The soundtrack is a pop and blues rock album containing songs about love and its struggles. Commercially, the album has topped the charts in more than 20 countries, attaining gold and platinum certifications from many of them, while selling over six million copies worldwide as of June 2019. Three singles were released from the soundtrack: "Shallow", "Always Remember Us This Way", and "I'll Never Love Again"
In March 2015, Warner Bros. announced that Bradley Cooper was in talks to make his directorial debut with A Star Is Born, the fourth iteration of the 1937 film of the same name.[2]Lady Gaga was officially attached to the film in August 2016, with the studio green-lighting the project to begin production in early 2017.[3] Cooper plays Jackson Maine, "a veteran country singer who discovers and eventually falls in love with a struggling singer-songwriter named Ally, played by Gaga."[4] Gaga "helped inform Cooper's performance as a musician".[5][6]
Cooper spent two-and-a-half years prepping for the film and determining what kind of musician his character would be. He worked with a number of musicians and vocal coach Roger Love.[7] Cooper said, "by the end he just kind of started developing into his own sort of creation. If I had another year of prep, it would have been complete rock, but now it's some sort of hybrid."[7]
Cooper described the soundtrack "an evolution, like the story."[8] Gaga and Cooper were writing songs for the soundtrack during filming, leading to "so many different incarnations of each song."[8] Cooper added that "the music really became a character in the movie. There is no lyric that's ever in any point of the movie that doesn't have exactly to do with where one of them is or hopes to be or regrets being. That was our launching pad and then it was just about discovering what songs fit in the right places."[8]Jason Isbell wrote a song for Cooper's character, which became "the sword with which a lot of the music spawned from [Cooper]". Isbell sent the song through Dave Cobb, a Nashville-based producer with whom Cooper had been collaborating.[9]
Cooper approached Lukas Nelson (son of country music singer Willie Nelson) after seeing him perform at Desert Trip in October 2016 and asked him to work on the film as a music consultant.[10] Nelson said he began "writing songs for the movie, just for the heck of it, and sending them over to the producer, and they started liking them. Then Lady Gaga came by and I met her and we clicked. We became good friends, and we started writing together."[11] Gaga, in turn, provided backing vocals on two tracks on Nelson's self-titled album released in 2017.[12] Nelson and his band, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, appear in the film as Cooper's backing band.[7] Gaga reunited with producer Mark Ronson and songwriter Hillary Lindsey, who had both contributed to her previous studio album Joanne (2016).[7] She worked with recurring collaborator DJ White Shadow on the soundtrack's more pop-oriented numbers performed by her character Ally. Much of the album was recorded live on set, at Gaga's insistence.[13][7]
Composition
Cooper filming "Black Eyes" at Glastonbury 2017; his solo songs have been described primarily as blues rock.
The soundtrack has been described as primarily a pop[14][15] and blues rock album.[16][17] It also incorporates elements of country, rock, folk rock,[6]electropop,[16] and dance-pop.[17] An article by Paper divided the songs of the album into two categories: earthy tracks reminiscent of Joanne's rootsy style, and upbeat pop songs in the vein of Gaga's on-screen persona, Ally.[18]Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted that even without the dialogue tracks, the soundtrack still conveys the film's plot through its musical progression, moving from Jackson's Americana through the pair's duets to Ally's flashier pop material, before culminating in "I'll Never Love Again".[19] The soundtrack blends live and studio recordings with ambient noise and audience feedback, helping recreate the atmosphere of the film.[20] According to Billboard's Karen Bliss, its lyrics are about wanting change, its struggle, love, romance, and bonding, describing the music as "timeless, emotional, gritty and earnest. They sound like songs written by artists who, quite frankly, are supremely messed up but hit to the core of the listener."[21]
