OUT NOW: SPACE JAM (MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE) on Red and Black Vinyl

It's time to jam all over again. SPACE JAM (MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE), the 1996 soundtrack to the timeless animated classic is available today, July 9, 2021, as a double-LP on 180-gram, red and black vinyl (for collector's looking to snag the colored vinyl version, they're exclusive to indie record stores. Ring up your favorite mom 'n' pop shops for availability!) The 14-track collection, featuring a mix of R&B, hip-hop and pop artists, was a commercial smash that peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 over the week of April 5, 1997. This new vinyl version is available a few days before the film's sequel, Space Jam: A New Legacy starring LeBron James, opens in movie theaters on July 16, 2021.

The original SPACE JAM soundtrack was an international sensation, and has been certified platinum six times. A steady stream of hit singles fueled its success, including Seal's cover of the Steve Miller classic "Fly Like An Eagle," Quad City DJ's "Space Jam" and "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)," which featured an all-star team of hip-hop artists: B-Real of Cypress Hill, Coolio, Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes.

The soundtrack delivered even bigger hits with its two Top 5 songs. The first was the platinum-certified ballad, "For You I Will" by Monica, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The other was "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly, which topped the Billboard Hot R&B Singles Chart for six non-consecutive weeks while peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The non-singles on the SPACE JAM soundtrack featured some interesting covers. First is "The Winner," Coolio's hip-hop reinterpretation of "We're A Winner," a song originally written by Curtis Mayfield and released in 1967 by his band The Impression. Salt-N-Pepa provided another highlight with their version of Diana Ross' #1 hit from 1980, "Upside Down ('Round-N-'Round)." Spin Doctors and Biz Markie joined forces for a version of KC and the Sunshine Band's #1 song from 1975, "That's The Way (I Like It)." And finally, there's Barry White and Chris Rock's recording of "Basketball Jones," a song originally recorded by Cheech and Chong in 1973.