Anyone familiar with the works of James Gunn knows that music plays a key role in his films. Peter Quill’s awesome mixes were a staple of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, injecting the films with an eclectic soundtrack that featured everything from Redbone to the Beastie Boys. So, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Gunn has found a way to tie music into his DC Universe. Ahead of the release of Superman, the filmmaker has curated playlists that are specific to the various characters in the film. On a video posted on his X account, Gunn explained he did this to give fans an idea of what the characters from Superman listen to in their daily lives.
“I think for each of the characters, I had to really think about who they were as people and imagine what kind of music they would be into,” Gunn said. “Some of this I had already thought about … in the movie, Lois and Clark have conversations about music, so I knew where they were. Other people, I had to kind of come up with the kind of music they would listen to, having never thought about it before.” He added that the Lois Lane playlist is the one that most closely reflects his own personal taste in music. Gunn also seems to be a fan of Eve Teschmacher’s playlist, citing his fondness for the “girl pop” found on it.
Gunn put together the Superman playlists as part of a partnership with Spotify. Fans can stream the music on the Spotify Website or app. On the Spotify playlist, Gunn recorded brief introductions, shedding light on his thought process for each character. For example, Clark Kent listens to “really positive music [and] some music that he thinks is edgy” (even if the songs aren’t quite as edgy as he thinks they are). In contrast, Lex Luthor’s playlist is described as a reflection of his “narcissism” and “need to be looked at and watched.”
As one would expect, Gunn has selected a wide range of music spanning a variety of genres. Clark has classic tracks like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” and The Clash’s “I’m Not Down” in addition to 2000s-era alternative rock like “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World. Eve Teschmacher, which Gunn admitted is “the list I’ve listened to the most of all,” is a bit of a Swiftie. There are five Taylor Swift songs on the mix, plus tracks from other pop stars such as Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter.
As of this writing, the playlists for some of the Superman characters have not been added to Spotify yet, suggesting they will be unveiled at a later date. Lois Lane’s is unavailable for the moment, as is Jimmy Olsen’s. In his intro video, Gunn teased that Jimmy’s songs are primarily about “being non committal to people” (a fact he wouldn’t realize until it was pointed out to him). Fans should keep an eye on the Spotify playlist, as more songs should be added in the buildup to Superman’s release on July 11th.
In Gunn’s previous films, the music serves a purpose beyond being a catchy needle drop. There’s typically an emotional component that adds depth to the project. For example, Star-Lord listens to his retro pop mixtape in Guardians of the Galaxy because it’s his last remaining connection to his late mother. It’s unlikely that Kal-El will be blasting The Clash as he soars through the skies of Metropolis, but there’s a similar principle guiding Gunn’s Superman playlists. These were made to give fans greater insight into what kind of people the characters are, helping flesh them out before viewers get a chance to watch the movie. It’s a fun way to learn more about the character that’s perfect for Gunn’s sensibilities.
