The Legend of Korra: Original Music From Book One

This article is about the soundtrack of The Legend of Korra. For other similar uses, see Soundtrack (disambiguation).

"Best score on TV: Legend of Korra. Clever stylistic mash-ups, great orchestration & luscious melodies. The sound is fantastic too. So artfully done and helps create such a believable world. Congrats Jeremy Zuckerman & Ben Wynn!"

— Bear McCreary, composer (Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead).

The soundtrack's cover features a special design of Avatar Korra.

The Legend of Korra: Original Music From Book One is a soundtrack that includes much of the music composed by Jeremy Zuckerman and mixed by Benjamin Wynn for Book One of The Legend of Korra. Released digitally and in stores on July 16, 2013, by Nickelodeon and Sony Music Entertainment's Legacy Recordings, Original Music From Book One features twenty-six instrumental tracks from the series.

Production history

For nine years, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko had struggled to create a soundtrack for Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, a "bureaucratic impasse" having kept them from reaching this goal despite numerous online petitions with thousands of signatures for the release of an Avatar soundtrack. Cooperation with Nickelodeon as well as with people outside of the company resulted in plans for the first-ever Avatar soundtrack, The Legend of Korra: Original Music From Book One, with most or all of the tracks having already been produced and recorded for use in the series.

Sound

The soundtrack has been described as jazz, but as if it were stylized in 1920s-era China. Its tone has been described as being more mature and unique from the soundtrack of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Track Team wanted a more in-depth exploration of instruments and as a result, the music is a little more sparse in the number of instruments playing at once as a trio composed by a violin, a viola, and a cello played the entirety of the soundtrack in addition to Wang Hong and Zuckerman himself. The new soundtrack takes advantage of Eastern and Western live instruments, digital sound design, and Chinese instrumentalist Wang Hong, who is proficient in over twenty ethnic instruments. Jeremy Zuckerman intended to create Korra's theme to be the reincarnation of Aang's as a sort of metaphor, making it more complex in order to match the more complex themes of the show as well as the time and setting.

Tracks

There are twenty-six tracks on The Legend of Korra: Original Music From Book One, all of which were composed by Jeremy Zuckerman of The Track Team.

1. "Prologue" - 1:18
2. "Air Tight" - 2:54
3. "In A Box" - 1:37
4. "An Impossible Crime" - 2:11
5. "Being Patient / Beifong's Sacrifice" - 4:20
6. "Asami And Mako Dine" - 1:10
7. "On The Lam" - 1:19
8. "Hittin' On All Sixes" - 2:40
9. "Good Ol' Days" - 1:41
10. "Before" - 7:38
11. "Fresh Air" - 1:06
12. "Korra Confronts Tarrlok" - 3:00
13. "Squeaky Rags" - 1:44
14. "Amon" - 3:02
15. "Chi Blockers" - 2:18
16. "A Peaceful Place" - 2:03
17. "Left My Heart In Republic City" - 2:40
18. "Firebending Training" - 1:16
19. "Wheels" - 2:48
20. "Republic City Under Attack" - 4:03
21. "Hardboiled... Afraid (Separate Ways)" - 1:20
22. "War" - 2:04
23. "Asami And Hiroshi / Korra Airbends" - 4:24
24. "Greatest Change" - 5:16
25. "The Legend of Korra End Credits" - 0:31
26. "The Legend of Korra Main Title" - 0:28

Track placement

The following is the episode(s) and scene(s) in the show where each track takes place. These were obtained by analyzing the show and music within each chapter of Book One: Air.