Cooper's solo tracks are in the genre of blues rock.[16] "Black Eyes" is a rock and roll song with a grunge sound that opens with a blaring electric guitar;[14][19][22] it has been compared to the style of Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.[23] "Maybe It's Time" is an acoustic country-rock ballad performed in Cooper's husky baritone.[24][25] Its lyrics reflect Jackson's recognition that he, and what he represents, must give way to others, while contemplating mortality, missed opportunities, and change.[26][27][28] "Out of Time" is a guitar solo that serves as the instrumental lead-in to "Alibi",[27][25] a track featuring Cooper's "snarly" vocals over piano and screeching guitars.[14][22] Its lyrics offer a glimpse into Jackson's sordid lifestyle.[22] "Too Far Gone" is a brief, emotionally tender country song, in which Jackson admits his shortcomings and reveals how his relationship with Ally redeemed him.[29][30] It is driven by slide guitar, gentle piano, and a languid drum rhythm.[22]
Gaga's solo tracks include a cabaret rendition of Édith Piaf's "La Vie en rose" (1947), on which she employs backphrasing by singing slightly behind the beat, allowing space for her vibrato to unfold.[31][32] "Look What I Found" is a funky piano pop track inspired by musical theatre that relies on Gaga's upper register.[17][27][33] Critics have compared it to Gaga's pre-The Fame material and the music of Carole King.[18][31] Its lyrics capture the thrilling excitement of a new crush.[17] The "moody" club song "Heal Me" utilizes a doctor metaphor for love; it has drawn comparisons to 1990s R&B and Mariah Carey's sound.[33][34][32][35] "Hair Body Face" is a bass-filled pop song with an "urban dance groove",[25][31] compared to music by Britney Spears and tracks from The Fame.[36][34][37] Its lyrics address Ally's insecurities about her appearance, while the chorus offers redemption as she gains confidence from a lover urging her to ignore others' opinions.[36] "Is That Alright?" is a vulnerable piano ballad, reminiscent of Adele's songs, in which Gaga shifts from belting to soft whispers as Ally pledges lifelong love to Jackson.[38][31][37] "Why Did You Do That?" has been described as a campy dance-pop and retro-disco track, interspersed with xylophones in the beat.[37][39][19][40] Its flirtatious lyrics–including the line "Why'd you come around me with an ass like that?"–and its repetitive chorus emphasize Ally's shift into a more bubbly, mainstream pop persona.[40][41][42][43] "Before I Cry" is a "soaring", "somber" ballad about the aftermath of an argument.[37][25][36] "Always Remember Us This Way" and "I'll Never Love Again" are power ballads, inspired by the music of the 1970s.[31] The former reflects on the peak of a relationship with fondness and gratitude,[44][25] while the latter deals with love and loss, with Gaga's vocal performance drawing comparisons to Whitney Houston's.[45][33][14] Alongside the extended solo version, the soundtrack also includes the film edit of "I'll Never Love Again", which at its climax shifts from the orchestral performance to Cooper's acoustic rendition in a flashback of Jackson first singing the song to Ally.[46]
A 19-second sample of "Music to My Eyes", illustrating the soundtrack's rootsy country-rock sound, and the romantic connection the song conveys between Ally and Jackson.
The album includes several duets between Cooper and Gaga. "Shallow" evolves from a country song into a power ballad as Gaga moves into her higher vocal range in the chorus.[37] Its lyrics depict Jackson and Ally questioning whether they are satisfied with who they are, while addressing stardom, addiction, and emotional vulnerability through a drowning metaphor.[47][48][49] "Music to My Eyes" is a country-rock love ballad, inspired by the music of the 1950s, that portrays how collaborating on music brings Ally and Jackson closer together.[37][19][30] "Diggin' My Grave" is a swampy, groove-driven blues song featuring Cooper's natural blues phrasing and Gaga's belting; its lyrics reflect on death and the loved ones left behind to lay the singer to rest.[29][37][30] "I Don't Know What Love Is" is a soft rock duet whose lyrics center on the pair's declarations of love.[34][37] Critics compared its interplay to Gaga's collaborations with Tony Bennett, while noting that her vocal delivery recalls Amy Winehouse.[32][25]
Release
The soundtrack's track list and release date were announced on August 30, 2018.[4]Interscope Records described the album as containing 19 songs spanning multiple musical styles and 15 dialogue tracks intended to mirror the experience of watching the film.[50] Commenting on this format, AllMusic's Erlewine wrote that the album recalls Disney soundtrack records from the 1960s or 1970s, which often included dialogue to recreate the film experience.[19] The album was released on October 5, 2018.[13] Its cover artwork was photographed by Peter Lindbergh and Clay Enos.[51]
