Descendants: The Rise of Red (soundtrack)

The soundtrack was released on July 12, 2024, to accompany the release of its parent film.^[4] The soundtrack consists of 13 songs,^[5] with 10 of them originating from the film. It also includes a rendition of "So This Is Love" from the 1950 animated film, Cinderella, a remix of "What's My Name" from Descendants 2, and a cover of Joan Jett's song, "Bad Reputation."^[6]

"What's My Name (Red Version)", performed by China Anne McClain and Kylie Cantrall was released as a single on April 26, 2024, along with the pre-order of the soundtrack.^[7] "Red," performed by Kylie Cantrall and Alex Boniello, was released as the second single on June 21, 2024.^[8]

Jerrica Tisdale of CinemaBlend said that while Disney movies typically emphasize the importance of goodness and doing what is right, the song “Get Your Hands Dirty” introduces a more nuanced view of morality. Tisdale applauded The Rise of Red for adding complexity to its portrayal of right and wrong in a children’s film. Tisdale also stated that “Love Ain’t It” is akin to Descendants’ version of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” noting that while it may not reach the iconic status of the latter, it is an epic, multilayered song with distinct sections, a catchy chorus, and strong vocals, particularly from Rita Ora. They considered it an ideal track to highlight the complex relationship between Red and the Queen of Hearts.^[9]

Descendants: The Rise of Red initially debuted at number 87 on the Billboard 200 before reaching number 60.^{[10][unreliable source]} It reached number one on the Billboard Soundtracks Chart and Billboard Kid Albums Chart.^[11] It also debuted at number one on iTunes Charts following its release.^[12] In July 2024, the soundtrack for The Descendants: The Rise of Red had accumulated over 26 million streams across various platforms.^[13][14]

The single "Red" debuted at number 13 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100.^[15] On the UK Official Video Streaming Chart, the music videos for "Red" reached number 42,^[16] "Life is Sweeter" reached number 26,^[17] and "Love Ain't It" reached number 77.^[18] As of August 2024, the song “Red” has received over 46 million streams across official channels and 1 billion engagements, with 31 million views on YouTube and 5 million in its first weekend, while the “Life Is Sweeter” and “What’s My Name” videos have received over 23 million and 16 million views respectively.^[19]

The track "Red" gained significant popularity on social media, generating numerous fan choreography covers and dance challenges on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.^[20]