‘X-Men ’97’ Composers The Newton Brothers on Emotional Scoring

What’s more iconic than the X-Men themselves? Easy. The music that opens each episode is legendary in itself, and the score fueling each scene is what brings this series to life. We had the chance to speak with composers The Newton Brothers’ John Andrew Grush and Taylor Newton Stewart about how they craft the music for each episode, along with just how much X-Men ‘97 means to them.

I know I’m not alone in the fact that for every single X-Men ‘97 episode, I refuse to click the “skip” button. Hearing the first few chords of the intro song requires my undivided attention, paired with my on-beat dance moves as I rock out. But even more interesting than the opening song is the knowledge that the music composed for every scene is done so with intention and a deep understanding of the legacy of each X-Men. En Sabah Nur’s journey feels rife with turmoil as his anger deepens over the course of the season, paired with a score that intensifies as he transitions into Apocalypse. Emotional moments between Charles Xavier and Erik feel even more grounded than anticipated when music is absent.

Between watching the original series in the ’90s and a long-lasting appreciation for the comics, The Newton Brothers opened up about the impact that the X-Men have had on both their personal and professional lives. Now with Season 2 of the series at an end, we had the opportunity to talk about the differences in adding (and sometimes withholding) music for each scene, their favorite X-Men, and more.

Watch our full conversation with the Emmy-nominated duo below:

X-Men ’97 Seasons 1 and 2 are now available to stream on Disney+.