The ‘Barbie,’ ‘Twisters’ Soundtrack Producer Hopes to Strike Gold Again With ‘F1’

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When producers of big-budget movies aim to create a buzz with an impressive soundtrack that aligns with the film’s release, it’s highly probable that one of the initial contacts they make is Kevin Weaver.

Atlantic Records’ west coast president, Weaver, has been achieving remarkable success recently. In 2023, he co-produced the soundtrack for “Barbie,” and last year, he worked on “Twisters.” The “Barbie” soundtrack won a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and produced several chart-topping singles. Meanwhile, “Twisters” has already been certified gold and, according to Weaver, is close to achieving platinum status.

Currently, he aims to achieve a hat-trick with “F1” – the movie releasing in theaters this Friday and predicted to outperform its rivals at the box office this weekend. Meanwhile, “F1 the Album” has also made its debut on streaming platforms today. Hans Zimmer, who created the music for the film, has also released his score album today.

We don’t dabble casually; usually, I undertake only one or two projects annually within this specific field. We are meticulous about our choices. This particular project has caught my eye for some time now. With Jerry Bruckheimer producing, Joe Kosinski directing, Brad Pitt attached to the F1 Intellectual Property, and Lewis Hamilton as a producer, it presents all the elements I’d be seeking in a creative collaboration.

Just as Barbie and Twisters were iconic soundtracks in their respective years, F1 is undeniably one of the most ambitious (if not the most ambitious) film soundtracks of 2025. While Barbie favored pop artists like Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish, and Twisters leaned towards country music with Luke Combs and Jelly Roll, F1 boasts a diverse array of global superstars across various genres such as latin, EDM, afrobeats, country, hip-hop, and pop. Artists like Ed Sheeran, Burna Boy, Rosé, Tate McRae, Chris Stapleton, Myke Towers, Doja Cat, Raye, Tiësto, and Peggy Gou are just a few of the many talents featured on this eclectic soundtrack.

Weaver describes his mood board as immersive, having attended several Formula One Grand Prix events. Our first stop was the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Spending days in the paddock, I was surrounded by a symphony of sounds from every direction – DJs, live music performances, and nightclub activities during evenings. The goal was to capture the essence of Formula One, its unique sonic landscape. This served as my creative inspiration.

Last summer, David Taylor from Apple TV+ reached out to the creator of the platinum-selling soundtracks for “Suicide Squad” and “The Greatest Showman,” discussing a new project involving music. This meeting was followed by gatherings with Kosinski, Bruckheimer, Brandon Davis and Joe Khoury from Atlantic Records, where they reviewed approximately a dozen scenes together.

Following the successful completion of the agreement, things began moving quickly – metaphorically and physically, according to Weaver. Joe and Jerry had an acute grasp of the significance of music in our context, and they recognized its worth. The sequences turned out spectacularly well, and it seemed there was a wealth of possibilities for significant musical moments. This location appears to have plenty of space for excellent music, so I started compiling a list, essentially a playlist, to capture the overall musical feel we could create here.

Finding the right talent for the project proved effortless, as Weaver noted that “most artists we contacted were eager to join us. We found ourselves with more than enough talented individuals to choose from.

According to Weaver, he began thinking about Burna Boy, Rosé, and Sheeran for the film’s soundtrack right from the start after observing the F1 scenes. The song “Don’t Let Me Down” by Burna Boy was the one that initially became a part of the movie. Other standout tracks include “Drive” by Sheeran, which has John Mayer on guitar and Dave Grohl on drums, as well as “Lose My Mind” by Don Toliver featuring Doja Cat.

Before dropping the new game soundtrack on Friday, Atlantic had already released a few singles like “Drive” and McRae’s “Just Keep Watching.” While none of these tunes had become massive solo hits yet, I’m hoping a successful launch will give them a boost, helping to build some momentum for the soundtrack as a whole.

Weaver expresses his desire for the current winning streak to persist, particularly in the realm of Formula 1 and beyond, hinting that his next soundtrack is linked to the most influential media franchise of our time, though he refrains from revealing further details. When prompted about his vision of a successful release, Weaver admits that using the Barbie soundtrack as a measure of success might be unrealistic due to its unprecedented cultural impact, but he aims for the F1 soundtrack to become an integral part of Formula 1 itself.

Barbie was an unusual case, but Twisters is on track to achieve a platinum record within its first year, and Luke Combs’ song has been a huge hit, according to Weaver. Our goal isn’t just to make a profit – anything that recoups its costs is successful – but we want to shape culture. We aim to create things that influence and impact culture, that feel distinctive, significant, and meaningful. We strive for this association to become synonymous with the sport. I believe we’ve managed to tick all these boxes here.

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2025-06-27 19:25