Warning: Contains spoilers for Peaky Blinders season 6.
The Peaky Blinders soundtrack has always been carefully orchestrated and the use of songs in Peaky Blinders season 6 continued that tradition. Peaky Blinders season 6 concluded the main series' fun ahead of a movie set to conclude the primary storyline. However, creator Steven Knight has already indicated that the movie will serve to set up spin-off shows that can take place within the same universe, some of which appear to have already been teased by the Peaky Blinders season 6 finale.
Peaky Blinders season 6 picked up where season 5 left off as Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) contemplates suicide after the failed assassination of Oswald Mosley. With a time jump to 1933, Peaky Blinders season 6 sees Tommy Shelby exploring his options in America and facing a new age of jazz (which he doesn’t care for). As he wrestles with questions of mortality and morality, Tommy Shelby's journey seems like it might have a definitive end in sight.
Peaky Blinders has a strong history of using anachronistic music that leans heavily on blues and folk influences to highlight powerful moments, and Peaky Blinders season 6 episode 1 has already shown the power of subverting that trend. "Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave has served as the Peaky Blinders theme song for 5 seasons, but plays a reduced role in Peakh Blinders season 6, signaling the larger character changes at play for Tommy Shelby. As much as Peaky Blinders knows how to use music, it knows how to use silence as well, and it is noteworthy that the Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 1, the end credits pay tribute to Helen McCrory, who played Polly Gray, and forgoes using music, using the simple sounds of nature instead. With that said, here is a complete soundtrack guide to every song in Peaky Blinders season 6.
Peaky Blinders Season 6, Episode 1, “Black Day”
“You’re Not God” – Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi is the musical composer for Peaky Blinders season 5 and 6, and “You’re Not God” is one of her original compositions for the TV series. It plays over the recap at the start of Peaky Blinders season 6 episode 1, and ends with the title card.
“Disorder” – Joy Division: Joy Division’s “Disorder” begins to play as Ada Shelby (Sophie Rundle) leaves the opium den after seeing to Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson) and continues as Gina (Anya Taylor-Joy) goes to visit Michael (Finn Cole) at Norfolk Prison in Boston.
“Sixteen Men Swinging” – Count Basie: When Tommy Shelby goes to see Gina, she is listening to the jazz son “Sixteen Men Swinging” by Count Basie, a jazz musician that was active from 1924 until his death in 1984. Gina turns the music off at Tommy’s request, but starts the same song up again later to annoy him.
“Ain’t No Grave” – Anna Calvi: When Tommy Shelby goes to visit Michael at Norfolk Prison, Anna Calvi’s cover of the Johnny Cash song “Ain't No Grave” plays until he gets out into the yard at the end of Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 1.
Peaky Blinders Season 6, Episode 2, "Black Shirt"
"Nessun Dorma" — from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini: As Tommy Shelby exits the elevator when visiting Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy), Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" can be heard playing and is eventually revealed to be a record that Alfie is listening. Tommy waits for the song to dramatically conclude before speaking. The song deals with a man's assumed victory as the death of many others hangs in the balance.
"You're Not God" — Anna Calvi: As Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) finishes his preparations for his fascist rally, Anna Calvi's "You're Not God" once again plays and continues to score Tommy Shelby and Lizzie's (Natasha O'Keefe) entrance to the event.
“Ain’t No Grave” – Anna Calvi: As Tommy enters the cathedral to meet with Jack Nelson (James Frecheville), Anna Calvi's cover of Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave" plays for the second time in Peaky Blinders season 6.
"Red Right Hand" — Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The music on the end credits for Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 2, brings back Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand," the song that has served as the Peaky Blinders theme song for the first 5 seasons.
Peaky Blinders Season 6, Episode 3, "Gold"
"Miracle" — Bambara: Ada tells Isiah (Daryl McCormack) to take Arthur with him to the Liverpool docks to confront the man that has been stealing the Shelby opium. Isiah recruits some of his cousins to join them and shows them to Arthur for approval. "Miracle" by Bambara plays as Isiah shows the men to Arthur, with the vocal line cutting in just as the scene transitions to Tommy and Esme (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) up in the mountains.
"Kill Them With Kindness" — Idles: After Arthur gives Isiah and the new Peaky Blinders a pep talk outside the Liverpool Docks, the Idles song "Kill Them With Kindness" plays as the group march into the buildings in search of their target.
"5:17" — Thom Yorke: As Thomas Shelby arrives back at the hospital in the rain, Lizzie informs him that Ruby has died before he got there. The song "5:17" by Thom Yorke begins to play in the background as Lizzie speaks and Tommy remains silent, and the song continues to play through the Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 3 credits.
