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50 YEARS OF HIP HOP HISTORY: THE EVOLUTION & INFLUENCE

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    Yes, 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of hip hop and a plethora of artists announced gigs to celebrate, including Run-DMC, who headlined New York’s Hip Hop 50 Live concert, alongside Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Eve, Trina, Lil Kim and more on ‘the day it all began’, 11th August.

    If you're looking for something rather than a history of hip hop documentary, we examine the evolution of hip hop through half a century in this blog, from the Bronx in the 70s to its global reach and influence on 21st century music culture, social justice, fashion and more.

    The Origins of Hip Hop

    Who first started hip hop? New York City’s Afrika Bambaataa became known as ‘the Godfather’.

    A pioneering DJ and music producer, he organised block parties in the Bronx during the late 1970s. Forming Universal Zulu Nation to keep the city’s youth away from gang life, drugs and violence, it encouraged peace and unity through DJing, breakdancing, rapping and visual art – which Bambaataa categorised as the ‘four elements’ of hip hop.

    The Universal Zulu Nation’s motto was, ‘Peace, Love, Unity and Having Fun’ and hip hop culture emphasised community, peace, wisdom, freedom, justice, love, unity, responsibility, respect for others and respect for self. Bambaataa recognised music’s power as a strategy for clearing the barriers that divided people, whatever their backgrounds. As KRS-One later proclaimed, ‘Rap is something you do; hip hop is something you live’.

    What Are the 5 Elements of Hip Hop?

    MC’ing

    MC-ing (which is short for ‘Master of Ceremonies’) goes under a few names, from lyricism to rapping.

    When hip hop started in the late 1970s, the MCs’ job was to introduce DJs at block parties – and hype up the crowd. They began to talk in time to the beat, and then to bring in rhymes, giving birth to rap.

    A Tribe Called Quest explained the background to the term in the liner notes for their 1993 album, Midnight Marauders:

    ‘The use of the term MC when referring to a rhyming wordsmith originates from the dance halls of Jamaica. At each event, there would be a master of ceremonies, who would introduce the different musical acts and would say a toast in the style of a rhyme… The term MC continued to be used by the children of women who moved to New York City to work as maids in the 1970s. These MCs eventually created a new style of music called hip hop, based on the rhyming they used to do in Jamaica and the breakbeats used in records. MC has also recently been accepted to refer to all who engineer music.’

    In Yes Yes Y’all, an oral history of early hip hop, Grandmaster Caz describes how MC-ing evolved: ‘Different DJs started embellishing what they were saying. I would make an announcement this way, and somebody would hear that and they add a little bit to it. I’d hear it again and take it a little step further ’til it turned from lines to sentences to paragraphs to verses to rhymes.’

    In 1979, a trio of MCs rapped over the break from Chic’s ‘Good Times’ – the result was The Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Rapper’s Delight,’ rap’s first hit. MCing and rapping went from sideshow to main event as one of hip hop’s essential elements.

    B-Boying

    In hip hop, B-boying – also known as breaking – is dancing. The term was coined by Kool Herc, who was a DJ for Bronx block parties – they used spinning (power) moves, footwork and freeze to dance to the break part of the music.

    The style was invented in the early 1970s by African American and Latino Americans in New York’s South Bronx – the five original ‘core’ moves were: top rock, footwork, back rock, freezes and power moves.

    90s breaking was brought to the fore by Rock Steady Crew – and as DJs invented new ways to elongate their records’ break beats, the dancers were given more time to invent and experiment – introducing backspins and windmills.

    Beat Boxing

    Beat boxing may have taken a bit of a back seat to rapping, but it was a crucial part of the early hip hop scene – in the early 80s, beatboxers would back up rappers when drum machines were unaffordable.

    It’s a form of vocal percussion, where you create sounds with your mouth, tongue, lips, nose and throat: you’re essentially a musical instrument.

    Who was the original beatbox pioneer? The artist most frequently cited is Doug E. Fresh, whose mid-80s single ‘The Show/La Di Da Di’ showcased his skills and introduced a mass of showmanship, especially for his stage shows.

    For beatboxing, the main percussion sounds you need to be able to finesse are a kick-drum (a ‘p’ sound), high-hat (a ‘th’ sound) and the small snare drum (a ‘kuh’ sound). ‘New school beatboxing’ includes more musicality – bringing in elements such as dubstep, and with a focus on flow and speed.

    DJing

    The original form of DJing was done to loop drum breaks using turntables to make the ‘break’ last longer. This changed music drastically as it gave B-boys the beats to break to, and for MCs to rap to.

    Rappers may have taken the more front and centre place in hip hop, but the innovators of scratching, cutting, backspins and needle drops provided the foundations for them to build on.

    Pioneers included Grandmaster Flash and mixtape king DJ Clue, but it was DJ Kool Herc who got there first, hosting a Back to School Jam with his sister in 1973. At the party, Herc unveiled a technique called ‘The Merry Go Round’, playing breaks back-to-back.

    Hip Hop Graffiti

    As hip hop was all about making a new type of music expressing messages about everyday life, graffiti was the extension of that through art. Hip hop graffiti started with tags – making your presence felt in the city and stamping your individuality on it – and first emerged in the late 60s in New York and Philadelphia.

    One of its early big names, Cameron ‘Grandmaster’ Flowers, who was also making music, described the earliest incarnations of graffiti as, ‘just, “Here’s my name. Look at how many times I’ve written it. Look at how many places you might see me from one end of town to the other”’. Graffiti artists would spray their name, and perhaps a street number – fast, to avoid the police.

    The 70s saw more media attention and more competition, with ever-increasing and more complex tags – and in the 80s, graffiti stepped into fine art circles with the landmark MoMA show, ‘New York/New Wave’ placing works by Warhol and Mapplethorpe alongside up-and-coming Jean-Michel Basquiat.

    The Rise of Hip Hop in the 1980s

    Historyofthehiphop.com marks the 1980s as a period of diversification, as hip hop music developed more complex styles. Grandmaster Flash’s ‘The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel’ from 1981 was a single consisting entirely of sampled tracks, while Afrika Bambaataa’s ‘Planet Rock’ from 1982 fused hip hop with electro.

    Drum machines such as the Roland 808 came to the fore (hence ‘808 beats’) and hip hop’s lyrical content evolved too, with influential single ‘The Message’ by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five a pioneering force for conscious rap.

    The so-called ‘new school of hip hop’ originated in 1983/84, with Run DMC and LL Cool J in New York City. Their tracks featured more socio-political commentary, as well as drum machines and rock influences. New school artists’ tough, cool, street attitude was a contrast with the genre’s earlier funk and disco-influenced sound.

    The decade saw hip hop spreading outside of the US, from the UK to Japan, Australia and South Africa. Plus, shorter tracks were more radio-friendly, and by the middle of the decade, hip hop had hit the mainstream and was commercially successful – the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill became hip hop’s first Billboard No. 1 album in 1987.

    And hip hop was making its presence felt in pop too, with Blondie’s ‘Rapture’ and ‘Christmas Wrapping’ by new-wave band The Waitresses both featuring rap as early as 1981.

    In 1983, the movie Flashdance featured a B-boying and popping sequence, which helped B-boying to cross over and become a global craze and gave rise to breaking movies such as Breakin’ and Beat Street.

    Hip Hop’s Golden Age

    From around 1986-95, hip hop went through a period of unprecedented creativity. As part of mainstream culture but, crucially, not bound by the restrictions of major labels, rappers and producers explored every avenue of beat production, flow and lyrical topics, together with sampling from a huge range of old records. It was a time, according to Rolling Stone, ‘when it seemed that every new single reinvented the genre.’ MTV’s Sway Calloway commented, ‘the thing that made that era so great is that nothing was contrived. Everything was still being discovered, and everything was still innovative and new.’

    The pre-eminent artists of the period were LL Cool J, Slick Rick, the Jungle Brothers, Run DMC, Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys, Eric B. & Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah, together with A Tribe Called Quest’s more dreamy beats. Themes of Afrocentricity and political militancy were fused with experimental music and eclectic sampling.

    Hip hop production became more dense; rhymes and beats were faster and KRS-One and Chuck D pushed ‘message rap’ towards Black activism. Social issues such as drug use, crime and violence, religion, culture and the state of the US economy were a response to the effects of American capitalism and former President Reagan’s conservative political economy.

    The ability to sample from a wide range of sources meant that producers and DJs didn’t need formal music training or to be able to play an instrument – just a good ear. Samples came from jazz, funk and soul to rock ‘n’ roll – Paul’s Boutique, the Beastie Boys’ second studio album, drew from over 200 individual samples.

    Allmusic described the golden age as, ‘characterised by skeletal beats, samples cribbed from hard rock or soul tracks, and tough dis raps… rhymers like Chuck D, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Rakim and LL Cool J basically invented the complex wordplay and lyrical kung-fu of later hip hop.’

    Golden age artists were consistently pushing boundaries, releasing albums marked out by their unprecedented stylistic fluidity.

    The Evolution of Hip Hop in the 1990s and 2000s

    Spawning megastars such as Snoop Dogg, 2Pac and Eminem, 90s hip hop marked the point when the music emerged from the suburbs and the underground and took over the world.

    The West Coast was on the rise, with LA natives NWA’s 1988 debut, Straight Outta Compton kick-starting gangsta rap, which detailed street violence in an uncompromising, explicit style.

    NWA’s Dr. Dre formed Death Row Records with Suge Knight, and issued his stratospherically popular debut album, The Chronic, at the tail-end of 1992. His G-Funk style – which smoothed gangsta rap’s jagged edges into a more radio-friendly form – heralded a succession of hugely successful records, including Snoop Dogg’s debut in 1993, Doggystyle, which entered the Billboard charts at No. 1.

    West Coast hip hop in the 90s usurped the East Coast as rap’s dominant force, with its stars becoming part of the mainstream. That’s not to say that new East Coast acts weren’t breaking through – Wu-Tang Clan’s groundbreaking debut, Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers and Notorious BIG’s Ready to Die heralded a new, grittier era.

    West Coast/East Coast Beef

    The bi-coastal rivalry, however, led to tragedy. In 1995, one of LA’s biggest stars, 2Pac, was shot whilst in New York, the day before being found guilty of sexual assault. While in prison, he accused Sean Combs and Notorious BIG, among others, of being behind the shooting. Being in prison didn’t stop him being one of the most bankable acts in music: Me Against the World reached No. 1, and double album All Eyez on Me confirmed him as one of hip hop’s most singular voices.

