A television soundtrack has several responsibilities: it must aid the visuals in setting the scene, establish the scene's mood, provide the audience with insight into the internal feelings of the character(s) in subject, and hint at the show’s latest direction. Bearing all of this in mind, it’s essential that a television production is picky about their choice of music.
Whether you’re seeking inspiration for an upcoming television project or simply interested in working your way through the TV shows featuring the best music, we welcome you to explore our list of best TV show soundtracks, below. For each show, we will touch on the plot, the genre of the soundtrack and our favourite musical moment to appear within the show.
We will also take the opportunity to bring various playlists in our catalogue to your attention, just in case you’re in the market for some production music tracks for your next project.
Best TV Show Soundtracks: A complete List
- Big Little Lies
- Gossip Girl
- Scandal
- The Vampire Diaries
- Suits
- Sex and the City
- Stranger Things
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Friends
- Empire
- Mad Men
- Bridgerton
- Glee
- Watchmen
- The Morning Show
- Game Of Thrones
- Cowboy Bebop
- American Horror Story
- The Handmaid's Tale
- Lovecraft Country
- Westworld
- Peaky Blinders
Best TV Show Soundtracks: Unpacked
Big Little Lies (2017 – 2019)
What is the show about?
Big Little Lies follows a group of women in Monterey, California who are shaken when a murder takes place in their once-peaceful community.
What genre are the soundtracks?
Most of the music heard throughout the two seasons of the Big Little Lies soundtrack comes from the soul genre. Featured artists include Michael Kiwanuka, Leon Bridges and Charles Bradley: tranquil voices which make the idyllic Monterey setting appear all the more peaceful.
What is the best musical moment?
Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012)
What is the show about?
Gossip Girl focuses on a group of wealthy teenagers who reside in Manhattan, New York City. Drama is created within the group when a mysterious blogger dubbed ‘gossip girl’ exposes secrets about the teenager.
What genre are the soundtracks?
Each Gossip Girl soundtrack focused on the music that was popular at the time. For example, Bad Romance by Lady Gaga plays during Gossip Girl Season 3 (2009-2010) and Adele’s Rolling in the Deep plays during Gossip Girl Season 4 (2010-2011). Suffice to say, the genre of music can largely be classified as pop.
What is the best musical moment?
Scandal (2012 – 2018)
What is the show about?
Scandal centres around Olivia Pope, the ex-White House Communications Director who sets up her own crisis management firm in Washington D.C. Pope, who is hired to protect the reputation of members of the upper class, discovers that her employees are hiding just as many secrets as her clients.
What genre are the soundtracks?
The Scandal soundtrack predominantly relies on old-school R&B and soul to add some flavour to its episodes. Watch the seven seasons and you’ll hear the likes of Roberta Flack’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, Donny Hathaway’s For All We Know and Aretha Franklin’s Do Right Woman, Do Right Man.
What is the best musical moment?
Lucifer (2016 – Present)
What is the show about?
Lucifer follows fallen angel Lucifer Morningstar who moves from Hell to Los Angeles. In LA, Lucifer runs a nightclub named Lux and becomes an LAPD consultant.
What genre are the soundtracks?
The Lucifer soundtracks are a mixed bag of songs, one episode you might hear the hip hop sounds of 50 Cent and the next you may hear a sugary pop hit, such as Britney Spears’ Oops!... I Did It Again. Our favourite musical moment from Lucifer is when the cast perform covers of instantly recognisable hits.
What is the best musical moment?
The Vampire Diaries (2009 – 2017)
What is the show about?
Set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, The Vampire Diaries is primarily concerned with the relationship between teenage girl Elena Gilbert and 162-year-old vampire Stefan Salvatore. Over time, viewers get to know several other members of the town and discover that other supernatural beings such as werewolves and witches also exist in Mystic Falls.
What genre are the soundtracks?
Indie pop is key to The Vampire Diaries because it imbues the television show with emotion. Some of the most memorable songs from the show are Never Say Never by The Fray, Never Let Me Go by Florence + the Machine and Things We Lost in the Fire by Bastille.
What is the best musical moment?
Suits (2011 – 2019)
What is the show about?
Suits focuses on the highs and lows of a New York City law firm. For most of the show, the key story arc revolves around Mike Ross, Harvey Specter’s associate who practises law without a degree.
What genre are the soundtracks?
By and large, Suits relies on a soundtrack of indie, alternative and new wave music. Tracks of this genre – including When They Fight, They Fight by the Generationals, Chapel Song by Augustines and Fitzpleasure by Alt-J – give the show a grounded feel that helps the audience relate to the various characters.
What is the best musical moment?
Sex and the City (1998 – 2004)
What is the show about?
Sex and the City follows four inseparable women based in New York City as they navigate their lives dictated by love, sex and femininity.
What genre are the soundtracks?
To capture the spirit of New York City the Sex and the City producers opted for a jazz and soul soundtrack featuring famous names such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross and Gloria Gaynor.
What is the best musical moment?
Stranger Things (2016 – Present)
What is the show about?
Set during the 80s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things centres on a young group of friends (and their parents and siblings) as they witness a slew of supernatural events.
What genre are the soundtracks?
A large proportion of Stranger Things’ success is down to the nostalgia the TV show has been able to create for the 1980s. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Stranger Things soundtrack is bursting with 80s pop tracks including, but not limited to, Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time, The Clash’s Should I Stay or Should I Go and The Police’s Every Breath You Take.
What is the best musical moment?
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017 – Present)
What is the show about?
Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel tells the story of a 1950s Jewish-American housewife, based in New York City, who discovers she has a gift for standup comedy. Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel follows her newfound passion and performs at comedy gigs across the world.
