"Binge" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Binge" Soundtrack Description

Questions and Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. The Binge (Original Motion Picture Score) by Matt Bowen was released digitally in 2020, including the original cast number “Higher”.

Who composed the score?

Matt Bowen composed the score; additional music contributions include Kotomi, Adam Kootman, and Chris Ryan.

Who supervised the music?

Rob Lowry served as music supervisor.

What’s the big musical number everyone talks about?

“Higher,” a delirious mid-film showstopper performed by the cast and choreographed like a glitter-bombed hallucination.

Which needle-drops stand out?

Andrew W.K.’s “It’s Time to Party,” Mac DeMarco’s “Here Comes the Cowboy,” The Real McKenzies’ “Chip,” and Jack Shaindlin’s “Let’s Go Sunning,” among others.

Where can I stream the movie and the album?

The film streams on Hulu; the official score album is available on major platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.).

Notes & Trivia

• Yes, that sudden mid-film song-and-dance is intentional: the film dips into full-on musical fantasia for “Higher.” (as noted by The Hollywood Reporter)
• American High Records issued the official score album the same day the movie premiered.
• “Higher” features lyrics co-written by the director and the screenwriter—rare for a teen party comedy. (according to Variety)
• Rob Lowry’s supervision leans into cheerfully chaotic party cuts alongside tongue-in-cheek library gems (“Let’s Go Sunning”).
• The sequel It’s A Wonderful Binge (2022) brings back composer Matt Bowen and a holiday spin on the Binge-verse.

Overview

Why does a raucous Purge parody pause to belt a Broadway-sized number? Because The Binge knows its chaos isn’t just loud—it's performative. The soundtrack toggles between amped-up party anthems and winking library cues, then detonates a full musical sequence that literalizes teenage bravado as chorus-line catharsis.

Bowen’s score keeps the comedic engine purring—short, punchy cues for escapes and mishaps—while the supervised songs spike the punch: bratty rock, festival-ready EDM, and hip-hop-adjacent bangers crash into retro needle-drops. The result is a mixtape that sells both the joke and the joy, even when the characters are barely holding it together. (as stated in a 2020 Metacritic round-up)

Genres & Themes

• Party Rock / Pop-Punk → telegraphs reckless momentum and “one-night-only” abandon.
• EDM & Trap → heightens sensory overload; pushes set-pieces into cartoonish excess.
• Retro Library & Easy-Listening → ironic contrast; underscores sanitized norms that Binge Day tramples.
• Original Musical Cue (“Higher”) → interior feelings externalized; friendship, fear, and FOMO sung out loud.

Key Tracks & Scenes

“Higher” — The Binge Cast
Where it plays: The movie swerves into a staged musical hallucination in the middle stretch; elaborate choreography and chorus lines take over the screen.
Why it matters: Turns bravado into confession—friendships and crushes are sung, not said; the joke lands because the music is genuinely hooky.

“Everybody Needs a Friend” — Chyvonne Scott
Where it plays: Over a dryly funny beat where Principal Carlsen shares his homemade hummus with Lena—wholesome lyrics against deeply unwholesome circumstances.
Why it matters: The ironic warmth punctures the film’s chaos and spotlights Vaughn’s deadpan menace.

“It’s Time to Party” — Andrew W.K.
Where it plays: Featured during the movie’s party stretch, aligning with the film’s “permission-to-cut-loose” premise.
Why it matters: A mission statement in three words; amps momentum for the night’s gauntlet.

“Here Comes the Cowboy” — Mac DeMarco
Where it plays: Heard within the film; its laconic strut undercuts the frenzy with a sly wink.
Why it matters: A left-field cool-down that keeps the tone mischievous rather than malicious.

“Chip” — The Real McKenzies
Where it plays: Featured in-film; rowdy Celtic punk coloring the hijinks.
Why it matters: Shouts the movie’s roughhouse energy.

Track–Moment Index (select, verified highlights)

Music–Story Links (characters & plot beats)

• Confession by chorus: When the kids “go musical,” the score hands the mic to subtext—crushes, fears, and loyalty spill out as literal harmony.
• Authority vs. anarchy: Wholesome retro cues under Principal Carlsen’s scenes sharpen the satire—polite veneers masking a night designed for excess.
• Momentum as motif: High-BPM drops and punk riffs signal each new “level” of the night’s quest, turning structure into a video-gamey sprint.

How It Was Made (supervision, score, behind-the-scenes)

Composer Matt Bowen anchors the film with brisk, comedic cues and co-writes “Higher” with Christopher Lennertz. The musical was staged as an intentional tone flip—dance-forward, candy-colored, and brazen. Music supervision by Rob Lowry threads needle-drops that feel both celebratory and satirical, while additional music (Kotomi, Chris Ryan, Adam Kootman) and a tight post team (score mixing by Matthew J. Ward; coordination by Emily Bender) give the short cues punch. (according to Film Music Reporter)

Reception & Quotes

Critical response leaned mixed-to-negative overall, but many singled out Vaughn’s committed turn—and the audacity of a mid-movie musical.

“A raucous, happily irresponsible party… the kind that plays better with a crowd.” The Hollywood Reporter

“Three teens try to get as drunk and high as possible… in this Hulu comedy.” Variety

“A one-eventful-night tradition… with a reluctant romantic at its center.” RogerEbert.com

Availability: The score album is on major digital services; the film streams on Hulu. (as noted by Variety)

Technical Info

• Title: Binge (aka The Binge)
• Year: 2020
• Type: Movie (Hulu original)
• Composer: Matt Bowen
• Music Supervision: Rob Lowry
• Notable placements (selected): “Higher” (cast performance); “It’s Time to Party” (Andrew W.K.); “Here Comes the Cowboy” (Mac DeMarco); “Chip” (The Real McKenzies); “Let’s Go Sunning” (Jack Shaindlin); “Everybody Needs a Friend” (Chyvonne Scott)
• Release context: Premiered August 28, 2020 (U.S.)
• Label / Album status: The Binge (Original Motion Picture Score) released digitally by American High Records
• Availability: Album on major DSPs; film on Hulu (U.S.)

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Film Music Reporter; Apple Music; Spotify; Metacritic; IMDb Soundtracks; WhatSong; Refinery29; Hulu; American High Records.

October, 23rd 2025