Is Into the Spiderverse’s soundtrack the best of 2018.

Critically acclaimed is an understatement. The Marvel fan base and movie critics alike have been buzzing about Sony’s latest depiction of the Spiderman franchise. Sneaking in with a mid December release date the film is a late contender for many people’s favorite of the year. 

The Marvel masterpiece depicts the story of Miles Morales, the teenage heir to Spidey’s throne. It’s arguably the best animated movie ever created and deserves every ounce of praise that it’s received in the last couple of weeks. Lost in the polarizing story and beautiful cinematography however is just how good the films soundtrack is. 

In February of this year the heavily praised “Black Panther” movie was released alongside a staggeringly star studded soundtrack. Names like The Weeknd, Future and Kendrick Lamar came together to create a musical backdrop to one of the most important celebrations of African American culture in years. This left fans wondering if they’d ever see another hip hop heavy marvel soundtrack that even came close to touching Black Panther’s sheer quality of musical work. 

Well not only is that wait potentially over, it lasted less than a full year. The music behind Into the Spider-Verse may feel like a younger sibling but the more you listen to it the more you realize it stands up to it’s box office bashing predecessor.  What this 13 track amalgamation lacks in publicity it makes up in the raw quality and diversity of  it’s content. While boasting established names like Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, the album is loaded with up and comers who delivered star making performances. Newer names like Blackway, Juice WRLD and Ski Mask the Slump Dog didn’t just make the most of an opportunity, they absolutely stole the entire soundtrack. 

From top to bottom the soundtrack mirrors the movie perfectly. High octane tracks like “Save The Day” and “What’s Up Danger” drive home the films more intense moments with the latter serving as the hype music to a breathtaking montage. In contrast, heart wrenching hits, “Hide” and “Let Go” highlight the emotion of the young hero’s most hopeless moments. 

The standout track is Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower”. This track appears on numerous occasions throughout the film including both the opening and closing scenes. The song is also clearly the favorite of Miles Morales and listening to the teenager jumble it’s lyrics on is one of the most genuine moments of comedy the film offers. 

Only time will tell if this soundtrack ever receives the praise it deserves but one thing is certain, 2018 has been a groundbreaking year for both for the marvel R&B combo. With the super hero craze at the height of it’s popularity and a proven formula in place it’s hard not to get excited about what’s to come.