The soundtrack received a Special Deluxe Edition CD, released on December 14, 2018, which included the album on CD along with an exclusive fold-out poster booklet, three film posters, a 16-page photobook, and matte-finished clamshell box packaging with gold-foil text.[52] Another version, the Limited Edition Soundtrack Collection, was released on April 12, 2019 as a two-piece, individually numbered box set with a gold-foil stamp, containing the soundtrack on exclusive gold-colored vinyl and standard CD, alongside an Ally-inspired lyric journal, five posters, four pieces of sheet music, ten lithographs, and two glossy publicity photos.[53]
Lady Gaga on stage during the encore of her Enigma residency, as her guitarist plays the instrumentals of "Shallow"
As the songs were considered integral to the film's narrative, Interscope and Warner Bros. decided against releasing the soundtrack in advance, believing that doing so would spoil key scenes for audiences. As a result, the album was issued simultaneously with the film. The only exception was "Shallow", which was released as the lead single on September 27, 2018, after strong demand generated by the trailer and the film's early international premieres.[54] The song was lauded by critics[55] and enjoyed sustained commercial success well beyond its release, spending 45 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100[a] and remaining on multiple European charts for months.[56][57][58]
In December 2018, Gaga added "Shallow" as the encore to her Las Vegas residency, Enigma.[59] During the show on January 26, 2019, Cooper joined Gaga for the performance.[60] The same year, Gaga sang "Shallow" solo at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in a glam rock rendition, accompanied on stage by the song's co-writers.[61][62] Two weeks later, she reunited with Cooper to present it at the 91st Academy Awards.[63] The performance was staged with the pair emerging from the audience and singing side by side at a piano, culminating in a close, shared-microphone finale.[64][65] It was widely praised by critics, with some calling it the standout musical moment of the ceremony and highlighting the duo's onstage chemistry and intimate delivery.[b]
"Always Remember Us This Way" was released to radio in Italy and France in January 2019 as the soundtrack's second single in those territories.[72][73] It was praised by several music journalists as an album highlight,[c] and reached the top ten in several European countries.[citation needed] The critically acclaimed "I'll Never Love Again"[77] was released to contemporary hit radio in France on May 27, 2019, as the third single.[78] Music videos for the three singles, as well as for "Look What I Found", were also released, featuring clips from the film.[79][80][81][18]
The soundtrack received a positive response from critics.[86][87][88] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album has an average score of 78, based on 8 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[82]
Mark Kennedy of The Washington Post called the soundtrack a "five-star marvel" and stated that it is a possible contender to win a Grammy Award.[34] AllMusic's Erlewine wrote "All the songs make sense narratively and on their own, so they hold together well and would amount to a first-rate soundtrack", but criticized the dialogue included in the album.[19]Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos gave the soundtrack four stars out of a possible five, saying "The music Gaga helps write for this stretch in Ally's career...is gorgeous--romantic without being trite and powerful."[46] Nick Reilly of NME complimented the album's "emotionally charged songs that feel entirely appropriate for this heartfelt tale of doomed romance", adding that the album is "one of the best Hollywood soundtracks of recent years."[84] Writing for The A.V. Club, Gwen Ihnat described the soundtrack as "an enjoyable yet poignant roller coaster of a listen".[23]
Wren Graves of Consequence felt the soundtrack succeeds largely due to the chemistry between the duo, praising Cooper's "professional-quality voice" and Gaga's ability to "play in different musical sandboxes". Although noting that the dialogue interludes and filler tracks sometimes "kill the emotional energy" of the album, he concluded that its "real joy" and "pleasure in the making of art" make it a compelling and authentic soundtrack.[27] Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian acknowledged that "Bradley Cooper shows he can sing as well as act and direct", but that "it is Lady Gaga's pop prowess that lifts each track, be it spectacular piano ballads or heart-rending duets"[14] George Fenwick of The New Zealand Herald especially praised the second half of the album, and felt that while Cooper has strong vocals, he cannot keep up with Gaga, who "eventually steals the entire soundtrack."[83] Similarly, Carl Wilson of Slate wrote that the soundtrack contains some of Gaga's "most stunning musical moments" of her career, while Cooper's performances are less compelling when heard apart from the film.[89]
