Shrek 2 (soundtrack)

Shrek 2 (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedMay 11, 2004[1]
Genres
Length47:35
LabelsDreamWorks, Geffen
ProducersBrad Jones, Brendan O'Brien, Gustavo Santaolalla, Guy Sigsworth, Eric Valentine, Tony Visconti, Andy Zulla, John Alagía, Andrew Sherman, Joseph Arthur, Robin Eaton, Harry Gregson-Williams, Ken Rich, Butterfly Boucher, Juan Campodónico, Mark Oliver Everett[2]
Singles from Shrek 2 (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  1. "Accidentally in Love"
    Released: May 3, 2004

Shrek 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2004 DreamWorks Animation film Shrek 2, the second instalment in the Shrek franchise and a sequel to Shrek (2001). The album was released on May 11, 2004, through DreamWorks Records and Geffen Records and featured 14 songs, most of them were licensed contemporary numbers, emulating a similar strategy that resulted in the success of the first film's soundtrack. An original song, "Accidentally in Love", was composed specifically for this film.

The album initially garnered a lukewarm reception, but topped the Billboard Top Soundtracks and Australian ARIA Charts. and its reception has improved in the years following its release. It was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over a million units. Successively, the song "Accidentally in Love" received a nomination for Academy Award for Best Original Song, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song and a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media, while the album also receiving a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media.

Background and development

For the sequel, Chris Douridas served as the music supervisor, curating and producing the soundtrack.[3][4] Like the first film, the sequel's soundtrack also included covers and renditions of pop hits which were licensed and incorporated for this film. However, an original song "Accidentally in Love" was written specifically for this film, which was performed by the rock band Counting Crows.[5][6] The song was preceded as a single on May 3, 2004, to promote the album and the film and achieved significant commercial success.[7] This song was considered a placeholder for one of the songs from an artist,[a] to depict Shrek and Fiona's relationship in the opening sequence and Weezer's "Island in the Sun" was temped for it, but the artist refused to work on it, and as a result, the song "Accidentally in Love" was composed for that situation.[8] Douridas said that the band watched the opening sequence of the film and impressed by it, had written the song within minutes. He further added that the band had cancelled their shows in Brussels at the last minute and recorded the song within a day.[9]

For the rest of the songs, Andrew Adamson and Douridas brainstormed on selecting efficient needledrops that would compliment the story and while also being appealing.[8] Other songs from indie rock bands such as Eels ("I Need Some Sleep") and Dashboard Confessional ("As Lovers Go") were also utilized in the film, while Tom Waits and Nick Cave who made cameo appearances in the film, had also allowed to use their songs "Little Drop of Poison" and "People Ain't No Good" (courtesy of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds).[8][10] Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" was considered to be the favorite of Mike Myers (who voiced Shrek) as he found the band to be the underrated cultural influencers.[8]

Douridas approached Guy Sigsworth to convince Imogen Heap to cover a version of "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler for the film, as he was a fan and supporter of the electronic duo Frou Frou (featuring Sigsworth and Heap) which disbanded the group following the eventual failure of their debut album Details (2002), although "Let Go" attained popularity after its use in the soundtrack of Garden State.[11] With Douridas' convinction, the duo appeared as Frou Frou to record the rendition of the song which featured in the closing credits. Rachel Brodsky of Vulture considered the cover to be a "simmering synth-pop gem that shows the power in a cover’s ability to both pay homage to and also reinvent a beloved classic".[11] Another version of the song is covered by Jennifer Saunders, who played the fairy godmother.[8]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Accidentally in Love" (Counting Crows)
Brendan O'Brien3:08
2."Holding Out for a Hero" (Frou Frou)
Guy Sigsworth3:22
3."Changes" (Butterfly Boucher featuring David Bowie)David Bowie
  • Brad Jones
  • Robin Eaton
  • Butterfly Boucher
  • Tony Visconti (David Bowie)
3:22
4."As Lovers Go" (Ron Fair remix) (Dashboard Confessional)Christopher Ender Carrabba 3:29
5."Funkytown" (Lipps Inc.)Steven Greenberg 3:59
6."I'm on My Way" (Rich Price)
  • Rich Price
  • Clint Bierman
Andy Zulla3:21
7."I Need Some Sleep" (Eels)EMark Oliver Everett2:28
8."Ever Fallen in Love" (Pete Yorn)Peter ShelleyEric Valentine2:32
9."Little Drop of Poison" (Tom Waits)
 3:11
10."You're So True" (Joseph Arthur)Joseph Arthur
3:55
11."People Ain't No Good" (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)Nick Cave 5:39
12."Fairy Godmother Song" (Jennifer Saunders)
Harry Gregson-Williams1:52
13."Livin' la Vida Loca" (Eddie Murphy & Antonio Banderas)
3:29
14."Holding Out for a Hero" (bonus track) (Jennifer Saunders)
  • Pitchford
  • Steinman
Gregson-Williams3:56
Total length:47:43

