MGM+’s The Westies premiered on July 12, 2026, dropping viewers into the Irish-American underworld of early-1980s Hell’s Kitchen. Created by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, the eight-episode crime drama stars J.K. Simmons as aging gang patriarch Eamon Sweeney, alongside Titus Welliver, Tom Brittney, Jessica Frances Dukes, Sarah Bolger, Stanley Morgan, Allen Leech, Hamish Allan-Headly, Vincent Walsh, and Hilary McCormack, as generational tension inside the gang collides with an FBI investigation into their mafia rivals.
Beyond the cast, the series leans heavily on music to sell its period setting — pairing an original score with a small but pointed selection of period-appropriate and modern needle drops. Here’s what’s confirmed about the music of The Westies, verified across trade publications, official databases, and the show’s own credits, along with a clear account of what hasn’t been released yet.
Quick Facts
| Title | The Westies |
| Type | TV Series (Crime Drama) |
| Composer | Mark Isham |
| Release Date | July 12, 2026 (season finale August 23, 2026) |
| Genre | Crime Drama |
| Where to Watch/Stream | MGM+ (U.S.); Prime Video Channel (U.K.); Stan (Australia) |
The Westies Soundtrack Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Series | The Westies |
| Creators | Chris Brancato & Michael Panes |
| Director (Episodes 1–2) | Alan Taylor |
| Studio | MGM+ Studios (Amazon MGM Studios), distributed internationally by Fifth Season |
| Platform | MGM+ (U.S.); Prime Video Channel (U.K.); Stan (Australia) |
| Series Premiere | July 12, 2026 |
| Composer | Mark Isham |
| Music Supervisor | eric medina |
| Theme Song | “Dropped on My Head” — Dropkick Murphys |
| Score Album Label | Not yet announced |
| Score Album Release Date | Pending / not yet released |
| Total Tracks (Score Album) | Not applicable — no album released |
| Episode Runtime | Approximately 45–55 minutes per episode |
The Westies Soundtrack Overview
As of this writing — roughly two weeks after the show’s August 23, 2026 season finale — no standalone score album or official soundtrack release for The Westies has been announced by MGM+ Studios, Isham’s representatives, or any of the trade outlets that typically track these releases (Film Music Reporter has posted only the composer assignment, not an album announcement). A score release, if one happens at all for this show, may still land in the weeks or months following the finale — plenty of MGM+ dramas never receive a standalone score release.
What is confirmed is the show’s musical identity outside the score: its opening title sequence runs to Dropkick Murphys‘ “Dropped on My Head,” a track that first surfaced as a bonus cut on the Boston punk band’s 2025 album For the People before being adopted as the show’s theme. A fan-curated playlist titled “The Westies Soundtrack MGM,” assembled by a third-party account called 6th Street Entertainment, is circulating on Spotify, but it is not an official label or studio release, and its 28 tracks have not been cross-verified against the show’s actual music cues — it is best treated as unofficial fan curation rather than a confirmed episode-by-episode song list.
Who Composed The Westies Soundtrack?
The original score for The Westies is composed by Mark Isham, a veteran film and television composer with a working relationship with creator Chris Brancato that now spans three MGM+ projects.
Born September 7, 1951, in New York City to a family of professional musicians, Isham took up trumpet as a child and was performing professionally by his early teens, eventually playing with the Oakland and San Francisco symphonies before moving into jazz and session work alongside artists including Van Morrison and the Beach Boys. He released his solo debut, Vapor Drawings, on Windham Hill Records in 1983 — the same year he scored his first film, Disney’s Never Cry Wolf, launching a screen-composing career that has since spanned more than 200 film and television credits.
Isham is a nine-time Grammy Award nominee, winning Best New Age Album for his self-titled 1990 release, and he has been nominated for an Academy Award for A River Runs Through It (1992) and a Golden Globe for Nell (1994). His other notable credits include Crash (2004), 42 (2013), Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), and long-running television work on Once Upon a Time. He has scored both of Chris Brancato’s prior MGM+ series — The Godfather of Harlem and Hotel Cocaine — making The Westies his third collaboration with the showrunner, all three for the same network.