    2Pac and Notorious BIG were both killed in drive-by shootings – the latter’s posthumously-released Life After Death album went on to become the best-selling hip hop album of all time. Hip hop was forced to do some soul searching; Sean Combs, aka Puff Daddy’s career took off following two benefit singles. Biggie’s protégé, Jay-Z, also took a new route to cross over into the pop market with 1997’s In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, which catapulted him to superstar status.

    The other seismic shift? When Dr. Dre abandoned Death Row to set up his new stable, Aftermath Entertainment, he signed Detroit rapper Eminem. His 1999 album, The Marshall Mathers LP, cemented hip hop as a globally dominant genre.

    Southern Hip Hop

    Southern hip hop – aka Southern rap, South Coast hip hop or dirty south – was another subgenre that emerged in the Southern US, particularly Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Memphis and Miami.

    Houston’s Geto Boys were among the first hip hop artists from the Southern states to gain widespread popularity and by the mid-90s, Atlanta had become a centre for Southern hip hop, with Outkast awarded Best New Artist at the 1995 Source Awards. Major southern stars who emerged by the early 2000s included Ludacris, Lil Jon, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne and Three 6 Mafia. From October 2003 through to December 2004, the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 pop chart spot was held by a Southern artist for 58 out of 62 weeks.

    The Current State of Hip Hop

    From the turn of the century, hip hop had to deal with the advent of digital downloading, in line with every other music genre. However, its influence on global youth culture could be seen in even massive boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC drawing on its sounds and styles.

    Eminem became perhaps the world’s biggest pop star when 8 Mile, the loosely autobiographical film in which he starred, topped the box office in 2002 and ‘Lose Yourself’ won the Oscar for Best Song.

    50 Cent achieved multiplatinum status with 2003’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’, but there’s an argument to be made that in the 21st century, the music became a producers’ medium. Timbaland, Swizz Beatz and the Neptunes became household names – was Nas right to title his 2006 album Hip Hop is Dead?

    Many of the OG stars, such as Ludacris, LL Cool J, Ice Cube and Queen Latifah, segued into acting careers, whilst Snoop Dogg headlined rock festivals alongside Bruce Springsteen (not to mention becoming the face of the Just Eat ads). Jay-Z went from performing artist to label president, head of a clothing line and club owner. Kanye West, originally one of Jay-Z’s producers, emerged as one of hip hop’s most polarising characters.

    Hip Hop’s Cultural Significance

    Decades before Black Lives Matter became a global movement, hip hop artists had been broadcasting those same systemic injustices plaguing Black America – hip hop artists in the 80s were the voice of the streets.

    Chuck D told ABC News that ‘When [Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s] ‘The Message’ came out, there was nothing like it. Nothing. Ever. Like that. So the change, it came overnight.’ For Chuck D, the track’s title meant, ‘pay attention to the words of hip hop instead of just the beat.’

    NWA’s ‘F-k Tha Police’ in 1988 was a bombastic anthem against police brutality which outraged white America; the massive rise in police violence against the Black community in recent years points to it being ahead of its time.

    On Kanye West’s The College Dropout, Jay-Z took up the baton of the civil rights movement, when he rapped about his family’s history:

    ‘I get down for my grandfather who took my mama/Made her sit in that seat where white folks ain’t want us to eat/At the tender age of 6, she was arrested for the sit-ins/And with that in my blood I was born to be different.’

    Lauryn Hill, five decades after famed author and activist James Baldwin said, ‘To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a state of rage almost, almost all of the time’, affirmed his sentiment in her 2012 track, ‘Black Rage’:

    ‘Black rage is founded on blatant denial/ Squeezing economics, subsistence survival/ Deafening silence and social control/ Black rage is founded on wounds in the soul.’

    Lil Baby released ‘Bigger Picture’ after the death of George Floyd and the racial protests that followed. The anthem demanding a stop to police brutality garnered more than 65 million audio and video streams in its first two weeks. Lil Baby said the proceeds would benefit organisations like the National Association of Black Journalists, the attorneys for the family of Breonna Taylor, the Black Lives Matter movement and The Bail Project.

    Hip hop’s cultural impact reaches far and wide; one of the decade’s most talked-about musicals, Hamilton, which tells the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, was originally a hip hop concept album in composer Lin Manuel Miranda’s head.

    And beyond music, hip hop is also a major force in fashion.


    What started as a way to showcase local trends, like Bronx streetwear such as bomber jackets, tracksuits and sneakers with oversized shoelaces, has become a global phenomenon, generating billions. Run-DMC kick-started the hip hop/fashion hook-up when they wore classic white Adidas sneakers. Their manager suggested a song about the brand and ‘My Adidas’ heralded the first deal between an activewear brand and a ‘nonathletic’ person or group.

    Haute couture wasn’t immune to hip hop’s charms – Daniel ‘Dapper Dan’ Day opened his atelier in 1982; the tailor cut his way to the top by incorporating haute couture labels and silhouettes into streetwear. His iconic fashion status was confirmed by the Gucci-Dapper Dan collection, released in 2019.

    Virgil Abloh, who died in 2021, was an American fashion designer who started off designing luxury streetwear, and eventually became artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection. His design aesthetic bridged streetwear and luxury clothing and his career also took in designing album art for artists including A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, Kanye West’s Yeezus and Pop Smoke, and directing videos, including A$AP Rocky’s ‘Fashion Killa’ and Kanye West’s ‘Runaway’.

    As well as name-dropping high fashion brands in their lyrics, many hip hop artists have branched out into owning their own labels. Tyler, The Creator runs Golf Wang, while Pharrell Williams has two clothing lines, Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream. Kanye West’s Yeezy is consistently one of the most talked-about hip hop artist-owned brands, but let’s not forget Jay-Z’s Rocawear.

    Hip Hop Is Here to Stay

    So, there’s your whistle-stop tour through 50 years of hip hop. Latin music may be gradually taking over the charts, but when you’ve got icons like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent smashing it at the Super Bowl Halftime show and Missy Elliott and DJ Kool Herc being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you know that hip hop is still a global force.

    Want to learn more about hip hop? Check out our deep dives on the bestselling hip hop albums; the hip hop movies to watch as part of your celebrations and some iconic hip hop soundtracks, plus discover the influential women of hip hop.

    Audio Network’s Hip Hop Beats

    When it comes to hip hop, we have one of the biggest collections for licensing.

    Whether you’re looking for tracks for sport or drama, documentaries or ads, our Beats series has you covered.

    From trap to 90s, lo-fi, EDM and gangsta, dive into our collection, and find the perfect hip hop for TV, digital content or corporate videos.

    DISCOVER: HIP HOP BEATS

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      Do you love the Top Gun Maverick music soundtrack? Then you have come to the right place! We revisit Top Gun songs from the 1986 classic, and delve into the music for the 2022 reboot, Top Gun: Maverick.

      Arguably one of the most iconic movies of the 1980s, Tom Cruise’s fighter pilot blockbuster Top Gun also spawned one of cinema’s most memorable soundtracks. So when the Joseph Kosinski-directed sequel Top Gun: Maverick was released in May 2022 – a full 36 years later – our first question was: who did the music?

      In this blog we answer all your burning Top Gun music questions, from ‘What is the love song in Top Gun?’ and ‘What is the song at the end of Top Gun?’ to ‘What is the theme song from Top Gun: Maverick?” But first, let’s take a look at the plots of the two Top Gun movies.

      Directed by Tony Scott, 1986’s Top Gun follows an elite group of fighter pilots as they attempt to graduate from the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School. Our hero is Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise), a pilot with a reckless outlook and a cocksure attitude which put him at odds with all of his classmates, bar his loyal flight partner Goose (a pre-ER Anthony Edwards). To add to the drama, Maverick falls in love with his flight instructor (Kelly McGillis).

      Top Gun: Maverick resumes Mitchell’s story three decades later, now a test pilot and one of the Navy’s top aviators. But while training a new cohort of graduates for a special assignment, Mitchell is forced to re-examine his past and confront his fears for an adrenaline-fuelled mission.

      The film features Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reprising their original roles, with the addition of new cast members Jennifer Connoly, Ed Harris, Miles Teller, Ed Harris and John Hamm.

      Top Gun (1986): The Soundtrack

      From Berlin’s Oscar-winning love theme to Harold Faltermeyer’s evocative theme song, there are few more memorable soundtracks than that of Top Gun.

      Winning a BRIT Award for Best Soundtrack upon its release in May 1986, the 10-track collection features the significant musical talents of Harold Faltermeyer, Giorgio Moroder and Kenny Loggins. It went on to become one of the best-selling soundtracks of all-time.

      Its original tracklisting was as follows:

      1. ‘Danger Zone’ – Kenny Loggins
      2. ‘Mighty Wings’ – Cheap Trick
      3. ‘Playing With The Boys’ – Kenny Loggins
      4. ‘Lead Me On’ – Teena Marie
      5. ‘Take My Breath Away’ – Berlin
      6. ‘Hot Summer Nights’ – Miami Sound Machine
      7. ‘Heaven In Your Eyes’ – Loverboy
      8. ‘Through The Fire’ –Larry Greene
      9. ‘Destination Unknown’ – Marietta
      10. ‘Top Gun Anthem’ – Harold Faltermeyer

      In 1999, Columbia Records released a special expanded reissue of the soundtrack featuring five bonus tracks:

      1. ‘(Sittin On) The Dock Of The Bay’ – Otis Redding
      2. ‘Memories’ – Harold Faltermeyer
      3. ‘Great Balls Of Fire’ – Jerry Lee Lewis
      4. ‘You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'’ – The Righteous Brothers
      5. ‘Playing With The Boys (Dance Mix)’ – Kenny Loggins

      Top Gun Songs

      The Trailer Song: ‘Stranger Eyes’ by The Cars

      What is the trailer music from Top Gun?

      It’s a conundrum that’s been confounding pop fans for years, particularly considering the answer is this slice of propulsive synth-pop which wasn’t even included on the film’s official soundtrack.

