A Classic ’80s Song Is Being Rediscovered Thanks To ‘The Last Of Us’

The 1980s never went anywhere, not with our nostalgia-obsessed culture, but the decade really never went away on television. Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” topped charts around the world after being prominently featured in season four of Stranger Things, while “Goo Goo Muck” by the Cramps inspired a whole new generation of “weird goth girls” thanks to Netflix’s Wednesday. The latest ’80s classic to get a needle drop bump: “Never Let Me Down Again” by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Depeche Mode.

The single from 1987’s Music for the Masses played over the end credits of the series premiere of HBO’s The Last of Us, a critical and ratings hit. Billboard reports that “Never Let Me Down Again” more than “tripled in official on-demand U.S. streams overnight, from 26,000 on the day of the premiere (Jan. 15) to 83,000 the next day, a gain of 220.5 percent.” The official music video on YouTube is now listed as “Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again (Official Video) (Heard on Episode 1 of The Last of Us).”

An 1980s song might mean trouble for Joel and Ellie, but it’s good news for Depeche Mode, who are going on tour this year. You can find the full list of dates here.