Transformers: Age of Extinction – The Score
Transformers: Age of Extinction – The Score is a two-part soundtrack album for the 2014 film of the same name. The score was written by Steve Jablonsky, with help from fellow composer Hans Zimmer and additional music by alternative rock band Imagine Dragons. An EP was released on June 30, 2014, that served as a teaser for the score, which was released on July 3, 2014. Both albums were released through the film's distributor Paramount Pictures.
Transformers: Age of Extinction – The Score | ||||
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Film score / EP by | ||||
Released | June 30, 2014 (EP) July 3, 2014 (score) | |||
Recorded | December 2013 – June 2014 at Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada | |||
Genre |
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Length | 19:33 (EP) 77:42 (score) | |||
Label | Paramount | |||
Transformers film soundtrack chronology | ||||
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Background
As with the previous three films of the franchise, Steve Jablonsky handled the film's score, and it is his sixth collaboration with director Michael Bay.[1] Jablonsky and Bay worked on the score from December 2013 to June 2014, one month before the film's release, which exhausted Jablonsky.[1] The two focused on creating themes for the film's new characters, although the two mutually decided to incorporate some of the themes of the first trilogy.[1]
Jablonsky also collaborated with fellow composer Hans Zimmer and alternative rock band Imagine Dragons in the score, as well as the film's theme song, "Battle Cry".[2] Bay wanted to work with Imagine Dragons after being "drawn to the emotion of ’Demons’ and ’Radioactive’ the first time [he] heard those songs, and [he] knew [he] wanted that same energy and heart for this movie."[2] About his collaboration with the band Jablonsky said, "It immediately hit me more than some of the previous ones [I] had done...it was a much closer collaboration than I’ve had in the past," compared to his previous collaborations with bands Linkin Park and Goo Goo Dolls.[1] Imagine Dragons had finished touring for two years their debut album, Night Visions (2012), and wanted to work on their next studio album, before Bay called them to work on the film's score.[3] The band felt that working on the film could increase their music's exposure worldwide.[3] Imagine Dragons was brought to Los Angeles for the collaboration; Jablonsky also traveled to the band's studio in Las Vegas, Nevada to record with the band. The band's lead singer Dan Reynolds recorded vocals,[1] while drummer Daniel Platzman played the viola.[4] Composer Joseph Trapanese also provided additional music for the film.[5]
On June 30, 2014, Jablonsky released an extended play featuring four tracks as a teaser for the official score, which features variations of the four themes.[6] On July 3, 2014, three days after the EP's release, the official score was released on iTunes, although Jablonsky stated that physical copies will "[take] a bit longer."[7]
On October 7, 2014, the score was released on CD by record label La-La Land Records. It is a limited edition of 3000 units.
On November 20, 2014 Steve Jablonsky commented via Facebook that the score would no longer be sold on iTunes after it had reached its limit of 15,000 units before re-use fees would have to be paid. Jablonsky personally expressed his own disappointment in the turn of events, hoping there would be a way to eventually re-release the score, along with the score to Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which also had been removed on iTunes several months prior when it also reached the 15,000 unit limit.[8]
Track listing
The EP
All tracks are written by Steve Jablonsky[9].
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Hunted" | 5:57 |
2. | "Tessa" | 5:45 |
3. | "Autobots Reunite" | 2:57 |
4. | "Lockdown" | 4:54 |
Total length: | 19:33 |
The Score
All tracks are written by Steve Jablonsky[10].
