“Captain Marvel” is going to give “Guardians of the Galaxy” a run for its money. While that film had a killer ’80s mixtape, the soundtrack for “Captain Marvel” is loaded with ’90s radio staples and girl rock anthems that perfectly set the tone of female empowerment and energy. In fact the film is so filled with ’90s nostalgia, in one scene after Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers has just crash landed in Earth in 1995, she’s standing in front of a wall covered in ads for new albums by Smashing Pumpkins, Bush, 311 and PJ Harvey. So get out your Discman and check out these songs all featured prominently in the film. The full film soundtrack is also available now.
“Crazy on You” – Heart
Carol wears a bunch of vintage bands T-shirts throughout the film, including from Guns N’ Roses and Nine Inch Nails early on, and this ’70s classic by Heart is a perfect karaoke duet for any decade.
“Kiss Me Deadly” – Lita Ford
While a Joan Jett banger would’ve been just as fitting, the “Captain Marvel” directors went with this track from another solo act that broke off from the iconic, original, all-girl group The Runaways.
“Whatta Man” – Salt N Pepa Feat. En Vogue
We hear this Salt-N-Pepa classic when Carol first lands on Earth and steps outside of a Blockbuster Video and approaches a dumbfounded security guard listening to the song in his car.
“Connection” – Elastica
This hooky Britpop track by ’90s band Elastica briefly kicks off the film. The group’s mix of new wave synths and grungy guitars have helped the song age very well.
“Only Happy When it Rains” – Garbage
While “Captain Marvel” is generally upbeat, we hear Garbage’s misanthropic jam as Carol drives back to her hometown for the first time since landing on Earth.
“Waterfalls” – TLC
We hear this song when Carol and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) are driving to the Pegasus facility, where they are headed through the desert, with nary a waterfall in sight.
“You Gotta Be” – Des’ree
Another smooth, R&B classic, the lyrics to Des’ree’s song might just be the movie’s thesis statement: “You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger.”
“Come As You Are” – Nirvana
This one isn’t a girl-power song, but it doesn’t get more ’90s grunge than Nirvana, and the song fits Carol’s journey of self-discovery during a critical point in the film. Plus the song gets Annette Bening dancing.
“Just a Girl” – No Doubt
This one’s a little too on the nose, but it comes during a killer fight scene.
“Man on the Moon” – R.E.M.
This 1992 song near the end of the film is fitting as both Carol and Fury reflect on her otherworldly journey. It’s actually one of two R.E.M. songs featured on the “Captain Marvel” soundtrack, with the other being 1994’s “Crush With Eyeliner” off “Monster.”
“Celebrity Skin” – Hole
This Hole single plays during the film’s end credits, which makes sense since “Celebrity Skin” didn’t come out until 1998, well after the events of “Captain Marvel.”