      The Opening Theme: ‘Top Gun Anthem’ by Harold Faltermeyer

      The film’s iconic instrumental theme was created by German composer Harold Faltermeyer, also known for writing ‘Axel F’ for the Beverly Hills Cop franchise.

      A bombastic, instrumental-rock anthem, it stars Steve Stevens on lead guitar – a virtuosic performance for which he earned a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

      The Love Song: ‘Take My Breath Away’ by Berlin

      Arguably one of the greatest love songs in the history of cinema, Top Gun’s wildly successful love theme was written by legendary composer Giorgio Moroder, with lyrics by Tom Whitlock, and performed by L.A.-based new wave outfit Berlin.

      A stirring synth-pop power ballad, ‘Take My Breath Away’ won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 1986.

      ‘Danger Zone’ / ‘Playing With The Boys’ – Kenny Loggins

      Pre-Top Gun, Kenny Loggins was certainly no stranger to film soundtracks, having written the Oscar-nominated theme to Footloose and contributed to the music for 1976’s A Star Is Born.

      But with Top Gun, the American singer-songwriter scored two of his most recognisable hits – singing on Giorgio Moroder composition ‘Danger Zone’ and co-writing ‘Playing With The Boys’. We defy you to listen to the latter without visualising Top Gun’s infamous beach volleyball scene.

      ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’’ – The Righteous Brothers

      If we’re naming Top Gun’s top three most enduring scenes, the one in which Maverick and Goose woo their flight instructor by singing ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’’ has to be up there.

      Produced by Phil Spector, in 2015 The Righteous Brothers’ classic song was selected for special recognition and preservation by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.

      Top Gun: Maverick (2022): The Soundtrack

      Much like the film itself, the music from Top Gun: Maverick succeeds in being deferential to original film while still offering fans something fresh. But who did the music for Top Gun: Maverick?

      Released via Interscope Records back in May, the soundtrack combines songs from the 1986 soundtrack (‘Danger Zone’) with reworked originals (‘Top Gun Anthem’) and brand new compositions (‘I Ain’t Worried’). It also marks Lady Gaga’s first foray into film scoring.

      In addition to writing the song’s epic love theme ‘Hold My Hand’, the Oscar-winning songwriter collaborated on instrumental pieces with composers Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer and Lorne Balfe.

      The soundtrack’s tracklisting is as follows:

      1. 'Main Titles (You've Been Called Back To Top Gun)' – Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe
      2. 'Danger Zone' – Kenny Loggins
      3. 'Darkstar' – Harold Faltermeyer, Lorne Balfe
      4. 'Great Balls Of Fire' – Miles Teller
      5. 'You're Where You Belong / Give 'Em Hell' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe
      6. 'I Ain't Worried' - OneRepublic
      7. 'Dagger One Is Hit / Time To Let Go' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe
      8. 'Tally Two / What's The Plan / F-14' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe
      9. 'The Man, The Legend / Touchdown' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe
      10. 'Penny Returns - Interlude' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe
      11. 'Hold My Hand' – Lady Gaga
      12. 'Top Gun Anthem' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe

      Top Gun: Maverick Songs

      The Trailer Song: 'Top Gun Anthem' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe

      Just when you thought the original ‘Top Gun Anthem’ couldn’t get any more epic, Top Gun music composer Harold Faltermeyer brought in Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe and Lady Gaga to give it a 2022 makeover.

      Now featuring a full orchestra behind the wall of synths and guitar, it’s a spine-tingling update to one of the most iconic themes in film.

      The Opening Theme: 'Main Titles (You've Been Called Back To Top Gun)' – Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Lorne Balfe / ‘Danger Zone’ – Kenny Loggins

      For Top Gun: Maverick’s opening scene, fighter pilots are shown preparing to take off to the strains of ‘Main Titles’, which interpolates the melody from the aforementioned rebooted ‘Top Gun Anthem’.

      Once the fighter jets take off, the music switches to Kenny Loggins’ adrenaline-fuelled classic ‘Danger Zone’.

      The Love Song: ‘Hold My Hand’ – Lady Gaga

      Described by Paramount’s President of Motion Picture Music, as “the heartbeat of the movie”, Lady Gaga pulled out the big guns for the film’s love theme ‘Hold My Hand’. Think 80s arena pop, with powerhouse vocals and a sonorous electric guitar solo.

      The bombastic power ballad was written by Gaga and produced by BloodPop, with whom she collaborated on her last studio album Chromatica. Check out the Lady Gaga Top Gun video below.

      I Ain’t Worried’ – OneRepublic

      Created specifically for the film by OneRepublic frontman and songwriter extraordinaire Ryan Tedder, this breezy piece of pop-rock proved a perfect match for the beach volleyball scene.

      Fun fact: the whistling melody was borrowed from Peter Bjorn and John’s 2006 single ‘Young Folks’.

      Feel the Need, the Need for Speed?

      Enjoyed our Top Gun soundtrack rundown? You can find out more about music in film over on our blog, The Edit, which features articles divided into the categories News, Inspiration and Expertise. Recent blogs include an analysis of the Suicide Squad soundtracks, our guide to the best soundtracks of 2022 and a deep dive into Black history movies and their soundtracks.

      If you’re looking for musical inspiration for your next blockbuster, we’ve got a whole host of resources for you to discover. Head to our Playlist Hub where you can listen to a whole host of curated playlists, or check out our Collections page or our latest albums.

      Need Music for Your Project?

      At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

      SIGN UP

      This page was updated 21/03/2024 and 24/05/2024.

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        You might be forgiven for thinking that, ‘Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be,’ but if so, you definitely haven’t binged Volume 1 of Season 4 of Stranger Things yet.

        Netflix’s supernatural horror phenomenon first burst onto our screens way back in 2016 and fans of the show have been eagerly awaiting its return since the end of Season 3 in 2019.

        The Creators

        Stranger Things’ creators The Duffer Brothers (AKA Matt and Ross Duffer), were arguably the instigators of a wave of nostalgia-fuelled TV that takes in everything from Yellowjackets to Russian Doll and even the 80s stylings of Sex Education.

        The meticulously detailed 80s-set world that the pair have created for Stranger Things not only means that we can revisit our youth – the clothes, the make-up, the hair, the posters, the video store, the mall, the pop-culture references – but also that we get to rediscover some classic 80s hits.

        Previous series have featured everything from ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ by The Clash to Madonna’s ‘Material Girl’, ‘She’s Got You’ by Patsy Cline, works by Philip Glass (also used in episode 7 of the new season) and even Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’.

        So, what are the killer cuts on the Season 4 soundtrack?

        As you’ll know if you’ve watched it, music is literally a life saver for one of the characters, Max (Sadie Sink). Dragged into The Upside Down – the terrifying world under the town of Hawkins – by this season’s big bad Vecna, Max’s friends realise that music might be the key to breaking her out of a potentially fatal trance.

        And luckily, they know exactly what her favourite track is: ‘Running Up That Hill’ by Kate Bush, which they blast through her Walkman’s headphones.

        Music Supervision

        Why did Nora Felder, the series’ music supervisor, choose this particular track?

        She told Variety that the Duffer brothers tasked her with finding a song that chimed with what Max was going through and the lyrics were particularly apt – Max is dealing with a world of grief and guilt surrounding her half-brother Billy’s death at the end of Season 3.

        She revealed that, ‘In the face of Max’s painful isolation and alienation from others, a “deal with God” could heart-wrenchingly reflect Max’s implicit belief that only a miracle of unlikely understanding and show of support could help her climb the hills of life before her.

        In Max’s situation, the need for a “deal with God” can perhaps be metaphorically understood as a desperate cry for love — to manifest the extraordinary understanding and support Max needed while feeling so painfully alone.’

        The Challenge

        The challenge for many a music supervisor is, having identified their ideal track, getting clearance from the artist, or their estate.

        Wendy Crowley, Sony Music Publishing’s SVP of creative marketing, film and TV, acknowledges that Kate Bush is ‘selective when it comes to licensing her music’. (Previous syncs include ‘This Woman’s Work’ in The Handmaid’s Tale and a Placebo cover of ‘Running Up That Hill’ in Big Little Lies.)

        But, who knew, Bush is also a massive Stranger Things fan.

        Combined with Felder providing a detailed breakdown of how the track was going to be used (as it appears in several key scenes), the iconic artist gave her permission.

        The Impact of The Perfect Track

        The evidence for this being such a perfect choice is that, 37 years after its first release, Kate Bush has scored her first US Top 10 hit with ‘Running Up That Hill’, it’s challenging Harry Styles at the top of the UK charts, and it’s inspired a slew of TikToks.

        Proof – if you’ve ever needed it – of the impact a music supervisor can have on introducing a track to a new generation and making their show a talking point outside of its key audience.

        Fans don’t often hear directly from Kate Bush, but even the artist herself has been surprised and delighted by the viewers’ reaction to ‘Running Up That Hill’, writing on her website, ‘You might’ve heard that the first part of the fantastic, gripping new series of Stranger Things has recently been released on Netflix. It features the song, ‘Running Up That Hill’, which is being given a whole new lease of life by the young fans who love the show – I love it too!

        ‘Because of this, ‘Running Up That Hill’ is charting around the world and has entered the UK chart at No. 8. It’s all really exciting! Thanks very much to everyone who has supported the song. I wait with bated breath for the rest of the series in July.’

        Bush isn’t the first artist to benefit from a massive streaming boost, courtesy of Stranger Things. Limahl’s theme for The NeverEnding Story enjoyed an 800% boost in YouTube searches after appearing in Season 3.

        California Streamin’

        So, what other tracks might Gen Z be adding to their Spotify playlists from the latest Stranger Things incarnation?

        With the Byers family (Joyce, Will, Jonathan and honorary daughter Eleven) having moved from Hawkins to California, The Beach Boys’ version of ‘California Dreamin’ kicks off episode 1, but if you’d rather discover 80s glam metal, then Kiss and Extreme are both on the soundtrack.

        More in the mood for crazy excess? May we present Dead or Alive’s ‘You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)’ and Falco’s ‘Rock Me Amadeus’. Jonathan’s new stoner BFF, Argyle (Eduardo Franco), meanwhile, favours ‘Pass the Dutchie’ by Musical Youth as he drives around in his pizza van.

        Plus, with three major storylines running, which see our favourite characters split between Hawkins Indiana, California and Russia, it’s not just 80s bangers being showcased.

