Why Do Musicians Love Soundtracking Movies?

Charli XCX is entering her soundtrack era. On Monday, she’s dropping “House,” the first single from the soundtrack for the upcoming film adaptation Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie. Charli announced it on Instagram with a moody teaser that included her lying on the floor, dramatic violins slicing through the air, tension building, and a mysterious man whispering, “Can I speak to you privately for a moment?” before the clip cuts out.

The timing tracks. Charli’s been quietly stacking movie projects for a minute now, premiering new work at film festivals and finally pulling back the curtain on her buzziest venture yet, The Moment, saying it’s something of a mockumentary about the pop music world. But this soundtrack seems to also be a reset button for the singer after a high-energy album cycle. In an IG Story, she explained exactly how the collaboration began.

“I got a call from Emerald Fennell last Christmas asking whether I would consider working on a song for her adaptation of Wuthering Heights. I read the script and immediately felt inspired so Finn Keane and I began working on not just one but many songs that we felt connected to the world she was creating. After being in the depths of my previous album I was excited to escape into something entirely new, entirely opposite.”

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She’s not alone in craving that escape. Artists scoring movies is basically its own genre of music history. Curtis Mayfield crafted the legendary Superfly score. Kendrick Lamar curated a generational blockbuster with Black Panther. Beyoncé reimagined an entire genre of music for the 2019 Lion King remake with The Lion King: The Gift. Jay-Z executive-produced The Great Gatsby soundtrack. Arcade Fire shaped the melancholic heart of Her. The list goes on and on, really.

So why do artists love stepping into Hollywood territory for music?

It might be as a chance to step into a world that isn’t theirs and build something they’d never make for their own albums: a soundtrack that lets them explore new characters, moods, and aesthetics and stretch creatively without the pressure of sticking to their narrative.

Beyoncé tapped into that instinct when she curated the soundtrack for The Lion King. She said, “This soundtrack is a love letter to Africa. I wanted to make sure we found the best talent from Africa. I wanted it to be authentic to what is beautiful about the music in Africa.”

Of course, there’s also the business. Sometimes a soundtrack is part of an artist’s contract, a neat way for labels and studios to squeeze more money out of a moment. Even if an artist isn’t burning with passion for a film, a soundtrack slot can be too strategically valuable to turn down. And then there’s the prestige factor. A movie song can catapult someone from pop star to global star. It’s how you end up performing on award stages you’ve never touched before. We’ve seen careers level up after getting nominated for a Golden Globes or Oscars.

Charli XCX’s “House” feature Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale. Wuthering Heights hits theaters on Valentine’s Day.