Various – Barbie The Album (LP Neon Pink Vinyl)
Produced by Mark Ronson, Barbie the Album shines on its own as a fun sonic reimagining of the Barbie storyline with a hint of nostalgia, featuring some of the biggest acts in music.
Like in the film’s opening sequence, Lizzo’s vocals on the silly opener “Pink” immerse the listener into the world of Barbie as she narrates the doll’s imaginary day (just as Hoku’s “Perfect Day” did in Legally Blonde). As Robbie told Rolling Stone, the song “became a device to enhance what the audience was watching and experiencing.”
The album doesn’t take itself seriously, and it’s better for it. After Karol Gwraps her beach Barbie track “Watati,” Sam Smith sings from the perspective of a “super sleazy, sexy and freaky” Ken on “Man I Am” as they hilariously address the jokes that Ken is a closeted queer guy: “No, I’m not gay, bro, but I’ve been on that lay low.” Smith, a non-binary person, is perfect for the song.
If Gosling’s satirical, Eighties-infused “I’m Just Ken” and Jack Black’s “Peaches” faced each other in the ring… Gosling would take home the crown. (Sorry, Bowser.) And in the film, Gosling steals the show with his dance performance.
A Barbie album without Nicki Minaj simply wouldn’t make sense, and “Barbie World,” her track with Ice Spice, effortlessly brings Aqua’s classic “Barbie Girl” from the Nineties to 2023. Dominic Fike shows a brighter, summery side than usual on “Hey Blondie.” Gayle plays a grungy Barbie on “Butterflies.” Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” mirrors the existential, tear-jerking moment Robbie’s character goes through in the film. And K-pop group Fifty Fifty’s earworm “Barbie Dreams” epitomizes the picture-perfect, pink world of the doll.
Before the album even drops, some haters complained that some of the snippets sounded too similar to the artists’ own music, but that’s why the Barbie album works so well. “Choose Your Fighter” lives in the lane of Ava Max’s Diamonds & Dancefloors but feels like a video game character-esque upgrade to her own dance pop. Charli XCX’s addicting “Speed Drive” could’ve led off her excellent album Crash, Dua Lipa’s disco track “Dance the Night” exudes Future Nostalgia, and even Eilish’s whispering vocals are exactly what we’d expect from the songstress. The stars arrive with an air of familiarity that still transports listeners to Barbie’s world.
Barbie the Album has something for everyone (Brandi Carlile’s loving bonus track cover of the Indigo Girls’ “Closer To Fine” is an especially sweet, sincere touch), and it neatly ties together the playful feminism of the film into an enjoyable musical experience. You don’t have to watch the movie to love the music, just like you don’t have to play with the dolls to enjoy the film.
A1 Lizzo – Pink
A2 Dua Lipa – Dance The Night
A3 Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice – Barbie World
A4 Charli XCX – Speed Drive
A5 Karol G – Watati
A6 Sam Smith – Man I Am
A7 Tame Impala – Journey To The Real World
A8 Ryan Gosling – I’m Just Ken
B9 Dominic Fike – Hey Blondie
B1 Haim – Home
B2 Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For?
B3 The Kid Laroi – Forever & Again
B4 Khalid – Silver Platter
B5 PinkPantheress – Angel
B6 Gayle – Butterflies
B7 Ava Max – Choose Your Fighter
Label: Atlantic – 075678616761
Country: Europe
Media Condition: Mint (M)
Sleeve Condition: Mint (M)
Sealed