Riot Women soundtrack: Every song featured in Sally Wainwright's new drama

Here’s the complete guide to everything you need to know about the Riot Women soundtrack.

Riot Women soundtrack

Who created the original songs?

While the series features some familiar beats, its new songs were created by ARXX — a rock-alternative duo from Brighton, consisting of musicians Hanni Pidduck and Clara Townsend — who were brought on board on the recommendation of rock journalist Amy Raphael.

“We gave them some ideas for a song called Seeing Red and asked a few people to look at it,” said show creator Sally Wainwright. “ARXX came back with by far the best version. They put so much into it and really made it their own. It’s catchy and fabulous.
“They wrote the music and lyrics, though we also contributed bits — for example, our police advisor, Lisa, came up with the first line: ‘I’m so depressed, I can’t get dressed.’ ARXX transformed it, bringing their fabulous energy to the track.”

Ultimately, ARXX created three original songs for the show: Seeing Red, S**ting Pineapples*, and Just Like Your Mother. In the world of the show, these songs are credited to band members Kitty and Beth.

What is the Riot Women theme song?

While the series has its own brief intro, the recurring theme song throughout the show is Violet by Hole, covered by the band.

The song appears at the end of every episode and tells the story of a woman being stripped of her feelings and autonomy in a toxic relationship. Its chorus repeats the words: “Go on, take everything.”

The track’s name, Violet, is believed to be inspired by a violet sky, a symbol of self-discovery and new beginnings. Written by Courtney Love in 1991, Violet was partly inspired by her relationship with Billy Corgan, lead singer of the Smashing Pumpkins, though it is also believed to include elements of her relationship with Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. It was released on the 1994 album Live Through This.

Love and Corgan have both since joked about the track, with the pair now on good terms. In 1995, Love told Jools Holland in an interview that it was “about a jerk she put a hex on, who was now losing his hair” — referencing Corgan’s famously changing hairstyle. In 2024, Corgan entered a charity raffle to win the handwritten lyrics to Violet, saying on Instagram: “I think it’s about a guy I know a little bit about and I’d love to put that on my wall.”

What songs appear in Riot Women?

Episode 1

• I’m Only Happy When It Rains — Garbage
• Weak — Skunk Anansie
• The Passenger — Iggy Pop

Episode 2

• Smoke on the Water — Deep Purple
• Just Like Your Mother — ARXX (Original)
• Waterloo — ABBA

Episode 3

• Races — Interplanetary Criminal (feat. Blanco)
• Dissolved Girl — Massive Attack
• Nothing Matters — The Last Dinner Party

Episode 4

• Don’t Bring Me Down — Electric Light Orchestra
• Sit Down — James
• Seeing Red — ARXX (Original)

Episode 5

• Your Maker — Gonjasufi and Anna Wise
• Nothing’s Wrong — Miss Grit

Episode 6

• Crying in the Carwash — ARXX
• F**k and Run — Liz Phair
• Riot Women — ARXX (Original)

Riot Women airs Sunday 12th October at 9pm on BBC One, with all episodes available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Add Riot Women to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.