All the musical styles in Sinners’ Juke Joint scene, explained in depth

Music is an inseparable part of Ryan Coogler's Sinners, and it's not just there to express an emotion or build a sense of mystery. It is intrinsically connected to the central theme of reclaiming art and understanding its roots in the past. No other scene in the film explains that better than the surreal montage in the juke joint that a lot of people have been talking about since the film's release. Not only is it captivating, but it also encapsulates the film's thematic core.

The past, present, and future seemingly come together in the Smoke and Stack's juke joint, and it is overwhelming for all the right reasons. It's not an accident that the film has such a strong musical presence. There's a history as to why it is so impactful. As it turns out, Ryan Coogler has been a friend of Ludwig Göransson (who composed the music) since they were studying in college. They have their own personal histories with the blues music, which plays a key role in Sinners.

Coogler has had discussions with his family, where he learned about Southern American history, the importance of blues, and what it represented as a concept. That made him realize its connection to hip-hop, which also talks about people at a crossroads between life and death. Coogler spoke about it in detail on the In Proximity podcast, where Göransson also spoke about his father, who taught him guitar lessons, inspired by the blues music that he heard. Thanks to some popular bands celebrating their influences while on tour.

Sinners is about this circular nature of music and how one form turns into another or impacts it in more ways than one might assume. That's why music styles from different eras seamlessly merge during that transcendental montage scene that has gotten people dissecting its roots and relevance.

Let's go through these musical styles one by one to understand not only their presence but their importance.

These are the musical styles in Sinners’ Juke Joint scene:

Blues

Blues was once referred to as the "devil's music," and Sinners explores why through a personal lens. It shows Sammie, a preacher's son, hoping to find success as a blues guitarist. However, blues were traditionally frowned upon by religion since they explored themes that were considered indecent or desires that were inappropriate, even if truthful. That's why, in the juke joint scene, Sammie sings,

"They say the truth hurts, so I lied to you, yes I lied to you, I love the blues"

The song plays out like a dialogue that Sammie imagines having with his father. In the juke joint, he embraces his love for blues.

Gospel

As Sammie, Miles Canton's piercing vocals create a literal and representational hole through the roof, and the fire leads the musical composition to merge into other styles of music. One of the most prominent forms we hear is gospel through hints of its billowy and echoing presence in the background. It ties into the film's theme of interconnectedness between these musical themes that create a singular communal experience.

Rock (Blues and Psychedelic rock)

During the surreal montage in Sinners, there is a magical transition that connects Sammie's blues to relatively modern styles of music, one of them being rock. You hear it through the undeniable presence of an electric guitar. That plays like the blues or psychedelic rock and mentally transports viewers to the memories of the likes of Jimi Hendrix. It conveys the influence of R&B music over Rock & Roll, which catapulted into the latter form of rock.

In the film-related discussions, Coogler has also shared his admiration for Metallica and grunge music, which also plays a part in the film's other sections.

Hip-hop

The aforementioned transition is not just through what we hear but what we see. Standing close to Sammie and pianist Delta Slim is suddenly a DJ, which coincides with autotuned vocals and other sonic signatures of hip-hop. There is also an infectious rhythm in the latter composition that presents references to the forms of hip-hop since its inception, which plays into the aforementioned theme of interconnectedness.

Traditional African & Chinese Music

Sinners also offers a nod to the traditional African and Chinese music through the juke joint scene as the Chinese Xiqu performers suddenly appear reportedly along with Igbo priests. This combination works on multiple fronts as it represents a connection between different faiths and spiritual practices and how they all were a part of the Mississippi Delta community that the film revolves around.

Sinners is now available to watch in theaters.