The soundtrack for Disney’s Encanto has topped the Billboard 200 charts, putting a film soundtrack in first place for the first time since 2019.
Since Encanto was released on Disney+ on 24th December, the popularity of the film and its original songs has skyrocketed. With a soundtrack written by Hamilton’s Lin Manuel Miranda, it has now shot up to number one on the Billboard 200 charts in the US.
This is a considerable achievement – a film soundtrack hasn’t topped the charts since 2019, when Frozen 2 made it to the top spot. Encanto has had an even harder time reaching those heights when you consider that the soundtrack has had to knock Adele’s 30 off the pedestal it’s been sat on for six whole weeks.
The soundtrack’s sales seem to be fuelled mostly by a love of the catchy tune We Don’t Talk About Bruno. The single is at number five in the US Billboard 100, and is similarly loved here in the UK. It’s currently in fourth place on the Official Singles Chart.
Encanto is about the magical Madrigal family. For generations, each family member has gone through a rite of passage and received a special magic ability. All except main character, Mirabel, who struggles to help and to uphold her family’s legacy without having any powers. It turns out that despite lacking the outward “specialness” of her other relatives, she has the ability to save everyone when their magic is endangered.
It’s no wonder the film has gained such sudden popularity. The release on Disney+ at no extra charge has done it a world of good, but it’s the catchy songs and heartfelt story that have really captured our attention. It is a tale that tells us that we are all equally special, no matter if we have special talents (or magical abilities) or not, and that we should all be happy in our own skin.
Encanto looks set to pick up some nominations, and maybe even some wins, at the awards this year. Perhaps a Best Original Song nomination is on the cards for one of the soundtrack’s many wonderful tunes.
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