It starts with that distorted, bluesy guitar riff. Then the drums kick in, and suddenly you’re cruising down Sunset Boulevard in a 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible with your three best friends. Even if you’re actually just sitting in a cubicle in suburban Ohio, the theme song for Entourage has this weird, magnetic power to make you feel like a movie star for exactly thirty seconds.
It’s "Superhero" by Jane’s Addiction.
Honestly, it’s one of the few TV intros that people actually didn't skip back when DVD box sets were a thing. It wasn't just background noise. It was a mission statement. It told you exactly what kind of show you were about to watch: loud, expensive, slightly chaotic, and unapologetically masculine.
The Story Behind Superhero
A lot of fans don’t realize that "Superhero" wasn't written for the show. It wasn't some studio-produced jingle. It came from Jane’s Addiction’s 2003 album Strays. The band had been broken up for ages before that, and Strays was their big comeback record. Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, and the rest of the crew were basically the real-life version of the "bad boy" Hollywood archetypes the show eventually parodied.
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When Doug Ellin was putting the pilot together, he needed something that felt like a "victory lap."
The show is about a kid from Queens who makes it big. It’s a wish-fulfillment fantasy. If you use a pop song, it feels too soft. If you use gangster rap, it might feel too specific to one subculture. But 2000s-era alt-rock with a swaggering groove? That feels like fame. It feels like you’ve arrived.
The song itself is actually pretty dark if you listen to the full version. Perry Farrell’s lyrics talk about a "superhero" who is basically falling apart or failing to live up to the image. It’s a bit of a meta-commentary on Vince’s career, though most people just focus on that driving bassline.
Why This Specific Track Worked So Well
Most TV themes are catchy, but they don't have heft. Think about the difference between the Friends theme and the theme song for Entourage. One makes you want to clap your hands; the other makes you want to buy a Breitling and yell at an agent.
The song's structure is perfectly suited for a montage.
The way the names of the cast—Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven—pop up against the neon signs of Hollywood landmarks like The Ivy or Pink's Hot Dogs wouldn't work with any other rhythm. It’s timed to the beat.
- It’s gritty.
- It’s aspirational.
- It sounds like money.
Doug Ellin has mentioned in various interviews over the years that they tried a few different tracks, but nothing had the "punch" of Dave Navarro’s guitar work. It captured the 2004 aesthetic perfectly. That era of Hollywood was all about Ed Hardy, Von Dutch, and high-energy rock music playing in the background of every VIP room at Hyde.
The Music Supervision Legacy
The theme song for Entourage was just the gateway drug. Scott Vener, the music supervisor for the show, changed the way TV used music. Before Entourage, most shows used generic library tracks or whatever the label was pushing.
Vener treated every episode like a mixtape.
He’d mix underground hip-hop with indie rock and classic soul. But "Superhero" was the anchor. No matter how much the sound of the individual episodes changed—moving from Kanye West to Radiohead to Saigon—the intro brought you back to that core "Vinnie Chase" energy.
It’s interesting to look back at how the music evolved over eight seasons. By the time the movie came out in 2015, the landscape of "cool" music had shifted toward EDM and trap. Yet, they kept the Jane’s Addiction intro. Why? Because you can’t mess with the brand. By that point, the song and the show were inseparable.
What Most People Miss
There's a subtle irony in the lyrics that 90% of viewers ignore. Farrell sings about "a giant" and a "superhero," but there’s a sense of isolation in his delivery.
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Vince is always surrounded by people. He’s never alone. But the song hints at the pressure of being the "Superhero" for your entire friend group. If Vince stops working, Drama doesn't have a house, Turtle doesn't have a car, and Eric doesn't have a career.
The song isn't just about partying. It’s about the weight of being the guy everyone depends on.
Is that reaching? Maybe. But great art—even a theme song for a show about celebrity bros—usually has layers you don't notice until the tenth rewatch.
The Impact on Jane’s Addiction
Let's be real: Entourage gave Jane's Addiction a second life. While they were already legends in the Lollapalooza circle, "Superhero" became their most recognizable riff to a whole new generation of Millennials.
It’s the "Start Me Up" of the mid-2000s.
It’s also worth noting that the song wasn't a massive radio hit initially. It was a solid rock track, but the show turned it into a cultural touchstone. It’s the same thing that happened with The Sopranos and "Woke Up This Morning." Sometimes a song just finds its soulmate in a television script.
Looking Back From 2026
Watching the show now feels like a time capsule. The fashion is... questionable. The flip phones are hilarious. The politics of the "bro" culture are heavily debated online. But the music? The music still holds up.
When you hear that opening chord, you aren't thinking about the discourse. You’re thinking about the "Victory!" yell. You’re thinking about Ari Gold throwing a phone across a room.
The theme song for Entourage succeeded because it wasn't trying to be "TV music." It was a real rock song that happened to fit a specific vibe so well that it became the definitive anthem for an entire era of Los Angeles mythology.
How to Recreate the Entourage Vibe Today
If you’re looking to dive back into that specific energy, don't just stop at the theme.
- Check out the official soundtracks. They are masterclasses in 2000s curation.
- Listen to "Strays" in full. Jane’s Addiction’s album is actually a great piece of post-grunge rock that deserves more credit than being "the show song."
- Follow Scott Vener’s playlists. He’s still active and still has some of the best ears in the business for what’s "next."
- Watch the intro again. Pay attention to the signage. Half those places don't even exist anymore. It’s a ghost tour of mid-aughts LA.
The reality is, we don't get many TV themes like this anymore. Most modern shows have 5-second title cards because streamers want you to "Binge Next Episode" as fast as possible. The theme song for Entourage reminds us of a time when the intro was part of the ritual. You didn't skip it. You cranked it up.
If you want to understand why the show worked, don't look at the scripts first. Listen to the song. It tells you everything you need to know about the ambition, the ego, and the genuine friendship that defined the series. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s a little bit ridiculous. Just like Vince and the boys.
Actionable Takeaway
To truly appreciate the music of the era, create a playlist that bridges the gap between the Jane’s Addiction grit and the hip-hop tracks Vener curated. Start with "Superhero," then move into "Lucifer" by Jay-Z, and end with some early Pharrell. That’s the sonic DNA of the show. If you're a creator, notice how the "Superhero" riff uses a repetitive, driving hook to create instant brand recognition—a tactic still used in high-end advertising to build an "aspirational" identity.