Juana Summers talks with NPR Music’s Ann Powers about why Charli XCX’s music for the Wuthering Heights movie represents a much bigger, musical pattern in romance studying.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
The not too long ago launched adaptation of “Wuthering Heights,” directed by Emerald Fennell, is already an authorized field workplace hit, however the gothic romance was additionally an occasion within the music world too, that includes a up to date unique companion album by the pop star Charli XCX.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CHAINS OF LOVE”)
CHARLI XCX: (Singing) Shattering like glass, it is the breaking of my coronary heart. The chains of affection are merciless. I should not really feel like a prisoner.
SUMMERS: It is not the primary time that the world of romantic literature and music has collided. For years, followers of romance novels have used pop music to boost their very own studying experiences, creating a brand new sort of neighborhood that unites pop music fandom and ebook lovers. Right here to speak to us about this pattern is NPR music critic and correspondent Ann Powers. Hello.
ANN POWERS, BYLINE: Hey. Thanks for having me.
SUMMERS: Thanks for being right here. So let me begin with this. When did you begin to discover that the growth in romance studying that we have all been seeing has a musical part?
POWERS: Effectively, it actually clicked for me with the discharge of Charli XCX’s album and the promotional marketing campaign hooked up to it.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CHAINS OF LOVE”)
CHARLI XCX: (Singing) I do know the chains of affection will not break.
POWERS: She and Emerald Fennell had created this playlist of all of the songs that impressed each of them in making the movie and the album. And I went trying to find it, and after I did, I found there have been all these different “Wuthering Heights” playlists that predated the film, a few of them by a very long time. I poked round and I discovered increasingly more playlists that have been grounded in romance studying, both about particular novels or genres or characters. It was an explosion.
SUMMERS: Oh, yeah, I like the thought of readers simply creating playlists to associate with what they’re studying.
POWERS: Oh, completely. I imply, you will discover playlists for all the massive ones – the “Heated Rivalry,” after all (laughter), you already know, “A Court docket Of Thorns And Roses.” Additionally, although, you’ll be able to go all the way in which again to one thing like “Twilight,” I imply, actually, the start of the present romance type, and likewise, you already know, people who find themselves into explicit subgenres. Like, are you into romance in any respect?
SUMMERS: I’m very into romance as individuals who take heed to this present in all probability know from the books I choose to speak to authors about (laughter).
POWERS: And I believe I heard you want sports activities romance.
SUMMERS: That is correct.
POWERS: And you are going to discover playlists and discussions of music that go greatest with studying sports activities romance novels. I’ll discover ones that, you already know, characterize fairies and werewolves ‘trigger that is extra attention-grabbing to me.
SUMMERS: All proper let’s dig in just a little bit right here. What artists are you seeing which can be notably huge amongst readers?
POWERS: Effectively, OK, that is the place I let you know I actually first began monitoring this pattern when the English band, Sleep Token, hit the charts again in early 2025 right here within the U.S.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EMERGENCE”)
SLEEP TOKEN: (Singing) Are you carbide on my nano, crimson glass on my lightbulb, darkish gentle on my tradition, sapphire on my white gold? Burst out of my chest…
POWERS: So that is, like, a progressive rock band with a masked singer that makes these epic fantasy idea albums – I imply, the sort of factor I’d have thought, like, dudes have been into, like Pink Floyd or one thing like that. However I used to be shocked to search out they have been gaining plenty of industrial success, and I noticed that plenty of their followers have been ladies and found that romantasy readers love Sleep Token. That style options fairies, dragons, werewolves, you already know, all of that, and it actually synced with the music the band was making.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EMERGENCE”)
SLEEP TOKEN: (Singing) You is likely to be the one to remove the ache and let my thoughts go quiet.
POWERS: Then I explored just a little extra, and I discovered that different theatrical rockers, like Florence Welch of Florence & The Machine or the final word, Hozier, had big followings amongst romantasy readers. I imply, Hozier appears like a romantasy hero.
SUMMERS: For positive.
POWERS: So it completely is smart.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WORK SONG”)
HOZIER: (Singing) When my time comes round, lay me gently within the chilly darkish earth. No grave can maintain my physique down. I will crawl house to her.
SUMMERS: I am so curious. Why do you assume there’s such a robust connection between romance novels and music? As a result of I’ve to say this feels one thing that is very singular about romance, like, you do not see this in plenty of different genres.
POWERS: It is as a result of the fandoms are actually related to one another, and so they’re sort of modeled after one another. It is actually the twenty first century manner of being a pop fan. These communities are largely younger ladies who forge connections on-line after which develop real-world communities, like, you already know, Taylor Swift followers go to concert events collectively. Within the case of readers, they’re flocking to romance-themed bookstores or conventions, and what they learn is commonly related to different facets of their lives, like how they costume, what motion pictures or TV they watch – you already know, we talked about “Heated Rivalry” – and likewise the musicians they love. It is only a prime instance of how being a fan now could be by no means confined to at least one pursuit. Music, studying, style, they’re all related.
SUMMERS: NPR’s Ann Powers, thanks a lot.
POWERS: Thanks.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MY REMINDER”)
CHARLI XCX: (Singing) I am not gonna be your bitter rival.
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