Empire Records is a 1995 American comedy drama film directed by Allan Moyle, starring Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield, Debi Mazar, Rory Cochrane, Johnny Whitworth, Robin Tunney, Renée Zellweger, and Liv Tyler. The film follows a group of record store employees over the course of one exceptional day.
The employees try to stop the store from being sold to a large chain, and learn about each other along the way. The film generated negative reviews and major losses at the domestic US box office at its release. It went on to become a cult hit, and several of its stars launched successful careers.
The soundtrack album for Empire Records was originally attached to Atlantic Records, an affiliate of suitable for the film’s soundtrack. Warner Bros. at the time, because Warner Bros. had a distribution pact with the film’s producers, Regency Enterprises.
However, the soundtrack album was given to A&M Records in order to obtain the participation of A&M artists the Gin Blossoms, whose track Til I Hear It from You was issued as the lead single. Besides the Gin Blossoms, four other A&M acts had new tracks released on the soundtrack album: Ape Hangers, Drill, Innocence Mission, and Lustre.
The album also introduced tracks by Better Than Ezra, Cracker, the Cranberries, Evan Dando (whose cover of Big Star‘s The Ballad of El Goodo featured Empire Records female lead Liv Tyler on background vocals), and Toad The Wet Sprocket, and by unsigned acts the Martinis, Please, and Coyote Shivers. The Martinis, featuring former Pixies members Joey Santiago and Dave Lovering, were recommended by Hits magazine president Karen Glauber who was musical consultant for Empire Records, while the film’s line music supervisor Bob Knickman discovered Please by searching the internet for unsigned talent Coyote Shivers, who played aspiring musician turned store clerk Berko in the film, became involved in the project by virtue of being the stepfather of Liv Tyler (Shivers being married to Tyler‘s mother, Bebe Buell, at the time).
Two previously released tracks were also included on the original release of the Empire Records soundtrack album: A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins and Ready, Steady, Go by the Meices (the latter’s frontman Joe Reineke subsequently led Alien Crime Syndicate). The Honeymoon Is Over by the Cruel Sea, a track heard in the film but not featured on the US release of the soundtrack album, was included on the German and Australian releases.
The Gin Blossoms‘ Til I Hear It From You charted as high as #9, affording the band their first Top 20 hit. Two other tracks from the album had a single release: Edwyn Collins‘ A Girl Like You, which charted at #32, and the Ape Hangers‘ I Don’t Want to Live Today.The version of the song Sugarhigh that appears in the movie differs significantly from the one included on the soundtrack.
The film version has additional lyrics and chorus vocals provided by Renée Zellweger. It was intended only as a rough mix for playback during filming but was included on the soundtrack album because a remastered version was not available.
Francis Coyote Shivers, the artist who released the song, played the lead singer who performed the song on the rooftop of the store at the end of the movie. The Empire Records soundtrack peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Tracklist:
- Til I Hear It from You (by Gin Blossoms)
- Liar (by The Cranberries)
- A Girl Like You (by Edwyn Collins)
- Free (by The Martinis)
- Crazy Life (by Toad the Wet Sprocket)
- Bright As Yellow (by The Innocence Mission)
- Circle of Friends (by Better Than Ezra)
- I Don’t Want to Live Today (by Ape Hangers)
- Whole Lotta Trouble (by Cracker)
- Ready, Steady, Go (by The Meices)
- What You Are (by Drill)
- Nice Overalls (by Lustre)
- Here It Comes Again (by Please)
- The Ballad of El Goodo (by Evan Dando)
- Sugarhigh (by Coyote Shivers)
- The Honeymoon Is Over (by The Cruel Sea) (Australian and German edition)
Songs from the film not included in the official soundtrack
Can’t Stop Losing Myself (by Dirt Clods)
Hey Joe (by Dirt Clods)
Dark and Brooding (by Noah Stone)
Thorn in My Side (by Quicksand)
Little Bastard by Ass Ponys (as Ass Ponies)
I Don’t Know Why (by Sacrilicious)
Real (by Real)
If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) (by AC/DC)
Counting Blue Cars (by Dishwalla)
Snakeface (by Throwing Muses)
Candy (by Full Tilt Gonzo)
How (by The Cranberries)
Hardlight (by Pegboy)
Chew Toy (by Fig Dish)
Power Shack (by Fitz of Depression)
Saddam A Go-Go (by Gwar)
Back Down Blues (by Loose Diamonds)
Tomorrow (by Mouth Music)
Plowed (by Sponge)
Surround You (by Billy White Trio)
L.A. Girl (by Adolescents)
Vinyl Advice (by Dead Hot Workshop)
This Is the Day (by The The)
Say No More (Mon Amour) by Maxwell Caulfield as Rex Manning (written for the film)
She Walks (by Poster Children)
Sorry (by Sybil Vane)
Infinity (by Mouth Music)
Money (That’s What I Want) (by Flying Lizards)
Sugar High (ft. Renee Zellweger) (by Coyote Shivers)
Seems (by Queen Sarah Saturday)
Romeo and Juliet (by Dire Straits)
Video Killed the Radio Star (by The Buggles)
I Shot the Devil (by Suicidal Tendencies)
Smooth Up In Ya (by Bulletboys)
Rock ‘n’ Roll/EGA (by Daniel Johnston)
