‘Fifty Shades’ soundtrack scores numerous hits

By AMANDA MOTLEY

“Fifty Shades of Grey” accumulated a lot of media attention over the past couple of weeks due to the racy nature of its plot. The movie reached a record high at the box office with an opening of $266 million dollars worldwide, but the soundtrack also shined and reached the number two spot for most purchased album on iTunes.

The soundtrack, which combines all sorts of sultry contributors, is filled with A-list performers like Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding and Sia, but also includes some classic artists such as Frank Sinatra. This perfect combination of old and new created so much success for the album that it is currently beating Taylor Swifts “1989” on the charts, which has owned the top of the charts for weeks.

Some of the most well known tracks from the album feature Beyonce. She remixed two of her songs, “Haunted” and “Crazy in Love,” specifically for the film. The “Crazy In Love” remix is by far the better of the two tracks. This version is a sultry sound, the perfect tone for the movie.

However, Queen Bey has made it hard for fans to buy her tracks. Both songs are not available for individual purchase, so other than YouTube, the only way fans can listen to these tracks is by purchasing the entire soundtrack off iTunes.

Another great song from the soundtrack comes from The Weeknd with “Earn it.” This track ties together elecro-beats with stringed instruments to share the lyrical message that there is beauty in relationships that are non-conventional. This is another theme that corresponds to the nature of the film.

Other great tracks from the film included the already popular song “Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding and Annie Lennox’s cover of “I Put A Spell on You.” Both of these tracks add a more playful and sweet sound to the album’s otherwise sexy songs.

Less enticing songs on the album include: “Salted Wound” by Sia, “One Last Night by The Vaults, “Where You Belong” by The Weeknd, “Meet Me In The Middle” by Jessie Ware and “Undiscovered” by Laura Welsh.

Despite the long playlist, coming in at 16 tracks, the album does a great job of keeping listeners wanting the next song. It is most successful at creating a sensuous and sexy mix of music that fits perfectly into plot of the movie.

The producers of this album thoughtfully arranged the music so it corresponded with the movie’s plot. Whether you are a fan of the franchise or not, there is no denying that with this mix of artists, the album was destined top the charts.