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[1]

Initial reception for the album was initially unfavorable. Heather Phares of AllMusic said that "the album doesn't have as many surprises as its predecessor", adding that "none of the songs here have the same left-field feel [...] making Shrek 2 a lukewarm compromise that isn't likely to satisfy either audience."[12] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian said, in his review of the film itself, that the "subdued cover versions" of the songs felt "pedestrian" and "disappointing".[13]

However, it has since undergone a reappraisal and has been considered "one of the quintessential albums of the 2000s" rivalling with Shrek.[14] Esther Zuckerman of Thrillist who ranked the Shrek soundtrack on number 49 for their publication's best soundtracks,[15] considered the Shrek 2 soundtrack to be better than the first film's as it had a "cooler" and "moodier" appeal in comparison with the first film's soundtrack which was "overwhelmingly, almost aggressively, upbeat".[10]

Commercially, the soundtrack peaked at No. 10 position on the Billboard 200 and topped the Soundtrack charts.[16][17] Like the first film's soundtrack, it also received wide international success, though not on the same level as its predecessor.[17] The album sold around 1.2 million units in the United States.[17]

Chart positions

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[18]1
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[19]13
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20]61
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[21]98
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[22] 12
French Albums (SNEP)[23]35
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24]40
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[25]18
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[26]2
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[27]6
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[28]37
US Billboard 200[2] 8
US Soundtracks (Billboard)[2] 1

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[29] Platinum 70,000^
Germany (BVMI)[30] Gold 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[31] Platinum 15,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[32] Platinum 70,000*
Russia (NFPF)[33] Gold 10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Gold 100,000*
United States (RIAA)[35] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Accolades

Award Category Name Result Ref.
Academy Awards Best Original Song "Accidentally in Love" – Counting Crows Nominated [36]
[37]
[38]
BMI Film & TV Awards Most Performed Song from a Film "Accidentally in Love" – Counting Crows Won [39]
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Song "Accidentally in Love" – Counting Crows Nominated [40]
[41]
[42]
Gold Derby Awards Best Original Song "Accidentally in Love" – Counting Crows Nominated [43]
Grammy Awards Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media Shrek 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Andrew Adamson, Christopher Douridas and Michael Ostin Nominated [44]
[45]
[46]
Best Song "Accidentally in Love" – David Bryson, Adam Duritz, David Immerglück, Matthew Malley and Dan Vickrey Nominated
World Soundtrack Awards Best Original Song Written for Film "Accidentally in Love" – Counting Crows Nominated [47]