Peaky Blinders Season 6, Episode 4, "Sapphire"
"In This Heart" — Sinéad O'Connor: At the beginning of Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 4, "Sapphire," Ruby's funeral procession leads down to the dockyard, and the procession is scored by the song "In This Heart" by Sinéad O'Connor.
"Lullaby For Cain" — Sinéad O'Connor: After Tommy Shelby kills Evadne Barwell and three men, believing that Evadne had laid a curse on him that led to Ruby's death, Tommy beats his weapon apart against a tree and collapses. During this scene, another song by Sinéad O'Connor plays, this time "Lullaby For Cain."
"Stone Towers" — Dol Ikara: Tommy finds Arthur on the floor and the two discuss their past and Tommy decides their future. When Tommy and Arthur are holding hands in the wine cellar, the song that plays is Dol Ikara's "Stone Tower." The song continues to play as the view switches to outside the Shelby manor as Tommy's political associates arrive for their meeting.
"The Black Velvet Band" — Charlene McKenna: At the meeting, while waiting for Tommy, Jack Nelson and Oswald Mosley coax Captain Swing (Charlene McKenna) into singing a "rebel song." The song that she sings in "The Black Velvet Band," a traditional Irish folk song that was has been recorded many times and has an unclear origin that dates back to the late 1700s. Swing's song fades out for a montage and comes back as the scene returns to the room, but she stops when Tommy arrives.
"Blackbird" — Lisa O'Neill: Interrupting "The Black Velvet Band" is the song "Blackbird" by singer/songwriter Lisa O'Neill. The song begins to play over a montage that sees Ada Shelby threatened by Nazis, Lizzie visiting Ruby's horse for a source of comfort, and Arthur stealing opium from his old supplier.
"Do You Love Me?" — Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds: When Tommy answers the phone and receives a message in his office in parliament, the song "Do You Love Me?" by Peaky Blinders' favorite band, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, begins to play. The song continues as Oswald is revealed to be sleeping with Gina Gray and Tommy goes to see her.
Peaky Blinders Season 6, Episode 5, "The Road to Hell"
"Lawman" — Gilla Band: In an opening scene that returns Peaky Blinders season 6 to its roots, Tommy Shelby walks through Birmingham to the opium den and "Lawman" by Gillaband plays, fading when he enters the establishment. (Note: Gilla Band changed their name from "Girl Band" in 2021 citing that they had chosen the name without proper consideration and realized that they were playing a role in "propagating a culture of non-inclusivity" [via Metro]).
"One Silver Dollar" — Marilyn Monroe: As Tommy Shelby waits for Diana Mitford aboard his canal boat and she approaches in Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 5, "The Road to Hell," Marlyn Monroe's song "One Silver Dollar" plays and continues as Tommy begins to talk.
"Unmade" — Thom Yorke: As Tommy returns to his boat after sleeping with Diana Mitford, "Unmade" by Thom Yorke begins to play and continues as he has a montage of visions which are blended by Peaky Blinders with Michael Gray's visions of his mother while he is in jail. Thom Yorke is best known for his role in the band Radiohead, but "Unmade" comes from his solo work, originally appearing on his soundtrack album Suspiria, recorded for the horror film of the same name.
"Red Right Hand" — Patti Smith: At the end of Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 5, the legendary Patti Smith sings a cover of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand" recorded specially for Peaky Blinders season 6. The cover plays as a priest visits Michael Gray and, after pausing for their conversation, is then the song that plays over the episode's end credits.
Peaky Blinders Season 6, Episode 6, "Lock And Key"
"Lacrimosa" — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Taken from Mozart's Requiem, "Lacrimosa" is the music that plays at the beginning of Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 6, as Michael is released from prison and vows vengeance on Tommy Shelby.
"The Smile" — Pana-Vision: As Tommy leaves his farewell dinner and the series jumps forward one month in time to Tommy by his caravan Pana-Vision's "The Smile" plays and continue as he prepares to take his own life.
"All The Tired Horses" — Lisa O'Neill: As Tommy leaves Doctor Halford after confronting him, Peaky Blinders season 6 features another song by Lisa O'Neill, this time "All the Tired Horses." The song continues as Tommy return to find his caravan being set ablaze, mounts his white horse and rides off, with Lisa O'Neill's song then serving as the final end credits music for the Peaky Blinders TV show.
Peaky Blinders releases new episodes Sunday on BBC.