Listen To A Sample Of The CREED Soundtrack From Composer Ludwig Goransson

The dramatic sound of the bell in Bill Conti’s score for ROCKY is one we all remember. The original Rocky (1976) film won the 1977 Academy Award for ‘Best Motion Picture’. Rocky composer Bill Conti, along with Carol Connors, were Oscar nominated for ‘Best Music: Original Song’ for “Gonna Fly Now.”

Check out this sample track from CREED by composer Ludwig Goransson.

One of the director Ryan Coogler’s favorite aspects of shooting CREED in the City of Brotherly Love was…the brotherly love. “I liked the vibe out there, it was very similar to Oakland, where people have a lot of pride in their sports teams, pride in where they’re from. The music culture out there is also very big, and we were able to bring that to life in the film through the character of Bianca, thanks to Tessa Thompson and our composer.”

Ludwig Goransson, who also worked with Coogler on his previous film, scored CREED and wrote several tracks for Thompson to perform in character.

“Creating an EP for a fictional buzz-worthy artist is challenging, but knowing what Ryan had in mind for the character, Tessa and I were able to go into the studio as soon as she was cast,” he says. “We wrote and recorded about eight songs and Ryan chose his favorites for the movie. It was a very special experience for both Tessa and me because we could see and hear how Bianca came together through her music.”

The composer had a unique approach to build the score, too. “I always feel encouraged by Ryan to think outside of the box and create something that I really believe in. The first thing I did was record sounds from a boxer during his training routine, with the purpose of turning those sounds into musical elements as the basis for the score,” he explains. “After experimenting with those sounds, I rearranged one of the love themes I’d written and gave it a bigger, more aggressive, orchestral sound with a few modern elements and a strong melodic theme.”

Of course, the musical history of the “Rocky” films had to be addressed. “I studied Bill Conti’s score thoroughly and was inspired by the way he combined jazz and classical harmonies,” Goransson continues. “I didn’t intend to use any ‘Rocky’ music beyond just one climactic scene, but Ryan and I discussed how to score an older Rocky, and we came up with using Adrian’s love theme.”

Having spent so much of his life influenced by the ‘Rocky’ films, and determined to be a part of them, Coogler is thrilled to at long last bring this new chapter in the beloved series to the screen, and hopes that moviegoers will be as eager to see the story as he has been to tell it. “I’ve been a Rocky fan since as long as I can remember,” he says. “I know those movies like the back of my hand. I think we captured that spirit and also brought something new for fans to enjoy.”

From WaterTower Music, preorder the full album now:
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CREED opens Wednesday, November 25th!

Visit the official site: creedthemovie.com

Learn about director Ryan Coogler’s personal connection to the Rocky legacy in our #exclusive video for @creedmovie. https://t.co/rQZFHttSUO

— IMDb (@IMDb) November 13, 2015