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Decision" | 4:20 |
2. | "Best Thing That Ever Happened" | 2:06 |
3. | "I'm an Autobot" | 5:06 |
4. | "Optimus Is Alive" | 2:17 |
5. | "Cemetery Wind" | 5:53 |
6. | "His Name Is Shane and He Drives" | 5:17 |
7. | "Hacking the Drone" | 2:05 |
8. | "Transformium" | 3:24 |
9. | "Galvatron Is Online" | 1:56 |
10. | "Your Creators Want You Back" | 3:26 |
11. | "The Final Knight" | 4:07 |
12. | "Punch Hold Slide Repeat" | 2:12 |
13. | "The Presence of Megatron" | 2:51 |
14. | "Galvatron Is Active" | 4:13 |
15. | "Have Faith Prime" | 1:29 |
16. | "Hong Kong Chase" | 1:43 |
17. | "The Legend Exists" | 1:16 |
18. | "Dinobot Charge" | 6:37 |
19. | "That's a Big Magnet" | 2:51 |
20. | "Drive Backwards" | 2:05 |
21. | "Honor to the End" | 5:18 |
22. | "Leave Planet Earth Alone" | 3:47 |
23. | "The Knight Ship" | 3:21 |
Total length: | 77:42 |
Complete score[11]
On 21st December 2014, Paramount released the complete score for the film as part of their "For Your Consideration (FYC)" campaign. This track contains the score as heard in the film, including unreleased tracks, and film edits of previously released tracks.
Track number | Track Title | Length | Film version of: |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Opening/Main Title/The Past | 2:52 | Unreleased track |
2 | History is About to Change | 1:36 | Unreleased track |
3 | Didn't Make the Varsity Team | 0:42 | Unreleased track |
4 | Hey Snakeballs | 0:44 | Unreleased track |
5 | No Financial Aid | 1:06 | Best Thing That Ever Happend |
6 | The Age of the Transformers is Over | 1:50 | Unreleased track |
7 | Cade Brings Truck Home | 0:35 | Unreleased track |
8 | Cade Works on Truck in Barn | 0:33 | Unreleased track |
9 | Beer Bot Fails | 1:07 | Unreleased track |
10 | Tessa Complains About Being the Only Adult | 1:15 | Unreleased track |
11 | Ratchet Killed | 4:58 | I'm an Autobot |
12 | Attinger Talks to White House Guy | 0:40 | Unreleased track |
13 | Painter Bot Broken | 0:54 | Unreleased track |
14 | Non Dating Household | 1:14 | Best Thing That Ever Happened |
15 | Judgement Day | 0:24 | Unreleased track |
16 | Lucas Arrives at the House | 0:14 | Unreleased track |
17 | We Just Found a Transformer | 1:11 | Unreleased track |
18 | Optimus Prime Lives | 2:21 | Optimus is Alive |
19 | Attinger Talks to Lockdown | 1:29 | Unreleased track |
20 | Attinger Sends Cemetery Wind to Cade Farm/Lockdown Gets into Position | 2:30 | Unreleased track |
21 | Optimus Comes to Humans Defence | 6:15 | Cemetery Wind |
22 | His Name is Shane and He Dirves | 1:49 | His Name is Shane and He Drives |
23 | Car Chase | 0:57 | His Name is Shane and He Drives |
24 | Car Chase Continues Through Factory | 2:39 | His Name is Shane and He Drives |
25 | Death of a Friend | 1:57 | Unreleased track |
26 | Cade Takes Matters into His Own Hands | 0:35 | Hacking the Drone |
27 | Cade Takes Matters into His Own Hands Part 2 | 1:37 | Hacking the Drone |
28 | Monument Valley/Autobots Unite | 2:29 | Autobots Reunite |
29 | Monument Valley Transition | 0:34 | Unreleased track |
30 | Autobots Angry with Humans | 1:25 | Decision |
31 | KSI Chicago | 0:54 | Unreleased track |
32 | Transformium | 3:02 | Transformium |
33 | Fresh Breath When Making out with Your Daughter | 0:33 | Unreleased track |
34 | Galvatron at KSI/Joshua Gets Mad "Why Can't We Make What I Want" | 1:21 | Unreleased track |
35 | Cade Gets Badge/Sneaks into KSI | 0:56 | Unreleased track |
36 | Attacking KSI | 5:40 | Unreleased track |
37 | Angry Optimus | 1:15 | Decision |
38 | Respond | 0:48 | Unreleased track |
39 | Galvatron | 1:32 | Galvatron is Online |
40 | Highway Battle | 1:20 | Unreleased track |
41 | Galvatron Chase Optimus | 0:48 | Galvatron is Online |
42 | Galvatron Vs. Optimus | 1:24 | Unreleased track |
