The Garden State soundtrack was an insanely popular compilation with the likes of The Shins, Coldplay, Iron & Wine, and more. So championed it was that you might be surprised to learn that it actually won the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album. Also up that year was Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vol. 2, whose selection of Johnny Cash, Shivaree and Ennio Morricone had to “let go” of the gold to Zach Braff’s jukebox.
Zach Braff remembered that Quentin Tarantino had a far better attitude about Kill Bill losing out to Garden State than he did Pulp Fiction falling to Forrest Gump. As he told The Ringer, “Tarantino jokingly said, ‘You stole my f*cking Grammy, man,’ and then gave me a big smile and a hug. He was super sweet and supportive. I was the kind of film-school kid that would have put a Reservoir Dogs poster on my wall.”
Braff didn’t expect Garden State to win at all, fully anticipating that Kill Bill: Volume 2 would be winning the Grammy. “I was up against Quentin Tarantino. I certainly didn’t think there would ever be a chance where I would beat Quentin Tarantino at anything. My father wanted to come, and I was like, ‘Dad, there’s no way I’m gonna win a Grammy. Tarantino is winning the Grammy, and you’re wasting your trip from Jersey out here.’ And then we f*cking won! I couldn’t believe it.”
Garden State marked a huge breakout for Zach Braff as a filmmaker, although the indie’s reputation has taken a turnpike-sized hit in subsequent years, something that Braff had to learn to overcome. It would be another decade until he helmed another movie, 2014’s Wish I Was Here, and nearly another until his third feature, 2023’s A Good Person. He also directed a number of episodes of Scrubs, ABC sitcom Alex Inc. and even one of Ted Lasso, earning a DGA nomination for season one’s “Biscuits.”
The soundtrack for Garden State went platinum in the United States and Gold in Canada. Those aren’t exactly The Bodyguard numbers, but pretty good for an indie.
Are you a fan of the Garden State soundtrack? What’s your favorite track from it?