The Super Mario Bros. Movie Soundtrack Blends Retro Vibes With New Music

If you’re one of the lucky people who has already gone to see The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theaters since its release on April 5, you probably noticed that the soundtrack was fantastic. A great blend of music reminiscent of the original Nintendo game from the ‘80s that we all remember blending in nicely with new and original music. It sets the tone just right. Especially one particular song that is bound to be the hit of the summer. Here’s everything you need to know about the soundtrack.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is basically a musical.

Super Mario Bros. Movie composer Brian Tyler, who also composed the soundtracks for the Fast & Furious movies and Iron Man 3, told ScreenRant that this was “the closest thing, really, to doing a musical.” He went on to add, “I would write the music first, and they would work around it. The choreography would be done, and the story would mold to it, and then I’d go in there and make some tweaks. Really, it was like a music-first, music-centric project that, to me, was most like a musical.”

There are “hundreds” of references to the video game in the music.

Tyler also told ScreenRant that Koji Kondo, the original writer of this music, was heavily involved in the creation of the soundtrack. “I would talk to him back and forth: ‘Ok, what about this? What do you think if I did this?’ because I wanted to incorporate things. Sometimes it’s invisible, [or] just like an Easter egg. The harp might be doing a line from the select screen on Mario Kart that only happens when you’re in the waiting room.” So that’s something fun to keep an ear out for.

Jack Black’s song “Peaches” is already a Billboard Hot 100 hit.

Jack Black, who voices Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, sings a love ballad to Princess Peach (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy), who his character is mildly obsessed with in the movie. The song, performed as Bowser but with that signature Jack Black humor we all recognize, debuted at #83 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it was the first time Black had a solo song on the chart. When you hear the song and, perhaps more importantly, watch the video, you’ll see why the piano ballad is already the hit of the summer. In fact, you’ll be just as obsessed as everyone else.

“I hope this gets nominated for best song next year at the Oscars,” one fan commented on YouTube.

“There were people singing this song after the movie on the way out of the theater. I hope Jack Black gets an Oscar for this,” another agreed.

“This song needs to be longer...can't get enough of it!” one more said.

There are some classic ‘80s hits sprinkled in too.

Mixed in with original songs like “Mario Bros. Rap,” “King of the Koopas,” and “Courting the Kongs,” The Super Mario Bros. Movie soundtrack has some solid throwback hits from the ‘80s mixed in, including:

• “Take On Me” by A-Ha
• “Holding Out For A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler
• “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn” by The Beastie Boys
• “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC
• “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra

In general, the soundtrack for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which you can find on Spotify, is perfectly designed to make the film a great blend of cool new casting with a fun retro vibe. Not easy to pull off, but they did it.