        Season 4 has everything from Russian cues (Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Snow Maiden’ and ‘March of the Defenders of Moscow’ sung by the Red Army Choir) to opera, including Nicholas Dalayrac’s ‘Quand le bien-aime reviendra’.

        This is used in episode 5, where in a flashback, Dr Brenner (Matthew Modine) explains to Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) the story of Nina – who is unable to deal with a traumatic moment and blocks it out of her memory, foreshadowing what happens at the end of episode 7.

        The Plot

        With police chief Hopper (David Harbour) battling his way out of a Russian prison, aided by Joyce (Winona Ryder) and sidekick Murray (Brett Gelman); El having lost her powers – and struggling with being bullied – and villainous Vecna wreaking some very bloody havoc in Hawkins, season 4 is even more deliciously dark and horror-tinged than the previous 3 Stranger Things outings.

        A number of much longer episodes give this season the feel of a collection of movies – from surprise stoner action comedy to Russian prison breakout, 80s buddy comedy to a ‘Scooby Doo meets Zodiac killer’ storyline, full body-horror and more.

        What do the brothers have in store for the final two, feature-length episodes? An absolute ton of SFX, for a start.

        They teased to Empire that, ‘the final episode has more FX shots than the entirety of Season 3’ – you’d better buckle up, it’s clocking in at almost two and a half hours.

        Check out the teaser trailer while you wait for Volume 2 to drop on 1st July – and decide which Vecna-beating track you’re loading into your vintage Walkman…

        Can’t get enough of Stranger Things?

        Here are 70 Easter Eggs and the 80s inspirations that you may have missed in Season 4’s Volume 1:

        Music for Your Production

        Need horror, classical or 80s music for your TV show or trailer? We have everything you could want, with thousands of tracks and a plethora of hand-picked playlists.

        OUR MUSIC

        Need Music for Your Project?

        At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

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        This page was updated 24/05/2024.

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        MUSIC LICENCE COST GUIDE

        THE ULTIMATE MUSIC LICENCE COST GUIDE

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          Photo Credit: http://www.learnhowtoproducemusic.com

          New to music licences? Unsure about how much a music licence costs? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

          Welcome to Audio Network’s music licence cost guide – a space where you can discover all of the answers to your questions about the price of music licences.

          As you will know by now, a music licence provides the licence holder with certain rights that will allow them to use the music in a way that doesn’t infringe copyright laws.

          Naturally, the type of rights one gains upon purchasing a licence depends on the type of licence one obtains.

          Some music licences allow the licence holder to play music in a public venue; some music licences allow the licence holder to use music within their creative content; others allow the licence holder to cover a particular song.

          Keep reading to learn more about the different types of licences, and how much they’ll set you back.

          Music Licence Cost Guide

          • What are typical music licensing fees?
          • How do you determine the price of a music licence?
          • What music can I play without a licence in the UK?
          • How much does it cost to licence music for an ad?
          • Where can you buy music licences?
          • Our licence model

          music license cost​

          What Are Typical Music Licensing Fees?

          We consider our licence pricing reasonable, so the best advice we can give you when it comes to figuring out typical music licensing fees is to consider our pricing strategy the norm and go from there.

          Remember, our music licences provide creatives with high-quality songs produced and composed by some of the world’s greatest musical talents – so, by utilising tracks from our catalogue, you’re getting huge bang for your buck.

          How Do You Determine the Price of a Music Licence?

          You will only be able to determine the price of the music licence you require once you’re confident about the rights you need to acquire to make use of the music you’re interested in using.

          Naturally, the price a television production company pays for a music licence to employ a soundtrack filled with recognisable songs will be far greater than the price a vlogger pays to use a background music track in their next video.

          Read our copyright-free music and music rights articles to gain a deeper understanding of using copyrighted music in your production.

          What Music Can I Play Without a Licence in the UK?

          Unless you’re listening to music for nothing more than personal pleasure, you must possess a music licence to play music in the UK.

          This goes for shopkeepers, stadium owners and everyone in-between. And although many believe there to be licence-free music out there in the world, there really isn’t such a thing. Even royalty-free music requires a licence, even if that licence is – on occasion – free.

          music license cost

          How Much Does It Cost to Licence Music for an Ad?

          When looking for music for advertising, you’ll swiftly realise that it costs a lot more to licence a popular track to incorporate into your commercial than a background song that audience members have never heard before.

          Therefore, it’s common for advertisers to opt for the latter type of track – the kind that can be purchased right here at Audio Network.

          To find out the price of our all-media single track licence for advertisers, simply contact us.

          Where Can You Buy Music Licences?

          Now, that’s the easiest question of them all. The best place to secure a music licence for production music tracks is also the best place to get the production music tracks in the first place: Audio Network!

          Below, we give you an overview of our licence model and the options available.

          Our Licence Model

          We make the music licensing process simple by providing creatives worldwide with both high-quality music and licences that allow them to use the music in their projects, which could be anything from a podcast to an online advertisement to a social media promotion.

          We also have subscription licences for those planning to continue using tracks from our catalogue for the foreseeable future. There are currently four options to choose from: the corporate subscription, social advertising subscription, digital advertising subscription and custom subscription. Discover all of the options right here.

          Need Music for Your Project?

          At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

          SIGN UP

          This page was updated 27/06/2024.

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          THE BEST SONGS ABOUT FLOWERS

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            Do you ever go all Louis Armstrong and think, ‘What a wonderful world’? From beautiful flowering songs about flowers to songs with flowers in the music video, songs about flowers are everywhere.

            Such epiphanies usually occur when you’re surrounded by nature (trees of green, red roses too etc.) – the sheer beauty of the planet triggers feelings of awe that, in turn, evoke an appreciation of existence.

            If you DO know what we’re talking about and therefore HAVE been lucky enough to experience such life-changing moments, you’ll be well aware they’re the kind of revelations that make worthwhile.

            Sure, there’s no better way to prompt reflective moments than to interact with spaces of natural beauty, but where that’s logistically a little difficult we find that listening to music about or inspired by nature – flowers, particularly – can give rise to our innate gratefulness.

            Just in time for the Chelsea Flower Show, we’re taking a look at the best songs about flowers, including songs with flowers in the title and songs about flowers blooming.

            Within our list, you’ll encounter songs you’re familiar with (of course, most exclusively refer to flowers in a metaphoric sense) and perhaps some new discoveries available within our background music collections.

            You know, just in case you happen to be interested in incorporating one or two of them into your next project.

            build me up buttercup

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            Popular Songs About Flowers

            • ‘Lotus’ – Jhené Aiko
            • ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ – The Foundations
            • ‘Kiss From a Rose’ – Seal
            • ‘Sunflower’ – Post Malone and Swae Lee
            • ‘Supermarket Flowers’ – Ed Sheeran
            • ‘Sandra’s Rose’ – Drake
            • ‘All in the Golden Afternoon’ – Kathryn Beaumont and Disney Studio Chorus
            • ‘Rose in Harlem’ – Teyana Taylor
            • ‘Wildwood Flower’ – The Carter Family
            • ‘What a Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong

            ‘Lotus’ – Jhené Aiko

            Jhené Aiko is the voice of Mother Nature, and her most recent Grammy-nominated album, Chilombo, begins with an almost-meditative track titled ‘Lotus’.

            Both the lyrics and the music video tell a philosophical story of a pure woman born within a lotus flower who becomes corrupted by mankind.

            ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ – The Foundations

            There are few more popular flower songs than The Foundations’ ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’.

            Just like a buttercup, the 60s pop hit is bright and sunny and sure to put a smile on every listener’s face (even if it is about a man who desperately seeks to be loved by his partner).

            ‘Kiss From a Rose’ – Seal

            Seal’s 1994 hit ‘Kiss From a Rose’ is a flower song that can be appreciated by everyone, and features in not one, but two 90s movie soundtracks.

            Namely, the soundtracks to The NeverEnding Story III and Batman Forever.

            Some understand this ballad as a love song; some suggest it tackles themes of drug addiction; we, on the other hand, are quite happy to be transported to the euphoric place it takes us to instead of overthinking the lyrics.

            ‘Sunflower’ – Post Malone & Swae Lee

            When we first heard Post Malone and Swae Lee’s musical contribution to Sony Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, our first thought was, ‘They did not need to go in this hard!’

            The loveable hip hop song seemingly compares a love interest to a sunflower; hence, if we look at the context of the comic-book-inspired flick, it’s a song that explores the strong yet delicate nature of distinguished character Gwen Stacey.

            ‘Supermarket Flowers’ – Ed Sheeran

            One of the standout tracks on Ed Sheeran’s 2017 record Divide is the thoughtful ballad ‘Supermarket Flowers’.

            The song is rooted in grief as it details the thoughts and emotions of an individual who has recently lost their mum. We suggest you take a few moments to disappear into the Yoriko Hoshi-illustrated video for ‘Supermarket Flowers’, as commissioned by Warner Music.

            ‘Sandra’s Rose’ – Drake

            'Sandra’s Rose' is peak Drizzy: it’s emotional, super quotable and has a flow sure to inspire generations of rappers to come.

            Within the song, the Canadian rapper informs the listener that his mother, Sandra, may have once owned a flower shop, but he has always been her rose.

            In other words, the rap gives prominence to the unbreakable bond between mothers and their sons.

            ‘Golden Afternoon’ – Kathryn Beaumont & Disney Studio Chorus

            ‘Golden Afternoon’ is a flower song in the sense that flowers quite literally sing the song in the Disney animated classic Alice in Wonderland.

            Led by a red rose, a choir of different flowers – from lilies to daffodils – perform to the film’s titular character within the scene the song soundtracks.

            It’s all rather pretty; plus, it makes us nostalgic for our childhoods.

            ‘Rose in Harlem’ – Teyana Taylor

            The penultimate song on Teyana Taylor’s Kanye-produced, seven-track record K.T.S.E (Keep That Same Energy, in case you’re wondering) is ‘Rose in Harlem’.

            The notion at the centre of the song is that Taylor is a beautiful yet formidable rose that grew against all odds in a place of struggle.

            ‘Wildwood Flower’ – The Carter Family

            It doesn’t get more wholesome than country songs about flowers, and our favourite has to be ‘Wildwood Flower’ by The Carter Family.

