"The Edge of Seventeen " Soundtrack Lyrics

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"The Edge of Seventeen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What does growing up sound like when you’re not ready yet? The Edge of Seventeen answers with a nervy, hooky blend of indie-pop, classic-radio jolts, and tender score that keeps pace with Nadine’s spiraling inner monologue. The album opens loud and cocky, then tilts toward vulnerability as the movie asks harder questions — about grief, friendship, and self-worth.

As a listen, it’s a collage of textures: Santigold bite for hallways swagger; Billy Joel for a memory that curdles mid-chorus; 2010s alt-pop (Two Door Cinema Club, Miike Snow, The 1975) mapping crushes and misfires; Aimee Mann for the 3 a.m. honesty; and Atli Örvarsson’s score cues stitching the emotion between cuts. By the time the credits roll, the playlist feels like a diary with bent corners — snark on the outside, soft at the seams.

Genres & themes, in phases: indie/electropop — bravado and armor; classic rock — complicated nostalgia; alt-pop/indie-rock — romantic confusion; singer-songwriter — aftermath; modern film score — breath between the lines.

How It Was Made

Writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig partnered with composer Atli Örvarsson for the original score, recorded and produced under the Remote Control banner with Hans Zimmer as score producer. Music supervision was led by Jason Markey, with clearances and coordination from a sizable music-department team — a big lift for a needle-drop-forward teen dramedy. The commercial soundtrack arrived via STX Recordings/Sony Music (with Masterworks/Columbia catalog references on physical editions), bundling licensed songs and select cues (“Nadine’s Theme”).

Tracks & Scenes

“Who I Thought You Were” (Santigold)

Where it plays:

Opening walk into school. Camera on sneakers, a sarcasm-loaded stride. Non-diegetic energy announces Nadine before she opens her mouth (00:00).

Why it matters:

Sets the voice — mouthy, gutsy, funny — and tells us the music will punch as hard as the jokes.

“Everything” (Kaptan)

Where it plays:

Flashback car ride with Dad. Nadine flips the radio to this bright synth-pop for a few seconds before Dad insists on his pick (≈00:08). Diegetic.

Why it matters:

A micro-beat of teen taste versus parent nostalgia — a tonal pivot that tees up the scene’s gut punch.

“You May Be Right” (Billy Joel)

Where it plays:

Dad belts along, Nadine giggles — then he has a heart attack and the car crashes (≈00:08). The song keeps rolling as the moment collapses. Diegetic.

Why it matters:

Classic-rock comfort becomes a trauma trigger. The movie weaponizes familiarity to mark a life-before/life-after line.

“Ballroom Blitz” (The Struts)

Where it plays:

Home-alone party montage: dress-up, drinks, bad ideas (≈00:14). Non-diegetic, cut like a music video.

Why it matters:

Shiny chaos for the last night before everything changes with Krista and Darian.

“Don’t Go There” (Giggs feat. B.o.B.)

Where it plays:

Pool rager spills into the backyard; the bass rattles as Nadine threatens to call the cops on her brother (≈00:15). Diegetic house speakers.

Why it matters:

Soundtrack as power move — Darian’s social gravity smothers Nadine’s space.

“Trouble” (Cage the Elephant)

Where it plays:

Post-party clean-up becomes flirtation; Krista and Darian inch toward the hook-up while Nadine staggers off (≈00:18). Non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

The lyric is a spoiler: this is the first crack in the best-friend bond.

“Eye in the Sky” (The Alan Parsons Project)

Where it plays:

Diner apology the next morning — “Don’t think sorry’s easily said.” The needle-drop underlines exactly that (≈00:24).

Why it matters:

Soft-rock surveillance as moral mirror; Nadine can’t forgive yet.

“Go It Alone” (Beck)

Where it plays:

After-school pickup/arrival beats with Darian’s car (early act, around the first fallout). The groove prefaces Nadine’s isolation.

Why it matters:

Title does the talking — marching orders for a self-pity spiral.

“Genghis Khan” (Miike Snow)

Where it plays:

Erwin at home, half-tuning out while talking to Nadine on the phone; a playful, pulsing bed that hints at his world (≈00:33).

Why it matters:

Signals the film’s other orbit — Erwin’s art-kid, off-center sweetness.

“Somebody Else” (The 1975)

Where it plays:

Used as a mood setter during Nadine’s fixation and fallout phases; the glossy melancholy matches the movie’s pink-neon teen ache.

Why it matters:

Turns longing into a mirror — she wants anyone but herself.

“Save Me” (Aimee Mann)

Where it plays:

Late-act introspection; the world quiets and the film finally lets Nadine breathe.

Why it matters:

Adult melancholy peeks in — the needle-drop that says: you’re not alone, you’re just early.

Score: “Nadine’s Theme” (Atli Örvarsson)

Where it plays:

Threaded through turning-point scenes and transitions, the motif softens the cut between sarcasm and sincerity.

Why it matters:

Gives the movie a private heartbeat under the loud songs.

Also heard (not all on the retail OST):

• Billy Joel — “You May Be Right” (car scene/heart attack).
• Beck — “Go It Alone” (drive sequence with Darian).
• Alan Parsons Project — “Eye in the Sky” (diner apology).

Trailer music

What you hear:

Ben Rector — “Brand New” anchored several trailers/TV spots; an early domestic trailer used a cover of “Help!” (Howie Day) for a wry plea-in-pop form.

Why it matters:

Marketing leaned upbeat and timeless to introduce a movie that’s funnier — and sadder — than the average teen comedy.

