Are you looking for the complete The Boroughs Soundtrack? You are at the right place. In this article, we have covered everything about The Boroughs (2026) soundtrack — including the full 20-track original score by John Paesano, the complete episode-by-episode needle drop list, music supervisor Nora Felder, and where to stream it today.
The Boroughs is a 2026 American supernatural sci-fi drama series created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim), with The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things) serving as executive producers. The series was ordered by Netflix in April 2023 and premiered on Netflix on May 21, 2026, with all eight episodes releasing simultaneously.
The series is set in a sun-drenched, seemingly picturesque desert retirement community called The Boroughs. A group of unlikely heroes — elderly residents including Sam, Judy, Wally, Art, and Renee — must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have: time.
The Boroughs stars Alfred Molina as Sam, Alfre Woodard as Judy, Denis O’Hare as Wally, Clarke Peters as Art, and Geena Davis as Renee, alongside Bill Pullman, Ed Begley Jr., Jane Kaczmarek, Karan Soni, and Rafael Casal in supporting roles.
The series was directed by Ben Taylor (Episodes 1–2), Augustine Frizzell (Episodes 3, 4, 7, 8), and Kyle Patrick Alvarez (Episodes 5–6).
The Boroughs has been described by critics as Stranger Things set in a retirement home — earning comparisons to the Duffer Brothers’ flagship series for its blend of supernatural mystery, emotional storytelling, and a meticulously curated classic rock soundtrack.
Who Composed The Boroughs Score?
The original score for The Boroughs was composed by John Paesano — a natural choice given his history with both Netflix and the supernatural thriller genre.
Paesano is an American composer best known for scoring Daredevil (Netflix, 2015), Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018 video game), Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023 video game), and The Maze Runner film trilogy. Legend of Zelda Movie Composer: John Paesano‘s ability to blend orchestral tension with emotional warmth makes him a strong fit for The Boroughs’ tonal blend of horror, mystery, and heartfelt character drama.
The score album — titled The Boroughs (Original Score from the Netflix Series) — features 20 tracks with a total runtime of 53 minutes. It was released by Netflix Music on May 21, 2026, the same day as the series premiere.
FandomWire described the score as a masterclass in balancing the vibe of the show — transitioning from the warm, analog acoustic tones of the licensed classic rock needle drops to the cold, alienating, digitized modern synths of Paesano’s original compositions.
Music Supervisor
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Music Supervisor | Nora Felder |
Nora Felder is a two-time Grammy nominee and Emmy winner who served as music supervisor for Stranger Things across all seasons — making her return for The Boroughs a deliberate creative decision to maintain sonic continuity between the two Duffer Brothers productions.
Felder was responsible for curating the show’s extensive needle drops, which lean heavily into 1970s and early 1980s classic rock, soul, and pop — reflecting the era in which the retirement community residents came of age, and grounding the supernatural story in their emotional memories.
As reported by Netflix Tudum, Felder’s approach to The Boroughs mirrors her Stranger Things philosophy: using music not just as atmosphere, but as a narrative tool that unlocks character and emotional truth in every scene.
The Boroughs – Official Score Album (Full Tracklist)
The Boroughs (Original Score from the Netflix Series) by John Paesano was released by Netflix Music on May 21, 2026. The album features 20 tracks with a total runtime of 53 minutes. A CD and vinyl version will be released on June 19, 2026 (available to pre-order now).
The full score track titles will be updated here once the complete album listing is officially published by Netflix Music.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Album Title | The Boroughs (Original Score from the Netflix Series) |
| Composer | John Paesano |
| Label | Netflix Music |
| Digital Release | May 21, 2026 |
| CD & Vinyl Release | June 19, 2026 |
| Total Tracks | 20 |
| Total Runtime | 53 minutes |
The Boroughs – Full Episode-by-Episode Needle Drops
The Boroughs features an extensive list of classic needle drops curated by Nora Felder — primarily spanning the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s, befitting the show’s retirement community setting. All needle drops below are verified via Deadline’s official song guide published May 21, 2026.
Episode 1 – “Welcome to the Boroughs”
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Golden Years | David Bowie |
| Oye Como Va | Santana |
| Thunder Road | Bruce Springsteen |
| All These Things I’ve Done | Netflix Recording / The Killers cover |
| Straight Sound | Head Cut |
| Shining Star | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| Spread Some Love | Mike Jemison |
| Easy Life | Jacob Bright |
| Night Moves | Bob Seger |
Episode 2 – “The Mourning After”
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Sex Beat | Sexbeat |
| Love Is All | Madeline Bell |
| Visions of Your Reality | Ultimate Spinach |
| Champaigne Nights | The Melophonics |
| Stormy Weather | Etta James |
| The Ex-Factor | Lauryn Hill |
| Steal Away | Karaoke – Robbie Dupree cover |
Episode 3 – “A Pyramid”
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Back on You | Djo |
| You’ve Got a Killer Scene There, Man | Queens of the Stone Age |
| I Can’t Stand the Rain | Performed by Clarke Peters (Tina Turner cover) |
| Lose Your Soul | Dead Man’s Bones |
Episode 4 – “Forbidden Fruit”
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Bluebird | Alan Hawkshaw |
| Lovely Day | Bill Withers |
| Alone | David Lawrence, Velma Valentina |
| Upon The Earth | Illustration |
| I Can’t Stand the Rain | Tina Turner |
| Black Night | Cheryl Thompson |
| The Passenger | Siouxsie & the Banshees |
Episode 5 – “Another Beautiful Day”
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Goodbye Little Girl Goodbye | Morrie Morrison |
| Belshazar | Johnny Cash |
| Words Come Easy | The Glasser Brothers |
Episode 6 – “The Grey Rebellion”
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Rock The Boat | The Hues Corporation |
| Thunder Road | Performed by Alfred Molina (Bruce Springsteen cover) |
| Up Up and Away | Engelbert Humperdinck |
| Love Train | The O’Jays |
Episodes 7 & 8
Full needle drop list for Episodes 7 and 8 will be updated as officially confirmed.