Larry Fitzmaurice of Pitchfork wrote that, at its best, the soundtrack "delivers on the promise of its star-wattage with some of the most affecting and emotionally overwhelming pop songs of the year". He considered the soundtrack's three singles its highlights, described "Maybe It's Time" as having a "quiet radiance", but found Cooper's other songs less distinctive and some of Ally's pop tracks weaker. Fitzmaurice concluded that the soundtrack was ultimately more effective within the context of the film than as a standalone listening experience.[16] Craig Jenkins of Vulture felt the film "shines brightest in its music", praising the soundtrack's emotional impact and the contrast between Jackson's sturdy, time-worn songs and Ally's more modern pop material. He found Cooper strongest on the sadder songs, but thought his heavier rock numbers were less convincing and some of Ally's later pop tracks weaker than Gaga's more soulful performances.[17]
Chris DeVille of Stereogum felt that the soundtrack succeeds both as a narrative companion to the film and as a standalone pop record, though he wrote that it "could stand to go off the deep end more often".[15] By contrast, Matt Miller of Esquire argued that many of the soundtrack's songs are so closely woven into the film's plot, emotional arc, and themes that they feel "fundamentally incomplete" on their own.[28] Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Neil McCormick gave the album a moderately positive review, describing it as enjoyable but criticizing its "slightly awkward journey from rock balladry to slickly superficial pop" and the "weird disconnect" that emerges when it shifts into "anodyne modern pop".[31] In a mixed review for Slant Magazine, Jeremy Winograd wrote that "there's undoubtedly a strong 10-song album lodged at the core of A Star Is Born", but argued that, unlike the film, whose emotional excess is grounded by the cast's restrained performances, the soundtrack lacks enough substance "to justify all the bombast."[29] Will Hodgkinson of The Times was more negative, writing that the album "sounds like a dreary collection of earnest heartland rock", while adding that Gaga provides its main highlights through her expressive vocals and that Cooper's contributions are more generic.[85]
The song "Why Did You Do That?" drew divided reactions, with some critics debating whether its trite lyrics and repetitive style were intentionally crafted to reflect Ally's shift into commercial pop.[d] Diane Warren said it was meant to be fun rather than "bad", while Paul Blair argued that Jackson would have rejected any such song out of resentment over Ally's success. Gaga described it as the "antithesis" of where the character began, calling it "relatively shallow".[41][43][42]
Year-end rankings
Uproxx ranked the soundtrack at number four on their list of 20 Must-Hear Pop Albums From 2018, with Chloe Gilke from the publication adding that "A Star Is Born could have gotten away with a lesser soundtrack, but it's all the more impressive for featuring some of the best pop music of 2018."[95] Katie Atkinson from Billboard picked A Star Is Born as the 21st best release on their ranking of the 50 Best Albums of 2018, saying that "like the best soundtracks, this one truly resonates because it re-transports you to the world of [the film]", adding that the album "leaves you wanting more".[20] James Rettig from Stereogum listed it as one of the Noteworthy Movie Soundtracks From 2018, adding that "As far as massive music blockbusters go, you can't do much better than A Star Is Born, which is sad and entertaining and romantic and ends up being pretty good at all of it."[96]
A Star is Born original soundtrack has sold more than 1.2 million copies worldwide. It was the fourth best-selling album of 2019 globally, and ranked second among female artists, behind Taylor Swift's Lover (3.2 million).[98] Fuelled by the success of the soundtrack, Gaga also ranked as the ninth best-selling artist of 2019 globally, and fourth female overall, behind Swift, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.[99] Worldwide, the album went on to sell 3.1 million copies by the end of 2019, and a total six million equivalent units.[100][101][102]
North America
A Star Is Born became Gaga's longest running number-one album in the US, while it was Cooper's first album to top the charts.
