The Lost Bus soundtrack guide: A complete list of the music in the latest survival thriller

In survival thrillers like The Lost Bus, the action grabs your eyes, but the music becomes your pulse! Matthew McConaughey's new movie tells the story of a school bus driver fighting California's deadly 2018 wildfires to save all the kids trapped inside.

Director Paul Greengrass (known for films like Captain Phillips) teams up with actress America Ferrera, who plays a teacher. The soundtrack stands out as it builds the tension and has songs that hit in the quiet moments.

Adapted from Lizzie Johnson's book Paradise, The Lost Bus movie features Greengrass's urgent music that sticks with you. You're not alone if you wonder about that haunting song during the bus escape.

Familiar songs on The Lost Bus

Before looking into the original songs, let's talk about the tracks viewers might recognize. Chris Stapleton's Grammy-winning "Broken Halos" appears early on. The 2017 ballad about lives cut short hits us against scenes of wildfire and destruction. It's a painfully fitting choice for an American tragedy.

Then there's "Peace & Love" by the indie group Two Car Garage. This song becomes an anthem of hope through the chaos. The filmmakers use a few notes here and there, but in a survival story, that restraint matters.

James Newton Howard's music in The Lost Bus

The rest of the music comes from James Newton Howard. You might know his work from huge films like The Dark Knight or The Hunger Games --- he's been up for nine Oscars.

He's teamed up with director Paul Greengrass before, but this time, he gnaws into the disaster movie vibe. The Lost Bus soundtrack keeps your heart racing one minute and then drops into quiet the next.

Platoon Records released the album, a solid 17 tracks stretching over an hour, matching the film's breakneck speed. You feel it right away: Howard doesn't let the music sit in the background. Tracks like "Electrical Hazard" crackle with tension, while "Returning Home" wraps things on a sombre note. Strings swell, and drums punch and grab your nerves and don't let go.

Highlights include "Burnover," a six-minute track that captures the real-time panic of firefighters trapped by flames. Another piece on The Lost Bus, "Fight Fire or Save Lives," explores decision-making in a crisis. Tracks like "Looters" and "No Way Out" are hit with almost documentary-style rawness.

Meanwhile, Michael Dean Parsons' vocals on songs like "I Trust Him" and "It's Not Too Late" slice through the chaos with vulnerability. You can almost hear the grit under his nails during the "Press Conference" performance.