In my interview with executive music producer Ian Eisendrath, he pulls back the curtain on Netflix’s most musically ambitious animated features: KPop Demon Hunters. The film, which blends demon-slaying action with K-pop stardom, required a soundtrack that could live up to its larger-than-life premise, and Eisendrath delivered just that.

Working alongside powerhouse producers like Teddy Park and Lindgren, Eisendrath, as well as real K-pop stars, including TWICE’s Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung, set out to create a score that was more than just a collection of catchy songs. His mission was to make the music drive the story, shape character arcs, and stand on its own as chart-worthy K-pop hits. The result is a soundtrack that feels both cinematic and authentic to the genre it honors.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW WITH IAN EISENDRATH BELOW

WHAT IS KPOP DEMON HUNTERS?

KPop Demon Hunters is the hit animated action-musical film from Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix that combines supernatural thrills with the global phenomenon of K-pop. Set in a fantastical version of Seoul, the story centers on Huntr/x, a fierce K-pop girl group who lead double lives as glamorous idols by day and secret demon slayers by night. As their fame skyrockets, so does the danger, especially for Rumi, who harbors a secret: she’s part demon herself. Visually bold and emotionally rich, KPop Demon Hunters fulfills its promises to be a unique cinematic experience fusing K-pop spectacle with girl-powered fantasy, heart-pounding action, and a message of self-acceptance at its core.

MORE ABOUT THE KPOP DEMON HUNTERS SOUNDTRACK

The soundtrack is making huge waves, landing at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. It’s the highest-charting soundtrack since Wicked. It’s also the top-performing animated film soundtrack since Metro Boomin’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which reached No. 7 in July 2023.

On top of that, K-Pop Demon Hunters is the first Netflix show soundtrack in over two years to hit No. 1 on the Top Soundtracks chart, a milestone last reached by Stranger Things: Season 4 in November 2022. Here are some of its recent highlights:

  • No. 1 album on the Worldwide iTunes Album Chart
  • No. 1 most-streamed album on Spotify as of June 25
  • A staggering 1,143.75% increase in streams since June 20
  • Eight songs charting globally on Spotify as of June 25
  • The Saja Boys breaking into the U.S. Spotify Top 10, making a serious case for Rookie of the Year

So, it’s easy to say that this soundtrack is about to completely dominate my Spotify Wrapped this year. Now, after listening on repeat, I knew I had to rank my favorite tracks for all of you. This isn’t a ranking from least favorite to favorite. It’s a list of the songs I love to listen to on repeat, the ones that tell the best stories, and the absolute bangers that get me hyped every time.

Keep Reading:

The Definitive Ranking of KPop Demon Hunters Songs. No Skips, Just Slays