A Star Is Born opened atop the US Billboard 200 with 231,000 album-equivalent units, including 162,000 pure album sales. It had the biggest overall sales week for a soundtrack in over three years, and is Gaga's fifth US number-one album as well as Cooper's first. Beside its pure album sales, A Star Is Born earned 37,000 in stream-equivalent units and 32,000 from track-equivalent units.[103] The soundtrack spent a second week at number one there with 143,000 album-equivalent units (86,000 being pure sales), and became Gaga's second album to top the chart for two consecutive weeks after Born This Way (2011).[104] It then held the country's summit for a third week in a row with 109,000 equivalent units (61,000 pure sales), becoming the first soundtrack since High School Musical 2 in 2007 to top the chart for its first three weeks. Additionally, it became Gaga's longest running chart-topping album in the country.[105]A Star Is Born was displaced one week later by Andrea Bocelli's Sì.[106] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it double platinum for selling over two million album-equivalent units and by March 2019, pure sales also crossed over a million copies.[107][108] Following the 91st Academy Awards, the soundtrack returned to the top of Billboard 200 for a fourth non-consecutive week with 128,000 album-equivalent units (76,000 pure sales) on the chart dated March 9, becoming Gaga's longest running number-one album in the country and the first soundtrack to do so since Frozen (2013).[109] The soundtrack went on to remain on the chart for 103 weeks.[110] As of August 2019, the soundtrack has sold 1,148,000 copies within the United States,[111] while it has earned 2.7 million equivalent album units in the country, according to Billboard's report in September 2020.[112]
The soundtrack entered at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 18,000 equivalent units, earning the top sales and digital song download honors and the seventh highest on-demand streams for the week. It was Gaga's third album to reach the summit in the nation and her first since Born This Way.[113]A Star Is Born held the top position for the next week, with another 12,000 equivalent units and was also the top-selling album.[114] It had an 11% increase in sales during the third week and remained atop the charts, selling close to 14,000 equivalent units. Like in the United States, the soundtrack became Gaga's longest running chart-topping album in Canada.[115] By the year-end, the soundtrack had sold 92,000 copies (155,000 equivalent units) in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan, and was certified Platinum by Music Canada (MC).[116][117] The Academy Awards boosted the soundtrack up to its tenth week at the top of the charts, selling another 12,000 units.[118]
Europe
A Star Is Born faced competition in the United Kingdom from Twenty One Pilots' Trench album, with the midweek chart suggesting the latter to emerge as the top album. A Star Is Born pulled ahead at the last moment according to Alan Jones from Music Week, and debuted atop the UK Albums Chart with 31,816 units (including 6,178 from stream-equivalent units). It became Gaga's fourth album to reach number one in the nation and first since Artpop (2013), as well as Cooper's first entry on the chart.[119][120] The soundtrack fell to number two the following week behind Jess Glynne's Always In Between, selling 24,732 equivalent units.[121][122] For the week ending November 1, 2018, the soundtrack moved back atop the chart with 24,982 copies sold (including 6,645 from sales-equivalent streams). "Shallow" also reached the top of the UK Singles Chart that week, making Gaga and Cooper score an Official UK Chart double, this being Gaga's third time to do so.[123][124] The soundtrack received a 2× Platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for selling over 600,000 units in the country.[125]
A Star Is Born opened at number one in both Ireland and Scotland,[126][127] and was Gaga's third number one in the former.[128] During its eleventh week atop the Irish chart, the soundtrack attained its highest sales tally, helped by the release of the Special Deluxe Edition.[129][130] In France, the soundtrack sold 8,700 copies and debuted at number seven on the SNEP Albums Chart,[131] and reached the top of the charts after 20 weeks with sales of 9,700 copies.[132] It was the 22nd best-selling album of the year in France in 2018.[133] The Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) certified the record Diamond for 500,000 equivalent units and it had sold a total of 200,000 pure copies by May 2019.[134][135]
Oceania
In Australia, A Star Is Born entered at number three on the ARIA Albums Chart, giving Gaga her seventh top 10 album in the country and her sixth to reach the top three.[136] Two weeks later, the soundtrack reached the top of the charts, becoming Gaga's third album to reach the Australian charts summit after The Fame Monster and Born This Way.[137] The soundtrack debuted at number six in the New Zealand Albums Chart, and after two weeks reached the top.[138]A Star Is Born became the year's longest running number-one album in Australia at 11 weeks (ranking at number three on the year-end charts) and was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for selling over 210,000 units.[139][140][141] In New Zealand it topped the charts for 16 weeks, breaking the record for most consecutive weeks at the top, previously held by Ed Sheeran's album ÷, and was certified 6× platinum for 90,000 equivalent units by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ).[142][143]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Release history
Release dates and formats for A Star Is Born Soundtrack
↑"A Star Is Born Jumps To #1". Australian Recording Industry Association. October 27, 2018. Archived from the original on October 27, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
↑"Slovak Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Retrieved October 22, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) Note: On the chart page, select SK Albums and "201842" on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data.
↑"Výsledky trhu 2019 - Česká republika"(PDF) (in Czech). Česká národní skupina Mezinárodní federace hudebního průmyslu. Archived(PDF) from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
↑"Album Top-100 2019" (in Danish). Hitlisten. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
↑"Arslister Topplista 2019" (in Norwegian). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on January 19, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
↑"Topplista – årsliste | Single 2020"(Click on "Album 2020" to see the year-end listings). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. December 3, 2019. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
↑"Topplista – årsliste | Single 2021"(Click on "Album 2021" to see the year-end listings). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. December 3, 2019. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
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