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Nope (soundtrack)

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Nope
Film score by
Michael Abels
ReleasedJuly 22, 2022
Recorded2021–2022
Studio
  • Sony Scoring Stage, Sony Pictures, Los Angeles, California
  • Clearstory Sound, Los Angeles, California
GenreFilm soundtrack
Length82:55
LabelBack Lot Music
ProducerMichael Abels
Michael Abels chronology
Nightbooks
(2022) 		Nope
(2022) 		Breaking
(2022)

Nope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2022 neo-Western science fiction horror film Nope written, directed and produced by Jordan Peele starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun. The original music is composed by Michael Abels, Peele's regular collaborator, which consisted of a score that blends grand adventurous music and eerie sounds matching the film's script. Most of the themes were written before the film's production and were developed with a 60-piece orchestra and 30-member vocal choir recorded for a year.

The accompanying album comprised Abels' score and few songs heard in the film. It was released through Dolby Atmos via Back Lot Music in conjunction with the film's release on July 22, 2022. Abels' score met with critical acclaim directed on the soundscape and treatment of the film's music matching the situations, and the instrumentation choices, and received numerous accolades.

Development[edit]

In July 2021, it was announced that Michael Abels would be composing the score for Nope.[1] Abels previously scored Peele's Get Out (2017) and Us (2019).[2] He described the score as having to meet the "threat level" described by Peele in the scrip and ideas inspired by the film's quote "What is a bad miracle?". The music is thereby carefully balanced to match the threat level in the script and storytelling and also compliment the visuals instead of overpowering them. Abels described the themes as a mixture of awe and terror, which signifies the bad miracle as discussed in the script.[3] Describing the genre blend of the film's score, Abels opined that:[3]

"The music needs to have both those senses together. Both a little bit of a sense of awe like we would have looking at the Grand Canyon, but then also the urge to run far away from the Grand Canyon because falling in would not be good. That’s the dichotomy that’s present in the film"[3]

The tone of the film's music being established in the opening credits, which Abels did for Get Out and Us.[3][4] Some of the themes were wrote even before the film's production, this included the OJ and Em's heroic theme, which was written as the audience could feel the thrills of the protagonist's risks, that felt realistic and the tonal shift from adventurous to horror music.[5][6] Besides the action adventure themes, Abels also wrote a theme for the brother-sister relationship and a family love story.[7] He added, "It's important to really start in all those places and kind of find where they all could join in a cohesive score."[7]

He utilized eerie soundscapes to curate a layered and unsettling audio experience, especially in times of onscreen crisis.[8] Some of the joyous and adventurous scenes which had being scored for the film were counterbalanced with eerie music for the unnerving sequences.[3] Abels described that most of the music being aleatoric and improvised on paper, with specific instructions provided for the music team to denote the parameters of randomness and the method it has been played and the notations used throughout the score.[9][3]

Abels utilized a 60-piece orchestra and a 30-member vocal choir to produce the score.[10][11] The players used instruments such as strings, brass, woodwinds and percussions as a part of the orchestra. The strings were predominantly used to create anticipation and build tension through airy high-pitched notes and aggressive additions during pivotal moments, while percussions and woodwinds were utilized to heighten its intensity and provide a variety of sounds, textures and melodies in the score.[3] Abels used the Wild West brass instrumentation in the climatic sequence to match the grandeur, a first for a Peele film.[3] Further, he used snap pizzicato in the basses to curate percussive and unique sound textures.[3]

Abels closely worked with the sound engineer Johnnie Burn, who mixed the soundtrack in Dolby Atmos.[12] As silence being an integral part of the film, he admitted that:[3]

"The tension between the negative space and the music is actually part of the music. Leaving room for the sound design, even when there’s a cue playing, was an important part of the way I approached it. A lot of times in the scariest parts, especially in the earlier parts of this film, you’re listening to what you hope you’re not going to hear or what you thought you might have heard. The stillness allows you to freak out in that way."[3]

Release[edit]

Universal Pictures' in-house label Back Lot Music released the soundtrack day-and-date with the film on July 22, 2022.[13][14] The 34-track album featured the songs "Walk On By" by Dionne Warwick,[15] "Strange Animal" by Lawrence Gowan,[16] "This Is the Lost Generation" by the Lost Generation, "Exuma, the Obeah Man" by Exuma,[17] and a screwed version of Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night".[18] The remainder of the album is accompanied by Abels' score. On August 12, Waxwork Records announced the vinyl edition of the soundtrack set for pre-order.[19] The album is being packaged in a double LP 180-gram "Cloud and Pennant Banner" colored disc along with 12-inch booklet and an artwork designed by Ethan Mesa and liner notes from Tyree Boyd-Pates.[20][21] The vinyl edition was eventually released on December 16.[19]

