Growing up in the 2000s, I was fortunate enough to experience Disney’s transition into 3D animation.
While the spectacle of Disney movies has improved sensationally over the years with advancements in animation technology, the movie’s soundtracks have drastically improved over the last two decades.
Disney has never composed a bad soundtrack, and to me, the music in Disney movies has only gotten better over time.
The best way to illustrate this evolution is with the oh-so-popular “Frozen” franchise.
“Frozen” was first released in 2013 when I was in my freshman year of high school. Seeing it in the theater for the first time is something that I’ll never forget, and I especially have vivid memories of the score.
While I still know every word to the “Frozen” soundtrack, it is far from the best of what Disney had in store for the franchise.
“Let it Go” was no doubt the most popular song of the soundtrack, followed closely by “Love is an Open Door” and “For the First Time in Forever.” All of these songs were incredibly catchy. “Let it Go” was a striking contemporary female solo, something that I still scream to in the car to this day.
But, for a movie all about two sisters, I couldn’t help but feel like “Frozen” lacked in empowering music. It didn’t help that “Let it Go” would soon overdo itself and become a thorn in the side of parents everywhere.
When Disney announced that “Frozen” was coming to Broadway and adding original music, I was over the moon hoping for some strong solos from Anna and Elsa.
But, while the adaptation of the movie tried to deliver on that, the new music was lacking in character.
However, it would be only a matter of years before Disney gave me exactly what I needed.
“Frozen 2” released in November of 2019, and I saw it opening night. Since then I have listened to the soundtrack at least once every day.
I mean it when I say that the “Frozen 2” soundtrack is flawless.
The songs flow in an optimal order, giving the audience some upbeat, funny anthems that complement the serious contemporary solo tracks.
The lyrics are smartly written and do a great job showing how the characters have grown since the first film.
“Some Things Never Change” does an excellent job opening the film, including all of the main characters and giving the audience an idea of their plans for their future in Arendelle.
Immediately after is a nonstop marathon of amazing solo music from all of the main characters. Elsa of course gets a majority of the solo music, but unlike the previous movie I didn’t feel like the other characters were slighted or overshadowed.
What the other characters lacked in quantity of music, they made up for in the quality of the songs that were written for them.
Anna finally gets a dramatic and empowering solo in “The Next Right Thing,” a song that displays her growth as a character and shows that while she loves her family dearly, she is more than capable of making her own way in the world.
Kristoff finally gets a song, and while it’s meant to be a comedic piece, it does a great job of depicting his intense feelings for Anna.
And while Elsa’s songs are in the majority, they don’t feel repetitive. Every one of Elsa’s songs has a purpose.
The “Frozen 2” soundtrack is my favorite Disney soundtrack of all time.
Even if you were burnt out on the first of the “Frozen” soundtracks, I encourage you to give it a listen.
The score has a perfect balance of somber sounds mixed with upbeat comedy, and I am thoroughly convinced I will never get tired of it.

ALEXIS AFTON
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