The Boroughs (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) – Official Licensed Album
Alongside John Paesano’s score, Netflix also released a separate licensed songs compilation album — titled The Boroughs (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) — featuring the show’s classic needle drops. This album was also released on May 21, 2026 digitally, with CD and vinyl versions releasing on June 19, 2026.
Confirmed tracks on the licensed soundtrack album include:
| # | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thunder Road | Bruce Springsteen |
| 2 | Lose Your Soul | Dead Man’s Bones |
| 3 | Oye Como Va | Santana |
| 4 | Do You Believe in Magic | The Lovin’ Spoonful |
| 5 | Night Moves | Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band |
Additional tracks on the licensed album confirmed via Netflix Tudum include songs by Bill Withers, Heart, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and more. Full tracklist to be updated.
Spotlight: Notable Songs in The Boroughs
David Bowie – “Golden Years”
The series opens with David Bowie’s “Golden Years” — the same track used in the official trailer. Its title is a deliberate thematic choice for a show about elderly heroes fighting for their lives and futures.
Bruce Springsteen – “Thunder Road”
Featured twice in the series — once as the original recording in Episode 1, and again in Episode 6 as a live vocal performance by Alfred Molina as Sam. This on-camera performance became one of the most discussed moments in early reviews.
Clarke Peters – “I Can’t Stand the Rain” (Tina Turner cover)
In Episode 3, cast member Clarke Peters (Art) performs a live in-show rendition of Tina Turner’s “I Can’t Stand the Rain” — an emotionally resonant scene that reviewers singled out as a standout moment in the season.
Djo – “Back on You”
The inclusion of Djo — the music project of Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington in Stranger Things — in Episode 3 is a deliberate Easter egg and in-universe nod to the Duffer Brothers’ flagship series. Keery’s inclusion connects the two productions in a subtle but unmistakable way.
Dead Man’s Bones – “Lose Your Soul”
Dead Man’s Bones is the musical project of actor Ryan Gosling — an interesting needle drop choice that ties into the show’s themes of mortality, memory, and the supernatural.
John Paesano – Composer Profile
| Year | Project |
|---|---|
| 2013 | The Maze Runner |
| 2015 | Daredevil (Netflix) |
| 2017 | Mass Effect: Andromeda |
| 2018 | Maze Runner: The Death Cure |
| 2018 | Marvel’s Spider-Man (Video Game) |
| 2023 | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Video Game) |
| 2026 | The Boroughs (Netflix) |
Where to Stream The Boroughs?
The Boroughs (Original Score from the Netflix Series) by John Paesano and The Boroughs (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) are both available on all major streaming platforms under Netflix Music:
- Spotify
- Apple Music – Available now
- Amazon Music
- YouTube Music
CD and vinyl versions of both albums release on June 19, 2026 and are available to pre-order now.
The full series is streaming exclusively on Netflix.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who composed The Boroughs (2026) score?
The original score was composed by John Paesano, known for Daredevil (Netflix, 2015), Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018), and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023). The score album contains 20 tracks with a runtime of 53 minutes.
Who is the music supervisor for The Boroughs?
Nora Felder — a two-time Grammy nominee and Emmy winner — served as music supervisor. She previously helmed music supervision for all seasons of Stranger Things.
When was The Boroughs soundtrack released?
Both the score album and the licensed songs compilation were released digitally by Netflix Music on May 21, 2026. CD and vinyl versions release on June 19, 2026.
What is the first song in The Boroughs?
The series opens with “Golden Years” by David Bowie — the same track featured in the official trailer.
Is Djo in The Boroughs soundtrack?
Yes. “Back on You” by Djo (the music project of Stranger Things actor Joe Keery) appears in Episode 3 — a deliberate Easter egg connecting the two Duffer Brothers productions.
Who performs “Thunder Road” in The Boroughs?
“Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen appears twice — once as the original recording in Episode 1, and once as a live in-show performance by Alfred Molina as his character Sam in Episode 6.
Who created The Boroughs?
The Boroughs was created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, with The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things) serving as executive producers. It premiered on Netflix on May 21, 2026.
How many episodes does The Boroughs Season 1 have?
The Boroughs Season 1 consists of 8 episodes, all of which premiered simultaneously on Netflix on May 21, 2026.
Is there a vinyl release of The Boroughs soundtrack?
Yes. Both The Boroughs (Original Score) and The Boroughs (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) will be released on CD and vinyl on June 19, 2026, and are available to pre-order now.
What kind of music is in The Boroughs?
The Boroughs features a mix of 1960s–1980s classic rock, soul, and pop needle drops — including tracks by David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Earth Wind & Fire, Bob Seger, Etta James, Bill Withers, Tina Turner, Johnny Cash, and Siouxsie & the Banshees — alongside John Paesano’s modern synth-driven original score.