One of the best parts of any Disney movie is the soundtrack, and this is certainly the case when it comes to Frozen and Frozen 2. Both soundtracks are full of fantastic songs and really helped make their respective movies that much better.
But which of the two is better? Today, we’re going to be taking a look at five reasons why the original is better, and five reasons that Frozen 2 takes the carrot cake. Let’s get into it!
Frozen: Instant Classics
When was the last time you wandered into a Denny’s in which you didn’t hear Do You Want to Build a Snowman? emanating from seven tables down? The songs in Frozen’s soundtrack were absolutely inescapable, and for good reason.
They were fantastic. They were instant hits that were just so easy to sing along to. All of them had a quality to them that was simply unforgettable, and all of the lyrics are still bouncing around in all of our collective heads to this day.
Frozen 2: Everyone Gets A Song
In Frozen 2, everyone gets a bigger piece of the soundtrack. Everyone features on one of the tracks while every individual character gets their own song, with Elsa actually getting two. It gives every character a chance to shine a bit more than they did in the previous movie.
Kristoff gets a chance to shine past his short moment in Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People. This really helps make the soundtrack feel like a full experience more than the original did.
Frozen: Olaf’s Song
Both of Olaf’s songs in Frozen and Frozen 2 are great, of course. However, we have to give the edge to In Summer from the original film.
While both of the songs do a great job of summarizing Olaf’s character (and that great “Samantha?” bit from When I Am Older is perfect), In Summer is just a better song. It’s funnier, more of a jam, and is overall preferred. Even if it is only by a small margin.
Frozen 2: The Outtakes
Save for what likely would have been an Elsa tune, everyone sings their outtakes in the Frozen 2 soundtrack. Anna and Kristoff have a little collaboration (which is absolutely adorable), Olaf has a new song and Anna has an additional solo track.
While none of these tracks actually ended up making it into the film, it is nice that Disney decided to give us the songs anyway. Anna and Kristoff’s song is easily the best of the bunch, but once you listen to the lyrics of the song, it’s very clear as to why the song didn’t make it into the film.
Frozen: Let It Go
Let it Go is, god, Idina Menzel really can do no wrong. The song is absolutely fantastic, the visuals that go with it (look at that walk, you could never) are superb, everything about it screamed cultural moment. The song is one of the most memorable parts of the entire film and ended up reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 (it totally could have gone No. 1 with some radio support).
Besides that, the song is also a coming-out anthem for the LGBT community. Let it Go is easily one of the highlights of the Frozen franchise in general.
Frozen 2: Into The Unknown
However, it doesn’t mean we’re going to go out and slander Frozen 2’s Into the Unknown, because realistically, it’s better than Let it Go. While it might not have the cultural backing behind it or the massive visual spectacle, Into the Unknown is a better song after taking a few listens.
The song is absolutely stunning and compliments India Menzel’s powerful voice really well. It doesn’t hit like the freight train that Let it Go does, but it is better overall.
Frozen: Anna And Elsa
Anna and Elsa have a few collaborations in the original Frozen soundtrack that were sorely missed when the sequel came around. For the First Time in Forever does a great job at highlighting the differences between the two sisters, and the reprise is something out of dreams, that song is absolutely stunning.
Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel sound absolutely great together, and the climax of that track is goosebump-inducing to this day. It’s a shame that there are no true Anna and Elsa collaborations in the sequel, because those were some of the best parts of the original’s soundtrack.
Frozen 2: Lost In The Woods
Lost in the Woods is the full song that Kristoff deserved in the original film. He finally got one and oh boy, it is so good. The ’80s rock ballad is without a doubt the most hilarious track in the movie.
The visuals and song itself are so corny in the best way possible, and it’s actually a great listen too. Jonathan Groff has an amazing voice that fits Kristoff super well, so hearing him get to go all-in into Kristoff’s feels, it’s great. Lost in the Woods is a perfect track for the character.
Frozen: Demos And Outtakes
While we discussed Frozen 2’s fun outtakes, the original Frozen had those too, along with some great demos. These are all fun to hear, as they give you a small glimpse into where the movie was during development, and paint a picture of how things could have been at one point.
Unfortunately, these songs weren’t sung by the actual actors, but the soundtrack’s creators. They’re still great to listen to though.
Frozen 2: The Pop Versions
Frozen 2 had pop versions of its songs sung by Panic! at the Disco, Kacey Musgraves and Weezer. While Demi Lovato’s Let it Go was great, there were simply more alternate versions in the sequel to listen to. Besides that, they couldn’t have found a better fit for Into the Unknown than Brendon Urie and his absolutely stunning voice.
They really outdid themselves this time around with the pop versions of the soundtrack’s biggest songs. All in all, Frozen 2 simply has a better soundtrack than Frozen.