The Westies Official Tracklist — Currently Pending
No official tracklist exists for The Westies at this time, because no score album or soundtrack release has been published. In keeping with our sourcing standards, we are not inventing or estimating track titles, durations, or a running order. If MGM+, Isham’s team, or a label announces an album, this section will be updated with the verified tracklist and per-track durations.
What can be confirmed instead is the show’s key non-score music credit:
- “Dropped on My Head” — Dropkick Murphys (Series theme / opening titles song; originally a bonus track on the band’s 2025 album For the People)
Score Highlights
Detailed track-by-track analysis of Isham’s score isn’t possible without a released album to draw from. That said, critical response to the score in context gives a reliable sense of its overall character: reviewers have described Isham’s music as blending moody synthesizer textures with traditional orchestration, working to capture both the glamour and menace of the Westies’ criminal underworld, and complementing the show’s brooding tone throughout the premiere episodes. Beyond that general critical characterization, any claims about specific themes, cues, or scene placements would be speculative, so we’re holding off until a released album or official cue sheet allows for verified, scene-specific coverage.
The Westies Licensed Songs / Needle Drops
Confirmed needle drop and theme song credits for The Westies are limited so far:
- “Dropped on My Head” — Dropkick Murphys. Confirmed as the series’ opening title song, described by multiple outlets as part of a noir-style, motion-comic-style credits sequence. Originally released as a bonus track on the band’s 2025 album For the People.
- “Eye for an Eye” — The Rumjacks. This track appears in the show’s official MGM+ trailer, per the licensed-music database WhatSong. It has not been confirmed as a needle drop within any broadcast episode, so we’re keeping it clearly separated as trailer-only music rather than presenting it as a confirmed in-show cue.
Update — season now complete: The Westies finished its eight-episode run on August 23, 2026, and NME has since published a fuller episode-by-episode account of the show’s music beyond the premiere, mixing period Italian pop, disco, and new wave cuts with modern Irish acts including Lankum, Kneecap, Grian Chatten, Fontaines D.C., and The Mary Wallopers. Confirmed songs by episode, per NME:
Episode 1, “The Troubles” “The Wild Rover” – Lankum · “Dropped on My Head” – Dropkick Murphys · “Serenata e’ Piscatore” – Giorgio Consolini · “What I Like About You” – The Romantics · “In the End” – The Cranberries · “H.O.O.D” – Kneecap · “Fairlies” – Grian Chatten · “Just For One Night” – Steve Starlust · “Dr. Funk” – Ray Dean and Les Vegas · “Come Te Non C’È Nessuno” – Rita Pavone · “Waiting” – E.R.I.C. · “Funeral Sessions” – A Lazarus Soul
Episode 2, “The Houdini” “Dropped on My Head” – Dropkick Murphys · “Bang Bang” – Dizzy Gillespie · “Tenement Kids” – The Boys · “One Kiss to Remember” – Frank Fafara · “The Passenger” – Iggy Pop · “Roadrunner” – Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers · “Hold My Beer” – Firkin · “Brewing Up a Storm” – The Stunning
Episode 3, “The Starship” “Silverwing” – Prairie Dog · “Ring Me Honey” – A la Carte · “The Runner” – The Three Degrees · “Student Rape” – The Flashcubes · “Boys in the Better Land” – Fontaines D.C. · “Radiation Head” – The Models · “Madam I’m a Darlin'” – The Mary Wallopers
Episode 4, “Favours and Funerals” “Back Home” – Finny McConnell · “Vorrei Essere Te” – Neria Nanni · “Being Alive” – Jamie Dunlap · “House of the Rising Sun” – Sinéad O’Connor
Episode 5, “A Right Rose Tree” “Sweet Poison” – Iron Force · “The Message” – Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five · “Slide Away” – The Dream Syndicate · “Snortin’ Whiskey” – Pat Travers Band
Episode 6, “Rad Tad” “Personality Crisis” – New York Dolls · “Fightin’ Society” – Loosely Tight · “Ti Voglio Come Sei” – Rocky Boris · “Go Dig My Grave” – Lankum
Episode 8, “A Boy Made of Trouble” “Hog of the Road” – Z-Cars · “N.Y. Stars” – Lou Reed · “Big Money” – Liquid Blue · “There She Is” – Johnny Amoros
Note: NME’s tracking did not include a separate song list for Episode 7 at the time of publication. This section will be updated if Episode 7’s music is separately confirmed.