Notes

  1. ↑ The artist/band's name was not revealed by Douridas

References

  1. 1 2 "Shrek 2 > Overview". AllMusic.
  2. 1 2 3 "Shrek 2 – Original Soundtrack". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  3. ↑ Moon, Ava (May 2, 2024). "Let us appreciate the all-star status of the "Shrek" soundtracks". SCAD Radio. Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Chris Douridas". KCRW. Archived from the original on April 8, 2026. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Going for adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1553. April 30, 2004. p. 24. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  6. ↑ Hay, Carla (May 8, 2004). "Film Music Challenges Counting Crows' Duritz" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 19. p. 12. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  7. ↑ DeMott, Rick (May 5, 2004). "Shrek 2 Moved Up Two Days to the 19th". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Docter-Loeb, Hannah (May 30, 2024). "20 Years Later, Mike Myers Reveals How 'Shrek 2' Pulled Off the Impossible". Inverse. Archived from the original on January 15, 2026. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  9. ↑ Hochman, Steve (April 18, 2004). "A trek for sounds of 'Shrek 2'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Zuckerman, Esther (May 3, 2021). "The 'Shrek 2' Soundtrack Is Absolutely Better Than the 'Shrek' Soundtrack". Thrillist. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  11. 1 2 Brodsky, Rachel (May 19, 2021). "How Shrek 2 Blew My Band Up". Vulture. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  12. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Review: Shrek 2 [Original Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 9, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  13. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (July 2, 2004). "Shrek 2 | Reviews". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  14. ↑ Sung, Morgan (August 16, 2018). "Smashing Pumpkins and Smash Mouth are arguing over the 'Shrek' soundtrack". Mashable. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  15. ↑ "The 50 Greatest Movie Soundtracks of All Time". Thrillist. July 23, 2020. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  16. ↑ Murray, Robin (May 18, 2021). "20 Years On Shrek's Soundtrack Remains Faultless". Clash. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 Gallo, Phil (March 28, 2011). "ANIMATED SOUNDTRACK SALES CONTINUE TO SLIDE". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 7, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Soundtrack – Shrek 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Soundtrack – Shrek 2" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Soundtrack – Shrek 2" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Soundtrack – Shrek 2" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Top 100 Albums". Jam!. Archived from the original on June 15, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Soundtrack – Shrek 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Soundtrack – Shrek 2" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2004. 30. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Charts.nz – Soundtrack – Shrek 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 19, 2004.
  28. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Soundtrack – Shrek 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  29. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  30. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Diverse; 'Shrek 2 – Das Hörspiel zum Kinofilm')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  31. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Various – Shrek 2 OST". Radioscope. Archived from the original on February 8, 2005. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  32. ↑ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2004 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on January 25, 2025. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  33. ↑ "Russian album certifications – Shrek 2 – OST" (in Russian). National Federation of Phonogram Producers (NFPF). Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  34. ↑ "British album certifications – Original Soundtrack – Shrek 2". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 25, 2019. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Shrek 2 Original Soundtrack in the "Search:" field.
  35. ↑ "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Shrek 2". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  36. ↑ "The 77th Academy Awards (2005) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  37. ↑ Wloszczyna, Susan (January 25, 2005). "'Aviator' lands 11 Oscar nominations". USA Today. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  38. ↑ Waxman, Sharon (February 28, 2005). "'Million Dollar Baby' Dominates Oscars". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  39. ↑ "2005 BMI Film/TV Awards". Broadcast Music, Inc. May 18, 2005. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  40. ↑ "The Broadcast Film Critics Association Announces the Nominees for the 10th Annual Critics' Choice Awards" (Press release). The Futon Critic. December 15, 2004. Archived from the original on April 8, 2026. Retrieved December 15, 2004.
  41. ↑ Walton, Alice M. (January 10, 2005). "Critics' Choice kudos go to 'Sideways'". Variety. Archived from the original on February 21, 2026. Retrieved January 11, 2005.
  42. ↑ Susman, Gary (January 11, 2005). "Sideways tops Critics' Choice Awards". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2005.
  43. ↑ "2004 GOLDDERBY FILM AWARDS". Gold Derby. March 7, 2016. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Kanye West Leads Grammy Nominees". Billboard. December 7, 2004. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  45. ↑ Pareles, Jon (December 8, 2004). "Kanye West Leads Grammy Nominations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  46. ↑ "47th Annual Grammy Awards Winners". Billboard. February 13, 2005. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  47. ↑ Bennett, Ray (2004). "'Mountain' Score Tops At World Soundtrack Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
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