43 | Lockdown | 3:08 | Your Creators Want You Back |
44 | Tessa Taken | 1:01 | Your Creators Want You Back |
45 | The Knightship/Racing to the Knightship | 3:13 | The Final Knight |
46 | Engage Dark Matter Drives | 0:34 | Unreleased track |
47 | Enter the Knightship | 2:02 | The Final Knight |
48 | Dogs Chase Tessa/Searching for Tessa (note: no audio on track) | 1:17 | Unreleased track |
49 | Weapons Room (note: no audio on track) | 2:07 | Unreleased track |
50 | Knightship Gunfight | 0:39 | Unreleased track |
51 | Reunited | 0:49 | Unreleased track |
52 | Highwires | 1:43 | Unreleased track |
53 | Fighter Chase | 2:10 | Punch Hold Slide Repeat |
54 | Autobots Find Prime | 1:14 | Unreleased track |
55 | Presence of Megatron | 3:26 | The Presence of Megatron |
56 | KSI to China | 0:47 | Unreleased track |
57 | Lockdown Goes after Prime | 0:31 | Unreleased track |
58 | Galvatron Activates Prototypes | 4:40 | Galvatron is Active |
59 | Cade Talks to Optimus | 1:37 | Have Faith Prime |
60 | Hong Kong Motorcycle Chase | 1:58 | Hong Kong Chase |
61 | Elevator Fight | 1:31 | Unreleased track |
62 | Prototypes Entering Hong Kong | 0:29 | Unreleased track |
63 | Prototypes Arriving in Square | 0:36 | Unreleased track |
64 | Prototypes Search for the Bomb | 0:35 | Unreleased track |
65 | Battle of Hong Kong | 1:28 | Unreleased track |
66 | You Want Me | 1:04 | Unreleased track |
67 | Hong Kong Footchase | 1:40 | Unreleased track |
68 | Apartment Fight | 1:11 | Unreleased track |
69 | The Legend Exists | 1:17 | The Legend Exists |
70 | Hiding in the Glass House | 1:00 | Unreleased track |
71 | Dinos | 6:38 | Dinobot Charge |
72 | Bumblebee Vs. Stinger | 1:36 | Unreleased track |
73 | Knightship Comes into Hong Kong | 1:36 | That's a Big Magnet |
74 | The Magnet | 1:47 | That's a Big Magnet |
75 | Driving Backwards | 1:33 | Drive Backwards |
76 | Magnet Picking Up Dinobots | 1:51 | Unreleased track |
77 | Cade Sends Tessa Away in Bumblebee | 0:51 | Honor to the End |
78 | Lockdown Surfs Down Building | 2:36 | Honor to the End |
79 | Cade Charge | 0:56 | Honor to the End |
80 | End Fight with Lockdown | 2:47 | Honor to the End |
81 | We Don't Have a Home | 1:34 | Leave Planet Earth Alone |
82 | Leave Planet Earth Alone | 2:42 | Leave Planet Earth Alone |
83 | Pebbles | 2:08 | Autobots Reunite |
References
- Newman, Melinda (June 26, 2014). "Composer Steve Jablonsky on 'Transformers: Age of Extinction': 'This was the craziest film of all'". HitFix. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- "Imagine Dragons Will Perform At 'Transformers 4′ World Premiere in Hong Kong". Michael Bay Dot Com. May 13, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
- "Imagine Dragons: 'Transformers' Soundtrack Could 'Open Up' More Opportunities". Inquisitr. June 14, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
- "Steve Jablonsky Tweet". Twitter. June 25, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- "Joe Trapanese: The Art of Going Unnoticed". Consequence of Sound. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- "Steve Jablonsky EP Post". Facebook. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- "Steve Jablonsky LP Post". Facebook. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- "Steve Jablonsky LP Post". Facebook. November 20, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
- "Transformers: Age of Extinction (Music from the Motion Picture) - EP". iTunes. Apple Inc. June 30, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- "Transformers: Age of Extinction (Music from the Motion Picture)". iTunes. Apple Inc. July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- "Paramount Pictures | Transformers: Age of Extinction | Score". web.archive.org. 2014-12-25. Retrieved 2020-05-11.