It happened. Marvel finally remembered that music isn't just background noise. When Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds sat down to curate the Deadpool and Wolverine soundtrack, they weren't just looking for catchy tunes to fill the gaps between Logan’s claws and Wade’s quips. They were building a time machine.
Music is a weapon in this movie. Honestly, it's more effective than a vibranium shield most of the time. You’ve got this weird, chaotic mix of early 2000s pop, hair metal, and Broadway show tunes that somehow—against all logic—feels cohesive. It’s a mess. But it’s a brilliant mess.
Most people expected a standard superhero score with maybe one or two licensed hits. Instead, we got a "Van Jamz" playlist that feels like it was ripped straight from a stolen iPod Nano found in the glove box of a 2004 Honda Odyssey.
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The Bye Bye Bye Factor: Reclaiming the 2000s
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the boy band in the opening credits. Using *NSYNC’s "Bye Bye Bye" for a high-stakes, ultra-violent fight scene wasn’t just a gag. It was a statement.
It subverted every expectation of what a "superhero opening" should be. Usually, you get orchestral swells. Here, you get Deadpool doing the iconic choreography while literally dismembering Time Variance Authority agents. It’s absurd. It’s visceral.
The track peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2000, but thanks to the Deadpool and Wolverine soundtrack, it saw an astronomical spike in streaming numbers decades later. This is the "Stranger Things" effect, but with more blood. It works because the song is fundamentally upbeat, creating a tonal dissonance that makes the violence feel like a dance.
Why some songs just didn't make the cut
Reynolds has been vocal about the process. Not every song they wanted was available or affordable. Licensing is a nightmare, basically. You have to deal with rights holders who might not want their legacy associated with a guy getting hit in the groin with a metal pipe.
But the ones that stayed? They have weight. Take "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls. It’s the ultimate "sensitive guy" anthem from 1998. In any other movie, it’s a cliché. In this one, it’s a bridge between the Fox era of Marvel and the current MCU. It’s poking fun at the melodrama while simultaneously leaning into it.
The Deep Cuts You Might Have Missed
It isn't all just Top 40 hits.
The inclusion of "The Greatest Show" from The Greatest Showman is a meta-joke so layered it practically has its own ZIP code. Hugh Jackman is right there. We know he’s a theater kid. He knows we know. It’s a wink to the audience that says, "Yeah, we’re doing this."
Then you have "You're the One That I Want" from Grease. It’s a bizarre choice for a multiverse-hopping epic, yet it fits the kinetic energy of the film. The Deadpool and Wolverine soundtrack thrives on these "wrong" choices.
- "Slash" by Stray Kids brought a K-pop flavor that felt modern.
- "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis & The News reminded everyone that the 80s never truly died.
- Fergie’s "Glamorous" added a layer of early-aughts swagger that felt surprisingly at home in the Void.
Rob Simonsen and the Invisible Thread
While the licensed songs get all the glory, we have to talk about Rob Simonsen’s score. It’s the glue. Simonsen had the impossible task of following Junkie XL and Tyler Bates, who did the music for the first two films.
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He didn't just copy them. He blended the "Logan" grit with the "Deadpool" synth-heavy chaos.
There are moments where the score goes full Alan Silvestri—giving us those big, "Avengers" style hero beats—only to be interrupted by a needle drop. This push and pull is what keeps the movie from feeling like just another Marvel product. It feels like a fan film with a $200 million budget.
The Licensing Nightmare of Madonna
Getting "Like a Prayer" was apparently a whole ordeal. Madonna doesn't just hand out her songs to anyone. Reynolds and Levy actually met with her to show her the scene. They had to explain why it was necessary.
She reportedly gave them a note on the scene's mixing. She was right, too. The version in the film has this atmospheric, choral buildup that makes the eventual payoff feel earned rather than cheap. It’s the emotional climax of the Deadpool and Wolverine soundtrack, turning a pop song into a hymn for the disenfranchised mutants of the Fox-verse.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Playlist
There’s a common criticism that these soundtracks are just "lazy nostalgia."
That’s a surface-level take. Honestly, if it were lazy, they would have just used "Mr. Blue Sky" or "Hooked on a Feeling" for the tenth time. This soundtrack is specific. It targets a very particular era—roughly 1995 to 2010—which mirrors the lifespan of the X-Men film franchise under 20th Century Fox.
It’s an eulogy.
Every track represents a piece of that era’s pop culture. When you hear Avril Lavigne’s "I’m With You," it’s not just a sad song. It’s a reminder of the mid-2000s angst that defined the early X-Men movies. It’s smart curation disguised as a random shuffle.
How to Experience the Soundtrack Properly
If you're just listening to the album on Spotify, you're missing half the context. The music is tied to the visual gags.
- Watch the credits. Don't just leave. The use of Green Day’s "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" over the behind-the-scenes footage of the old Marvel movies is a genuine tear-jerker.
- Look for the "Slash" remix. The Stray Kids track has several versions out there; the film edit is specifically punchier for the action beats.
- Check the lyrics. Almost every song choice in the Deadpool and Wolverine soundtrack is a literal commentary on the plot. "You're All I Need to Get By" by Aretha Franklin isn't just a love song; it's about the codependency of the two lead characters.
The Impact on the Music Industry
We’re seeing a shift. Labels are now desperate to get their legacy acts into Deadpool movies because the ROI is insane. It's the new radio.
Digital sales for "Bye Bye Bye" jumped over 800% in the week following the film's release. This isn't just about selling movie tickets anymore. It’s about reviving catalog music for a generation that wasn't even born when these songs first hit the airwaves.
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Moving Forward With Your Playlist
If you want to actually build a playlist that captures this energy, don't just stick to the official release. The official album often leaves out the small snippets and the score cues that make the movie work.
Start with the heavy hitters like "Like a Prayer" and "Bye Bye Bye," but mix in the gritty, orchestral stuff from Simonsen. Throw in some Chris de Burgh. Why not? The whole point of the Deadpool and Wolverine soundtrack is that there are no rules as long as the vibe is right.
To get the most out of this musical journey, track down the "Deluxe Edition" which includes the original score. It provides a much more balanced listening experience than the pop-only version. Also, pay attention to the transition between "The Power of Love" and the more somber moments; it’s a lesson in how to manage audience emotions through audio alone. You'll find that the true genius isn't in the songs themselves, but in how they are forced to coexist in a world that shouldn't make sense, but somehow does.