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The Justice League Snyder Cut soundtrack by Tom Holkenberg (Junkie XL) has hit number 1 on iTunes. After almost four years of build-up, Zack Snyder’s original vision for Justice League was finally unveiled to audiences around the world this past Thursday. Although it received mixed reviews from critics, the majority have added that it’s a significant improvement from Joss Whedon’s theatrical version. Fans of the Snyderverse have celebrated finally seeing the missing pieces from Synder's DC ensemble film, such as Darkseid’s larger presence, Superman’s fully detailed return, and also the return of Junkie XL's soundtrack.

Once Snyder departed from the Justice League in 2017, many aspects of the film were changed, including replacing Junkie XL with Danny Elfman. Of course, like much else in the theatrical release, fans were not pleased with Junkie XL’s soundtrack not supporting the DC film. So when the Snyder Cut became a reality, Junkie XL revealed that he ended up scrapping his previous score for Justice League and wrote a whole new one to better represent the four-hour-long film. In what the composer has called his Mount Everest project, he even added brand new themes for Ben Affleck’s Batman, aptly titled “Batman, a Duty to Fight / To See” and “Batman, an Invocation to Heal / To Be Seen,” to better represent the character’s evolution and motivation in the story. The new score, which is led by the official Justice League theme, “The Crew at Warpower,” has proven to be a much better fit for the film, and judging by its iTunes success, fans are clearly enjoying the long-awaited soundtrack.

In an announcement from WaterTower Music, it stated that “Holkenborg’s soundtrack for Justice League: The Snyder Cut debuted at #1 on the iTunes chart.” In addition to debuting at number 1, the soundtrack “has amassed over 1 million streams on Spotify in just 24 hours,” which WaterTower Music highlighted as “a remarkable feat for a soundtrack and confirmation that his “Mount Everest of Scores” has been warmly received by the DC Universe.” The announcement also touches on the meaning behind the project for Holkenborg, calling it a “massive and deeply personal undertaking for him” due to his years of working with Snyder. Junkie XL even released a quick “THANK YOU” for the soundtrack’s success:

"I can't help but celebrate the success that the Justice League soundtrack has seen in just 24 hours! This was a special project for me in so many ways and I just quickly want to say THANK YOU."

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Junkie XL’s soundtrack debuting at #1 on iTunes is even more impressive considering the soundtrack is not like The Greatest Showman, which also became number 1 on iTunes, as it does not possesses great lyrics and arguably the same universal appeal. However, the soundtrack’s success is another illustration of the massive anticipation and support that the Snyder Cut had behind it, which evidently included Junkie XL’s music for the film. The score certainly creates more impact and fits the tone of Snyder’s Justice League, which has some very long sequences that the composer has impressively supported, like Cyborg’s flashback. Also, considering the journey to this film, the success is likely more gratifying for Junkie XL.

The news comes at the perfect time for the composer as not only are fans celebrating the release of Snyder’s Justice League, but it is just before HBO Max’s next big March release, Godzilla vs. Kong, which will also feature a score from Junkie XL. Since the release of the Snyder Cut, fans have discussed the possibilities of Snyder completing his Justice League trilogy, as the film sets up his now-scrapped follow-up films. Although there are currently no plans for Snyder to continue, if he does return, it’s likely Junkie XL will too. However, for now, fans can continue to enjoy the composer’s Justice League soundtrack.