Warning: Spoilers ahead for Clown in a Cornfield
Eli Craig’s new slasher Clown in a Cornfield follows a teenage girl who arrives in a town stuck in the past, and its soundtrack is representative of that clash between the old and the new. Based on Adam Cesare’s 2020 novel of the same name, Clown in a Cornfield features Kevin Durand, Will Sᴀsso, Aaron Abrams, and Katie Douglas in a star-making turn. She portrays Quinn Maybrook, a Philadelphia girl forced to move to the rural town of Kettle Springs, where she and her new friends quickly run afoul of a vicious version of the town mascot, Frendo the Clown.
The soundtrack for Clown in a Cornfield matches the events of the movie well, and covers everything from 1980s hip-hop to modern electronica. The frenetic energy of a clown’s murder spree through a high school barn party and a frantic escape through a burnt-out factory is somehow captured by the soundtrack, making for an interesting list when it’s all laid out. The music is in no way integral to the plot of Clown in a Cornfield, but it does provide a fun backdrop to the highly-anticipated and well-reviewed slasher to kick off the summer in 2025.
Song |
Artist |
---|---|
“What Do I Owe” |
Dummy |
“I Ain’t No Joke” |
Eric B. & Rakim |
“Get Out The Way” |
Mother Mother |
“If I Look Fine” |
Roet |
“Bye Bye” |
Haiku Hands & Ribongia |
“A Thousand Little Fires (feat. Definitely Dean)” |
Anthony Lazaro |
“Not About You” |
Haiku Hands |
“How U Feelin” |
Kabwasa |
“Wicked and Weird” |
Buck 65 |
“Heavyweight” |
Ruckspin & Lynxegirl |
“The Force” |
Nicholas Hill, Glenn Herweijer, & Ben Sumner |
“Keep It Up” |
Good Neighbours |
“Won’t Take Me Alive” |
Dirty Honey |
When Every Song On The Clown In A Cornfield Soundtrack Plays In The Movie
Several Different Music Genres Are Represented
“What Do I Owe” by Dummy: The 2003 rock hit by Dummy plays in the opening scene of the movie, which features a scene from a party in 1991, three decades before the primary events of the movie. A young couple leaves a barn party to find further trouble in the nearby cornfield, and both they and the audience are introduced to Frendo the Clown in gruesome fashion.
“I Ain’t No Joke” by Eric B. & Rakim: The vintage hip-hop song from 1980s icons Eric B. & Rakim is playing on the radio as Quinn and her father first drive into Kettle Springs. She scolds him for playing his “old 90s rap”, and turns it off, and it certainly sticks out in the greater scale of the soundtrack.
“Get Out The Way” by Mother Mother: The 2014 song “Get Out the Way” by Canadian indie rockers Mother Mother plays while Quinn is unpacking her room. The rebellious lyrics and tone help introduce Quinn’s personality a bit more.
“If I Look Fine” by Roet: The slower, indie rock vibes of Roet play while Quinn is being driven home by her father after getting in trouble at school.
“Bye Bye” by Haiku Hands & Ribongia: The dance electronica track from Haiku Hands & Ribongia plays while the arrogant jock Matt is lifting weights in his garage. Matt becomes the second of the friend group to fall victim to Frendo, as his head is removed with an improvised guillotine and packed away in a cooler.
“A Thousand Little Fires (feat. Definitely Dean)” by Anthony Lazaro: The easier alternative sound of Anthony Lazaro is the perfect backdrop over a smitten Quinn’s text conversation with Cole, who encourages her to sneak out despite being grounded after her run-in with the police.
“Not About You” by Haiku Hands: The dance electronica group Haiku Hands returns for the scene in which Quinn finally caves to Cole’s urging and sneaks out.
“How U Feelin” by Kabwasa: Kabwasa’s upbeat R&B/electronica blend “How U Feelin” plays while Cole and Quinn arrive at the barn party that Cole puts on every year. It perfectly captures the vibe of a group of unsupervised teenagers partying in a barn; it’s free-wheeling and feel-good.
“Wicked and Weird” by Buck 65: Canadian rapper Buck 65’s song “Wicked and Weird” is ceratinly a rap song, but it’s got heavy country influence that perfectly fits the scene it can be heard in. Quinn and Cole take the lead on dancing in the barn after Cole introduces the reason for the party, and the song is ideal for the vibe of the scene.
“Heavyweight” by Ruckspin & Lynxegirl: The rap/electronica song “Heavyweight” plays when Quinn drags Cole out of the barn to a nearby shed so that they can privately hook up. The female-led song matches Quinn’s atтιтude perfectly in lyrics and tone, as she is in complete control of the situation before Cole puts the brakes on things.
“The Force” by Nicholas Hill, Glenn Herweijer, & Ben Sumner: The hip-hop/electronica song plays while the survivors of the Frendo mᴀssacre finally drive away from the decrepit facility where Arthur Hill intended to hang his son. Its sunny vibe matches the relief and joy of the scene, just as most of the soundtrack does.
“Keep Up” by Good Neighbours: An epilogue scene that takes place a year later sees Quinn packing the car and leaving Kettle Springs, presumably to head off to college. After she says goodbye to Cole and Rust, this song by Good Neighbours plays, which encapsulates Quinn’s somewhat sad yet hopeful mindset as she leaves.
“Won’t Take Me Alive” by Dirty Honey: The modern rock song from Dirty Honey plays over the end credits of Clown in a Cornfield, and puts an exclamation point on the entire affair.
Where To Listen To Clown In A Cornfield’s Soundtrack
Keep An Eye On The Major Streaming Platforms
The soundtrack for Clown in a Cornfield was not available on the typical major streaming music platforms like Apple Music and Spotify for the movie’s initial release. That’s par for the course for an independent movie like this, and it won’t be a surprise if it isn’t available even for a few days or weeks after the movie’s wide release on May 9th. If it does eventually become available, it should be on most major platforms. All the individual songs are available on Apple Music and Spotify for those seeking out specific tunes from the Clown in a Cornfield soundtrack.