Marvel's Luke Cage Review: 9 Spoiler-Free Reasons It's Awesome
8. The Music Is As Good As Any You'll Find On TV
With the obvious exception of Guardians of the Galaxy, music hasn't played a huge, defining role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sure, there've been some good scores, but the Guardians soundtrack is the only one the truly stands out. Until now.
Luke Cage has been described as being like an album, and that's clearly evident throughout the first half of Season 1. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise, since showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker previously worked as a music journalist, but the music feels like a part of the show. It's not just background noise, but perfectly accompanies the scenes, the settings, and the characters.
90s hip-hop is a particularly big influence, and whether it's original score and a recognisable song from artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, the music helps set the show apart, and create a vibrant feel that's a homage to those hip-hop years, the 70s, and its own thing as well. None of the other Netflix/Marvel shows, heck few TV shows anywhere, use music to such great effect.