Lost in Translation Soundtrack: Released in 2003, Lost in Translation is a romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Sofia Coppola. Bill Murray stars as Bob Harris, a fading American movie star having a midlife crisis while in Tokyo to promote Suntory whisky. There he meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a recent college graduate left to her own devices while her photographer husband works. Two strangers adrift in a foreign city, they form an unlikely, tender bond over a few sleepless nights.
Release date: October 3, 2003 (United States)
Genres: Comedy, Drama
As per IMDb, the official synopsis: A faded movie star and a neglected young woman form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in Tokyo.
Quick Facts
| Film | Lost in Translation (2003) |
| Director | Sofia Coppola |
| US Release Date | October 3, 2003 |
| Genres | Comedy, Drama |
| Original Songs/Score by | Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine) |
| Music Supervisor | Brian Reitzell |
| Soundtrack Label | Emperor Norton Records (2003) |
| Where to Stream | Movie: various digital platforms; soundtrack on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music |
Who Composed the Lost in Translation Soundtrack
- Kevin Shields: Kevin Patrick Shields was born in Queens, New York, in 1963 and moved with his family to Dublin, Ireland, at age six, growing up there ever since — hence the “American-born Irish musician” description often used for him. He is best known as the singer, guitarist, and driving creative force of the shoegaze band My Bloody Valentine. For Lost in Translation, Shields contributed five original instrumental pieces plus the My Bloody Valentine track “Sometimes,” working alongside music supervisor Brian Reitzell, who compiled the rest of the soundtrack and co-produced two cues of his own with Roger J. Manning Jr.
Music of Lost in Translation
The Lost in Translation soundtrack was released in 2003 via Emperor Norton Records. It contains five songs by Kevin Shields, including a track by his band My Bloody Valentine. Other artists on the soundtrack include Air, Death in Vegas, Squarepusher, Phoenix, Happy End, and the Jesus and Mary Chain, giving the record its hazy, jet-lagged, late-night-Tokyo atmosphere.
Lost in Translation Soundtrack List
Here is a complete list of the Lost in Translation soundtrack. You can listen to it on Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, Apple Music, SoundCloud, and other platforms.
| Song | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Intro / Tokyo | Kevin Shields | Opening cue |
| City Girl | Kevin Shields | From the Lost in Translation soundtrack album (2003) |
| Shibuya | Brian Reitzell & Roger J. Manning Jr. | Original score cue |
| Fantino | Sébastien Tellier | From the album Source Rocks (1998) |
| Goodbye | Kevin Shields | Original score cue |
| Girls | Death in Vegas | From the album Scorpio Rising (2002) |
| Tommib | Squarepusher | From the album Go Plastic (2001) |
| Too Young | Phoenix | From the album United (2000) |
| Kaze Wo Atsumete | Happy End | From the 1971 album Kazemachi Roman by the Japanese folk-rock band |
| On the Subway | Brian Reitzell & Roger J. Manning Jr. | Original score cue |
| Ikebana | Kevin Shields | Original score cue |
| Sometimes | My Bloody Valentine | From the album Loveless (1991) |
| Alone in Kyoto | Air | Written for the film |
| Are You Awake? | Kevin Shields | Original score cue |
| Just Like Honey | The Jesus and Mary Chain | From the album Psychocandy (1985) |
Where to Stream
You can watch Lost in Translation on Prime Video and Apple TV+ depending on your region, and the soundtrack itself streams on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. (External link: Lost in Translation Soundtrack on Wikipedia)
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Lost in Translation soundtrack?
Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine wrote five original tracks for the film, and music supervisor Brian Reitzell (with Roger J. Manning Jr.) compiled and produced the rest of the soundtrack, which was released by Emperor Norton Records in 2003.
Is My Bloody Valentine’s music featured in the film?
Yes. Alongside Kevin Shields’ new solo compositions, the soundtrack includes “Sometimes” by My Bloody Valentine, taken from the band’s 1991 album Loveless.
What is the Japanese song played in Lost in Translation?
“Kaze Wo Atsumete” (“Gathering the Wind”) by the Japanese folk-rock group Happy End, originally released in 1971 on the album Kazemachi Roman, plays during the film’s famous taxi/karaoke sequence.
Where can I stream the Lost in Translation soundtrack?
The soundtrack is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and SoundCloud, and the film itself is available on select streaming and rental platforms.
When was Lost in Translation released?
The film premiered in the United States on October 3, 2003, and the soundtrack album followed the same year on Emperor Norton Records.
Related reading: Movie Soundtracks Hub · Streaming Guide · Apple TV+