Track #	Track title	Chapter(s)	Scene(s)
1	Prologue	Chapter 1: "Welcome to Republic City"	Plays during the series prologue up until the episode title card.
2	Air Tight	Chapter 6: "And the Winner Is..."	(0:08 - 0:42) Plays at the start of the episode during Korra, Mako, and Bolin's pro-bending training until they are interrupted by Amon's radio message.
3	In A Box	Chapter 2: "A Leaf in the Wind" Chapter 9: "Out of the Past"	[C2] Variation of 0:04 to 0:30 plays when the airbending gates are introduced. 0:57 to 1:20 plays while the leaf and Jinora pass through the spinning gates. [C9] Plays during Korra's vision of Aang and Toph arresting Yakone.
4	An Impossible Crime	Chapter 9: "Out of the Past"	Plays during Korra's vision of Yakone's trial up until he begins to bloodbend everyone in the room.
5	Being Patient / Beifong's Sacrifice	Chapter 10: "Turning the Tides"	Plays during the escape from Air Temple Island until Lin's bending is taken by Amon.
6	Asami And Mako Dine	Chapter 4: "The Voice in the Night"	Plays during the eponymous scene.
7	On The Lam	Chapter 1: "Welcome to Republic City" Chapter 2: "A Leaf in the Wind"	[C1] Variation of 0:04 (or 0:12) to 0:20 plays when Korra and Naga ride through Republic City and stop at the food vendor. Plays when the police officer attempts to apprehend Korra in the park. Plays again later, beginning with the metalbender officer attempting to apprehend Korra and Naga; ends when the two are arrested. [C2] Variation of 0:00 to 0:30 plays both times Korra attempts to pass through the airbending gates.
8	Hittin' On All Sixes	Chapter 4: "The Voice in the Night"	(0:00 - 0:13) Begins after the Council, minus Tenzin, approves Tarrlok's task force and continues being played through the radio into Korra's solitary airbending training until it is interrupted by Amon's message.
9	Good Ol' Days	Chapter 12: "Endgame"	Plays from the start to 0:52 after Amon escapes Korra and Mako and continues until Tenzin, Lin, and Team Avatar reunite. Picks back up from 0:52 after Bumi appears and Amon is leaving with Tarrlok on a speedboat and continues until Tarrlok kills the both of them.
10	Before	Chapter 11: "Skeletons in the Closet"	Plays during Tarrlok's recollection of his and Amon's past
11	Fresh Air	Chapter 1: "Welcome to Republic City" Chapter 2: "A Leaf in the Wind"	[C1] Begins when Korra thanks the Order of the White Lotus members for passing her in her firebending test; ends with the arrival of Tenzin and company at the Southern Water Tribe compound.
12	Korra Confronts Tarrlok	Chapter 8: "When Extremes Meet"	Plays from the start to 2:19 after Tenzin and Korra tell Chief Saikhan to release the other members of Team Avatar and the civilians; ends when Tarrlok and Korra begin to fight. Picks back up from 2:19 when Korra knocks Tarrlok out of his chambers and continues until Tarrlok begins bloodbending Korra.
13	Squeaky Rags	Chapter 4: "The Voice in the Night"	(1:13 - 1:44) Plays during Mako's tailoring before his dinner with Asami.
14	Amon	Chapter 1: "Welcome to Republic City" Chapter 3: "The Revelation" Chapter 6: "And the Winner Is..."	[C1] Variation plays when Korra confronts the Triple Threat Triad. [C3] Plays in its entirety throughout Amon's speech during the Equalists' "Revelation" meeting; ends when Amon has Lightning Bolt Zolt released to fight for his bending. [C6] A variation of 0:16 to 1:20 plays during Amon's speech after Korra's vision of the past until Pabu swims to rescue Team Avatar. Picks back up at 1:21 to 2:02 when the focus is back on Amon's speech until the destruction of the Pro-bending Arena roof.
15	Chi Blockers	Chapter 4: "The Voice in the Night" Chapter 6: "And the Winner Is..." Chapter 9: "Out of the Past" Chapter 10: "Turning the Tides"	[C4] Variation of 0:00 to 0:12 plays during Korra's nightmare when she fights the chi-blockers that break into her room. [C6] Plays when Lin and Korra fight against the chi-blockers atop the Pro-bending Arena and continues to the end of the episode. Variation of 0:00 to 0:20 plays as the Equalists in the audience attack Tenzin, Lin, and the police. [C9] (0:00 - 1:02) Plays when Lin, Tenzin, Asami, Bolin, and Mako escape the Equalist hideout. [C10] Variation of 0:00 to 0:12 plays when Tenzin fights the Equalists that attempt to capture him. Another variation of 0:00 to 1:13 plays when the Equalists attack Air Temple Island.
