FX’s Shōgun is a feat of world-building—visually stunning, narratively rich, and tonally exact.
To help capture that tone in the official launch trailer, FX turned to Musicbed and licensed Hannah Parrott’s “Leverage.” It’s a brooding, cinematic track that deepened the tension and amplified the stakes.
Set in Feudal Japan on the brink of civil war, the series demanded a sonic identity that felt both epic and precise. “Leverage” delivered on both fronts.
With atmospheric synths, taiko drums, and sharp string arrangements, the track mirrors the drama’s underlying volatility—never overpowering the visuals, always moving with them.
More than just a background track, “Leverage” was part of the storytelling. The music served as narrative infrastructure.
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The creative team behind the trailer chose Musicbed for more than just the collection of music. It was the ease of collaboration, the confidence in curatorial quality, and the shared instinct for music that hits the emotional mark.
That kind of partnership doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on consistency—on a track record of delivering label-quality music that’s as considered as the edit itself.
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Why it worked:
- Label-Quality Music: “Leverage” is cinematic, textured, and scored with intention—giving the Shōgun trailer the tension it needed.
- Creative Partnership: FX could move quickly, knowing Musicbed understood the tone, the pacing, and the stakes.
- Speed, Simplicity, Flexibility: From search to license, the process was seamless—allowing the editors to focus on the edit, not the logistics.
In Musicbed’s collection, FX found a song that both supported the narrative and helped define its tone from the very first frame. It was bold, elegant, and unmistakably epic.
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