One thing that the MCU is excellent at is making something so signature of the franchise, that you simply cannot dissociate it from the movies. Although there are many instances throughout the Infinity Saga’s iconic moments that prove memorable to this day, like character team-ups or lines of dialogue, what we’d like to focus on in particular are the needle drops. Picking the right music for iconic scenes is an inevitable part of a big film industry job that often flies under the radar.
The best needle drops in movies have the power to instill an emotional reaction in the audience and, more significantly, add layers of meaning to their movie’s narrative. With that being said, why don’t we take a look at the eight best songs that have become such an important part of the franchise, that we automatically think of the MCU when we hear them? Here is our list.
8 “The Rubberband Man” — Avengers: Infinity War
It would be quite the disappointment if the Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t make their entrance with a complete banger. As the superheroes start gathering in Infinity War upon the threat of Thanos’ destruction, as soon as we hear a 70s classic playing in the background, we know exactly who to expect. The camera pans on a spaceship flying through the universe as Peter Quill sings along to the “The Rubberband Man” together with his loyal crew.
7 “It’s Been A Long, Long Time” — Avengers: Endgame
For all the Steve and Peggy lovers, this needle drop is surely embedded in your heart. Ever since Captain America: The First Avenger, the two were supposed to go out for a dance, but never got the chance to do it since Steve froze for 70 years and Peggy had grown old by then. Many movies later, Avengers: Endgame producers said: We got you guys! Although it may not make logical sense, after they win the war against Thanos, Steve goes back in time to return the Infinity Stones to their rightful place. But, instead of going back right away, he decides to spend his whole life with Peggy, just like they planned to. For the final scene of Endgame, we can see them slow dancing to “It’s Been A Long, Long Time” by Harry James and Helen Forrest.
6 “Back in Black” — Iron Man & Spider-Man: Far From Home
“Back in Black” by ACDC is the first song we hear in the MCU franchise (in Iron Man, no less) — a song that has become so signature of Tony Stark that you simply cannot dissociate it from his character. As an armed vehicle with soldiers and Tony drives through the desert of Afghanistan, and we get the first-ever look at Robert Downey Jr. as Stark’s playboy persona, “Back in Black” epically accompanies the scene, prior to the car getting blown up. Considering how much of a father figure Tony was to Peter, as per Screen Rant, it was a heartwarming touch to include the song in Spider-Man: Far From Home, when Peter expresses his grief to Happy and gains a new-found courage upon hearing how much Tony had believed in him.
5 “O-o-h Child” — Guardians of the Galaxy
Music plays a central part in every Guardians of the Galaxy movie. As a Celestial-Human, Star-Lord always had a special relationship with his human mother before he got abducted by Yondu. What made their relationship special was their common love of music that Peter’s mother nurtured in him. All that he’s had left of her in the vast universe after she died of cancer is the Walkman full of many classic tunes. His knowledge of music becomes an advantage when he starts singing “O-o-h Child” by Five Stairsteps in order to distract Roman the Accuser with a dance-off in the final battle of the first movie. It’s almost as if his mother’s spirit helped him out.
4 “Immigrant Song” — Thor: Ragnarok
One of the best bridge fight scenes in history is set to no other than the “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin. The song was present in both the teaser trailer for Thor: Ragnarok, as well as twice in the movie itself. The lyrics of the song directly reflect the theme of the movie, considering how there are lyrical references to the Nordic mythology, mentioning war-making and Valhalla. Ever since the release of the movie in 2017, the song has become a major needle drop for Thor’s character.
3 “Come And Get Your Love” — Guardians of the Galaxy
What better way to introduce a character than to give him a Walkman playing “Come and Get Your Love” while he passionately sings along in a long coat, while strutting through an unknown planet? It sets the scene for the rest of the movie/franchise almost perfectly, signaling to us that we’ll surely see a lot of scenes with Quill simply just vibing to music. Just like the other songs, “Come and Get Your Love” was one of Quill’s mother beloved tunes.
2 “Iron Man” — Iron Man
Not only is the song the perfect embodiment of Iron Man (just look at the title), but it’s also been serving as the perfect Easter egg. If you look closely enough, you can clearly notice and appreciate the fact that Tony wears a Black Sabbath T-shirt for nearly the entirety of Avengers. It’s even more iconic when you realize that the first line in the 1970s “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath (about 12 seconds in) is ‘I am Iron Man’. You can’t tell us that it’s possible to think of anyone else when listening to the song other than Tony.
1 “Come On Get Happy” — Ant-Man and The Wasp
Thanks to the Civil War shenanigans, we can see Scott Lang on a house arrest in Ant-Man and the Wasp. As we could expect, there was no way that we would be bored with Scott even when locked in a house. He decides to have a solo karaoke time and make “Come On Get Happy” so unforgettable for the viewers that, from then on, every time you hear the song, all you can picture is Scott with a microphone in his bedroom.
