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Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak host Soundtrack Your Life, a podcast about the film and TV soundtracks that shape pop culture. Each episode features a guest who shares personal stories about a soundtrack that's meaningful to them. Ranging from the iconic best selling soundtracks of all time to cult favorites, they cover them all. Discover hidden gems, behind-the-scenes stories, hot debates, and deep dives into the most iconic songs in movies.🎧 Perfect for fans of:• Movie and TV soundtracks• Original songs! Fake bands! Real good needle drops!• Music and pop culture connections• 80s, 90s and Y2K nostalgia• New soundtrack releases • Exclusive interviews with bands, artists and pop culture expertsNew episodes are released on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month.Support us on Patreon for bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/soundtrackyourlifeSubscribe to our pop culture writing site at: https://blog.soundtrackyourlife.netConnect with Soundtrack Your Life on the Web:https://www.soundtrackyourlife.nethttps://bsky.app/profile/soundtrackyourlife.nethttps://twitter.com/soundtrackcasthttps://instagram.com/soundtrackcastMusic: Phil Bertulfo of Rubber SpanielThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacySpotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

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Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - The 80s Horror Musical Soundtrack That Predicted Big Things for Menken & Ashman w/ Jenn Owens

2026/10/12

Jenn Owens of My Streaming Bubble and Twin It to Win It returns to talk about the soundtrack to the 1986 Frank Oz film, Little Shop of Horrors. This musical is actually an adaptation of a film from the 1960s, but it was brought to life through the music and lyrics of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Director and voice actor, Frank Oz directs, and the film stars Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Levi Stubbs, and a number of amazing comedic cameos. Menken and Ashman would be nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar for their song "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space". The would get scooped up by Disney to write songs for Disney animated classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and more. For More Information About Jenn Owens: My Streaming Bubble⁠ ⁠Twin it to Win It My Streaming Bubble on Threads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fountain (2006) - The Soundtrack Where Clint Mansell Teams Up with Mogwai and The Kronos Quartet to Create a Score That is Out of this World w/ Brian Skutle

2026/09/28

Brian Skutle of Sonic-Cinema joins Ryan Pak to talk about the soundtrack to the 2006 Darren Aronofsky film, The Fountain. The soundtrack is scored by frequent Aronofsky collaborator, Clint Mansell, who is joined by The Kronos Quartet and Scottish post-rock band, Mogwai, to create a score that links 3 different timelines in the film. Mansell also utilizes a choir on the score, which feels both maximalist and minimalist. For More Information About Brian Skutle / Sonic-Cinema: Website Instagram Threads Bandcamp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Band of The Calling on the Band's 1st Album in 22 Years and The Crazy Journey to Get There

2026/09/14

Lead singer and guitarist of The Calling, Alex Band, joins Ryan Pak to talk about the new album, Before the World Turns to Dust (out on Sept 25), the first album from The Calling in 22 years. Alex talks about the journey to get to this long awaited album, which includes being kidnapped, being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, and dealing with collapsing record labels. Alex also talks about coming from a lineage of artists and filmmakers, his songs being used in the closing ceremonies of the Olympics, the World Cup, and how a demo "Wherever You Will Go" caught the attention of a soundtrack supervisor's attention, placing Alex in the film Coyote Ugly. Before the World Turns to Dust is out on Sept 25. The single "Dust" is out now. For More Information on The Calling: Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mask (1994) w/ Robert Yaniz Jr. - The 90s Latin, Swing and R&B Soundtrack That Gave Jim Carrey a Billboard Dance Chart Hit

2026/08/24

Robert Yaniz Jr of Crooked Table and Back to Bluey joins Ryan Pak to talk about the soundtrack to the 1994 Chuck Russell film, The Mask. The soundtrack is considered to be at the forefront of the 90s swing revival with its throwback soundtrack that included artists like the Brian Setzer Orchestra & the Royal Crown Revue. Jim Carrey’s iconic cover of “Cuban Pete” landed Carrey in the top 40 on the Billboard Dance charts. The film also launched the career of an unknown actress named Cameron Diaz who made her acting debut in the film. Randy Edelman provided the score, helping turn Downtown Los Angeles into the comic book town of Edge City. Like many 90s films, the soundtrack jams multiple artists into the end credits such as Xscape, Harry Conick Jr and Tony! Toni! Tone! For More Information About Crooked Table: YouTube BlueSky Back to Bluey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Empire Strikes Back (1980) w/ Darin Lundberg - The John Williams Soundtrack Score That Refuses to Rest on Its Laurels