Reception[edit]

Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Michael Abels' pulsating score help sustain the film right up through its transfixing end."[22] Jimmy O. of JoBlo.com wrote "The score by Michael Abels adds a sense of mystery and fright."[23] Phil de Semlyen of Time Out summarized that Abels' "terrific orchestral score" and the "magnificently loud and unearthly sound design" underlines the creepiness of the film.[24] In contrast, critic based at Filmtracks.com wrote "The entirety of Abels' narrative arc for Nope is haphazard and unsatisfactory, leaving the score as one that relies on suspenseful execution from moment to moment to appeal."[25] IndieWire ranked it as the second-best film scores of 2022.[26]

Track listing[edit]

Nope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Artist(s)Length
1."Haywood Ranch"Michael AbelsAbels2:55
2."The Muybridge Clip"AbelsAbels3:34
3."La Vie C'est Chouette"
Jodie Foster2:44
4."Jupiter's Claim"AbelsAbels1:43
5."Brother Sister Walk"AbelsAbels1:18
6."Walk On By"
Dionne Warwick2:54
7."Growing Up Haywood"AbelsAbels1:29
8."This Is the Lost Generation"
The Lost Generation3:34
9."Not Good"AbelsAbels2:00
10."What's a Bad Miracle"AbelsAbels1:32
11."The Oprah Shot"AbelsAbels1:51
12."Ancient Aliens"AbelsAbels2:08
13."Park Kids Prank Haywood"AbelsAbels1:08
14."It's in the Cloud"AbelsAbels2:37
15."Holy Sh*t It's Real"AbelsAbels2:09
16."Progressive Anxiety"AbelsAbels3:02
17."The Star Lasso Expeeerrriii..."AbelsAbels0:35
18."Arena Attack"AbelsAbels1:23
19."Sunglasses at Night" (Jean Jacket Mix)Corey HartHart4:38
20."Blood Rain"AbelsAbels1:47
21."The Unaccounted For"AbelsAbels2:36
22."Preparing the Trap"AbelsAbels2:41
23."Purple People Eater"Sheb Wooley
1:35
24."Exuma, the Obeah Man"ExumaExuma6:12
25."Man Down"AbelsAbels6:02
26."WTF Is That"AbelsAbels1:13
27."The Run (Urban Legends)"AbelsAbels1:42
28."Abduction"AbelsAbels1:58
29."Havoc"AbelsAbels0:46
30."Em & Angel Fly"AbelsAbels2:20
31."A Hero Falls"AbelsAbels2:47
32."Pursuit"AbelsAbels1:49
33."Winkin' Well"AbelsAbels3:42
34."Nope"AbelsAbels2:31
Total length:82:55

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from liner notes.[27]

  • Music – Michael Abels
  • Additional music – Cameron Moody, Miguel Bezanilla, Orlando Perez Rosso
  • Recording – Kevin Globerman, John Rodd
  • Mixing and mastering – John Rodd
  • Score editor – Dave Lawrence

Orchestra

  • Orchestration – Edward Trybek, Henri Wilkinson, Jonathan Beard
  • Additional orchestration – Benjamin Hoff, Jamie Thierman, Sean Barrett
  • Orchestra conductor – Anthony Parnther
  • Orchestra contractor – Zimmitti Music Group
  • Music preparation – Jordan Cox
  • Additional music preparation – Brandon Dalo, James Regan, Nikkia Cox, Seoyon MacDonald

