“Minions: Rise of Gru” & its 70s Soundtrack

Universal Pictures unveils new Minions installment with an interesting mix of artists on the soundtrack

Universal Pictures’ new installment to the Minions franchise has a very interesting soundtrack. Psychedelic print posters began popping up around big cities recently, with a unique mix of indie and alternative artists, including Diana Ross, Tame Impala, H.E.R., and Phoebe Bridgers, listed like a festival lineup.

The small minion drawings featured on the poster made some realize that this is the upcoming soundtrack for “Minions: Rise of Gru”, but many doubted that this interesting mix of artists would be featured. The shock of seeing these artists on a poster for an animated children’s movie certainly brought a lot of press, as the new posters were released days later with the movie title

“Minions: Rise of Gru” takes place in the 1970s with Gru’s first mission with the Minions. Its setting is used to feature 70’s classics by artists like Earth, Wind & Fire and Nancy Sinatra covered by popular modern artists, all produced by Jack Antonoff. There’s also a new single by Diana Ross and Tame Impala, called “Turn Up the Sunshine”. Apparently, the Minions themselves even cover “Cecilia” by Simon & Garfunkel.

Using popular artists for a soundtrack is a great way to promote an expensive movie. And shock is always great for publicity - no one would ever expect artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Tame Impala to cover 70s songs for a Minions movie. Jack Antonoff’s production has certainly built a lot of anticipation for “Minions: Rise of Gru", and the cryptic release of festival-style posters was a brilliant addition.