Based on the Dark Horse graphic novels by Gabriel Ba and Gerard Way, the lead singer of My Chemical Romance, The Umbrella Academy is a Netflix series about a dysfunctional team of superheroes. Now grown apart, they reunite after the death of their adoptive father and set off several chains of events that lead to many catastrophes they need to come together to stop. True to the musical nature of its co-creator, The Umbrella Academy features an iconic soundtrack throughout its four seasons, offering songs from various decades and genres.
With some episodes containing multiple iconic needle drops each, it was hard to pick, but these are the Top 10 best songs in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy.
10) “I Was Made For Loving You” by KISS
This scene from Season 2, Episode 5 of The Umbrella Academy has Number Five and Deigo fighting new adversaries, The Swedes. In the middle of the battle, Lila (Ritu Arya), a mimic and can take on the abilities of the other heroes, arrives to help. In this scene, she has a choice between helping Diego, whom she is starting to have feelings for, or helping Number Five, her target. She chooses to help Number Five as she copies Diego’s martial arts abilities and trajectory manipulation, taking down several Swedes. This song choice is both fun, with its juxtaposition of violence, and also an interesting choice for Lila’s betrayal. The choice to help Number Five may have been a foreshadowing of events that happen later in the series.
9) “Powered Up” by Cobra Man
At the end of Season 3, the Hargreeves manage to stop yet another apocalypse, but at the cost of their powers. The first episode of Season 4 sees them struggle to adjust to mundane life, but in Episode 2, their gifts return in unexpected and hilarious ways. This high-energy song captures their joy and thrill as they regain their powers. Luther, now an exotic dancer, gorillas out in the middle of his performance, leaving very little to the imagination. Number Five casually trips in and out of time and space in his office. And Diego, now a postman, flings packages perfectly into mailboxes from a moving vehicle. The song crescendos as he shouts in excitement. Who doesn’t love a good power-up montage?
8) “Dancing With Myself” by Billy Idol, Generation X
Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy delivers the same quirky humor as the first season, bringing moments of levity in an otherwise grim world, as seen in Season 2, Episode 9. Luther and Number Five meet an older version of Number Five, and due to something called “paradox psychosis,” both Number Fives turn more hostile towards each other. Luther stops the younger Number Five from engaging. Instead, he ends up with a strong kick to the groin that leaves him cringing in pain as both Number Fives violently beat each other in the background, maneuvering in and out of time and space to deliver blows and punches as this very fitting song plays.
7) “Right Back Where We Started” by Maxine Nightingale
Season 2 opens with the Hargreeves getting separated back in time while this cheerful song plays. Each sibling is dropped down in the same spot in Dallas, Texas, across the years 1960 and 1963. Klaus and Ben wander around lost, having been dropped off first in 1960. Allison learns this is a dangerous time for her in 1961 when she tries to enter a “Whites Only” restaurant. In 1963, Luther calls out to everyone dramatically in the rain. Viktor gets dropped a few months later and hit by a car, now unable to remember who they are. Diego is one of the last ones to be dropped, landing in October of 1963, as he stops a petty thief from stealing a woman’s purse. Finally, the song cuts out and is replaced by the sound of gunfire as Number Five finds himself in yet another apocalypse that happens in November 1963. A mere three weeks later. This abrupt stop of such lighthearted music signaled the seriousness of this season’s world-ender and the question of whether the Hargreeves will ever reunite after being scattered across time.
6) “Never Tear Us Apart” by Paloma Faith
After quickly falling in love with all the characters in Season 1 Episode 1, Episode 2 gives us a devastating blow with the help of this emotional song. After accidentally jumping too far in time, Number Five loses his ability to teleport back home. He spends decades in the post-apocalypse trying to return, all while avoiding the assassins that have been chasing him relentlessly. When he finally finds a way back, he tries to convince his family of the apocalyptic event they need to stop. He recounts what he saw to them: Their dead bodies in the rubble of their former home. In this scene, Number Five is devastated. He walks slowly through the ruins, finding each one of the Hargreeves and making a promise to find a way to return to them and prevent their unfortunate fate. You can see in this scene how important this family is to Number Five, despite his fraught relationship with his adopted father, solidifying Number Five as one of the most devastating characters in the series.
