FIFTY SHADES OF "GRAY"

Things get 50 shades of awkward when you leave work at two in the afternoon to go watch 2015's steamiest date movie by yourself... in a tiny theater on the Universal Pictures lot... packed with an array of film and music biz weasels that you barely know outside of the occasional "hey, buddy."

Well, that was my Wednesday. Sometimes I question what it is I actually do for a living, but I'm 100% groovin' with it.

Honestly? I was skeptical going into this, as I'm not one to jump into the latest mainstream romance novel that's been casually referred to as "soft-core porn." I'm still reading Kurt Vonnegut's Sirens of Titan, for chrissake.

The film, however, managed to leave me pleasently surprised, and a little sexually frustrated for that matter. I MAY have done a search for a spot to buy some fuzzy cuffs post-screening, but that's between me and Siri.


If you haven't been paying attention, the soundtrack is set to be a smash, sales-wise. As Republic's Tom Mackay reminded us in his intro, the set is looking like it could do over 400k globally in its first week. That's mighty impressive for a soundtrack. Half of that should be in U.S. alone, FYI.

Wanna know why some are suggesting that this soundtrack could see a boost reminiscent of a modern-day Saturday Night Fever? It's because the songs are extremely well-integrated. From the first sounds of Annie Lennox's intoxicating take on the classic "I Put a Spell on You," to Ellie Goulding's uplifting "Love Me Like You Do" mid-helicopter ride and Beyonce's steamy, re-vamped versions of "Haunted" and "Crazy in Love" when the whips and ropes come out, the songs perfectly sync with the scenes.

The ST features 16 tracks (listed below), Mackay notes, and only two—from Frank Sinatra and The Rolling Stones—were licensed rather than created specifically for the project.

Too many times in the movie-watching experience, songs match their scenes fine, but when you put them all together on a soundtrack, they just don't mesh. Not the case here. More to the point, people are gonna wanna shag to this album.

And what do marketing weasels always preach? Sex sells.

If you can't wait 'til Saturday to indulge in some nudity and sultry sounds, check out the official vid for The Weeknd's scrumptious single, "Earned It," which features prominently in the film. The track's currently Top 25 and climbing at Rhythm radio, btw.


1. "I Put A Spell On You (Fifty Shades of Grey)," Annie Lennox
2. "Undiscovered," Laura Welsh
3. "Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)," The Weeknd
4. "Meet Me In The Middle," Jessie Ware
5. "Love Me Like You Do," Ellie Goulding
6. "Haunted (Michael Diamond Remix)," Beyoncé
7. "Salted Wound," Sia
8. "Beast Of Burden," The Rolling Stones
9. "I'm On Fire," AWOLNATION
10. "Crazy In Love (2014 Remix)," Beyoncé
11. "Witchcraft," Frank Sinatra
12. "One Last Night," Vaults
13. "Where You Belong," The Weeknd
14. "I Know You," Skylar Grey
15. "Ana And Christian," Danny Elfman
16. "Did That Hurt?," Danny Elfman