What the Hell Happened to the Official ‘Ghost in the Shell’ Soundtrack?

Ghost in the Shell, Paramount Pictures

A film’s official soundtrack rarely has any controversy. Soundtracks are a pivotal part of any film universe, that set the atmosphere, the mood, and the emotion of a scene. The songs sculpt the tension of silence, and help your mind relate to unreliable situations. As the final days tick away before a film’s release, the soundtrack helps to create fan anticipation for the movie. But what happens when a film’s soundtrack gets abruptly yanked from preorder and purchase without a reason why? This is exactly what happened to the official soundtrack for Ghost in the Shell.

Guardians of the Galaxy (both of them really) completely embraced its soundtrack. The film was written around the songs on the Awesome Mix, and it paid big dividends. In Ghost in the Shell, the music gave the film’s cyberpunk universe emotion.  Clint Mansell and Lorne Balfe created a kick-ass technopunk soundtrack that beautifully played into the essence of the movie.

Ghost in the Shell, DreamWorks SKG
‘Ghost in the Shell’, starring Scarlett Johansson. Directed by Rupert Sanders. Image: DreamWorks SKG

So, what happened? The OST for Ghost in the Shell was pulled from preorder at every outlet by Lakeshore Records in April, without any excuse. Will the world ever see this soundtrack hit store shelves? The answer is very unlikely. As soon as the soundtrack was pulled, fans clamored for anything they could find with tracks of the film. This included racking up hounds-of-thousands of views on YouTube videos featuring clips of the tracks. Such as this one below:

https://youtu.be/czu1ytziR_8

You can check out the artwork for the Soundtrack below:

Ghost in the Shell, Paramount Pictures
Image: Lakeshore Records, Paramount Pictures

Lakeshore Records is refusing to comment on what happened to the soundtrack. Rather, they will not release the album at all. This has lead to fan outcry, and a petition asking for the release of the album:

Release the Ghost in the Shell (2017) soundtrack #GITSost

As a result, some petition signers are commenting on the soundtrack when they sign the petition, leading to humor, rage, and praise of the music:

  • “The pulsating electro soundtrack to Ghost in the shell really brought the film to life. It’s a real shame that it hasn’t been released, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.”
  • “The work of every artist is worth being released. There’s no reason why Mr Mansell and Mr Balfe’s work should be less. Music is the soul of a movie. As a music composer I demand a proper release of this piece of art.”
  • “This score was incredible and it is a sin if it doesn’t release. Cancelled/delayed release for a soundtrack of one of 2017’s biggest pictures is unprecedented.”

So, what can you do to help get the Ghost in the Shell official soundtrack released?

Ghost in the Shell, Paramount Pictures
Image: Paramount Pictures

Are you one of the many who loved the live-action version of Ghost in the Shell starring Scarlett Johansson, and want to know how you can help? If you are, then maybe you should head over and sign the petition yourself. Your signature could the final one needed to kick off the release of the soundtrack. Most of all, go here to sign the petition and share it with friends on social media.

You can also follow the #GITSost campaign to get the album released:

Fans worldwide are rallying at the gates, and it is only a matter of time before things get ugly.

What did you think of Ghost in the Shell and the music in it? Let us know in the comments section below!

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