Which songs are part of The Mitchells vs. the Machines soundtrack, and when are they played? The Mitchells vs. the Machines features animation from the artists at Sony Pictures, and was developed by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Christoper Miller. The Mitchells vs. the Machines doesn't include a heavy amount of mainstream music, but there are indeed some pop anthems that are used multiple times.
In The Mitchells vs. the Machines, 18-year-old Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) plans to leave Michigan for film school in California. However, her arrival is delayed because of a last-minute family road trip with her father Rick (Danny McBride), mother Linda (Maya Rudolph), brother Aaron (Mike Rianda), and the canine star of her YouTube videos, Monchie (Doug the Peg), the family pet. As Katie worries about missing orientation week, a tech entrepreneur named Dr. Mark Bowman (Eric Andre) inadvertently incites a robot revolution, which at once brings the Mitchells together while allowing them to step away from technology to better appreciate each other as individuals.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines score was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, who is known for his work on Thor: Ragnarok. The filmmakers incorporate an iconic classical piece from Johann Strauss II, along with music from Grimes and Taking Deads, but there are large portions of the movie where the official score is prominently used. Here's every main song in The Mitchells vs. the Machines.
"Lamb and the Lion" - The Mae Shi
"Death to Los Campesinos!" - Los Campesinos!
"I Want More" - Bangs
"Nyan Cat" - Daniwell
"Live Your Life" - O-Zone
"California" - Grimes
"Hoppípolla" - Sigur Rós
"Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur" - Sigur Rós
"(Nothing But) Flowers" - Talking Heads
"Every Day's the Weekend" - Alex Lahey
"Life of the Party" - PRTY H3RO
"Icarus" - Madeon
"The Blue Danube Op. 314" - Johann Strauss II
"Another Lonely Hangover" - Swinging Doors
"He Was Strange (But I Needed a Ride)" - Travis Whitelaw
"On the Verge" - Le Tigre
"Battle Without Honor or Humanity" - Tomayasu Hotel
"Walk the Dinosaur" - Was (Not Was)
"Dreamy Wonder" - Tempura Kidz
"Ironside" - Quincy Jones
"Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats" - Los Campesinos!
"On My Way" - Alex Lahey
The Mitchells vs. the Machines features "I Want More" twice early on, first when Katie rocks out in her room at the two-minute mark, and then once again while celebrating her upcoming film school experience. "California" is used to complement Katie's mood on the day she plans to leave for college, while "Every Day's the Weekend" kicks in during The Mitchells vs. the Machines when Katie begins documenting her "road trip disaster."
Since Rick so desperately wants to connect with his children, he performs to "Live Your Life" while driving. Then, "The Blue Danube Op. 314" briefly plays while Katie and Aaron watch a video starring Monchi. When the Mitchells bond and prepare for a battle against robots, "On the Verge" thematically captures their mindset.
"Battle Without Honor or Humanity" scores a moment when Katie produces a family slo-mot shot one hour into The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and also links to Aaron's interest in ancient reptiles (the song may be recognizable to some as the theme music for the sports show The Herd with Colin Cowherd). After a climactic showdown with the PAL robots, "Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats" accompanies a "Two Months Later" update sequence, with the song title referencing the silver linings of the family's bizarre experiences. The Mitchells vs. the Machines closes out with "On My Way" during the credits, which pinpoints Katie's life perspective moving forward.