2026/08/10

Darin Lundberg of The NostalgiaCAST and the Back to Bluey Podcasts joins Ryan Pak to talk about the soundtrack to the 1980 Irvin Kershner film, The Empire Strikes Back. The Oscar nominated score was done by the iconic John Williams, who is as synonymous with the Star Wars franchise at this point as its creator, George Lucas. Darin shares why he goes back to The Empire Strikes Back and it's accompanying score more than the other 2 films in the original Star Wars trilogy. Darin and Ryan also talk about how the film's reputation has shifted over the years. They also talk about how John Williams' storied career only contains 5 Oscar wins even though he's been nominated 54 times. For More Information About Darin Lundberg: Twitter Threads Back to Bluey on IG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Swingers (1996) - The 90s Swing Revival Soundtrack Where Love Jones Contributed More Than A Song w/ Love Jones

2026/06/22

Earlier this year, Love Jones returned with the album, The Greatest Show on Earth, their first album since 2010, and Ben Daughtrey, Barry Thomas, and Jonathan Palmer discuss their journey to releasing the new album with Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak on Soundtrack Your Life. They also talk about their start as a band in 1990 and how they ended up in LA, where they would meeting the likes of director John Favreau and actor Vince Vaughn. Favreau and Vaughn who were making an indie-film called Swingers. The band contributed their song "Paid for Lovin'" to the soundtrack but the band was involved with more than just that song. Bassist Barry Thomas was a music consultant on the film, helping pick out songs for the soundtrack, and the band almost ended up in the film itself, since Favreau and Vaughn were such big fans of the band. Ben, Barry, and John share behind the scenes stories about Swingers, they also chat about jamming with producer/composer Jon Brion in the early 90s, and appearing in films like Since You've Been Gone and The Sweetest Thing. For More Information About Love Jones: Website Instagram Their Tonight Show Performance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bear Season 4 (2025) - The Show's Soundtrack is Known for 90s Rock but Season 4 Tweaks the Formula w/ Erin Marlow and Jenn Owens

2026/06/08

Erin Marlow of It's a Fandom Thing and Jenn Owens of My Streaming Bubble are back to talk the soundtrack of The Bear, Season 4, with Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak as we all wait for the much anticipated 5th and final season of The Bear. This episode was recorded from a livestream shortly after Season 4 was released but was kept until now with Season 5 just days away. From favorite S4 needle drops to reactions to the stunt casting for the season, Erin, Jenn, Nicole and Ryan break down the good, the bad, and wonder if a St. Vincent needle drop is too cool for The Bear. Check Out It's a Fandom Thing My Streaming Bubble Twin it to Win It Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chinese American Bear Discuss Their New Album and Explain Potato Europe vs Tomato Europe

2026/05/29

Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten of the Seattle via Chicago vs New York band Chinese American Bear join Ryan Pak to discuss their new album, Dim Sum and Then Some, which was released back on May 8, 2026. They discuss Anne and Bryce's favorite cities to get dim sum, their favorite meal on tour, the strangest meal they've had on tour, and how they came up with the band name. They also discuss some of their favorite scores and they play Life in 3 Tracks. Chinese American Bear is out on tour now! For More Information About Chinese American Bear: Website Bandcamp Instagram Calling All Angels (432 hz), the new single by mehro. Listen to the single here!: ⁠⁠https://lnk.dmsmusic.co/mehro_callingallangels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Only Murders in the Building (2021 - Current) - Award Winning Music Editor Micha Liberman on His Emmy Nominated Episode & Other Stories from His Career