            To confirm, we’re talking about the American country-folk group that rose to fame during the early 20th century, not Jay-Z and Beyoncé. Listen to the track when you feel like escaping to an imaginary garden brimming with colour.

            ‘What a Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong

            As mentioned in the intro to this list, Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’ is a track that reminds us to appreciate the natural world.

            And in a society consumed by materialism and status, the ‘60s jazz track is increasingly necessary listening for those looking to reconnect with their spirit.

            Audio Network’s Songs About Flowers

            • ‘Flowers’ – Bob Bradley and Thomas Balmforth
            • ‘Flowers and Rainbows’ – Barrie Gledden, Kes Loy and Chris Bussey
            • ‘Alpine Flowers’ – Elfed Hayes
            • ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ – David Tobin, Jeff Meegan, Jennifer Green and Rob Kelly
            • ‘Hearts and Flowers’ – Tim Wills and Nigel Ogden
            • ‘Flowers of the Forest’ – Duncan Pittock
            • ‘Full Bloom’ – Terry Devine-King and Adam Drake
            • ‘Snowdrop’ – Patrick Hawes
            • ‘Daisies’ – Bruce Maginnis
            • ‘Walking in the Garden’ – Terry Devine-King and Chris Warner

            ‘Flowers’ – Bob Bradley & Thomas Balmforth

            Green thumbs, listen up: Bob Bradley and Thomas Balmforth have translated the lifecycle of a flower into song.

            Simply titled ‘Flower’, the ethereal melody is sure to make the listener emotional as it connotes a message of mortality.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Flowers and Rainbows’ – Barrie Gledden, Kes Loy & Chris Bussey

            Much like rainbows, flowers are one of the greatest joys in life.

            Barrie Gledden, Kes Loy and Chris Bussey’s beautifully positive ‘Flowers and Rainbows’ sounds like that feeling you get when a blooming lovely arrangement of flowers unexpectedly arrives at your door.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Alpine Flowers’ – Elfed Hayes

            Even upon the highest points of our lands, flowers grow.

            Elfed Hayes’ classical guitar duet ‘Alpine Flowers’ provides said flowers with a theme tune that personifies them with attributes of independence and peacefulness.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ – David Tobin, Jeff Meegan, Jennifer Green & Rob Kelly

            This particular arrangement of The Nutcracker’s ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ is magical enough to win over even the most miserable of listeners.

            It’s a bouquet that elicits wonder via sweet windpipes, fantastical strings, breathtaking horns and more.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Hearts and Flowers’ – Tim Wills & Nigel Ogden

            For centuries, flowers and hearts have been universal symbols of love.

            Tim Wills and Nigel Oden’s ode to said motives is just as touching as you’d expect; a solo piano calls to mind romantic memories of falling in love.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Flowers of the Forest’ – Duncan Pittock

            Duncan Pittock’s unmistakably Scottish ‘Flowers of the Forest’ transports the listener to the Highlands – a place where people go to think, reflect and rest.

            Popularly used at funerals or during funeral scenes (filmmakers, take note), the bagpipe solo is nothing if not poignant.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Full Bloom’ – Terry Devine-King & Adam Drake

            We give flowers to people for a bunch of reasons – all of which are rooted in kindness.

            Terry Devine-King and Adam Drake’s ‘Full Bloom’ is a sparkling song that shares the same intentions as a kind-hearted florist customer. In other words, it seeks to evoke warmth.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Snowdrop’ – Patrick Hawes

            Snowdrops are winter-growing flowers that simultaneously symbolise sympathy and hope.

            Patrick Hawes employs a harp along with strings and woodwind to create a track that bridges the gap between the two feelings.

            How? By informing the listener that sympathy will eventually inspire hope.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Daisies’ – Bruce Maginnis

            Many take daisies for granted, but Bruce Maginnis’ track dedicated to the common European plant opens our minds to the fact that daisies are present in some of our most cherished memories.

            Just think about those good times spent in the park as a youngster.

            LISTEN NOW

            ‘Walking in the Garden’ – Terry Devine-King & Chris Warner

            We round off our list with a track that brightens up our day every time we hear it: Terry Devine-King and Chris Warner’s ‘Walking in the Garden’.

            Best categorised as carefree nu-folk, the song plays on the listener’s innate affinity for natural spaces brimming with life.

            LISTEN NOW

            Our Latest Releases

            Our music library is brimming with production music tracks, each of which is ready and waiting to be discovered and utilised by you. Want the new-new? Explore the latest songs in our collection by working your way through our latest albums and new releases pages and our playlists.

            If you’re still unsure about what type of music you require for your production – whether that’s an advert, a television show, a film or something other – you may want to read a little more about music. Check out The Edit, our content feed that’s split into inspiration, expertise and news.

            Need Music for Your Project?

            At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

            SIGN UP

            This page was updated 07/03/2024.

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            THE BESTSELLING ALBUMS OF 2022

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              We’re over halfway through 2022 and music fans have been treated to a slew of brand-new, hype-worthy albums from Harry Styles (Harry’s House), Beyoncé (Renaissance) and Kendrick Lamar (Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers).

              But, which have made it onto the Official Charts Company’s list of the bestselling albums of 2022? It’s an intriguing mix of this year’s releases, albums that have been on heavy rotation since as far back as 2017 and heritage greatest hits collections.

              To discover which ‘22 albums are rubbing shoulders with the likes of Eminem’s Curtain Call: The Hits, Adele’s 30 and Fleetwood Mac’s 50 Years: Don’t Stop, just keep reading...

              Bestselling Albums of 2022

              • Ed Sheeran – =
              • Harry Styles – Harry’s House
              • Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
              • Adele – 30
              • Little Mix – Between Us

              No.1 Bestselling Album

              Ed Sheeran – = (Equals)

              • Release date: October 2021
              • Label: Asylum, Atlantic
              • Standout tracks: ‘Bad Habits’, ‘Overpass Graffiti, ‘The Joker and the Queen’
              • Relevant Audio Network Playlist: Acoustic Pop

              The biggest album of 2022 so far, according to the Official Charts (UK) is Ed Sheeran’s = (Equals).

              Having claimed the title of the second-biggest album of 2021 overall, the 31-year-old’s fourth studio album is leading the charge at the year’s halfway point.

              Plus, a recently-released Tour Edition will give the album another new lease of life.

              Harry Styles – Harry’s House

              • Release date: 20 May 2022
              • Label: Columbia Records
              • Standout tracks: ‘As it Was’, ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’
              • Relevant Audio Network Playlist:  Pop

              Harry’s House is the erstwhile 1D star’s highest-rated album to date critically and is full of Styles’ abundant charm, whilst also being more introspective than his previous releases.

              It’s 2022’s biggest new release album and saw Harry claim the rare Official Chart Double as he topped both the Album Chart and the Official Singles Chart with lead track ‘As it Was’.

              No other release this year has sold more copies on physical formats.

              Olivia Rodrigo – Sour

              • Release date: 21st May 2021
              • Label: Geffen
              • Standout tracks: ‘drivers licence’, ‘brutal’, ‘good 4 u’, ‘deja vu’
              • Relevant Audio Network Playlist: Alt-Pop

              It’s official: Olivia Rodrigo is the future of pop.

              Her debut album has absolutely no right to be as good as it is – singles such as ‘Good 4 U’ and ‘Drivers Licence’ have proven a hit with millions of people worldwide, leading to the 19-year-old singer-songwriter taking home three awards at this year’s GRAMMYS.

              Adele – 30

              • Release date: 19th November 2021
              • Label: Columbia
              • Standout tracks: ‘Easy On Me’, ‘Oh My God’, ‘I Drink Wine’
              • Relevant Audio Network Playlist: R&B Pop

              Adele has been the queen of the music industry ever since the early 2010s, and with each album just as popular as the next, there seems to be no stopping the soulful singer and her rosé-ready heartbreak anthems.

              30 was the fastest-selling album of 2021, and it’s currently the fourth best-selling album of 2022.

              Little Mix – Between Us

              • Release date: 12th November 2021
              • Label: RCA
              • Standout tracks: ‘Love (Sweet Love)’, ‘Between Us’, ‘Move’, ‘Sweet Melody’
              • Relevant Audio Network Playlist: Mainstream Pop

              After a decade together, the Little Mix ladies have been on a well-deserved break since May 2022.

              Nevertheless, Perrie, Jade and Leigh-Anne are still on top of the world, with their 2021 greatest hits record, Between Us, currently the fifth best-selling album of 2022.

              The Edit

              Now that you’ve read up about the most popular albums of 2022 – all hail No. 1 best-seller Ed Sheeran’s Equals - and glanced into the future hits, find out which have been the best ads of 2022 as well as the best sport ads of 2022, over on The Edit.

              Once you’re fully versed in the records that have made it big this year, it’s time to start exploring our playlists to discover music for your next project. Take inspiration from Ed Sheeran’s success by adding one of our chilled pop songs to your next commercial, capture the attention of Gen-Zs by utilising one of our UK grime tracks in your podcast or trigger nostalgia by enhancing your television series with some retro-rock.

              Need Music for Your Project?

              At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

              SIGN UP

              This page was updated 23/05/2024.

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              MOOD SOUNDTRACK & REVIEW

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                The return of BBC Three to terrestrial has brought with it a wealth of shows fronted and written by women.

                The second series of Rose Matafeo’s hit romcom Starstruck, Lazy Susan’s sketch show, plus dramas such as Life and Death in the Warehouse and, of course, Killing Eve, have all been grabbing our attention.

                The newest addition to Three’s collection of projects fronted by kick-ass women? Nicôle Lecky’s Mood.

                Lecky may not be a household name yet, but as an actor she’s appeared in Sense8, Bloods, Fresh Meat and Death in Paradise.

                She’s written for Ackley Bridge and episodes of Eastenders and directed, written and starred in a short, The Moor Girl.

                Mood, however, came out of her one-woman Royal Court theatre show Superhoe – hence why people are drawing comparisons with Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag (also a BBC Three smash) and Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You.

                Lecky brings together all her talents as a writer, exec-producer, actress and singer-songwriter on the six-part series, and her version of Fleabag’s fourth-wall breaking approach to re-inventing TV drama is having music ‘talk directly to the audience.’

                Mood’s main character, twenty-five year-old Sasha (played by Lecky herself), is an aspiring singer and rapper; her creator was influenced by growing up in East London listening to Dizzee Rascal, Kano and D Double E.

