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When people think back to 1994’s “The Crow,” they often associate the gothic film with the tragic real-life death of Brandon Lee. Indisputably, it’s a terrible accident that claimed the life of the young actor and changed the lives of everyone who worked on the production. Yet, out of the ashes of tragedy, a cult classic emerged about the power of love and how those who depart remain with us — always. Another major contributing factor to the film’s legacy is the soundtrack: a collection of moody masterpieces, which runs the gamut of emotion and complements the narrative on screen.
Released in May 1994, “The Crow” arrived several weeks after the death of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. Many viewed his passing as a defining factor in the decline of grunge, which had already been waning in popularity as a genre. Similarly, alternative rock and heavy metal found themselves at important crossroads. All the gimmicks of yesteryear, such as glam and theater, had been stripped back, as musicians wondered if the music itself was enough. It was an uncertain time in alternative music, but also a period of radical honesty that dared artists to bare their souls.
“The Crow” movie soundtrack is a time capsule that collects the gems from the misfits, outsiders, and rabblerousers. It’s the ultimate celebration of counterculture, a mnemonic of a timeless era of unrestrained art. On paper, it might look like chaos, but on play, it’s magic.
The Crow movie soundtrack remains untouchable
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Featuring 14 tracks, “The Crow” movie soundtrack pulls no punches, knocking out banger after banger. It invites the listener in with the undeniable Cure track “Burn,” which has become synonymous with the scene in which Brandon Lee’s Eric Draven puts on his black and white makeup for the first time. The groove turns hypnotic with Machines of Loving Grace’s “Golgotha Tenement Blues.” Following this is the one-two punch of Stone Temple Pilots’ soul-stirring “Big Empty” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Dead Souls” (a cover song that sounds better than the original ’80s version by Joy Division).
That isn’t all, as the remainder of the album features tenacious tracks from the likes of the Rollins Band, Rage Against the Machine, Pantera, Violent Femmes, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, and the Jesus and the Mary Chain. What’s the curtain call here? Jane Siberry’s delicate “It Can’t Rain All the Time,” which is what Eric says in the movie when commenting on how the world isn’t always bleak. After the sensory overload of everything that came before it, this song leaves the lasting impression of hope — that tomorrow will be better.
“The Crow” movie soundtrack landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. For some, this was their entry point into a new subculture. For others, it’s a reminder that there’s beauty in the breakdown. There hasn’t been another soundtrack as poignant and powerful as this, and there’s unlikely to ever be one again.
