Summary

• The soundtrack for Soul, featuring jazz tunes, celebrates the inspirational power of music in the film's heartfelt story.
• With the vibrant jazz culture of NYC, the music team assembled by Pixar, including Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross, creates a formidable collection of songs.
• The Soul soundtrack includes both established jazz tunes and exclusive tracks recorded specifically for the Pixar film, providing a rich musical experience.

With a premise centered on the inspirational power of music, it makes perfect sense that the soundtrack for Soul is a celebration of jazz. The 2020 Pixar film, which received a theatrical release in 2024, features plenty of classic tunes of the genre to bolster Joe Gardner's passion for music. Whether jazz standards, jazz rap, or other styles altogether, the soundtrack assembles a formidable collection of music to underscore a heartfelt Pixar story.

Since Soul protagonist Joe Gardner is so passionate about music, the vibrant jazz culture of New York City makes a prominent appearance, underscoring the film. The music team Pixar assembled features some all-star talent: Jon Batiste (of The Late Show fame) worked to compose songs that paired with a score from veteran film composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network, Mank), and The Roots' Questlove served as a music consultant on top of his voice role. The soundtrack for Soul features many established jazz tunes, along with a few tracks recorded exclusively for the Pixar film.

Here's Every Song In Soul, by order of appearance:

• "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" - Mercer Ellington
• "We Get Along" - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
• "II B.S." - Charles Mingus
• "Rappin Ced" - Daveed Diggs
• "Subterranean Homesick Blues" - Bob Dylan
• "Check the Rhime" - A Tribe Called Quest
• "Body and Soul" - Johnny Green
• "Parting Ways" - Cody ChesnuTT
• "Apple Tree" - Erykah Badu
• "Space Maker" - Walter Norris
• "Cristo Redentor" - Duke Pearson
• "It's All Right" - Curtis Mayfield

When Every Song On The Soul Soundtrack Plays In The Movie

"Things Ain't What They Used to Be" by Mercer Ellington - This is the song being played by Mr. Gardner's middle-school band at the start of Soul. However, Mercer Ellington's piece is a little hard to recognize, considering how badly the young musicians are playing it.

"We Get Along" by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - As Joe visits his mom in her shop, this 2014 number quietly plays on the radio in the background, demonstrating Mrs. Gardner's subtle love for jazz.

"II B.S." by Charles Mingus - The catchy, energetic bassline of this 1963 number is Joe Gardner's phone ringtone, which goes off when Curly calls to ask Joe to come play with Dorothea Williams.

"Rappin Ced" by Daveed Diggs - Performed by Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) exclusively for Soul, this song is played when Joe and 22 look at an exhibit of Joe's hip-hop days in his "Hall of You" at the You Seminar.

"Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan - While Joe and 22 are in The Zone, this song plays as Moonwind appears on his ship. This makes a good deal of sense, considering the character's hippy aesthetic.

"Check the Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest - This song sets the mood for New York City as 22 experiences the world from Joe's body (much to Joe's frustration).

"Body and Soul" by Johnny Green - The classic, soulful jazz piece that plays softly in the background as Joe and 22 again walk the streets of New York after they visit the barbershop.

"Parting Ways" by Cody ChesnuTT - Explicitly written for Soul, "Parting Ways" is the song played by the busker in the subway (which 22 rewards with part of a bagel).

"Apple Tree" by Erykah Badu - When Joe and 22 return to Mrs. Gardner's shop, this song is quietly playing on the radio (and makes for the perfect backing number to 22's big kiss with Malba).

"Space Maker" by Walter Norris - A piano piece of just Joe's flavor, this song plays as Mrs. Gardner and her employees fix up Mr. Gardner's old suit for Joe's gig.

"Cristo Redentor" by Duke Pearson - The introductory vocalizations of this song play as Joe makes his way toward the entrance to the Great Beyond.

"It's All Right" by Curtis Mayfield - After Joe steps back through the doorway to his life, this song starts up, carrying Pixar's Soul into the ending credits.

Where To Listen To The Soul Soundtrack

The soundtrack for Soul includes the tracks above and the many jazz pieces composed for the film by Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross—all coming together for 42 total songs. These can be streamed in their entirety on Amazon Music, where jazz-loving movie audiences can also purchase an MP3 or CD version. The soundtrack can also be listened to on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. The songs from Soul feel especially appropriate for vinyl, so fans who prefer this classic format can purchase the official LP record on Amazon. Overall, for a film about life and music, Soul follows through with a soundtrack that reminds us to enjoy the little things.