                Plus the series reflects genres from grime to jungle, garage and drill, together with artists such as Little Simz.

                The opening episode makes Sasha tough to root for – following a messy night out, the police arrive to accuse her of trying to set fire to her ex-boyfriend Anton’s house (the 44 outgoing calls that Sasha finds on her phone to Anton are anxiety-inducing for anyone who’s tried to piece together what happened the night before, on waking up with a raging hangover and a sense of dread).

                This escalates into the kind of epic family row that leads to her mum (played by Jessica Hynes) throwing her out, and a frantic search for somewhere to crash, given that Sasha doesn’t seem to have been a great friend lately.

                However, as Lecky revealed to the NME, your attitude to Sasha will change if you stick with the show: ‘I remember performing the play and I would always feel the energy in the room shift when Sasha starts talking about having panic attacks and things like that. Up until that point, she’s shouting at her parents and the audience are a bit like, “She’s a bit too old to be doing this!” She swears a lot too and the audience are always thinking, “Oh god, we don’t really like her!”

                ‘I think it’s sometimes easy to feel sympathy for somebody who is a victim, but we have less empathy for people make mistakes, who are not very loveable perhaps, and I think that’s where you truly need to offer people empathy actually.’

                The need for empathy is one of the show’s key preoccupations, alongside class – there’s a great musical set-piece in a jobcentre – race, trauma, sex work and exploitation, as Sasha falls in with Carly (Lara Peake), an Only Fans-esque influencer.

                The social media bubble of parties, champagne and thousands of followers looks great from the outside, but a darker world is rapidly revealed incorporating blackfishing and the sinister side of hustle culture. ‘As the gap between her new online presence and her original dream of being a singer continues to widen, Sasha finds herself struggling to escape a world that is more complex and darker than she could have imagined.’

                Lecky’s original music for the show is a mix of Sasha talking directly to the audience, and dream sequences such as the video shoot from the first episode.

                Lecky told Deadline that, ‘working out how to depict music on screen was tricky. Sasha is a singer and it felt like a great opportunity if I could pull it off to make the show feel different.’

                Lecky also wanted to create a soundtrack that could be enjoyed in its own right, outside of the show.

                Although Mood isn’t a musical per se, it has two songs in every episode, which can take the characters from miserable to magical in a matter of moments.

                Lecky explained that, ‘I felt the best way for me to really connect with the audience is through the songs and for Sasha to say stuff in the music that she isn’t saying to any other characters. I would write the scripts, it would get to a point where I would say, “I think there should be a number here”, I would write some lyrics and then I had to go away and make the songs afterwards.’

                The songs not only give you an insight into Sasha’s character and what she’s feeling – or what she dreams of – but are brilliant stand-alones, just as Lecky intended.

                Tracks include ‘Fire’ by Lecky, ‘Fear Nuttin’ by BackRoad Gee, and ‘B Young’ by Wine. You can stream them on Apple Music, or BBC Sounds is adding new tracks to its Mood playlist each week, including Ramz, Br3nya, Mercy and Ms Banks.

                Nicôle Lecky chats more about the diverse casting and the importance of handling issues with drugs, family relationships and mental health sensitively – particularly in portraying someone who’s not the archetype in terms of the leading woman in a TV show – in this interview:

                The Guardian gave Mood four stars and described it as a ‘bold, fresh drama… invigorating, and refreshingly easy in its own skin.’

                All the episodes are available now on iPlayer, so if you’ve got a Euphoria-shaped hole in your streaming schedule, but fancy a British drama that also brings in music, humour and heart, then make Mood your next must-watch.

                Want to read about more trailblazing women creatives? Check out our deep dives on the best female directors, music’s most extraordinary female activists and the history of women in music.

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                WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL MUSIC?

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                  What is environmental music? It’s either one of two things:

                  1. Music that contains lyrics focused on environmental issues
                  2. Music inspired by Mother Nature

                  Both are regularly used in projects that focus on the living world – productions such as nature documentaries, factual climate change podcasts, environmental adverts, travel vlogs and protest-focused TV shows.

                  To help you get a better understanding of environmental music, we’re taking a look at various environmental songs, from environmental country-pop tracks to environmental hip hop jams.

                  But first, we’ll be answering some of the most popular questions surrounding the genre.

                  What Is the Relationship Between Music and the Environment?

                  Music dates back to the prehistoric Palaeolithic Age (aka the Old Stone Age) – one of the oldest instruments found is a bird bone flute, said to be around 35,000-40,000 years old.

                  Since music has been an intrinsic part of the human experience for so long, many believe that music and nature share a connection so deep that it’s impossible to comprehend.

                  What inspired the early music-makers? Nature, of course. From the sounds of the water flowing through the streams to the sounds of birds chirping in the trees, the sounds of Mother Nature and manmade music were once one and the same.

                  Over the last few decades – as we’ve become increasingly knowledgeable about the state of our planet and the damage we’re causing  – the environment has been a popular topic for singers and rappers to focus on.

                  Through music, artists are able to raise awareness about environmental issues and inspire listeners to make eco-friendly decisions moving forward.

                  Here’s hoping that music can save the very thing that inspired it in the first place.

                  what is environmental music

                  Photo Credit: www.livescience.com

                  What Does Ambient Music Sound Like?

                  According to Cambridge Dictionary, Ambient music is “a type of music, often without a tune or beat, that is intended to make people relax or create a particular mood”.

                  In other words, it’s music that creates an atmosphere.

                  And what has this got to do with environmental music? Music inspired by nature comes with its own aura – it builds an idyllic world around the listener.

                  What Music Styles Use Recorded Sounds From the Environment?

                  There are so many different songs that use recorded sounds from the environment, from R&B hits to tracks created especially for meditation.

                  And since millions live in crowded towns and cities that feel worlds away from the natural world, many rely on music to whisk them away from their concrete jungles.

                  Environmental Music Artists From Different Genres

                  Now that we've gone over some environmental music FAQ's, let's delve into the wonderful world of environmental music artists.

                  ‘Lightning and Thunder (ft. John Legend)’ – Jhené Aiko (2020)

                  ‘Lightning and Thunder (ft. John Legend)’ by Jhené Aiko – a song from the artist’s R&B Grammy-nominated album Chilombo – is about two lovers who have parted ways, yet still have feelings for one another.

                  To honour the song's concept, Aiko kicks off 'Lightning and Thunder' with storm sounds, evoking in listeners the same comforting feeling you get when you’re safe indoors during a storm.

                  ‘I’m Your Captain/Closer To Home’ – Grand Funk Railroad (1970)

                  In 1970, American rock band Grand Funk Railroad debuted the 10-minute track ‘Closer to Home (I’m Your Captain)’.

                  Just before the song’s halfway mark – at 4 minutes 23 seconds, to be precise – the band breaks things up with a peaceful moment that evokes an image in one's mind of birds tweeting by a river, or perhaps even a waterfall.

                  It’s this unexpected shift from rock 'n' roll to utopian paradise that makes the track so memorable.

                  ‘Evermore’ – Taylor Swift (2020)

                  Country-pop star Taylor Swift returned to her pared-back roots in 2020 when she released Evermore, an album co-produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner.

                  In the record’s titular song featuring Bon Iver, listeners are taken to the peaceful woodlands where Swift finds herself on the album cover.

                  A slow, gentle piano is paired with the sweet sounds of birds chirping to give the thoughtful track a rustic folky feel.

                  ‘Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)’ – Marvin Gaye (1971)

                  Marvin Gaye was a remarkable man who used his voice to tackle a range of issues, from social issues to environmental issues.

                  In 1971, he released ‘Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)’, a soulful song that asked listeners to question what was happening to the beautiful world around them.

                  Within just over three minutes, Gaye provides food for thought by pointing out issues on land, in the air and out at sea.

                  'Prelude' - Kate Bush (2005)

                  Alt-Indie artist Kate Bush has always been in touch with nature.

                  At the age of 20, she was dancing around fields singing ‘Wuthering Heights’; at 47, she released Aerial, a double album that took planet Earth as its muse.

                  The most obvious example of Bush seeking inspiration from the environment in Aerial is during ‘Prelude’, which encapsulates the experience of exploring a forest with its bird sounds, sparkling piano and soft strings.

                  ‘Earth’ – Lil Dicky (2019)

                  In 2019, Lil Dicky teamed up with 30 noteworthy stars – from Justin Bieber to Ariana Grande to Snoop Dogg – to produce a charity single titled ‘Earth’.

                  The tune reminds the listener that we all love our planet, thus, we should look after it as best we can. In 12 months, the rapper raised around $800,000; he split the money and donated it to six different environmental charities.

                  ‘Blackbird’ – The Beatles

                  Back in 1968, trailblazing rock 'n' rollers The Beatles debuted ‘Blackbird’ as part of their eponymous ninth album, AKA The White Album.

                  The pastoral track sounds like an idyllic spring evening: delicate vocals provided by Paul McCartney are layered over the sounds of steady percussion, comforting strings and birds singing.

                  It asks the listener to run away from their troubles to take time to reflect.

                  ‘Bottom of the Ocean’ – Miley Cyrus (2008)

                  Miley Cyrus’ early work is often overlooked, or passed off as disposable.

                  However, true fans know that one of her best tracks comes from 2008 album Breakout. Entitled ‘Bottom of the Ocean’, the breakup song compares the experience of losing a loved one forever to losing something that falls to the bottom of the ocean.

                  Aptly, a euphoric beat is combined with the sounds of far-flung seagulls and slow-paced vocals from Cyrus to make for a track that has an oceanic vibe from beginning to end.

                  ‘Earth Song’ – Michael Jackson (1995)

                  Environmental music doesn’t get much more iconic than Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’.

                  In 1995, the music icon released the compelling track, accompanied by a music video directed by nature photographer Nick Brandt; as soon it debuted, the song hit number one in the UK Singles Chart and managed to stay at the top for six weeks.

                  It’s safe to say the King of Pop did his best to raise awareness about environmental issues – unfortunately, not much has changed since the anthem was released.

                  ‘New World Water’ – Mos Def (1999)

                  Hip hop legend Mos Def gave his fans something to think about in 1999 when he released his debut studio album Black on Both Sides, featuring the environmental song ‘New World Water’.

