry in the franchise– opens with AC/DC’s “Back in Black.” It plays as Tony Stark rides through war-torn Afghanistan in a military convoy, sipping scotch and snapping selfies with soldiers, before they’re interrupted by an explosion. The last thing Tony sees before he’s riddled with shrapnel and kidnapped by terrorists is a bomb bearing his own company’s logo.
Despite all the chaos after the song cuts out, “Back in Black” stuck in audience’s minds and created a strong association with Stark. AC/DC would become Iron Man’s unofficial cheerleaders throughout the rest of Phase One. “Shoot to Thrill” played over his introduction inThe Avengersand the entire soundtrack ofIron Man 2was made up of AC/DC songs. In addition to opening with a popular heavy metal tune, the firstIron Manmovie also ends with one: Black Sabbath’s aptly titled “Iron Man.” It’s almost certainly unintentional, but some of Geezer Butler’s lyrics in “Iron Man” line up with Tony’s fate inAvengers: Endgame– “When he traveled time / For the future of mankind.”
Since AC/DC was linked to the brash personality of Iron Man, the MCU has done a great job of pairing rock bands with superheroes. The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” captured the youthful rebelliousness of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. The trippy sounds of Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive” was perfectly matched tothe psychedelic visuals of Scott Derrickson’sDoctor Strange. And, of course, Led Zeppelin’s Norse mythology-based “Immigrant Song” was a no-brainer for aThormovie.
When Marvel was meeting with potential directors for the thirdThormovie, Taika Waititi reportedly brought in a collection of clips from movies that exemplifiedthe zany comic tone he was going for– primarily John Carpenter’sBig Trouble in Little China– and played “Immigrant Song” over it. Waititi ended up using the Zeppelin classic twice in the movie. It first plays during Thor’s battle with Surtur and his demons, filling him with confidence that he can win any fight and defeat any enemy. Then, over the course of the movie, his dad dies, he loses to Hela, he loses to the Hulk, he loses to Hela again, he loses an eye, and then, at the eleventh hour, Odin comes to him in a vision and reminds him that he doesn’t need his hammer to channel his thunderous powers. “Immigrant Song” kicks back in as the God of Thunder’s journey comes full circle and he crashes down onto the Bifrost in a flurry of lightning to destroy Hela’s armies.
The MCU doesn’t just have a lot of affection for rock music; it has a lot of affection for its fans, too, often including winks and nods to rock fans in its musical moments. The best example can be found inSpider-Man: Far From Homewhen Happy plays “Back in Black” on Stark’s jet and Peter says, “I love Led Zeppelin!” It added a musical component to the MCU’s running joke about Spidey’s cluelessness regarding older popular culture, like “that really old movie”The Empire Strikes Back. While fans looking for bold orchestral themes like the ones found inIndiana JonesandJurassic Parkwill be disappointed by the music in the MCU, fans of rock ‘n’ roll will be more than happy with its soundtracks’ headbanging offerings.
