“Wolf Like Me” has already had a pretty impressive second life over the years. The song has appeared in movies, television, commercials, and video games, but getting placed in a major superhero movie is obviously a different level of exposure. The timing is kind of perfect. Return to Cookie Mountain is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, making the renewed attention around “Wolf Like Me” feel even more full-circle. The album was originally released in 2006 and helped cement TV On The Radio as one of the most exciting bands to emerge from New York’s indie scene.

The song itself has always had that rare quality where it feels completely chaotic but somehow incredibly catchy at the same time. It’s loud, weird, sexy, intense and impossible to sit still through. So, yeah, putting it in a Spider-Man movie makes a lot of sense. And apparently, audiences agree. Billboard’s report shows just how powerful a movie placement can be for a song that’s been sitting in the catalogue for years. “Wolf Like Me” wasn’t the only track to benefit from Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Tame Impala’s “Loser” reportedly experienced an even bigger jump, while Steve Lacy’s “Oh Yeah?” also saw a significant increase in streams.

Watch “Wolf Like Me”

According to Billboard, there’s also a fun bit of history connecting “Wolf Like Me” to the Spider-Man franchise. The song’s original music video was directed by Jon Watts, who later went on to direct the Spider-Man films starring Tom Holland.

So while the song showing up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day could already be considered a pretty great full-circle moment, the Watts connection makes it feel even more intentional. For longtime TV On The Radio fans, the placement is also a reminder that “Wolf Like Me” has never really gone away. It’s been one of those songs that keeps finding new audiences, whether someone discovers it through a movie, a TV show, a live performance or, apparently, a superhero blockbuster.

Photo Credit: Brett Padelford