Notes & Trivia

• Composer Atli Örvarsson handled the score; Hans Zimmer is credited as score producer.
• Music supervision by Jason Markey, with an unusually large clearance/editorial team for a modest-budget teen film.
• The retail soundtrack (STX/Sony) differs from the full music-in-film list; several pivotal cues (e.g., Billy Joel) are film-only.
• Entertainment Weekly ran a cue-by-cue feature explaining why the opener had to be Santigold.
• Miike Snow, The 1975, and Aimee Mann give the album a cross-generation spread — from crush-drama gloss to grown-up rue.

Reception & Quotes

Critics loved the film’s honesty and Hailee Steinfeld’s performance; the music was cited as a smart character map rather than a playlist dump. The album itself plays great front-to-back — no filler, just carefully chosen identity markers.

“I wanted to open with something that had balls… because that’s Nadine.” — Kelly Fremon Craig, on picking Santigold

“A great mix… from Aimee Mann to Phantogram.” — trade soundtrack preview

Availability: Streaming (Spotify/Apple Music) and CD. Physical listings show Sony/Masterworks catalog data; digital carries STX Recordings under exclusive license to Sony Music.

Interesting Facts

• Hard left turn: A cheerful sing-along becomes the film’s darkest memory — few teen movies swing that hard mid-cue.
• Not just nostalgia: 80s/00s/10s tracks sit side-by-side — the timeline is emotional, not chronological.
• Score glue: Örvarsson’s motifs smooth sharp comedy into bruised introspection without killing momentum.
• Different albums: The retail soundtrack omits several on-screen songs; fans keep parallel “complete edition” playlists.
• Trailer sleight: Marketing’s buoyant “Brand New” sets up a comedy; the movie delivers that and the ache.

Technical Info

• Title: The Edge of Seventeen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2016
• Type: Film soundtrack (songs + selected score)
• Composer: Atli Örvarsson (score producer: Hans Zimmer)
• Music supervision: Jason Markey
• Label/album status: STX Recordings under exclusive license to Sony Music; physical editions carry Sony/Masterworks cataloging
• Release context: TIFF premiere Sept 16, 2016; U.S. release Nov 18, 2016; soundtrack released same window
• Selected notable placements: “Who I Thought You Were” (opening walk); “You May Be Right” (car/heart attack); “Ballroom Blitz” (house party); “Don’t Go There” (pool); “Trouble” (Krista & Darian); “Eye in the Sky” (diner apology); “Genghis Khan” (Erwin at home); “Save Me” (late-act reflection)
• Trailer/TV spots: Ben Rector — “Brand New”; Howie Day — “Help” (cover)

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score?

Atli Örvarsson. Hans Zimmer is credited as score producer; the score team ran out of Remote Control.

What song opens the movie?

Santigold’s “Who I Thought You Were” — it announces Nadine’s attitude before the first line of dialogue.

Which song underscores the car scene with Nadine’s dad?

Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right,” played diegetically — and forever changed by what happens.

Are all the on-screen songs on the retail soundtrack?

No. Some pivotal cues (e.g., Billy Joel, Beck, Alan Parsons Project) are used in the film but omitted from the commercial album.

What’s the big trailer song?

Ben Rector’s “Brand New.” An early trailer also used Howie Day’s cover of “Help.”

Key Contributors

Entity	Relation	Entity
Kelly Fremon Craig	directed & wrote	The Edge of Seventeen (film)
Atli Örvarsson	composed score for	The Edge of Seventeen
Hans Zimmer	produced score for	The Edge of Seventeen
Jason Markey	music supervised	The Edge of Seventeen
STX Entertainment	released/distributed	the film
STX Recordings / Sony Music	released	official soundtrack
Hailee Steinfeld	portrays	Nadine Franklin
Woody Harrelson	portrays	Mr. Bruner
Kyra Sedgwick	portrays	Mona Franklin
Haley Lu Richardson	portrays	Krista

Sources: Entertainment Weekly soundtrack feature; Vague Visages scene-by-scene guide; Metacritic credits; IMDb Soundtracks; Discogs/Masterworks listing; Apple Music/Spotify album pages; STX/Crossover Media release note; Bustle trailer-song piece; Wikipedia (film overview & credits).

The trailer’s official song was a remake of The Beatles’ ‘Help!’, though it wasn’t credited in the list of a soundtrack. They have the smooth & soothing thing & the most comparable to this piece may be To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra. The complete opposite to the named is Santigold with the extremely light mood in the lyrics & When I'm Small by Phantogram. The latest two items are too easy for this film about the love of the schoolgirl, depicted by Hailee Steinfeld, to her aged schoolteacher, depicted by Woody Harrelson. On the YouTube, you can find the extended trailer to the film. There are a few movies with 4-minutes long trailers, but it actually helps, you know. We get used to the actors better & are immersed in their stories deeper. Hailee Steinfeld is only 19, but she already has a nomination for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, MTV Movie Award & Teen Choice Award. She has even more – in her actives, there are 14 various kinds of awards, amongst which the most serious one is from Chicago Film Critics Association in 2010. So, as she has such an extensive experience, she rightly was chosen to participate in this movie, where she honestly depicts herself – a young girl. Though this girl is rather confused in herself, the big world around & the feelings towards the ripe & wise man & the simultaneous hatred to the ex-best friend, who was doing hanky panky with protagonist’s brother, she is too good-looking to cause anything but the parental love & tender emotions. We don’t even know, for whom in this movie could The Dickhead Song be destined, but there are three people literally, who deserve this attitude as depicted in the lyrics on the wave of adolescent emotions of a girl – the teacher, the ex-best friend & her own brother. We will hope her life will be soothed as she grows up.

November, 28th 2025

Movie profile on IMDb, more info on Wikipedia

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