Switched on Pop Will Sinners do for blues what O Brother did for bluegrass?
Feb 17, 2026
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture writer and film-score expert, explores how movie soundtracks can revive musical genres. She discusses classic cases like The Sting and O Brother Where Art Thou, the 90s swing moment, Drive’s synthwave influence, and whether Sinners might bring the Delta blues back into popular culture.
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Ragtime's Revival Through The Sting
- The Sting revived ragtime and made Scott Joplin culturally relevant again.
- Marvin Hamlisch's arrangements pushed forgotten ragtime into the pop charts and classical teaching canon.
Walking Home Still in the Movie
- Rhianna describes leaving a theater still hearing a movie's soundtrack and wanting to keep that feeling.
- She used Ghost Dog and RZA's music as an example of film making her carry music into everyday life.
Soundtrack First Shaped The Film
- O Brother Where Art Thou? used curated traditional songs to shape its film and then the soundtrack drove the film's aesthetic.
- T-Bone Burnett crafted a pre-made album that became a cultural touchstone for Americana and bluegrass.