When it comes to movie musicals, Grease remains one of the most iconic — thanks in large part to its beloved score. The songs from the 1978 film (originally adapted from the stage musical) have proven their popularity in the 21st century, with everything from Glee performances to an Emmy-winning 2016 live special Inspire.
One song in particular, "Summer Nights," is rich enough to inspire an entire movie, the upcoming Summer Lovin' . But first, there’s another prequel you can watch now: Grease: The Rise of the Pink Lady on Paramount+.
The 10-episode series, which premiered on April 6, tells the origin story of the Rydell High girl group. But it also explores aspects of 1950s culture that audiences didn't see in the original "Grease" movie. As creator and showrunner Annabel Oakes describes the streamer's mission, "How can we tell stories that couldn't be told in 1978 and absolutely couldn't be told in 1958?"
This reflection on real history also applies to music. For example, the show's 1954 setting (four years before the events of Grease ) is closer to the early days of the rock and roll genre. "It's R&B with an amplifier," Ochs told Entertainment Weekly. "We wanted to pay tribute to the people who really pioneered rock and roll — Black musicians, Latino musicians, who were at the forefront. We wanted those people on the show."
Justin Tranter serves as music producer and songwriter for Variety, and helped write 30 new songs for Rise of the Pink Ladies. Tranter joins the Paramount+ series with an impressive pop resume — having co-written music with Halsey, Maroon 5 and Selena Gomez (including "Hands to Myself" and "Lose You to Love Me"), to name just a few collaborations By.
"I come from a pop music background and I feel like I have a real right to be here because Olivia Newton-John brought in her major pop songwriters to write half the songs on 'Grease, '" Tranter spoke to ComicBook.com about their musical background.
Not all the songs in Grease: Rise of the Pink Lady are new, though. If you're a fan of the original 1978 film, you'll be happy to know that there are nods to it throughout the film, including the soundtrack. Here's a breakdown of everything you'll hear, starting with the show's premiere.
All the songs about Grease: Rise of the Pink Lady so far
Episode 1 "We're gonna rule the school"
- "Grease is the word"
- “This year is different”
- "Operation Good Girls"
- "New cool"
This article will be updated as new full seasons of Grease: Rise of the Pink Lady are released.
