TikTok often does this cool thing where its users take older songs and give them entirely new life by pairing them with trending dances or even just random posts, making them go viral enough to make them real-world hits as well.
This often corresponds with songs’ use in movies or TV shows, such as Stranger Things revitalizing Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” That’s exactly what’s happening now with “Punkrocker,” a 2006 song by Swedish alt band Teddybears that features punk rock pioneer Iggy Pop.
The song owes its resurgence to James Gunn‘s Superman, which is flying high at the box office, and similarly restoring its titular hero to his former glory at the same time. And with its supercharged popularity, it was only a matter of time until “Punkrocker” made its way into Iggy’s setlist proper — which it did at Portland’s Project Pabst festival. Best of all, Gunn himself brought attention to the performance, posting the above YouTube and noting that it’s the first time Iggy Pop has performed the song — ever.
Over the past decade, Gunn’s earned a reputation for his pitch-perfect needle drops. In the case of “Punkrocker,” it appears in the closing credits of Superman, summarizing this version’s pop-punk ethos in a call-back to one of the film’s most resonant emotional beats, which arguably contains the film’s entire thesis. It’s a beautifully shot moment, and it’s very cool to see it already having some real-world impact.
You can watch the performance above.
