The world of streaming is almost setting up its own real-life multiverse, with TV shows having the incredible ability to impact the world of music streaming. This was seen in the summer of 2022, when Stranger Things 4 turned a 40 year old Kate Bush song into a megahit, giving the eccentric songstress an unexpected Number 1 single around the world. Now Depeche Mode have been the latest musical act to receive a boost after their song “Never Let Me Down Again” played at the end of the first episode of The Last of Us earlier this week.

According to Luminate (via Billboard), the 1987 song saw its US Streaming demands triple, with even the overnight demand increase following the episode airing on HBO Max rising by over 220%. This equated to almost 60,000 more steams than normal. In the final moments of The Last of Us season premiere, the song arrived with an ominous warning, as viewers were already aware that an 80s song playing as code means trouble. However, for Depeche Mode, it means anything but.

Just to further link to the show, Depeche Mode’s official YouTube Channel updated the title of their video for “Never Let Me Down Again” to include the additional subtitle, “Heard during the HBO series: The Last of Us.” In a time when everyone needs to take the chances they are given for exposure in a very crowded market, it looks like the group are more than happy to take on board new fans directly from the success of the series.

Related: The Last of Us: Will the Series Sacrifice Structure for Content?

Why Did The Last of Us Use A Depeche Mode Song?

The Last of Us
Warner Bros. Television

With a whole decade of music to choose from, there is a question of why The Last of Us’ creators didn’t go for something better known to close out the episode and signal the coming trouble for Joel and Ellie. However, writer/director Craig Mazin had a reason for using that specific song in the series. He previously explained:

“A lot of '80s music is chipper and fun, but with this, I was looking for an up-tempo 80s song that had a darkness to it lyrically... What 'Never Let Me Down Again' is about is 'I'm taking a ride with my best friend'— he was singing about drugs, it was a song about addiction. Well, Ellie's about to take a ride with her best friend, and Joel is a dangerous man. Joel's about to take a ride with his best friend, he doesn't know she's his best friend yet. She's a dangerous little girl. Now, the point is, you're 'never gonna let me down'? They are gonna let each other down, and then they're not, and then they are, and then they're not. That thought was a really interesting way in."

The Last of Us has landed on HBO Max with huge audience numbers and almost perfect critic and viewer reviews. If the show can continue to maintain the standard it has set in its opening episode, then it is on track to become one of the greatest TV shows ever made.