5) “Saturday Night” by Bay City Rollers
Nothing creates a better scene than a dysfunctional family in a bowling alley. In Episode 10 of Season 1, the Hargreeves siblings spend some much-needed quality family time yelling at each other and the kids in the next lane, having mental breakdowns, and fighting an elite team of soldiers sent to kill them. This upbeat scene is one of the first times we see all the siblings fighting together since they reunited. They struggle to remember how to function together as a team, but each one manages to take out some soldiers in a fun way to the poppy tempo, a common staple in The Umbrella Academy‘s fight scenes. They manage to evade the soldiers by running across the lanes and through the pins, with Klaus delivering a perfect strike. They realize how much they all need each other, despite their disagreements.
4) “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins
The only thing better than a battle with good music is a dance battle with good music. Season 3 opens up with the Umbrella Academy and the Sparrow Academy facing off in a fever-dream dance battle. As the Hargreeves return to their home after saving the world again, they find that they have instead ended up in an alternate reality where they were never adopted—hostility brews between the two Academies as they stare each other down. Jayme Hargreeves (Cazzie David), a Sparrow Academy heroine with hallucinogenic saliva, uses her powers on Diego as she gets him to hallucinate a giant house party set to the iconic Kenny Loggins song. This scene is an unexpected break from the heaviness of the show, offering a glimpse of a reality in which they’re all happy. But despite the fun and confetti, this all turns out to be a hallucination as Diego snaps back to reality, back in the hostile standoff between the two Academies.
3) “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
In one of the most memorable fight scenes of the first season, this altercation between Number Five, Hazel (Cameron Britton), and Cha-Cha (Mary J. Blige) sets the bar for what to expect from the show’s fights. Hazel and Cha-Cha are two adorably masked Assassins sent back in time to capture Number Five. They locate him in a department store and open fire. It’s the first time we see Number Five’s powers used in battle, and Queen’s hype-up anthem song is the perfect soundtrack to show his crafty skills as he teleports all around them, rigging traps and misleading them. You see that Number Five is not only good with his powers, but also smart, managing to finally evade them with his wits when his powers malfunction again. This scene showcases the lighthearted approach to battles in the show, using upbeat and exciting songs to accelerate the action, rather than intense instrumentals.
2) “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany
In the first episode, the Hargreeves reconnect after years apart. Unfortunately, this is due to the death of their father, Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore). The reunion is tense at first, with emotions growing high, but the barriers are broken when Luther puts on a record of the catchy song by Tiffany, and the melody echoes throughout the house. Here we see the Hargreeves as the children they once were. Luther and Allison dance without a care in their rooms. Viktor dances through the entrance hall. Klaus dances with his father’s ashes in a fleeting attempt to connect with him. Diego closes the door to the sitting room to show off his smooth moves. This ends up being the first and only time we see the Hargreeves simply enjoying a moment of peace and joy. It’s a scene worth remembering, as I’m sure a part of them think back to the carefree time they enjoyed each other’s company and danced around like no one was watching.
1) “Major Tom (Coming Home)” by Peter Schilling
Ironically enough, the most memorable and compelling song in The Umbrella Academy doesn’t revolve around the Hargreeves at all, but on Pogo (Adam Godley), the Hargreeves’ assistant, an intelligent chimpanzee. After meeting an unfortunate demise in Season 1, Pogo’s origin story is revealed in Episode 5 of Season 2. Pogo was a chimpanzee raised by Reginald Hargreeves and Grace (Jordan Claire Robbins), a woman who would later be the Hargreeves’ mother. The song plays as we see him grow, being raised and loved by Grace, learning rapidly, and going on a space mission. Peter Schilling’s song builds up to the intense moment when an accident in space severely injures Pogo. Thinking all hope is lost, Reginald injects Pogo with a serum that saves his life and gives him human intelligence. This scene is a rare moment for Reginald, as he shows care and empathy, which makes Grace fall in love with him. This leads to her raising the children with the same love and compassion, and Pogo helping her, becoming somewhat of a second father. This scene stands out the most from the rest of the show, making it distinct and more memorable than the others.
Watch all seasons of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix. Got any favorite jams from the show? Let us know in the comments!
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