| Muppets Most Wanted (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | |
| Type: | Soundtrack |
| Artist: | Various artists |
| Cover: | Muppets Most Wanted soundtrack.png |
| Released: | March 18, 2014 |
| Recorded: | 2013 |
| Studio: | Air Lyndhurst Studios |
| Genre: | Musical theatre, popular music |
| Length: | 51:36 |
| Label: | Walt Disney |
| Producer: | Kaylin Frank, Mitchell Leib, Bret McKenzie |
| Chronology: | The Muppets |
| Prev Title: | The Muppets: Original Soundtrack |
| Prev Year: | 2011 |
| Next Title: | The Muppets Mayhem |
| Next Year: | 2023 |
Muppets Most Wanted: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is a soundtrack album released by Walt Disney Records on March 18, 2014, for the musical comedy film Muppets Most Wanted. The soundtrack features six original songs, two re-recordings of popular Muppet songs ("The Muppet Show Theme" and "Together Again"), three cover versions of existing songs (Allen Toussaint's "Working in the Coal Mine", Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger", and Los del Río's "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)"), an orchestral suite by Christophe Beck, five demos by Bret McKenzie, and eight dialogue tracks.[1]
Songs not included in the album, but featured in the film include "Long Train Runnin'" by The Doobie Brothers, "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men and Marvin Hamlisch's "I Hope I Get It" (from A Chorus Line).[2]
In November 2012, it was announced that Bret McKenzie would be returning to write songs for Muppets Most Wanted following the success of its 2011 predecessor, The Muppets.[3] As opposed to the previous film, McKenzie wrote all of the original songs for Muppets Most Wanted; his songwriting influences for the film include the Sherman Brothers, Irving Berlin, Paul Williams, and Harry Nilsson.[4] With song ideas originating from short descriptions in the film's screenplay,[5] McKenzie developed numerous songs and performed demo versions of each by doing impressions of various Muppets. "I'm usually just on piano, with me singing and doing my now quite extensive catalog of Muppet impressions," said McKenzie. "I play a rough version then we get together and work out the best. James [Bobin] often has an idea that's visual that he needs to change the lyric to suit the visual and then we record it with the Muppets."[6]
A music video of McKenzie performing "I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu)" was released on March 19, 2014, on Funny or Die.[7]
Credits adopted from AllMusic:[8]
| Chart (2014) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Top Soundtracks[9] | 4 | |
| US Billboard 200 | 68 |
| Muppets Most Wanted (Original Score) | |
| Type: | Film score |
| Artist: | Christophe Beck |
| Released: | April 15, 2014 |
| Recorded: | 2013 |
| Studio: | Sony Scoring Stage, Culver City, California |
| Label: | Walt Disney / Intrada |
| Producer: | Mitchell Leib |
| Chronology: | Christophe Beck |
| Prev Title: | Endless Love |
| Prev Year: | 2014 |
| Next Title: | Edge of Tomorrow |
| Next Year: | 2014 |
Christophe Beck was officially announced to score the film in August 2013.[10] The score was recorded during the latter half of 2013 at the Sony Scoring Stage in Culver City, California. With the use of an 82-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony,[11] Beck drew his inspiration from various cross-cultural styles. "With characters spread across the world," said Beck, "there was opportunity after opportunity to explore many musical styles and settings."
A separate album entirely containing Beck's score was released by Walt Disney Records and Intrada Records on April 15, 2014.[12] The album features music from both Muppets Most Wanted and The Muppets, also scored by Beck.