“When you fit music to film, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t work. But it was weird—everything we did seemed to work then.” – Danny Boyle
This was Danny Boyle’s answer when asked about the influence of music while creating his masterpiece Trainspotting. He assured that the Britpop genre was essential to give the movie a tinge of craziness and nihilism. He refused to use a traditional soundtrack and created a great selection nineties music, changing forever the course of cinema.
Boyle’s selection of music wasn’t a random choice. He wanted to reflect all the different nuances of the script through music, and, of course, Britpop provided the perfect catalog to do so. This genre, named by UK journalists, perfectly synthesized the spirit of the time. It was a mixture of madness, melancholy, sadness, and apathy characteristic of the empty world that surrounded young people.
This decade was marked by multiple albums that shaped the vain experiences of youth and that inspired the director of the movie to create the film’s soundtrack. He devoted his time to listening to Britpop music for days until he found the perfect songs that would later on become an anthem for a whole generation.
These are the albums that inspired Danny Boyle to creating one of the greatest movies of all times.
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Different Class (1995) Pulp
Considered one of contemporary music’s best albums, Pulp’s fifth record redefined the Britpop genre and showed that there was much something beyond the joyful chronicles of UK life. Different Class condenses the nineties spirit: apathy, detachment, and endless partying. Trainspotting includes one song by Pulp that doesn’t belong to this particular album; however, the alternative spirit of the band managed to get through this emblematic movie.
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Parklife (1994) Blur
Also acknowledged as one of the best albums of the era, Parklife was responsible for the massive popularization of the genre. Blur experimented with different formulas to create an album that takes listeners on a journey through British music history. Of course, Danny Boyle insisted on having Damon Albarn participating in the soundtrack of the movie.
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Elastica (1995) – Elastica
Belonging to this album, “2:1” is one of the most representative songs in Trainspotting. This record also includes some of the most important works of Britpop music. This band’s female touch and perspective allowed them to take the genre beyond the boundaries set by previous musicians. Its soothing sounds resemble the effects of heroin portrayed in Boyle’s film, making it a must for the soundtrack.
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What’s the Story? (Morning Glory) (1995) Oasis
Although there aren’t any songs by Oasis on the soundtrack, their spirit, rebelliousness, and craziness were present in the creative process of the movie. What’s the Story… brought back pure Rock and Roll and made its listeners immerse in their fantasies to escape from reality. These elements created by the Gallagher brothers not only changed music forever, but also the film industry.
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The La’s (1990) The La’s
The La’s were pioneers of the genre. They distanced themselves from American trends set by Nirvana and grunge music, deciding to give their followers the opportunity to free themselves from their problems through joyful tunes and sarcastic lyrics. Their style was soon followed by hundreds of bands and they were also an essential inspiration for the movie.
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I Should Coco (1995) Supergrass
As Supergrass’ debut album, its style highly resembles that of Blur, but with bolder and punk-like sounds. I Should Coco is a letter to nihilism and the frailty of life. Their lyrics deal with everyday problems taken to an extreme. This is probably one of the most humane sides of Britpop, an essential influence for Boyle’s scenes of madness and perdition.
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The Bends (1995) Radiohead
Radiohead is not a Britpop band per se. However, their first albums were deeply influenced by the genre. The Bends was highly acclaimed for using the style. Not only does this album transcend for mixing pop with alternative rock, but also for Thom Yorke’s strong lyrics and apocalyptic vision of humanity. His preparation for OK Computer (the following album) left a strong impression on the Trainspotting director, who got inclined for using these ideas in his movie.
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Britpop’s mark is as important as the one that Trainspotting left in cinema’s history. The synergy between the madness on these albums and the complex script of the movie resulted in an unforgettable piece of art. Although there are other soundtracks that can hold the trophy to the best ones in film history, Boyle’s selection is more representative, since he displayed the core of British craziness. ::
Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
