There were several reasons why Guardians of the Galaxy was a massive hit for Marvel back in 2014, and one of the more prominent ones was the soundtrack. While the film featured a classical musical score like every Hollywood blockbuster, the adventure was truly set to Star-Lord's Awesome Mixtape - a collection of retro pop songs such as "Hooked on a Feeling" and "I Want You Back." The album was quite memorable, and even reached #1 on the Billboard charts shortly after the movie's tremendous box office success. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on the way next summer, many fans are curious to see the track list for Awesome Mixtape Vol. 2, which Star-Lord opened at the end of the first movie.

A little taste of the followup was featured in the recently released Vol. 2 teaser trailer. Sweet's "Fox on the Run" was the song that played over the footage, and it's safe to say people have already taken a liking to it. As the preview racked up the views online, the 1974 tune quickly became the top downloaded rock song on iTunes. During its heyday, "Fox on the Run" was a pretty popular song, as the single is certified gold by the RIAA and peaked at #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. As it turns out, it's setting the stage for what listeners can expect from the rest of the soundtrack.

In an interview with Superinteressante (hat tip CBM), Gunn talked about the next Awesome Mixtape, revealing that it will include a combination of well-known songs and more deep cuts:

"The second soundtrack is great. I think it’s a more diverse soundtrack. I think the first soundtrack [had] a bunch of songs that maybe you heard but didn’t know the name of the song - you didn’t know the name of the singer. In this one, we have some really incredibly famous songs and then some songs that people have never heard. So, it’s a much more diverse soundtrack.”

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - Star-Lord in Tunnel

Gunn's statement is interesting, as a number of the songs from the first Awesome Mixtape peaked fairly high during their initial releases ("The Piña Colada Song" was a #1 hit). It's not as if that soundtrack consisted of extremely obscure tunes that were new to the zeitgeist. From the sound of it, Gunn is implying that there will be more famous tracks this time around that are instantly recognizable to most viewers. Based on that info, it will be fascinating to see the rest of the selections. For those trying to predict the songs, keep in mind that Peter Quill's mother passed away in 1988, so anything past that year can't be on the new album. There are plenty of options available to Gunn, and if the first mixtape is any indication, Vol. 2 should have another catchy, rocking soundtrack.

With five months to go until the movie's premiere, fans still have a ways to wait until they can hear the next mixtape in full. But as we make our way into 2017, Disney and Marvel will be revving up their Guardians marketing efforts, which will undoubtedly include more musical samples for people's enjoyment. Perhaps then, viewers will get a better idea of what Gunn means when he mentions "really incredibly famous songs." Could the late great David Bowie make another appearance in the cosmic franchise? Time will tell.

Source: Superinteressante (via CBM)

Key Release Dates