Instruments

  • Bass – Abraham Gumroyan, Will Johnson, Ed Meares, Geoff Osika, Ian Walker, Michael Franz, Mike Valerio, Oscar Hidalgo
  • Bassoon – Damian Montano, Rose Corrigan
  • Cello – Caleb Vaughn Jones, Charlie Tyler, Christopher Ahn, Eric Byers, Giovanna Clayton, Jake Braun, Julie Jung, Ross Gasworth, Tim Loo, Trevor Handy, Trevor Jarvis, Vanessa Freebairn Smith
  • Clarinet – Jonathan Sacdalan, Stuart Clark
  • Music editor – Brett 'Snacky' Pierce
  • Flute – Ben Smolen, Dan Higgins, Jenni Olson
  • French horn – Danielle Ondarza, Dylan Hart, Katie Faraudo, Kaylet Torrez, Laura Brenes, Mark Adams, Mike McCoy, Teag Reaves
  • Guitar – Dean Parks
  • Oboe – Claire Brazeau, Lara Wickes
  • Percussion – Brian Kilgore, Sidney Hopson, Wade Culbreath
  • Timpani – Wade Culbreath
  • Trombone – Alex Iles, Ido Meshulam, Nick Daley, Phil Keen
  • Trumpet – Barry Perkins, Dan Rosenboom, David Washburn, Jon Lewis, Rob Schaer
  • Tuba – Doug Tornquist, Gabriel Sears
  • Viola – Aaron Oltman, Alma Fernandez, Andrew Duckles, Colleen Sugata, David Walther, Diana Wade, Erik Rynearson, Luke Maurer, Meredith Crawford, Nolan Livesay, Rob Brophy, Shawn Mann, Stefan Smith
  • Violin – Alyssa Park, Amy Hershberger, Ana Landauer, Ashoka Thiagarajan, Ben Jacobson, Camille Miller, Charlie Bisharat, Eun Mee Ahn, Grace Oh, Ina Veli, Jacqueline Brand, Jessica Guideri, Josefina Vergara, Julie Rogers, Kevin Kumar, Kyle Gilner, Leonard Chong, Luanne Homzy, Maia Jasper, Marisa Kuney, Mark Robertson, Natalie Leggett, Neel Hammond, Nina Evtuhov, Paul Cartwright, Roberto Cani, Roger Wilkie, Sara Parkins, Sarah Thornblade, Shalini Vijayan, Songa Lee, Stephanie Matthews, Stephanie Yu, Tammy Hatwan, Tereza Stanislav, Wynton Grant
  • Whistle – Greg Whipple
Choir
  • Choir conductor and contractor – Edie Lehmann Boddicker
  • Alto – Aleta Braxton, Ann Sheridan, Ayo Awosika, Bobbi Page, Edie Lehmann Boddicker, Gaga Avakian, Gracie Laboy, Tehillah Alphonso
  • Baritone – Abdiel Gonzalez, Ben Lin, Dylan Gentile, John West, Kevin Dorsey, Marc Pritchett, Michael Geiger, Reid Bruton
  • Soprano – Baraka May, Charlean Carmon, Elissa Johnston, Holly Sedillos, Ivana Cespedes Jordan, Suzanne Waters, Valerie Tambaoan, Vangie Gunn Goodwin
  • Tenor – Arnold Geis, Caleb Curry, Charles Lane, Edmond Rodriguez, Fletcher Sheridan, Gregory Fletcher, Saunder Choi, Tim Davis

Accolades[edit]