2026/05/25

Award winning music editor and composer, Micha Liberman, joins Ryan Pak to explain the role of a music editor on a production on Soundtrack Your Life. They discuss the Emmy nominated episode "Sitzprobe" from Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building and the complexity of working with multiple teams to create a fake musical production. They also chat about Micha's career, from being an assistant to composer John Frizell to current projects like Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender, Running Point, and the upcoming Disney Plus show, Coven Academy. Micha also has a new album called Whole New Sun under the name Micha Meir. For more information about Micha Liberman: Micha on Instagram Micha's Website Mind Meld Arts Micha on LinkedIn Calling All Angels (432 hz), the new single by mehro. Listen to the single here!: ⁠https://lnk.dmsmusic.co/mehro_callingallangels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Austen's Period Drama (2024) - The Soundtrack for the Oscar Nominated Short Film Blends a Chamber Pop Score with an End Credits Banger w/ Nicole Alyse Nelson

2026/05/11

Actress Nicole Alyse Nelson, from the Oscar nominated short film, Jane Austen's Period Drama, joins Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak to talk about recently nominated film. The music for the soundtrack was composed by Alex Winkler who also wrote the end credits song "Slide Up" featuring Bryce Charles. The stark differences between the score and the song show Winkler's musical range. From how Nicole got involved with the project to the instructions she was given on how to handle a live chicken, all of this is discussed and more! For More Information about Nicole Alyse Nelson: Instagram Facebook Calling All Angels (432 hz) by mehro Listen to the single here!: https://lnk.dmsmusic.co/mehro_callingallangels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drive (2011) - The Soundtrack That's Too Cool To Listen To with Pop Culture Writer Chris Deville

2026/04/27

Pop Culture Writer Chris Deville (Stereogum) has just released his first book, Such Great Heights: The Complete Cultural History of the Indie Rock Explosion, back in August of 2025. He joins Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak to discuss the soundtrack to the 2011 Nicholas Winding Refn film Drive. Both the film and the soundtrack have become very influential. The film launched Ryan Gosling into a superstar leading man and the soundtrack's influence has permeated into both the indie and pop music space, influencing artists The Weekend, Schoolboy Q, and M83. The soundtrack boasts amazing synthwave needle drops, a great Clint Martinez score, and a bit of both from Chromatics mastermind, Jonny Jewel. All of this is discussed as well as Gosling's rise from the Notebook to the superstar that he is now. For More Information About Chris Deville: Order Such Great Heights Substack Stereogum Instagram Bluesky Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shrek 2 (2004) - The 2000s Blockbuster Pop Soundtrack Tries to Go Bigger than Its Predecessor with Pop Culture Writer/Podcaster Candice Lim

2026/04/11

Candice Lim, former host of Slate's ICYMI, former producer of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, and total pop colture savant, joins Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak to talk about the soundtrack to the 2004 Adamson, Asbury, and Vernon directed film, Shrek 2. As with many blockbuster sequels, the Shrek 2 soundtrack is filled with expensive needle drops, covers of famous songs, and a new song that was nominated for the 2004 Best Original Song Oscar. That would be the Counting Crows' "Accidentally in Love", which would end up falling to Jorge Drexler's "Al Otro Lado del Rio" from The Motorcycle Diaries. For covers, you have Butterfly Boucher covering David Bowie's "Changes", Frou Frou covering Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero" and Pete Droge covering "Ever Fallen in Love" by the Buzzcocks. Tom Waits and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds also appear in the soundtrack with previously released songs, as do The Eels, who are the connective thread between the various Shrek soundtracks. Candice attributes the Shrek 2 soundtrack to filling in pop culture blind spots of her youth and joins the hosts in making predictions about the upcoming Shrek 5 sequel. For More Information About Candice Lim Substack Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vicious (2025) - What Did Composer Tom Schraeder Learn From Scoring Vicious and The Dark and the Wicked?

