Director James Gunn has always been involved in choosing music for his films; his music selections are almost like another character in his movies. His most notable projects, Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, contain a slew of classics from the ‘70s, featuring tracks from ELO, Sweet, Fleetwood Mac, and more. Gunn’s worked his musical magic once again with his newest project, The Suicide Squad spinoff series Peacemaker, now streaming on HBO Max. This time, Gunn is showcasing forgotten and underrated bands of the 1980’s and 1990’s glam metal scene, as well as modern bands who keep the genre going.

Here are ten of Peacemaker’s greatest glam metal tracks featured throughout the duration of the show’s first season.

• “Rock & Roll (Is Gonna Set The Night On Fire)

   

  Featured in the closing credits of episode seven is one of two singles from Pretty Boy Floyd’s debut record, ‘Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz.’ The band, now featuring Steve Summers, Kristy Majors, Vik Foxx, and Criss 6, are still active today although they only released two more records over the course of their 30+ year career.

• “I Don’t Love You Anymore” - The Quireboys (1990)

   

  Ah yes, the song that Peacemaker dances around in his underwear to in the first episode of the series. Although your focus may be on John Cena’s evocative dance moves (and we get that), the track “I Don’t Love You Anymore” has caught the attention of viewers and music fans alike. The Quireboys, hailing from London, England in the early ‘80s, are finally garnering the attention they’ve always deserved from American audiences.

• “Pumped Up Kicks” - (feat. Ralph Saenz from Steel Panther) (2022)

   

  After a heated debate between married couple Evan (Lenny Jacobson) and Amber (Alison Araya) regarding Foster The People’s 2010 hit “Pumped Up Kicks,” the song returns for an encore performance in the the second episode of the series; this time performed by John Murphy featuring Steel Panther’s Ralph Saenz (aka Michael Starr) on vocals. Murphy composed the score for ‘The Suicide Squad’ but was mostly unavailable for ‘Peacemaker,’ since he was working on Gunn’s next project, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Hhe obviously couldn’t resist this bonkers collaboration though.

• “Home Sweet Home” - Mötley Crüe (1985)

   

  Although Mötley Crüe is much more high profile than most of the bands featured on ‘Peacemaker’… and licenscing their music is surely a lot more expensive. But it was worth it to spend the extra money to get one of the greatest power ballads of the Sunset Strip scene for the series. In the sixth episode of the series, Peacemaker sits down at a piano to play a somber version of 1985’s “Home Sweet Home.” For a band that was most known for “shouting at the devil” the song is a little tame; even so, it has remained one of Motley Crue’s most popular tracks; even closing out the band’s first farewell tour in December of 2015. The Crue’s version was also used in episode seven, in a flashback scene between Peacemaker as a child (Quinn Bennett) and his brother Keith (Liam Hughes).

• “11th Street Kids” - Hanoi Rocks (1981)

   

  Peacemaker and John Economos (Steve Agee) both discover their shared love for the Finnish band Hanoi Rocks in episode five. Economos has the title of the song tattooed on his forearm. The song appears on Hanoi Rocks’ 1981 debut record, ‘Bangkok Shocks.’

• “Hot Cherie” - Hardline (1991)

   

  “There’s no wrong time to rock!” exclaims the Vigilante, aka Peacemaker’s long time pal, Adrian Chase (Freddie Stroma). Originally written and recorded by American rock drummer Danny Spanos, Hardline took this track to the next level on their 1991 release ‘Double Eclipse.’

• “Don’t Treat Me Bad” - Firehouse (1990)

   

  In a tweet from DC Comic’s official Twitter account on January 14th, Peacemaker director James Gunn reveals that Firehouse’s “Don’t Treat Me Bad” is “one of his favorite pop metal songs ever!” The song, hailing from the band’s debut album released in 1990, accompanies Peacemaker as he cries alone in his bed, after returning to his trailer in the second episode of the series.

• “Beat The Bullet” - Vain (1989)

   

  You may think of Los Angeles and the Sunset Strip when you think of the 1980s glam metal scene, but this next band, Vain, actually formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-to-late ‘80s. After signing to Island Records in ‘88, Vain went on to release their debut and most popular record ‘No Respect’ which contains one of the greatest hidden gems featured in this series, the rocker “Beat The Bullet.”

• “Summertime Girls” - Y&T

   

  Before Ratt, Mötley Crüe, or Def Leppard, there was Y&T. Originally known as Yesterday & Today in the late ‘70s, the band featuring Dave Meniketti on vocals and lead guitar, is without a doubt one of rock and roll’s most underrated bands. Although the band influenced many bands and artists including a young Eddie Van Halen in their days of playing the Starwood, Y&T didn’t amass mainstream popularity until the release of their sixth studio record ‘In Rock We Trust’ and the single featured in episode one of Peacemaker, “Summertime Girls.”

• “Do You Wanna Taste It” - Wig Wam

   

  This list could only be capped off with one song in particular. We’re talking about the tune from Peacemaker’s now iconic opening sequence; a choreographed dance number to Wig Wam’s “Do You Wanna Taste It.” You really just have to see it. Wig Wam, formed in Halden, Oswald, Norway in 2001, is one of the newest bands carrying the torch and, quite simply, owning glam-metal in the modern day. A second track from Wig Wam, “In My Dreams”, is also featured in the series.

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