The Spider-Man franchise has accomplished a lot over the course of 20 years and a multitude of films, giving audiences awe-inspiring action, compelling characters, gripping storylines, and, of course, blood-pumping web-swinging sequences. There is, however, an aspect of the franchise that is often overlooked: Its music.
Throughout the years, the Spider-Man films have been the basis for a few remarkable songs. Some are fun, some are sentimental, and some encourage you to daydream about going on a crimefighting journey of your own.
With that in mind, we thought it appropriate to shine the spotlight on five awesome songs that the Wall-Crawler's cinematic franchise has given us.
5. "Hero" by Chad Kroeger, Featuring Josey Scott (Spider-Man)
2002's Spider-Man was billed as the epic introduction of the Wall-Crawler to (at the time) modern audiences, so it needed an equally epic song to accompany it. That was "Hero." Different interpretations aside, the song's lyrics appear to have very little to do with Peter Parker or his super-powered alter ego (it was, after all, not written for the hero's 2002 film, as Kroeger revealed during an interview with Men's Health). The apparent rage its lyrics exude aren't compatible with the Web-Slinger's usually calm nature, either.
Despite having so little to do with Spider-Man, though, its powerful vocals and remarkable composition added gravitas to Peter's journey in the film. The song has become a bit of a joke among comic-book-movie fans over the years, but it's arguably one of the most memorable superhero-film anthems out there.
4. "Signal Fire" by Snow Patrol (Spider-Man 3)
"Signal Fire" is just... *Chef's kiss.* It's about a person looking to be saved by their loved one after falling into despair, and what's more fitting for Spider-Man than that? The song features tragedy, romance and adventure — all inherent aspects of the Wall-Crawler. And, if looked at deeply enough, one could say it's a fascinating insight into Peter Parker's feelings for Mary Jane, as she remained the hero's one true light in the darkness throughout the entirety of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.
Of course, "Signal Fire"'s greatness doesn't stop with its sound. Its accompanying music video focuses on a group of children putting together a Spider-Man play (based on Raimi's film series) at school, and, it's the perfect balancing act of fun, action and childhood nostalgia. If you're ever in the mood to either be inspired or being left on the verge of tears, give it a watch.
3. "It's On Again" by Alicia Keys, Featuring Kendrick Lamar (The Amazing Spider-Man 2)
One of Spider-Man's most important traits is his unwillingness to back down. No matter how beaten down he may be, or how powerful his adversaries are, he always gets back up to save the day. "It's On Again" captures that. The song is cleverly composed, as it's able to evoke a range of emotions in listeners. It's exhilarating, yet ominous at the same time, much like The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was.
As The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Marc Webb explained when the song was announced to be in the movie: "We were looking for just the right song to close out the film — a song that would be upbeat and exciting, but also contain a note of foreboding. ['It's On Again'] is the perfect end note." Played at the end of the film, the song served as both a poignant reminder of Peter's journey, as well as a fitting companion to the Sinister Six teases featured in the closing credits.
2. "What's Up Danger" by Black Caviar and Blackway (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)
Simply put, this song makes you want to put on a costume and find a villain to fight while completely disregarding your personal safety. As its title implies, "What's Up Danger" is about someone living their life to the limit, doing everything in their power to prove they're not afraid. Miles Morales spent most of Into the Spider-Verse discovering himself and going up against impossible odds, which makes this an appropriate anthem for his story.
The choice to have "What's Up Danger" as Miles swung around New York in his very own Spider-Man suit was inspired. It was a sign that, after going through so much (including fighting larger-than-life super-villains, losing his uncle and finding a whole new family of Spider-people for himself), he had finally embraced the Spider-Man mantle.
1. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" by B.J. Thomas (Spider-Man 2)
Catchy songs like this one and Spider-Man go together like webbing and buildings. We are, admittedly, cheating a bit with this entry, given how "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" was not made for Spider-Man 2, and actually precedes the movie by a good three decades. However, the song, as well as the film's use of it, was so memorable that we couldn't keep it out of the list. Midway through Sam Raimi's second Spidey adventure, Peter had an identity crisis, lost his powers and decided to quit the superhero business. While losing cool spider powers out of nowhere would be worrisome to pretty much everyone, Peter embraced it.
He was finally a normal guy with no super-worries, and we got to see him living his life in a hilarious montage accompanied by the song in question. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" captured Peter Parker's upbeat nature, but it also imbued the montage with an irony worthy of Spider-Man. Yes, everything was going well for Peter, but there was something off about the scene that made you realize that trouble was brewing for the Wall-Crawler.