‘Hunger Games’ Soundtrack Featuring the Decemberists, Arcade Fire Nearing No. 1

2012-03-23

Story by Charles Ken

Popular movie on track to score big with soundtrack sales

Soundtrack albums usually end up killer or pretty lame. It looks like the soundtrack for “The Hunger Games” is headed towards the former, as Billboard is reporting that the album — which features tracks by Arcade Fire, the Decemberists, Neko Case, the Secret Sisters, the Civil Wars and more — is headed towards a No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 chart next week.

Based on sales number already in for the week, the soundtrack is expected to reach 150,000 to 170,000 copies by the week’s end. If the ‘Hunger Games’ mix does debut at No. 1, it will mark the first time a theatrical film soundtrack reached the top of the albums chart since Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” in 2009, which followed Jackson’s tragic passing.

Produced by T-Bone Burnett, “The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond” offers a blend of already known performers (a la Arcade Fire, Taylor Swift) and lesser known names (Punch Brothers, Neko Case). The set doesn’t necessarily feature tracks you’ll hear during the movie, either, as only a few of the songs actually play during the film. If the album does reach No. 1 next week, it will be a bright spot in the trend of soundtrack sales declining over the past few years. According to the Wall Street Journal, sales of soundtracks have declined 79 percent since they peaked in 1998. Even blockbuster soundtracks, such as the soundtrack for the “Twilight” films, haven’t performed as well as soundtrack sales of the past, such as “Top Gun” and “Dirty Dancing.”

 




Charles Ken
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