On this very day in 2014, Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy hit theaters in the United States. It was an enormous blockbuster hit during the peak of superhero movies globally. And it also helped revive quite a few 1970s classic rock hits, allowing younger viewers to experience the magic of the decade in a whole new context. The curated list of 70s classics that made it to Guardians Of The Galaxy really wasn’t what most would expect from a Marvel movie music soundtrack. After all, the target audience wasn’t even close to being born in the 70s.
However, it was a smart move. James Gunn, the film’s director, saw the music as an important part of the lead character’s development, and also believed it would add a more “quirky” element to the film. And, of course, it appealed to older audiences, which likely played a role in so many people seeing the film when it dropped on August 1, 2014.
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‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Revived Interest in a Ton of Classic Rock Music Back in 2014
The plot of Guardians Of The Galaxy follows a human, played by Chris Pratt, who carries around a Walkman with him, complete with a tape full of classic rock hits gifted to him by his mother. He finds himself on a galactic adventure of sorts, and that mixtape serves as his own soundtrack and as the soundtrack to the whole of the movie.
Writing the character’s love of classic rock into the script was an excellent excuse to pack the film’s soundtrack full of fantastic 1970s classic rock hits. “Go All The Way” by The Raspberries (1972) makes an appearance, as does “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” by Elvin Bishop (1975). “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes (1979) also appeared in the film, along with “Hooked On A Feeling” by Blue Swedes (1973), “Spirit In The Sky” by Norman Greenbaum (1969), and “Moonage Daydream” by David Bowie (1971), among many others. Honestly, the whole tracklist of Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is fantastic listening for fans of classic rock.
Marvel movie music has historically been memorable, but Guardians Of The Galaxy took it to a whole new level. The official soundtrack for the film was so successful that it peaked at No. 1 in the US for two whole weeks.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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