Music in racing movies is usually just a background blur of generic rock or aggressive EDM. Most directors think if it sounds fast, it works. But the Gran Turismo movie soundtrack had a much weirder, more specific job to do. It had to bridge the gap between a digital simulator and the visceral, terrifying reality of a Le Mans prototype hitting 200 mph. It needed to sound like a PlayStation 2 menu and a life-or-death sports drama at the same time. Honestly, it’s a miracle it didn't end up a mess.
Neill Blomkamp, the guy who did District 9, leaned heavily on Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski for the score. These aren't just random names. Balfe is a protégé of Hans Zimmer. He’s the guy who scored Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and Top Gun: Maverick. He knows how to write music that feels like high-velocity machinery. But for Gran Turismo, he had to respect the legacy of Masahiro Ando and the T-Square vibes that fans of the game grew up with. It's a weirdly specific niche.
The dual identity of the Gran Turismo movie soundtrack
When you’re watching Jann Mardenborough (played by Archie Madekwe) sit in his bedroom in Cardiff, the music feels small. It’s electronic. It’s rhythmic. It mirrors the focus required to nail a lap time in a simulator. But once he gets to GT Academy and eventually to the actual tracks like the Nürburgring, the scale shifts.
The score starts incorporating massive orchestral swells, but it never loses that electronic pulse. This was intentional. Balfe and Kawczynski used synths to represent the "digital" roots of the story. If they had used a purely traditional orchestra, it would have felt like any other sports movie. By keeping those digital textures, they remind you that Jann is a "sim racer" in a "real world." It's a sonic tether to the game.
Kenny G and Enya: The joke that actually matters
The most talked-about part of the Gran Turismo movie soundtrack isn't the epic orchestral stuff. It’s the licensed tracks. Specifically, Jann’s obsession with Kenny G and Enya. In the film, Jack Salter (David Harbour) is baffled by it. He wants to hear aggressive music to get the blood pumping. But Jann needs "Songbird" or "Orinoco Flow" to find his "zen."
This isn't just a funny character quirk the writers made up for a laugh. It’s a real-life detail about the actual Jann Mardenborough. He used that music to calm his heart rate. Racing is stressful. Your hands cramp. Your vision narrows. Listening to Enya was a legitimate tactical choice to lower cortisol levels. Including these songs in the soundtrack wasn't just about licensing hits; it was about factual accuracy.
- "Songbird" by Kenny G provides a surreal contrast to the screaming engines of a Nissan GT-R.
- "Orinoco Flow" by Enya highlights the mental isolation of a driver in a cockpit.
- "Warriors" by Imagine Dragons serves as the more "standard" hype anthem for the marketing, but it feels less essential to the story than the weird stuff.
Why the score feels like a racing simulator
A lot of the tracks on the official score album have titles like "Godzilla" or "Dubai." They are short, punchy, and built around a driving beat. Take the track "The Real Driving Simulator." It’s a direct nod to the game’s famous tagline. It starts with a low hum, building slowly, much like a car warming up in the pits.
Then you have pieces like "Le Mans." This is where the soundtrack gets heavy. The stakes in the final act of the movie are massive, and the music reflects the physical toll of a 24-hour race. You can hear the exhaustion in the strings. It’s not just "cool racing music." It’s the sound of a human body being pushed to the limit inside a carbon fiber box.
The transition between the licensed pop/rock songs and the original score is surprisingly smooth. You’ll hear Bonobo’s "Cirrus" early on, which fits perfectly with the aesthetic of the Gran Turismo menus. It’s sophisticated. It’s clean. It’s exactly what the game feels like. Then, when the action gets gritty, the score takes over.
The "Moon Over the Castle" factor
Any true fan of the franchise was listening for one specific thing: "Moon Over the Castle." Composed by Masahiro Ando, it’s the anthem of the Gran Turismo series. It’s been the opening theme for almost every Japanese release since 1997.
In the Gran Turismo movie soundtrack, the theme is used sparingly but effectively. It’s not blasted over every scene, which was a smart move. When you do hear those familiar riffs, it’s a reward for the long-time players. It validates the movie as a legitimate part of the GT legacy, not just a licensed cash-grab.
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Sound design vs. Music
It’s hard to talk about the soundtrack without mentioning the sound of the cars. The production team spent weeks recording actual GT3 engines. This is important because the music has to "sit" in the mix alongside those engines. If the score is too busy in the mid-range frequencies, you can't hear the downshifts.
Lorne Balfe’s team had to carve out space in the music for the Nissan GT-R’s twin-turbo V6. This is why a lot of the action cues are heavy on the low-end (percussion) and high-end (violins), leaving the middle open for the mechanical roar. It’s a technical balancing act that most people won't notice, but it’s why the racing scenes feel so immersive.
What most people get wrong about the music
People assume a movie about a video game should sound like "video game music." But Gran Turismo isn't Mario. It’s a brand that prides itself on "The Real Driving Simulator." The music reflects that prestige. It’s sleek. It’s expensive-sounding.
Some critics felt the soundtrack was too "safe" or followed the Zimmer-style percussion formula too closely. While there’s some truth to that—Balfe definitely has a "style"—it ignores how well it fits the sleek aesthetic of the Nissan brand and the FIA-sanctioned world of professional racing. It’s meant to sound like a broadcast, a documentary, and a blockbuster all at once.
Practical ways to experience the soundtrack
If you're looking to dive into the music, don't just shuffle a random playlist. There are two distinct ways to appreciate what happened here.
First, listen to the official score by Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski. This is for when you're working or driving and want that sense of forward momentum. "Jann’s Theme" is the standout here. It's the emotional core of the film.
Second, go back and find a playlist of the licensed tracks. Songs like "Kill Switch" by The Crystal Method or "Wash" by Bon Iver. The contrast between these songs tells the story of Jann's journey better than the dialogue does sometimes. You go from the "vibe" of a gamer to the "intensity" of a professional athlete.
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Actionable Next Steps
- Check the Credits: Look for the specific remix of "Moon Over the Castle" used in the film. It captures the evolution of the series from 1997 to today.
- Compare the Audio: Watch the Nürburgring crash scene with high-quality headphones. Notice how the music cuts out completely at the moment of impact, leaving only the haunting silence of the wind and the ticking of a cooling engine. This is a masterclass in using sound and music to create tension.
- Explore the Composers: If you like the mechanical, rhythmic feel of this soundtrack, check out Andrew Kawczynski’s work on Dunkirk or Lorne Balfe’s score for Ghost in the Shell. They specialize in this "industrial-orchestral" hybrid.
- The "Zen" Experiment: Try listening to Enya’s "Orinoco Flow" or Kenny G’s "Songbird" next time you’re doing something high-stress (like a difficult drive or a tight deadline). See if it actually works to lower your heart rate the way it did for the real Jann Mardenborough. It's a legitimate psychological hack.
The Gran Turismo movie soundtrack isn't just a collection of songs. It’s a bridge between the digital world of a bedroom in Wales and the high-stakes asphalt of the world's most dangerous race tracks. Whether you're a fan of the games or just like a good underdog story, the music is what makes that transition feel real. It’s sophisticated, it’s loud, and occasionally, it’s surprisingly peaceful.