Mark Isham Filmography (Selected Credits)
| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Never Cry Wolf | Film (debut score) |
| 1992 | A River Runs Through It | Film (Academy Award nomination) |
| 1994 | Nell | Film (Golden Globe nomination) |
| 2004 | Crash | Film |
| 2011–2018 | Once Upon a Time | TV Series |
| 2013 | 42 | Film |
| 2016 | The Accountant | Film |
| 2021 | Judas and the Black Messiah | Film |
| 2019–2023 | The Godfather of Harlem | TV Series (MGM+, w/ Chris Brancato) |
| 2024 | Hotel Cocaine | TV Series (MGM+, w/ Chris Brancato) |
| 2026 | Scarpetta | – |
| 2026 | Lucky | TV Series |
| 2026 | The Westies | TV Series (MGM+, w/ Chris Brancato) |
Where to Listen to The Westies Soundtrack?
Since no official score album or soundtrack has been released yet, there’s currently no dedicated The Westies release to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, or similar platforms — only the unofficial, fan-curated Spotify playlist mentioned above, which shouldn’t be mistaken for a studio release. The confirmed theme song, Dropkick Murphys’ “Dropped on My Head,” is available through the band’s 2025 album For the People on all major streaming services. We’ll update this section immediately if MGM+ Studios or a label announces a formal soundtrack release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the music for The Westies?
Mark Isham composed the original score for The Westies, his third collaboration with creator Chris Brancato following The Godfather of Harlem and Hotel Cocaine.
Is there an official soundtrack album for The Westies?
Not as of this writing, even weeks after the show’s August 23, 2026 season finale. No score album or soundtrack release has been announced by MGM+ Studios, Mark Isham’s team, or any tracked label.
What is the theme song for The Westies?
The opening titles use “Dropped on My Head” by Dropkick Murphys, originally released as a bonus track on the band’s 2025 album For the People.
How many episodes does The Westies Season 1 have?
Season 1 consists of eight episodes, with the first two premiering together on July 12, 2026, followed by a weekly Sunday release schedule through the finale on August 23, 2026.
Where can I watch The Westies?
The series streams exclusively on MGM+ in the United States, on the Prime Video Channel in the U.K., and on Stan in Australia.
Is the Spotify playlist for The Westies official?
No. The “The Westies Soundtrack MGM” playlist circulating on Spotify is curated by a third-party account, not by MGM+ Studios or Mark Isham’s team, and its track list hasn’t been verified against the show’s actual music cues.
Does the show use any other songs besides the theme song?
Yes. Beyond the Dropkick Murphys theme, confirmed episode needle drops span acts including Lankum, Kneecap, Fontaines D.C., Grian Chatten, Iggy Pop, and The Mary Wallopers, per NME’s episode-by-episode breakdown of the completed season. The Rumjacks’ “Eye for an Eye” remains trailer-only and has not been confirmed as an in-episode cue.
Confirmed via Film Music Reporter, NME, Wikipedia, WhatSong, and multiple trade/review outlets: series premiere and finale dates, composer assignment and collaboration history, theme song and its 2025 album origin, episode count/schedule, and the completed season’s episode-by-episode song list. Flagged as pending: any official score album, tracklist, or track durations — none exist yet, even after the season finale. The Rumjacks’ trailer song remains explicitly separated from confirmed in-episode needle drops, and the Spotify fan playlist is noted as unofficial and unverified rather than treated as a track listing.
Related reading: Browse more crime-drama coverage on our TV soundtrack hub, or check out Mark Isham’s other 2026 scoring work in our Scarpetta and Lucky soundtrack guides.