16	A Peaceful Place	Chapter 2: "A Leaf in the Wind"	Begins during Korra's first pro-bending match when she begins to dodge the Pinnacle Palace Platypus Bears' attacks in Round 3; ends when Korra and Tenzin reconcile.
17	Left My Heart In Republic City	Chapter 1: "Welcome to Republic City" Chapter 5: "The Spirit of Competition"	[C1] (0:02 - 0:32) Begins after Korra's first run-in with the Equalist protestor when she and Naga are walking through Republic City and continues until the firebender of the Triple Threat Triad destroys the phonograph offered by the vendor, Mr. Chung. [C5] (1:21 - 2:40) Plays when Bolin attempts to subtly ask Korra out on a date.
18	Firebending Training	Chapter 1: "Welcome to Republic City"	Begins when Korra bends in front of the White Lotus members and continues throughout Korra's firebending test.
19	Wheels	Chapter 8: "When Extremes Meet"	Plays from the start to 1:13 when Team Avatar is reformed and Asami gives the group a car to use for city patrols; ends on the commercial bookend directly after. The track starts back up at 1:13 when Team Avatar confronts Tarrlok about arresting the Republic City citizens as Equalists and continues until Korra raises two pieces of rock against Tarrlok after he arrests the other Team Avatar members.
20	Republic City Under Attack	Chapter 4: "The Voice in the Night" Chapter 6: "And the Winner Is..." Chapter 7: "The Aftermath" Chapter 9: "Out of the Past" Chapter 10: "Turning the Tides"	[C4] Variation of 0:36 to 0:55 plays when Korra prepares for her meeting with Amon. [C6] Variation of 0:36 to 0:55 plays when Lin monitors the police inspection of the Pro-bending Arena. [C7] Variation of 0:36 to 0:55 plays during Korra's discussion with Lin and Tenzin on Hiroshi Sato's phone call and again when Lin and the police find Sato's secret tunnel. [C9] Variation of 0:36 to 0:55 plays when Lin, Tenzin, Asami, Bolin, and Mako infiltrate the Equalist hideout to find Korra. [C10] Begins after Team Avatar retrieves the car from Korra's crash and continues until Tenzin and Team Avatar defeat the mecha tanks at the police headquarters.
21	Hardboiled...Afraid (Separate Ways)	Chapter 4: "The Voice in the Night" Chapter 7: "The Aftermath" Chapter 11: "Skeletons in the Closet"	[C4] (0:00 - 0:33) Plays when Tenzin tells Korra that he is there for her if she needs to discuss her fears of Amon and the Equalists. [C7] Plays after the group escapes from Sato and continues to the end of the episode. [C11] Plays when Korra and Mako separate from Asami, Bolin, and Iroh to take down Amon.
22	War	Chapter 11: "Skeletons in the Closet"	Begins playing after the first commercial break when Sato's biplanes attack General Iroh and the United Forces; ends when Korra saves General Iroh.
23	Asami And Hiroshi / Korra Airbends	Chapter 12: "Endgame"	Plays during the eponymous scenes; ends after Korra airbends Amon out of the window and into the water.
24	Greatest Change	Chapter 1: "Welcome to Republic City" Chapter 12: "Endgame"	[C1] Beginning of the song plays when Korra takes Naga and leaves for Republic City. [C12] Begins from the final commercial break until the end of the episode, during Korra's meeting with Avatar Aang and recovery of her bending.
25	The Legend of Korra End Credits	Chapters 1 - 12	Plays during the credits of every Book One episode.
26	The Legend of Korra Main Title	Chapters 2 - 12	Plays during the opening of every Book One episode except "Welcome to Republic City".

Release

July 16, 2013 saw an overwhelmingly successful release for Original Music From Book One, taking the number one spot on Amazon's soundtrack bestseller list and the number five spot on the pop music charts.

Reception

The Legend of Korra: Original Music From Book One received mostly positive reviews from critics. AllMusic.com called it a "fascinating listen, even without the story line," citing the unique mix of predominantly Asian instruments and other sound effects as a highlight of the album.

Trivia

• The track "Before" is played throughout the Legend of Korra Book Two trailer.
• Although many variations of the song "The Rally", which was released by The Track Team in 2012, are evident in the tracks of the soundtrack, the actual song itself is not included in the playlist.