Anderson declared The Royal Tenenbaums to be "the most complex, ambitious musical piece I've ever worked on".[67] The soundtrack features rock songs from the 1960s through the 1990s. There have been two soundtrack album releases for the film,[68] though not all of the songs used in the film appear on the albums.[68][69] Songs used include: Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", Van Morrison's "Everyone", John Lennon's "Look at Me", Nick Drake's "Fly", the Mutato Muzika Orchestra version of the Beatles' "Hey Jude", "These Days" by Nico, and two songs by the Rolling Stones.[68][69] Erik Satie's "Gymnopédie No. 1" is also used in the film,[70] as is the iconic song of A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) by Vince Guaraldi.[13] According to the marketing of the film, particular musical instruments are matched with each character, with the association established in the introductory narration and continuing to the conclusion.[67]
In 2002, the soundtrack was re-released containing the score, composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, along with more of the songs. The Rolling Stones' songs "She Smiled Sweetly" and "Ruby Tuesday" were omitted for lack of rights.[68]