2026/03/16

This episode is part of the Pocasthon 2026! We're supporting the YWCA of Minneapolis. Please learn more about the YWCA of Minneapolis here Tom Schraeder is a songwriter and composer and he scored the 2025 Brian Bertino film, Vicious,. He talks to Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak and scoring the film as well as his previous scores like The Dark and the Wicked, on this episode of Soundtrack Your Life. The Vicious Soundtrack Score is out now on Paramount Music. Tom also discusses his path to becoming a composer, collaborating with rock musicians such as Mars Williams (Psychadelic Furs), Nels Cline (Wilco). Clive Deamer (Portishead, Radiohead), and Stan Harrison (saxophonist for Bowie, Talking Heads, etc). He also talks about a musician that he may collaborate with in the future that Nicole and Ryan are very excited about. Nicole and Ryan also ask Tom about directors that he'd love to work with in the future, and they give flowers to the unsung heroes in soundtracks: sound editors and designers. For More Information About Tom Schraeder: Website Bandcamp Instagram For the month of March, Soundtrack Your Life is offering 10% off on merch with promo code: SYLMPLS. All proceeds from merch will be donated to the YWCA and other organizations to help Minneapolis. ⁠Merch Store⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2026 Oscars Best Original Song – K-Pop Demon Hunters vs. Sinners Soundtrack

2026/03/09

We've launched a SYL Merch Store! 10% for the month of March by using promo code SYLMPLS. All profits will go to various organizations in Minnesota. Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak break down the 2026 Oscars Best Original Song category. It looks like Huntrix's "Golden" from K-Pop Demon Hunters is the heavy favorite but Raphael Saadiq and Sinners is the most nominated film of the year. We break down the nominees, songs snubbed from the short list and give our thoughts on the Best Original Score category as well. Dianne Warren is hoping that her 17th nomination will finally get her The Oscar... for her song from a documentary about Dianne Warren. Head to SoulInsole.com and use code SNDCAST for 10% Off Your Order Take the 90 day Just Thrive Probiotic Challenge Today: (Save 20% on your 1st Order) ⁠https://justthrivehealth.com/CX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pop Culture Writer Tamar Herman on Whether the Music in K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025) is Actually K-Pop

2026/02/23

Pop Culture Writer, Tamar Herman, joins Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak to discuss the blockbuster soundtrack to the Maggie Kang's 2025 film, K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025). As someone who has covered the K-Pop industry for years, Tamar is the perfect guest to talk about the impact that the soundtrack has had on pop culture and the K-Pop writers and producers who helped shape the songs that have completely captured the zeitgeist. We Discuss: - The careers of EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, pre-Demon Hunters - Teddy Park and the BLACK Label writers who helped create the music for Huntr/x - Generation 1 K-Pop homages - K-Pop Megastars Twice and Their Contributions to the Soundtrack - Ryan's Experience at the Twice show in LA For More Information About Tamar Herman: Website Notes on K-Pop Instagram Threads Take the 90 day Just Thrive Probiotic Challenge Today: (Save 20% on your 1st Order) ⁠⁠https://justthrivehealth.com/CX⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast reviews

Read Soundtrack Your Life | A Film and TV Podcast podcast reviews

5 out of 5

24 reviews

★★★★★

JayTrotter2 2023/11/18

Give it a listen movie fans!

Fun show where soundtracks take the spotlight. The reasons the guests have for the soundtracks they’ve picked varies greatly and keeps it interesting,...

★★★★★

Shoot the Flick 2023/07/31

What a great music podcast!!

Ryan is such an amazing and engaging host! He really highlights everything you would want to know about the music and he has amazing guests! The late...

★★★★★

DFree1213 2022/12/19

Awesome Concept!

A celebration of pop culture and physical media, with hosts who are passionate and knowledgeable, facilitating an engaging conversation. Love how this...

★★★★★

Jay73227 2022/07/27

Great Podcast!

Interesting looks at the blend of music and movies. Highly recommended for both movie and music lovers!

★★★★★

Walk the Cinema 2022/02/06

Great show

Movies and music are my two favorite things and this show delivered on both. Great hosts that are not only passionate but also come across very clear....

★★★★★

Ab2793 2022/01/07

Love it 🥰

I absolutely love this show! The hosting is great the premise is awesome and even if your not super into soundtracks I’d still recommend it. The quali...

★★★★★

Ray.15 2021/01/12

Nostalgic!

A true fan of the classics. This pod brings back so many memories and the takes are interesting!

★★★★★

Grettel99 2020/10/15

Great new podcast

Great podcast for music lovers. I find myself looking forward to new episodes every week. Cool insights and great stories about good music.

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