"Hustlers" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Hustlers (2019) — Songs, Chopin Cues & Music Supervision" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

Can a crime drama play like a jukebox musical and still feel razor-sharp? Hustlers does exactly that: no traditional score, just precision needle-drops and a surprising thread of Frédéric Chopin études inside key sequences. Director Lorene Scafaria wrote many cues into the script; music supervisor Jason Markey cleared a late-90s/2000s mix (Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Fiona Apple, Lorde) with classical interludes to cut against the club gloss (as noted in feature interviews and credits reporting).

The result is pointed: songs carry scene intent; Chopin frames the athleticism and control behind the performances. You hear Usher’s “Love in This Club” when Usher himself arrives, Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” for a star entrance, and Jackson/Spears-era pop for the pre-recession boom—choices that function as character, place, and timeline.

Questions & Answers

Is there an original score album?

No. The film intentionally relies on licensed songs and classical pieces; “we didn’t have a score” appears in production coverage and credits summaries.

Who supervised the music?

Jason Markey (Guild of Music Supervisors Award nominee for this film).

Which scene uses Fiona Apple’s “Criminal”?

Ramona’s pole-dance entrance. The track anchors her dominance and the club’s economy.

What plays during Usher’s cameo?

Usher’s own “Love in This Club,” matching the time period and his on-screen arrival.

Why the Chopin?

Scafaria wanted the physical craft to read like a discipline; études give precision and contrast to the club bangers.

Are any songs by cast members used?

Deliberately no—clearance notes explain why catalogs from Lopez, Cardi B, and Lizzo aren’t featured in-film.

Notes & Trivia

• Fiona Apple publicly approved the use of “Criminal”; the team wrote personal letters to secure it.
• Usher, Lizzo, and Cardi B filmed cameos the same day; Usher’s scene recreates a 2008 vibe down to wardrobe details.
• Press and credits note multiple Chopin études throughout; a digital “Chopin Selections from Hustlers” compilation appeared in 2019.
• Markey’s supervision earned a Guild of Music Supervisors nomination.

Genres & Themes

Club pop & hip-hop (2000s) → time stamp + status signal. Spears/Jackson/Seger/Lorde selections map boom, crash, and aftermath.

Classical counterpoint (Chopin études) → discipline, control, and irony; elegant études undercut the chaos of the con.

Diegetic spectacle → on-screen performance tracks drive crowd logic; radio/room sources anchor realism.

Tracks & Scenes

Guide: diegetic = heard by characters. Timings vary by cut; placements align with credited lists and reliable scene logs.

“Criminal” — Fiona Apple
Where it plays: Ramona’s first pole-dance (diegetic).
Scene: The room freezes, then surges; the camera treats her routine like a sporting event—strategy, control, execution.
Why it matters: Establishes power and sets the club’s economy around Ramona.

“Love in This Club” — Usher (feat. Young Jeezy)
Where it plays: Usher’s cameo (diegetic).
Scene: The DJ slams the hook; dancers flood the stage; money turns into weather.
Why it matters: A meta needle-drop—artist and song fuse to mark 2008 excess.

“Gimme More” — Britney Spears
Where it plays: Early boom-time montage (diegetic/ambient).
Scene: Edits snap to the chorus; bottles, booths, and VIP choreography lock in.
Why it matters: Era ID in four words: “It’s Britney, bitch.”

“Control” — Janet Jackson
Where it plays: Early club sequence (diegetic).
Scene: Stage routine and floor coverage; rhythm is instruction.
Why it matters: Title and lyric double as mission statement.

“Club Can’t Handle Me” — Flo Rida (feat. David Guetta)
Where it plays: Reunion beat in the second half (non-diegetic bridge).
Scene: A glossy anthem over an emotional reconnection—feel-good on purpose.
Why it matters: Pop sheen softens a hard pivot in fortunes.

“Night Moves” — Bob Seger
Where it plays: Reflective beat outside the club (non-diegetic/source-adjacent).
Scene: A classic-rock exhale amid the grift; nostalgia reframes risk.
Why it matters: Broadens the soundtrack’s palette beyond club hits.

“Royals” — Lorde
Where it plays: Ironically against luxury visuals (non-diegetic).
Scene: Lyrics about status illusions comment on the crew’s new normal.
Why it matters: Textbook counter-scoring.

Chopin Études (recurring selections)
Where they play: Training, precision shots, connective tissue (non-diegetic).
Scene: Op. 25 No. 1 (“Aeolian Harp”), Op. 25 No. 11 (“Winter Wind”), Op. 10 études punctuate edits like metronomes.
Why it matters: Technique mirrors technique—practiced bodies, practiced fingers.

Music–Story Links

• Power cues: “Criminal” isn’t just sexy; it’s hierarchical. The room reorganizes around Ramona.
• Timeline markers: Spears/Jackson signal pre-recession boom; “Royals” undercuts the crew’s second-act high.
• Craft motif: Chopin = discipline; it frames the job as work, not fantasy.

How It Was Made

Scafaria conceived the film’s music “like a musical,” writing cues into scenes and shooting to playback. Markey handled clearances across pop, hip-hop, classic rock, and Chopin recordings; even “Criminal” required personal outreach to Fiona Apple. Usher’s cameo was staged with his own hit to lock period detail and energy.

Reception & Quotes

Coverage consistently singled out the soundtrack’s purposefulness and the shock-and-awe of Ramona’s entrance.

“The songs tell the story—on purpose.” — director interviews

“J.Lo’s ‘Criminal’ routine is an instant-canon moment.” — festival/feature press

“Chopin in a strip-club movie? It works.” — craft coverage

Additional Info

• Key placements: “Control,” “Gimme More,” “Criminal,” “Love in This Club,” “Club Can’t Handle Me,” “Night Moves,” “Royals,” multiple Chopin études.
• Chopin selections album: a 2019 digital compilation (“Chopin Selections from Hustlers”) gathers featured études.
• Clearance note: No songs from Lopez, Cardi B, or Lizzo catalogs appear in-film.
• Cameos day: Usher, Lizzo, and Cardi B reportedly shot the same day.

Technical Info

• Title: Hustlers — Soundtrack & Music
• Year / Type: 2019 / Needle-drops + classical pieces (no traditional score album)
• Director: Lorene Scafaria
• Music Supervision: Jason Markey
• Notable uses: Fiona Apple “Criminal”; Usher “Love in This Club”; Britney Spears “Gimme More”; Janet Jackson “Control”; Lorde “Royals”; Bob Seger “Night Moves”; Chopin études (various).
• Trailer ID (figures): nyQ9uGoHSwQ

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Oprah Daily full song list; Los Angeles Times and editor/craft interviews on music design; Variety/Rolling Stone on securing “Criminal”; Vulture/Thrillist on the Usher cameo; ScreenRant/IMDb song credits; Spotify/Amazon listings for Chopin selections.

November, 10th 2025