                  Within the Psycho Les-produced track, the Brooklyn-born musician highlights the issues with the water America is consuming: “Used to have minerals and zinc in it (New World Water), Now they say it got lead and stink in it (New World Water),” he raps.

                  Hip hop always has been, and always will be, a genre that challenges conventions.

                  Discover Our Playlists

                  All environmental music-ed out? Check out our playlists, featuring every genre of music imaginable.

                  Visit our musical styles page to find a slew of playlists organised by genre. Here, you can discover classic genre playlists such as R&B and indie rock, as well as more specialist sounds including acid jazz and J-pop.

                  Over on our production genre page, you’ll find playlists themed around specific projects. Examples include daytime TV playlists, news and current affairs playlists and sitcom playlists.

                  PLAYLIST HUB

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                  THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY FEMALE ACTIVISTS IN MUSIC

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                    To borrow a phrase from Beyoncé’s 2011 empowerment anthem, ‘Who run the world? Girls.’ Unfortunately, even post #MeToo and #TimesUp, the music industry is still statistically weighted heavily in favour of (white) men. So, throughout the history of women in music, who are the musicians who are environmental activists? The women in music who broke barriers, from Billie Holiday to Billie Eilish, cover a wide range of activism.

                    Find out more about them, including their key tracks. the female artists who have taken on the system and used their activism to tackle issues of equality, discrimination, segregation and environmentalism?

                    Billie Holiday

                    Hulu’s recent biopic, The United States vs Billie Holiday, shows the singer as one of the mothers of the civil rights movement and one of the earliest social justice advocates within music.

                    When most people think of Billie Holiday’s activism, it’s her song ‘Strange Fruit’ that comes to mind.

                    Recorded in 1939, it’s an anti-lynching protest song originally written as a poem, inspired by a gruesome picture of two Black men hanged from tree branches.

                    Angela Davis, a professor of History at UC Santa Cruz, said that the song had, ‘an enormous impact. This was really the first time that, at least in popular music, such a powerful anti-racist stance had been assumed.’

                    Dr Farrah Jasmine Griffin, author of If You Can’t Be Free, Be a Mystery: In Search of Billie Holiday, said that the singer’s insistence on recording the song was, ‘very brave and courageous of a young artist who really put her career at stake by not only singing but recording this song, and she would do so again and again. I can’t think of another song until the 1960s that has the kind of political and emotional impact that ‘Strange Fruit’ had and continues to have.’

                    Nina Simone

                    Nina Simone was a classically-trained piano prodigy who made a stand against racism from an early age.

                    During a recital aged eleven, when her parents were forced to give up their front row seats to a white couple, Eunice Waymon – AKA Nina Simone – refused to play until her parents were allowed to sit in their allotted place.

                    A supporter of Malcolm X, Simone’s work was praised by radical Black leaders: she performed and spoke at many civil rights meetings and marches and one of her most famous singles is civil rights anthem, ‘To Be Young, Gifted and Black’.

                    Chardine Taylor-Stone, in an appreciation for Tribune magazine, emphasises that, with regard to the history of Nina Simone, we should also look at her activism beyond the civil rights movement: ‘She was a tour de force who brought the message of freedom, equality, justice and liberation to everyone who had the pleasure of hearing her music.

                    But it’s important we don’t pigeonhole her as a civil rights activist: she was a revolutionary – a woman who engaged with the work of Marx and Lenin, and who brought that revolutionary praxis to her music in a way that continues to resonate with us today.’

                    Joan Baez

                    An activist who rose to fame in the 1960s, folk singer Joan Baez closed the first day of Woodstock in 1969.

                    Throughout her career, she has been a champion for civil rights and humanitarian causes. In 2011, Baez was honoured by Amnesty International, becoming the first recipient of the Joan Baez Award for Outstanding Inspirational Service in the Global Fight for Human Rights.

                    The award is intended to be presented to an artist from the worlds of music, film, sculpture or other mediums, who has helped advance human rights.

                    Baez was one of the principal performers at the 1963 March on Washington For Jobs and Freedom, the day on which Martin Luther King delivered his ‘I have a dream’ speech.

                    In the 1970s, she travelled to Hanoi with a peace delegation to oppose the Vietnam war and she has displayed a lifelong commitment to political and social activism ever since, in areas such as civil rights, human rights and the environment.

                    Causes close to her heart now include opposing the death penalty, supporting LGBTQ+ rights and environmental causes.

                    Dolly Parton

                    When it comes to feminist music artists, does blonde bombshell Dolly Parton instantly come to mind? She really should.

                    The woman who said of herself, ‘I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb. And I also know I’m not blonde,’ has been a trailblazer in music, business and popular culture, and is an icon for working class women everywhere.

                    Brought up in rural Tennessee, as one of twelve children living in a two-room cabin, she made her way to Nashville and took on the male-dominated world of country music.

                    As she once explained, ‘When I started out, it never crossed my mind I couldn’t do it ’cause I was a woman. I was just gonna do what I did, what I felt I did best, and I never once thought that was gonna ever, you know, not work for me. And I didn’t care. I wasn’t afraid of anybody.’

                    Dolly’s always known her worth; when Elvis Presley asked to record her song ‘I Will Always Love You’, it would have meant signing over half of her writing credit. She refused.

                    It was a powerful move that reaped its rewards when the track became a huge hit on one of the bestselling movie soundtracks of all time – The Bodyguard, with Whitney Houston’s version as its record-breaking single.

                    At the peak of the ‘women’s movement’ in the 1970s, Dolly starred in 9 to 5 with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, taking on sexual harassment in the workplace.

                    Parton has always been reluctant to call herself a feminist but as observed by songwriter Linda Perry in Netflix’s Dolly Parton documentary, ‘She’s mastered the design of how to be a woman and succeed in this business without making a man feel bad.’

                    From creating the business empire of theme park Dollywood to donating over 150 million books through her Imagination Library – not to mention putting $1 million towards COVID vaccine research – Dolly Parton is an activist who consistently makes a stand for equality and fights against discrimination.

                    She came out in favour of gay marriage in 2014, has spoken against anti-transgender ‘bathroom bills’ and supports anti-racism and the Black Lives Matter movement.

                    Women in Hip Hop

                    Hip hop has always been dominated by men, but there are some notable exceptions who have championed women’s empowerment and challenged misogyny in the genre.

                    A name you might be unfamiliar with is Sylvia Robinson. Originally a singer, she later became known for her work as founder and CEO of hip hop label Sugar Hill Records in the 1970s.

                    The driving force behind two landmark hip hop singles – ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by the Sugarhill Gang, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s ‘The Message’ – she is dubbed ‘The Mother of Hip Hop’.

                    Billboard called her ‘The Queen of Rap’ and she received a Pioneer Award at the Annual Rhythm and Blues Awards Gala in 2000, while Rolling Stone crowned ‘Rapper’s Delight’ as ‘the greatest hip hop single of all time’ in 2012.

                    As for Sylvia’s mantra, it was, ‘Don’t copy things that are out there… come up with something new, something different.’

                    Find out more about her career in Extraordinary Artists’ profile.

                    There are plenty of inspiring female rappers on the scene now, but when Queen Latifah rose to fame in the 1990s, she was definitely in the minority. Tracks such as ‘Ladies First’ and the Grammy-winning ‘U.N.I.T.Y’ saw her calling for Black women’s voices to be raised up in music.

                    As she told Huffington Post, ‘I chose to take the route of uplifting women by trying to make some records that had some positive thoughts… I had a problem with [misogyny]. I was never the kind of person that was going to take something lying down… I was raised to protect myself and stand up for myself and speak my mind and be true. And even if I had to stand alone, I was to do that.’

                    Other pioneers of ‘hip hop feminism’ include Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliot, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Cardi B, who told i-D magazine that, ‘Being a feminist is real simple; it’s that a woman can do things the same as a man. Anything a man can do, I can do. I can finesse, I can hustle. We have the same freedom. I was top of the charts. I’m a woman and I did that. I do feel equal to a man.’

                    Her 2020 single, ‘WAP’, with Megan Thee Stallion was hailed by many as a feminist anthem celebrating female power and pleasure.

                    Pussy Riot

                    When it comes to activist singers, they don’t come much braver than the members of Pussy Riot.

                    Founded by Nadya Tolokonnikova in 2011, the consequences of their feminist protest art have always been serious. Along with two other band members, she was sentenced to two years in prison in 2012, went on hunger strike and endured incredibly harsh conditions.

                    They were subsequently named prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International.

                    The Russian feminist protest punk rock and performance art group were based in Moscow, staging unauthorised guerrilla gigs in public places, with lyrics covering feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and opposition to the Russian president Vladimir Putin and his policies.

                    Tolokonnikova recently launched the Ukraine DAO (decentralised autonomous organisation), a cryptocurrency collaboration, and raised $7.1 million in just five days.

                    She told the Guardian, ‘I’m personally convinced that in situations like this, activism is the only thing that can keep you sane. Just looking at disasters and tragedies and not doing anything about it is really detrimental for the world, but also it slowly destroys you and makes you feel helpless.’

                    Through cryptocurrency, Tolokonnikova has also raised money for a shelter for victims of domestic violence and political prisoners in Russia; another fund is buying artworks from female and LGBTQ+ artists.

                    Billie Eilish

                    The ‘Bad Guy’ singer-songwriter is the voice of a new generation of activist musicians championing causes from environmental activism to mental health.

                    Eilish was one of the performers at Global Citizen Live in 2021, a 24-hour global broadcast event that brought together more than 70 artists, activists and world leaders to defend the planet and defeat poverty.

                    Eilish puts on plastic-free shows, marches with Greta Thunberg, and is now a vegan as part of her promotion of animal rights.

                    PETA awarded her their 2021 Person of the Year Award, the youngest person ever to have been granted the honour.

                    Eilish is also vocal about body positivity and autonomy; she’s been open about her experiences with Tourette’s syndrome and her battles with depression.

                    Women’s Rights Music

                    When it comes to creating a kick-ass female artist playlist, here are some suggestions:

                    ‘You Don’t Own Me’ – Lesley Gore

                    The lyrics assert a woman’s independence within a relationship, and it was memorably used to soundtrack a sequence in season four of The Handmaid’s Tale.

