HBO’s The Last of Us roared out of the gates last night with a barnstorming feature-length premiere episode that’s gone down an absolute treat with both fans of the game and those new to the franchise. The show’s colossal budget was on full display in the first episode as we watched the collapse of society and began to explore the ruined future.
The premiere ended with Joel, Ellie, and Tess leaving the Boston QZ, with a radio flickering on and beginning to play a song. This was Depeche Mode’s 1987 track “Never Let Me Down Again”, from their sixth album Music for the Masses. Getting a song on a major TV show is proving very lucrative for musicians, as proven by Kate Bush and Metallica rocketing up the charts due to them soundtracking key moments on Stranger Things.
As such, the song and Depeche Mode are currently trending on social media as new listeners beat a path to Spotify to add the song to their playlists. Kate Bush saw an explosion in popularity after Stranger Things, and we think Depeche Mode may follow suit:
Interestingly, the song wasn’t simply part of the soundtrack, but a key element in the plot. During the episode, we see that songs are used as a way to transmit coded messages in public. A 1960s hit means “nothing in”, a ’70s track is “new stock”, and an ’80s song (like “Never Let Me Down Again”) ominously means ātroubleā.
Anyone who’s played the game will know there’s a heck of a lot of trouble on the way for Joel and Ellie over the coming season, though if it’s soundtracked by bangers like “Never Let Me Down Again” it’ll considerably sweeten the misery.
The Last of Us airs Sundays on HBO.