By Any Means Soundtrack (2026): Every Song

Directed by filmmaker Elegance Bratton (The Inspection), the 2026 historical crime thriller By Any Means dramatizes one of the most volatile and dangerous alliances in American law enforcement history. Set against the boiling racial tensions of the Civil Rights era, the film follows the uneasy partnership between notorious Colombo crime family hitman Greg Scarpa (played with grit by Mark Wahlberg) and determined young Black FBI agent Wayne Strider (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Dispatched deep into Mississippi to investigate the brutal killing of civil rights pioneer Vernon Dahmer (Giancarlo Esposito), the pair navigate systemic corruption, Ku Klux Klan conspiracies, and the razor-thin boundary between state justice and mob retribution. The film’s sonic palette is calibrated to reflect this deep psychological and moral weight, grounding the era’s turbulent struggle with historical authenticity and raw emotional resonance.

The music of By Any Means bridges timeless American standards with hard-hitting modern anthems. Headlining the soundtrack is the powerful original title track "By Any Means," an electrifying cross-generational collaboration between R&B/soul royalty The Isley Brothers and singer-songwriter David Kushner, featured in both film and single arrangements. The narrative immersion is further deepened by era-defining soul, blues, and southern country classics that echo the racial divide and emotional heartache of the 1960s, including Nina Simone’s soulful "I Love Your Lovin' Ways," Ray Charles’ swinging rendition of "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail," The Impressions’ civil-rights-era harmony on "Talking About My Baby," and Dinah Washington’s passionate "Baby You've Got What It Takes." Counterbalanced by the gritty honky-tonk realism of Merle Haggard’s "The Bottle Let Me Down" and the booming intensity of Travis Scott’s "THANK GOD" in the official trailer, the tracklist captures the complex spirit of a fractured nation.