Putting superheroes back in their place is a nasty business, and here’s every song providing a musical backdrop to that job in The Boys. Based on the comic books by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys presents an R-rated look at what would happen if superheroes existed in the modern real world of corporate influence and social media marketing but, fortunately, the story’s titular quintet are on hand to “spank” any member of the spandex mob that strays out of line.

With such a raucous premise and a darkly comedic tone, it’s no surprise that The Boys comes with an impressive and eclectic selection of tracks to provide a colorful soundtrack to the visual fun and wanton violence. From classic British 1970s punk to French hip hop via Christian soft rock, The Boys has a lot of aural bases covered, with the lyrics often adding a deeper layer of meaning to whatever is happening on screen at the corresponding moment.

Episode 1:

  • Heart - Barracuda Chris Isaak - Baby Did A Bad Thing Daniel Pemberton - Take You Down The Clash - London Calling Iggy Pop - The Passenger

Episode 2:

  • Guizmo - Dans Ma Ruche The Damned - Neat Neat Neat Youssoupha - La Foule The Runaways - Cherry Bomb

Episode 3:

  • Jane’s Addiction - Stop Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up James Desmond, Panauh Kalayeh, John Eugenio and Andrew Davis Roland - Ready When It’s On Freedom, Kevin Earl Skaggs, Alexander Pol - Fight Night James Jacob Farris & Jonas Sorman - Gotta Go

Episode 4:

  • John Lee Hooker - Strike Blues Spice Girls - Wannabe

Episode 5: 

  • Sr Ortegon (feat. Pana Black) - A Lo Caliche Extreme Music - Raise It Up Bill Withers - Ain’t No Sunshine

Episode 6:

  • Dan Gautreau and Wolfgang Black - You’ve Got It All To Give Billy Joel - Big Shot Irene Cara - Fame Wagner - Ride Of The Valkyries Katy Perry - Roar

Episode 7:

  • Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock Air Supply - All Out Of Love

Episode 8:

  • The Clash - Rock The Casbah R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts The Shadows - Sleepwalk

Interspersed with a strong score by Christopher Lennertz that encompasses everything from pulsating and brooding action soundscapes to pieces that intentionally act as a pastiche of the stereotypical superhero movie soundtrack, these selected songs at times add extra weight to the scenes they accompany, and at other times put a juxtaposing slant on an otherwise grisly visual sequence.

Many of the songs also tie directly into certain characters. The smattering of British punk tunes pays homage to Billy Butcher’s cockney upbringing, providing The Boys with some of its upbeat, jauntier sounds, while Frenchie’s rap tunes add to the character’s underground ethos and his association with the city’s gangster contingent. Other songs, however, take an already funny scene and ramp up the hilarity with an exaggerated sense of drama and a wry smile.

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