INXS songs enjoy resurgence after ‘Euphoria’ Season 2 showdown

The global success of HBO’s hit television series Euphoria – which features five INXS tracks during its second season – has introduced the Australian band to younger audiences.

According to Spotify data shared with TMN this week, streams of INXS classics – including ‘Need You Tonight’, ‘Mystify’, ‘Never Tear Us Apart’, ‘Devil Inside’, and ‘New Sensation’ – have climbed 10% globally since the season finale aired late February.

Streams of ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ were also up 22% over the past 28 days, according to Spotify.

Euphoria, created and written by Sam Levinson, follows a group of high school students through their experiences of identity, trauma, drugs, family, friendships, love, and sex.

Among its cast is Aussie actor Jacob Elordi, who plays Nate.

Pictured L-R: Eric Dane who plays Cal and Jacob Elordi who plays Nate

According to Euphoria’s music supervisor Jen Malone, Levinson wanted INXS to soundtrack the younger years of Nate’s manipulative and deeply-troubled farther Cal (Eric Dane).

That storyline, with more from INXS and other “late-80s, early-90s new wave” acts like Roxette, Depeche Mode, and The Cult, continues throughout the latest season.

“When a music supervisor gets to work on a show or an episode with their absolute favourite music that the director and showrunner want to have, it’s just so fun,” Malone told Variety.

“I made bins of a bunch of music that could be used and what I think would be great for Cal’s playlist. Normally I give a reasonable amount, but with [editor] Laura [Zempel] I was like, ‘Sorry, I gave you way too much music.’”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2A99z0QeSc

In Australia, ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ returned to the daily Spotify Top 100 while ‘Mystify’, ‘Need You Tonight, ‘New Sensation’ and ‘Devil Inside’ have all experienced increases in listenership – pushing INXS’ total monthly listenership up over seven million globally for the first time ever.

Universal Music Publishing Group, home of the INXS catalogue, told TMN that Euphoria’s sizable fan base and audience makes it among the most sought after shows for sync placements.

“INXS and their music continue to prove wonderfully timeless as generation after generation discovers one of the best bands and songwriters ever,” UMPG’s North America president Evan Lamberg said.

Lamberg also said the band’s “late, great, magical manager” Chris Murphy believed that with the right creative connections to the music, a new generation would discover and embrace INXS.

“Nothing is a better example of that than the partnership of INXS’ music and the hit series Euphoria,” Lamberg added.

Euphoria is available to stream in Australia on Foxtel’s Binge.