                    ‘I’m Every Woman’ – Chaka Khan

                    Chaka Khan told the Guardian that, ‘It wrecked me emotionally when I first started singing ‘I’m Every Woman.’ It was ironic that I was battling deep insecurities yet singing this huge anthem of empowerment. I thought I didn’t have the right to sing it.’

                    ‘9 to 5’ – Dolly Parton

                    Unfortunately, the pay gap is still alive and kicking – play this ahead of demanding your pay rise.

                    ‘The Man’ – Taylor Swift

                    Taylor was inspired by the double standards of the entertainment industry to write this track.

                    ‘Having dealt with a few of them, narcissists basically subscribe to a belief system that they should be able to do and say whatever the hell they want, whenever the hell they want to. And if we — as anyone else in the world, but specifically women — react to that, well, we’re not allowed to. We’re not allowed to have a reaction to their actions.’

                    ‘Independent Women (Part 1)’ – Destiny’s Child

                    Empowering female singers Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle’s anthem about making your own money is as shake-your-fist-in-the-air fantastic now as it was when it was released on the Charlie’s Angels film soundtrack in 2000.

                    ‘Free Your Mind’ – En Vogue

                    One of the best songs about challenging your prejudices, we can’t help but feel En Vogue were way ahead of their time with this one.

                    ‘Juice’ – Lizzo

                    Grab yourself a big helping of body positivity, confidence and inspiration, courtesy of Lizzo.

                    She revealed to Buzzfeed that, ‘I want to be an activist because I’m intelligent, because I care about issues, because my music is good, [and] because I want to help the world.’

                    Need Music for Your Project?

                    At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

                    SIGN UP

                    This page was last updated on 07/03/2024 and 24/05/2024.

                    THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY FEMALE ACTIVISTS IN MUSIC Read More »

                    THE BEST INDIE BACKGROUND MUSIC OF ALL TIME

                    THE BEST INDIE BACKGROUND MUSIC OF ALL TIME

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                      Whether you’re the co-host of a lifestyle podcast, directing a space-western flick, creating a television advert or something else entirely, indie music may just be the thing you need to add a little colour to your next project.

                      It’s a wide-ranging genre of music with something for everyone, meaning we might just have the perfect track to take your production to the next level.

                      Below, we explore some of the best indie background music tracks in our catalogue.

                      Rather explore our collection of indie background music for yourself? No worries. Visit our indie discovery page to start your journey.

                      Dreamy Indie Background Music

                      If you’re anything like us, then you listen to indie music for escapism; in other words, you expect the raspy vocals, wholesome instruments and silky rhythms to transport you to another world.

                      For obvious reasons, we like to call these songs dreamy indie music tracks.

                      Here are our top three dreamy indie background songs:

                      ‘Live Like The Kids’ - Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson & Luke O'Dea

                      Johnson, Robertson and O’Dea’s ‘Live Like the Kids’ is dreamy and then some.

                      Fizzy synths and warm guitars come together to trigger nostalgia for summer days gone by.

                      ‘China Shop’ - Cody Page

                      Dreams are often unexpected – they take you from one absurd situation to the next.

                      Brooklyn-based producer Cody Page encapsulates the mystery of the dream world in his psychedelic dreamy indie hit ‘China Shop’.

                      ‘Eruptions’ - Tom Peters & Gavin Harrison

                      If ‘Eruptions’ by Peters and Harrison was a dream, it would be overflowing with emotion.

                      Piano and strings amalgamate to evoke all the feels in this dreamy indie track.

                      Aggressive Indie Background Music

                      Indie is innately feisty as it goes against the grain to evoke authentic responses from the listener.

                      However, some of our indie background tracks possess a little more edge than others.

                      Here are our top three aggressive indie background songs:

                      ‘Teeth Marks’  - Cahir O'Doherty

                      Cahir O’Doherty’s punchy track ‘Teeth Marks’ is a whirlwind listen: it lifts you off your feet and sends you straight into oblivion.

                      How? By pairing hard-hitting male vocals with epic guitars in a manner redolent of the 90s indie scene.

                      ‘Don’t Remember Last Night’ - Julian Emery & Adam Noble

                      As the name suggests, Emery and Noble’s ‘Don’t Remember Last Night’ is the musical equivalent of that mental rewind you do after waking from a messy night.

                      Needless to say, it’s a sensation that’s much more fun to experience in audio form.

                      ‘Fight For Who I Am’ - James Pickering & Matthew Clark

                      Aggressive indie music is ideal for channeling anger, as it’s essentially a safe way of throwing fists.

                      ‘Fight For Who I Am’ by Pickering and Clark is a song that empowers you like no other.

                      Quirky Indie Background Music

                      Indie music emanates from those artists on the outskirts of the mainstream who have something a little more eccentric to offer than most.

                      But those who favour an especially idiosyncratic sound fall into the quirky indie music box – a space where anything goes.

                      Here are our top three quirky indie background songs:

                      ‘Free Yourself’ - Lorenzo De Feo & Matthew Wells

                      You may not necessarily associate indie music with the dancefloor until you hear De Feo and Wells’ ‘Free Yourself’.

                      This electro-indie track is groovy and addictive; it mixes bouncy drums, hooky synths and sunny vocals.

                      ‘No More Heartache’ - Lorenzo De Feo & Matthew Wells

                      Another De Feo and Wells track that totally rocks our world is ‘No More Heartache’.

                      The reflective song unites bold guitars, otherworldly synths and soaring male vocals in the most unusual yet enticing way.

                      ‘Smooth Service’ - Josh Oliver

                      Josh Oliver’s ‘Smooth Service’ is essentially the indie version of a lullaby, something we’re totally into.

                      Male vocals and mellow guitars make for a song that twinkles like the stars in the sky. Who knew indie music could be so tranquil?

                      Moody Indie Background Music

                      As you can already tell, the indie music genre is multifaceted, and one of the more popular aspects of the genre is the more moody side.

                      We’re talking the kind of tracks that are sour and occasionally sulky in that too-cool-for-school kinda way – gloomy vocals, stormy percussion, pensive strings and euphoric beats included.

                      Here are our top three moody indie background music tracks:

                      ‘Cult Leader’ - Paddy Conn & Angelina Dove

                      Paddy Conn and Angelina Dove’s ‘Cult Leader’ is quintessential moody indie music.

                      Led by temptress-style vocals, the haunting, slightly trippy song pushes the listener down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland.

                      ‘Don’t Wait Up’ - Andy Huckvale

                      Moody indie music isn’t necessarily down in the dumps – take, for instance, Andy Huckvale’s ‘Don’t Wait Up’.

                      The singer brings a little energy to the track by pairing his melancholic vocals with a sunny beat to create a unique sound.

                      ‘Bury Your Heart Here’ - Nick Kingswell

                      Occasionally, moody indie music has a country-folk twang. We guess it makes sense considering that both sub-genres are contemplative.

                      Exhibit A: Nick Kingswell’s soft, heartfelt ‘Bury Your Heart Here’, a track led by engaging male vocals and storytelling strings.

                      Upbeat Indie Background Music

                      There’s something truly refreshing about an upbeat indie music track: they're the music equivalent to a cold beverage on a hot day.

                      What exactly is an upbeat indie song? More often than not, they consist of upbeat rhythms layered under indie vocals and instruments.

                      Here are our top three upbeat indie background music tracks:

                      ‘I Believe The Dark’ - Aidan Hogg & Liam Quinn

                      Aidan Hogg and Liam Quinn’s ‘I Believe The Dark’ is a dance-inspired upbeat indie music track that’s thrilling from beginning to end.

                      Bright synths and intense male vocals fuse in a way that allows the listener to forget all of their troubles.

                      ‘In the Dead of Night’ - Julian Emery, Cenzo Townshend & James Irvin

                      From the get-go, Emery, Townshend and Irvin’s ‘In the Dead of Night’ throws the listener into the deep end with its hair-raising percussion and boisterous vocals.

                      Now, that’s how you do an upbeat indie track.

                      ‘Gonna Make You Notice’ - Tristan Ivemy

                      ‘Gonna Make You Notice’ by award-winning indie-rock producer Tristan Ivemy is an upbeat indie song that manages to live up to its name with its authoritative male vocals, dynamic guitars and strapping percussion.

                      Don’t you just love a track that demands your attention?

                      Best Indie Background Music – Inspiration From The Movies

                      Wanting more inspiration?

                      Below, we take you on a trip through the musical world of movies and explore some of the best indie background music used in famous films. Let's take a look!

                      (500) Days of Summer (2009)

                      An excuse to talk about our favourite romance? We’ll take it! Especially since the indie soundtrack to Marc Webb’s (500) Days of Summer is one of our favourite aspects of the film.

                      In fact, indie-rock is one of the reasons why Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel) fall in love with each other.

                      During the film’s iconic lift scene, Summer overhears Tom listening to The Smiths’ ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ through his headphones.

                      She proceeds to grab his attention by announcing that she’s a fan of the English rock band. From this moment on, Tom becomes infatuated with Summer. Oh, how we love a diegetic music moment.

                      Drive (2011)

                      Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is a masterpiece, and so is its soundtrack.

                      By far the most memorable music moment from the film is the opening credits scene that introduces us to the setting (Los Angeles), the main character Driver (played by Ryan Gosling), and the vibe (very electro-80s).

                      Kavinsky’s ‘Nightcall’ ties all of the elements of the opening scene together in a way that grips viewers and encourages them to stick around to find out more about the mysterious, titular anti-hero.

                      Plus, the song's lyrics – particularly the line that goes, “There’s something inside you, it’s hard to explain” – provides viewers with a hint that there are many layers to Gosling’s character.

                      Lost in Translation (2003)

                      Back in the ‘00s, there was an infectious indie-rock spirit that seeped into a range of productions, including Sofia Coppola’s 2003 silver screen sensation Lost in Translation.

                      For the movie that pivots around Bill Murray’s character Bob and Scarlett Johansson's character Charlotte, Coppola worked with music connoisseurs Kevin Shields, Brian Reitzell and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. on the movie’s soundtrack.

                      For the memorable final scene of the film, Coppola and co. opted for The Jesus and Mary Chain’s ‘Just Like Honey’.

                      The indie music track exaggerates the emotions of the two characters in this touching moment; thus, viewers walk away from the film feeling all kinds of emotions. The influence indie music can have over our feelings is quite something.

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