Yellowjackets Has A Killer Soundtrack — And It's One Of The Big Reasons The Show Rules
Since its 2021 debut, "Yellowjackets" has had the best soundtrack on TV, and season 2 kept up the momentum across its nine-episode run. Half of "Yellowjackets" is set in the 1990s and so the soundtrack pulls mostly from that era, especially indie rock, pop punk, and grunge. Those styles congeal into "No Return," the show's hypnotic original theme crafted by Anna Waronker and Craig Wedren. It sounds like the kind of song the characters could have listened to as teenagers and one that hints at their dark descent.
If you're in a playlist-making mood, check out /Film's own guide to every song on the "Yellowjackets" season 2 soundtrack. Beyond these songs being kick-ass, what do they bring to the show? I'd argue they not only add to the mood, they make watching "Yellowjackets" extra rewarding for viewers — you don't just walk away with great memories of the show itself, but new songs and/or forgotten favorites to listen to.
'90s mood
Since the 1996 segments of "Yellowjackets" is set far away from civilization, the show has to portray the time period through its costuming and music choices. "Yellowjackets" is no-holds-barred in breaking out '90s music classics. Some highlights across both seasons include "Dreams" by the Cranberries (season 1, episode 3 "The Dollhouse"), "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal (season 1, episode 9 "Doomcoming"), and Nirvana's "Something in the Way" (season 2, episode 7 "Burial). That latter episode even features Alanis Morrisette covering "No Return" in the opening titles.
Are these needle drops nostalgic? To an extent yes, but it's important to remember that television isn't just for those who make it. Take "Stranger Things" season 4, which prominently used "Running Up That Hill" and gave the song a big boost. I'll admit I initially rolled my eyes at my Zoomer brethren acting like they were the first ones to discover Kate Bush. Eventually, though, this helped me recognize the importance of including needle drops in period pieces — they introduce the music to younger viewers.
As a '99 baby, I barely missed experiencing the 20th century and its pop culture firsthand. For every song I recognize on "Yellowjackets," there's another I don't. I appreciate that the show is introducing me to music that might otherwise have gone under my radar.
Even as I push myself to experience new films and TV, I can get complacent with listening to my same favorite songs over and over. Memorable needle drops become a way for me to expand my musical palette and I'm sure I'm not alone. Thanks to "Yellowjackets," Smashing Pumpkins has gone way up in my Spotify listens. Speaking of...
I'm still just a rat in a cage
I have to shout out my favorite "Yellowjackets" needle drop from season 2: Smashing Pumpkins' 1995 "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" in episode 8 "It Chooses." With this song choice, the show goes back to its roots. The first song in the "Pilot" was "Today," briefly played over establishing shots of Wiskayok, New Jersey circa 1996. The song opens with "Today is the greatest," reflecting how this is the Yellowjackets' last day of normalcy before the plane crash.
In "It Chooses," Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) picks the doomed queen from the card deck, meaning that by the Yellowjackets' ritualistic rules, the wilderness has chosen her to be the sacrifice. Ever the skeptic and survivor, Natalie doesn't take this lying down and (with Travis' help) runs off as her teammates follow in a murderous pursuit. The lyrics of "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" describe the situation unfolding: "The world is a vampire" (the Wilderness entity, if it does exist, demands human sacrifices), "Despite all my rage" (The girls becoming feral hunters as they pursue Natalie), and "I am still just a rat in a cage" (Natalie is trapped by the hunters around her).
The song's aggressive energy, coming from Billy Corgan's screaming vocals and guitar shredding (backed up by James Iha and D'arcy Wretzky), propels the climax of "It Chooses." The song's chorus overpowers the rest, creating the sort of rhythm that complements a chase scene.
Bonus? "Smashing Pumpkins" is exactly the sort of band a punk-rock high-schooler like Natalie would be listening to in 1996. "Yellowjackets" uses a lot of '90s music, but it does so with purpose, not just for aesthetics.
Broadening musical horizons
"Yellowjackets" doesn't constrain itself to only 90s music. I've written before about the use of Papa Roach's "Last Resort" in the season 2 premiere. Even though the song came out in 2000, it fits Jeff (Warren Kole) and adds great comedy. Episode 7 "Burial" uses two different Florence + the Machine songs (both from the 2022 album "Dance Fever") in deliberately contrasting ways.
A montage of the adult Yellowjackets getting drunk and having fun is underscored with "Free," a melody about living with one's anxiety and finding peace in spite of it — a fitting choice for the only fun the characters have had this whole season. "Dream Girl Evil" plays over the episode's end credits. This song, about how women — as mothers and lovers alike — are alternatively beatified or demonized, is as fitting an anthem for "Yellowjackets" as "No Return." Florence Welch even covered No Doubt's 1995 hit "Just A Girl" for the "Yellowjackets" soundtrack. A story all about looking back at the past shouldn't be afraid to offer new spins on old hits.
With season 3 of "Yellowjackets" already confirmed, I wonder where the soundtrack will go next. I'm surprised we haven't gotten any Alice In Chains yet, since they would fit right in with the other '90s rock. Since the "Yellowjackets" team has shown no shyness about using aughts acts, I'd throw out My Chemical Romance — "Mama," about a man lamenting how he's failed his mother and declaring "We all go to Hell," would be a pitch-perfect choice.
All episodes of "Yellowjackets" season 2 are streaming on Showtime.