Star Wars: Andor Trailer’s Music Choice Leaves Fans Absolutely Baffled

The first season of Andor is one of the most widely acclaimed Star Wars projects in the franchise’s long-running history, so fans have eagerly been anticipating the show’s second and final season. Lucasfilm recently unveiled the official trailer for Andor Season 2, and the preview features teases of the compelling drama and hard-hitting action viewers have come to expect from the series. What fans probably didn’t expect was the music used in the trailer. Rather than incorporating a traditional classical score, the Andor Season 2 trailer is set to a licensed song: “The Revolution Starts Now,” the title track from singer-songwriter Steve Earle’s 2004 album. While the song’s lyrics are fitting for a show about the burgeoning Rebel Alliance, fans were definitely caught off guard.

The decision to use a contemporary rock song in Andor marketing did not sit well with everyone. On X (formerly Twitter), fans reacted to the trailer, with one person calling it an “odd music choice.” Other critical comments included the critique that the Andor Season 2 trailer is “one of the worst trailers … ever made” due to the song and the belief that the music “takes you out of the universe.” While some viewers defended the atypical choice, plenty of others were left baffled. Someone even reposted the Andor Season 1 teaser to highlight how music “sets the tone.”

Andor Season 2 is set to premiere on Disney+ on April 22nd. In contrast from Season 1 (which released new episodes weekly after a three-episode premiere), the Andor Season 2 release schedule sees three episodes debut weekly through mid-May. Each three-episode block tells its own story arc building up to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, so this release strategy will allow fans to enjoy each mini narrative at once.

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During Andor Season 2, fans will have their knowledge of the Rebellion and Rogue One enhanced. The show will detail the origins of the Alliance’s iconic base on Yavin IV, and Season 2 features the return of some notable Rogue One characters. Alan Tudyk reprises K-2SO, while Ben Mendelsohn stars as Director Krennic. Both characters were seen in the trailer.

The reactions to the music in the Andor trailer is understandable. For nearly 50 years, the Star Wars franchise has been synonymous with a classical score thanks to the many memorable cues composed by John Williams; the use of “The Revolution Starts Now” in Andor marketing feels akin to something out of a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. However, if one Star Wars project was going to go against the grain like this, it would be Andor. While the series obviously features numerous connections to the larger franchise, it is not concerned with fan service or paying homage to the past. In this regard, Andor stands out as a change of pace for the franchise, so putting a new spin on trailer music feels like par for the course.

It’ll be interesting to see if this is just something for the promotional campaign, or if the Andor Season 2 episodes will deviate from franchise tradition regarding the music. “The Revolution Starts Now” could become the show’s theme song, underscoring the emergence of the Rebel Alliance. The odds of that happening are likely low, but a month ago, nobody could have predicted a Star Wars trailer would use licensed music. The showrunners could have a few surprises up their sleeves.