Accolades for Nope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
ASCAP Awards May 15, 2023 Film Score of the Year Michael Abels Won [28]
Black Reel Awards February 6, 2023 Outstanding Score Nominated [29]
[30]
Florida Film Critics Circle December 22, 2022 Best Score Runner-up [31]
Georgia Film Critics Association January 13, 2023 Best Original Score Nominated [32]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 16, 2022 Best Original Score in a Horror Film Won [33]
International Film Music Critics Association Awards February 23, 2023 Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film Won [34]
[35]
Saturn Awards October 25, 2022 Best Music Nominated [36]
[37]
Seattle Film Critics Society January 17, 2023 Best Original Score Nominated [38]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Michael Abels to Reteam with Jordan Peele on 'Nope'". Film Music Reporter. July 27, 2021. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  2. ^ Steinberg, Charles (July 22, 2022). "Michael Abels on scoring Jordan Peele's latest horror epic Nope". Spitfire Audio. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Greene, Steve (July 23, 2022). "'Nope' Composer Michael Abels Knows Exactly What He Wants Chaos to Sound Like". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Greiving, Tim (November 15, 2022). "For Jordan Peele, the 'Nope' score provides the 'spectacle and the spectrum'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Combemale, Leslie (August 11, 2022). ""Nope" Composer Michael Abels on Scoring Jordan Peele's Sci-Fi Epic". Motion Picture Association. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Burlingame, Jon (July 22, 2022). "'Nope' Composer Michael Abels on Creating His Most Ambitious Score to Date for Jordan Peele's UFO Drama". Variety. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Cordero, Rosy (November 11, 2022). "How Composer Michael Abels And Jordan Peele Decided What A Bad Miracle Sounded Like For 'Nope' – Sound & Screen". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  8. ^ Giroux, Jack (July 25, 2022). "Nope Composer Michael Abels Wasn't Exactly Scoring A Sci-Fi Film [Interview]". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  9. ^ Interview With Nope Composer, Michael Abels (Podcast). Next Best Picture. 2022. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024 – via Apple Podcasts.
  10. ^ Douglas, Edward (August 5, 2022). "Nope Composer Michael Abels on His Third Feature Collaboration With Jordan Peele and How the Director Discovered His Work". Below the Line. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Reeves, Rachel (June 16, 2023). "Michael Abels and His Spectacular Score for 'Nope' [Terror on the Turntable]". Dread Central. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Hemphill, Jim; O'Falt, Chris (July 22, 2022). "Jordan Peele's Toolkit Interview: Making 'Nope' a Masterpiece of Sound". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  13. ^ "Nope Soundtrack Album Details". Film Music Reporter. July 21, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  14. ^ Pearis, Bill (July 22, 2022). "Jordan Peele's new movie 'NOPE' is out today: listen to the soundtrack". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Aswad, Jem (July 25, 2022). "What's With All the Early '90s Alt-Rock T-Shirts in 'Nope'?". Variety. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  16. ^ Squires, Betsy (July 24, 2022). "Jordan Peele Shared One Last Nope Easter Egg". Vulture. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  17. ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (August 19, 2022). "10 times Jordan Peele picked the perfect soundtrack". NME. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Breihan, Tom (July 22, 2022). "Hear The Creepy, Screwed Remix Of Corey Hart's 'Sunglasses At Night' From Jordan Peele's Nope". Stereogum. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  19. ^ a b Konrad, Jeremy (August 12, 2022). "Nope Soundtrack Is Up For Order At Waxwork Records". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  20. ^ Colangelo, B. J. (August 12, 2022). "The Nope Soundtrack Is Coming On Vinyl, With Some Incredible Artwork". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Jones, Tamera (August 13, 2022). "'Nope' Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Coming to Special Edition Vinyl". Collider. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  22. ^ Gyarkye, Lovia (July 20, 2022). "'Nope' Review: Jordan Peele's Rapturous and Suspenseful Sci-Fi Ride". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  23. ^ O., Jimmy (July 20, 2022). "Nope Review". JoBlo. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  24. ^ de Semlyen, Phil (July 22, 2022). "Nope". Time Out. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  25. ^ "Nope (Michael Abels)". Filmtracks.com. August 7, 2022. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  26. ^ Desowitz, Bill; Shachat, Sarah; Hemphill, Jim (December 20, 2022). "The Best Film Scores of 2022". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  27. ^ Michael Abels (2022). Nope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Media notes). Back Lot Music.
  28. ^ Grein, Paul (February 27, 2023). "Volker Bertelmann, Carter Burwell Among Nominees for 2023 ASCAP Composers' Choice Awards (Full List)". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  29. ^ Complex, Valerie (December 15, 2022). "Black Reel Awards Nominations Announced For 23rd Annual Ceremony; The Woman King And Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Lead With 14 Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  30. ^ Complex, Valerie (February 6, 2023). "The Woman King Wins Big At The 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  31. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 14, 2022). "The 2022 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  32. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 7, 2023). "2022 Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  33. ^ Anderson, Erik (November 17, 2022). "Rihanna, Billy Eichner, Elvis, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio top Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  34. ^ Anderson, Erik (February 9, 2023). "Bear McCreary, Michael Giacchino and Daniel Pemberton lead 2022 International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  35. ^ "IFMCA Award Winners 2022". International Film Music Critics Association. February 23, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  36. ^ Tinoco, Armando (August 12, 2022). "Saturn Awards Nominations: The Batman, Nightmare Alley, Spider-Man, Better Call Saul Top List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  37. ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (October 26, 2022). "Saturn Award Winners Headlined By Everything Everywhere All At Once, Top Gun Maverick, and Better Call Saul". Collider. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  38. ^ ""Everything Everywhere All At Once" Leads the 2022 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations". Seattle Film Critics Society. January 9, 2023. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
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