After the airing of Episode 2 of HBO's The Last of Us, streams of Ashley Johnson's cover of "Through the Valley" surged over 1,000% on Spotify. Originally recorded for the promotion of The Last of Us: Part II in 2016, this version was updated for the show. Showrunner Craig Mazin highlighted the emotional complexity associated with the song's placement, especially given Johnson's dual role as both the voice of Ellie and as Ellie's mother in a flashback. The show's ability to elevate music has seen similar incidences in the past.
The cover of Shawn James' "Through the Valley" by Ashley Johnson and Chris Rondinella saw a massive surge of 1,000% on Spotify after Episode 2 aired.
Showrunner Craig Mazin described the new version of "Through the Valley" as a blend of the teaser song from 2016 and a more recent version recorded by Johnson, citing deep emotional resonance.
Mazin noted the unique connection of Ashley Johnson portraying Ellie's mom in a flashback scene, enhancing the emotional impact when the song plays at a pivotal moment.
Streams of songs featured in The Last of Us have seen significant spikes before, such as Linda Ronstadt's "Long Long Time" jumping nearly 5,000% after a previous episode.
Collection
[
|
...
]