Mayday is a 2026 Apple TV+ action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The film also features Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorociński, and David Morse in supporting roles. Set at the height of the Cold War, it follows a downed U.S. Navy pilot who forges an uneasy alliance with a former KGB agent.
From here on, this guide focuses entirely on the film’s music — the original score, the licensed needle drops, and where to stream both.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Mayday (2026) |
| Type | Movie |
| Composer | Colin Stetson |
| Directors | John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein |
| Release Date | September 4, 2026 |
| Studio / Platform | Apple Original Films, Skydance Media, Maximum Effort — Apple TV+ |
| Where to Stream | Apple TV+ (film); score on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music via Milan Records |
Mayday Soundtrack Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Film | Mayday (2026) |
| Director | John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein |
| Studio | Apple Original Films, Skydance Media, Maximum Effort |
| Platform | Apple TV+ |
| Film Release Date | September 4, 2026 |
| Composer | Colin Stetson |
| Label | Milan Records |
| Album Release Date | September 4, 2026 |
| Total Score Tracks | 21 |
| Runtime (Score Album) | Approx. 39 minutes, 22 seconds* |
*Album runtime is analytically derived by summing individual track durations, as no single aggregate runtime figure has been officially published.
Mayday Soundtrack Overview
Milan Records digitally released the Mayday original score on September 4, 2026, timed to the film’s global premiere on Apple TV+. The album collects 21 score cues composed by Colin Stetson for the Cold War buddy comedy.
Beyond the score, the film leans heavily on a needle-drop-driven soundscape. Music supervisor Rob Lowry built a mix of 1980s American arena rock and new wave hits alongside traditional Soviet-era recordings, underscoring the East-versus-West culture clash at the story’s core.
Who Composed the Mayday Soundtrack?
The original score for Mayday was composed by Colin Stetson, a Canadian-American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, and film composer based in Montreal. Stetson was confirmed for the project on July 14, 2026, months ahead of the film’s release.
Stetson is best known in film music circles for his scores to Hereditary, The Menu, Color Out of Space, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Outside of film work, he has a long history as a collaborator with Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, and Bell Orchestre, and is recognized for his distinctive circular-breathing saxophone technique.
Editorial note: Stetson also composed an unrelated 2021 film separately titled Mayday (director Karen Cinorre, Milan/Sony, 23 tracks). That earlier album is a different project entirely and is not covered in this guide, which concerns only the 2026 Apple TV+ film.
Mayday Official Tracklist
The following tracklist and durations are sourced directly from Film Music Reporter’s official album listing, published September 3, 2026.
- Saving Boomer — 1:56
- The Mission — 1:05
- Blackbird — 0:56
- Liftoff — 2:37
- The View from up here — 1:18
- The Stranger — 0:39
- Moonshine — 1:08
- Making an escape — 1:06
- Do we have a deal? — 2:12
- Stakeout — 1:15
- The Heist — 1:12
- Soldiers on a train pt.1 — 1:47
- Soldiers on a train pt.2 — 1:39
- Anna — 1:51
- The Maz — 2:18
- Shaking the tail — 1:21
- Interrogation — 3:33
- Catching a flight — 0:39
- I must break you — 2:50
- Who’s flying the plane? — 5:56
- Wingman — 2:04
Score Highlights
“Saving Boomer” opens the album and likely underscores an early rescue or setup sequence, given its placement as the lead track.
“Liftoff” runs over two and a half minutes and suggests a key flight or launch sequence central to the pilot’s mission.
“Interrogation” is one of the longer cues at 3:33, likely scoring a tense captivity or questioning scene given the title.
“Who’s flying the plane?” is by far the longest track at 5:56, suggesting it anchors a major third-act set piece.
These associations are inferred from track titles and film context; they are not confirmed scene placements.
Mayday Licensed Songs / Needle Drops
The following songs are confirmed as appearing within the film itself, with scene context verified via SeekerTune.
- “Jump” — Van Halen: Plays during a crew dogfight training sequence.
- “Obsession” — Animotion: Plays as Troy finishes visiting his father and joins fellow pilots debating Soviet politics.
- “Dancing in the Dark” — Bruce Springsteen: Plays as Troy drives away in Nick’s vehicle toward a nearby bar.
- “Белая черёмуха” — Anna German: Plays at the bar as Troy tries reaching the U.S. Embassy before a fight breaks out.
- “Downbound Train” — Bruce Springsteen: Plays as Troy and Nick drive toward Lake Vozhe.
- “Соловьи” — Alexandrov Ensemble: Plays as Troy and Nick eat with villagers and discuss Gorgo’s hardship.
- “I’m On Fire” — Bruce Springsteen: Plays as Troy and Nick drive toward Moscow.
Additional confirmed songs without verified scene placements include “Respectable” (Mel & Kim), “Personal Hero” (Mark Richmond), “Danger Zone” (Kenny Loggins), “Солдатушки, бравы ребятушки” (Alexandrov Ensemble), “Farewell of Slavianka” (John R. Bourgeois), and “Восьмое чудо” (Sinyaya Ptitsa). These are pending further scene-context confirmation.
Trailer-only music: Neil Diamond’s “America” appears in the film’s promotional trailer. This is a trailer placement only and is kept separate from confirmed in-film needle drops.
Composer Filmography (Colin Stetson)
| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Hereditary | Feature Film |
| 2020 | Color Out of Space | Feature Film |
| 2021 | Mayday (unrelated 2021 film) | Feature Film |
| 2022 | Texas Chainsaw Massacre | Feature Film |
| 2022 | The Menu | Feature Film |
| 2024 | Uzumaki | Limited Series |
| 2024 | Hold Your Breath | Feature Film |
| 2026 | Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen | Film |
| 2026 | The Whisper Man | Movie |
| 2026 | Mayday | Feature Film |
Where to Listen to the Mayday Soundtrack?
The Mayday original score by Colin Stetson is available to stream on Apple Music and Spotify, and available for digital purchase on Amazon Music. The album was released digitally through Milan Records on September 4, 2026, alongside the film’s Apple TV+ premiere. Individual needle-drop songs featured in the film can be streamed separately through their respective original artists’ catalogs on the same platforms.
Related reading: Browse more Movie Soundtrack guides, see what else is streaming on Apple TV+, or check out Colin Stetson’s other 2026 score for The Whisper Man.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Mayday (2026) soundtrack?
The score was composed by Colin Stetson, confirmed for the project on July 14, 2026.
How many tracks are on the Mayday score album?
The official Milan Records album contains 21 tracks.
When was the Mayday soundtrack released?
The album was released digitally on September 4, 2026, the same day as the film’s Apple TV+ premiere.
Where can I stream the Mayday soundtrack?
It’s available on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Does Mayday feature any licensed songs?
Yes. Confirmed needle drops include Van Halen’s “Jump,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” “Downbound Train,” and “I’m On Fire,” plus several Soviet-era recordings.
Is this the same Mayday soundtrack Colin Stetson released in 2021?
No. Stetson scored a separate, unrelated 2021 film also titled Mayday. This guide covers only the 2026 Apple TV+ film’s soundtrack.
What label released the Mayday (2026) score?
Milan Records released the album.