What genre are the soundtracks?
To help bring the era to life, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel relies on tracks that were popular during the 1950s. Songs include Dean Martin’s I’d Cry Like A Baby, Ella Fitzgerald's Isn’t This A Lovely Day and Who’s Sorry Now by Connie Francis.
What is the best musical moment?
Friends (1994 – 2004)
What is the show about?
Set in Manhattan, Friends follows the lives of six 20-somethings – Rachel, Ross, Joey, Phoebe, Monica and Chandler – who experience major life events together. Filled with laughs and emotions, the show invites its viewers to feel comforted by the presence of these relatable characters.
What genre are the soundtracks?
The soundtrack to the ten seasons of Friends features plenty of upbeat pop and rock, perfect for sit-coms. The soundtrack was made up of a variety of original songs sung by Lisa Kudrow’s character Phoebe, world-renowned pop songs such as Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and party songs such as Love Machine by The Miracles. Oh, and each soundtrack also includes a version of the iconic theme tune, I’ll Be There For You by The Rembrandts.
What is the best musical moment?
Empire (2015 – 2020)
What is the show about?
2010s TV show Empire pivots around a hip hop and R&B music company named Empire Entertainment. The founder of the company, Lucious Lyon, is forced to choose a successor after being informed of his medical condition, but things get complicated when his ex-wife Cookie is released from prison.
What genre are the soundtracks?
As mentioned above, the show focuses on a hip hop and R&B music company, and throughout the six seasons there are several performances from both the cast of the show and guest performers. Naturally, the Empire soundtracks revolve around the hip hop and R&B genres.
What is the best musical moment?
Mad Men (2007 – 2015)
What is the show about?
Mad Men revolves around New York advertising agency Sterling Cooper (later named Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce) – most especially the company’s Creative Director, Donald Draper.
What genre are the soundtracks?
Mad Men provides viewers with the complete 1950s/60s Americana experience by relying on a soundtrack brimming with songs popular at the time. To reflect the popular genres at the time, the soundtrack consists of songs from the soul, pop and country folk genres, and more.
What is the best musical moment?
Bridgerton (2020 – Present)
What is the show about?
Set in England’s Regency era, Bridgerton follows the various members of the titular family and the rest of The Ton. As the individuals search for love and happiness, an anonymous writer named Lady Whistledown unleashes chaos by spreading gossip about the individuals via her newsletters.
What genre is the soundtrack?
The soundtrack to the first season of Bridgerton takes modern pop songs – including Ariana Grande’s Thank U Next and Taylor Swift’s Wildest Dreams – and turns them into modern orchestral pieces. These classical arrangements complement the 19th century setting of the television show and provide viewers with additional context.
What is the best musical moment?
Glee (2009 – 2015)
What is the show about?
Television show Glee tells the story of the William McKinley High School glee club named New Directions. Led by the hopeful teacher Mr Schue, the collective group of singers tackle the high school’s most pressing problems by using music as their weapon.
What genre are the soundtracks?
Each Glee soundtrack is jam-packed with covers of acclaimed pop, rock and R&B songs. Some of the most admired Glee vocal covers include a rendition of Tina Turner’s River Deep, Mountain High, Lady Gaga’s Poker Face and Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind.
What is the best musical moment?
Watchmen (2019)
What is the show about?
Acting as a sequel of sorts to Alan Moore’s DC Watchmen comic series/graphic novel, HBO’s Watchmen miniseries is fittingly dark, violent and thought-provoking. The show follows detective Angela Abar (AKA Sister Knight) as she discovers the truth behind a white supremacist group called the Seventh Kalvary.
What genre is the soundtrack?
The Watchmen soundtrack is completely instrumental and, with the exception of an orchestral rendition of David Bowie’s Life on Mars, all of the songs on the album are composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The songs on the soundtrack are influenced by the classic and electronic genres, providing the audience with unique sounds that inject an extra element of tension into the superhero series.
What is the best musical moment?
The Morning Show (2019 – Present)
What is the show about?
The Morning Show is an Apple TV+ original that aims to create conversation around the issues of the media industry – most especially, within the news realm. The drama series focuses on the stalwart presenter Alex Levy and her new co-host, Bradley Jackson as they put their differences to one side to tackle a greater evil.
What genre is the soundtrack?
The Morning Show soundtrack uses emotional pop and indie tracks to provoke its listener to consider the themes of the show. Featured songs include Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson, Grounds for Divorce by Elbow and Truth Hurts by Lizzo.
What is the best musical moment?
Game of Thrones (2011 – 2019)
What is the show about?
Simply put, Game of Thrones is about nine houses that battle against one another to rule the mythical land of Westeros whilst an army of supernatural beings threatens to end their existence.
What genre are the soundtracks?
The eight Game of Thrones soundtracks are all composed by German-Iranian talent Ramin Djawadi, and the genre can be categorised as epic orchestral.
What is the best musical moment?
Cowboy Bebop (1998 – 1999)
What is the show about?
Cowboy Bebop is a sci-fi anime show set in 2071 that follows a nonchalant bounty hunter and his teammates as they travel in their spaceship named Bebop.
What genre is the soundtrack?
The Cowboy Bebop soundtrack is a lot of fun. Filled with whimsical jazz and funk compositions, the soundtrack provides the show with an idiosyncratic sense of character that’s redolent of 70s cop shows.
What is the best musical moment?
American Horror Story (2011 – Present)
What is the show about?
American Horror Story is a horror-inspired anthology series that tells a different story every season. Thus far, there have been nine seasons and titles have included Murder House, Coven, Cult and Apocolypse.
What genre are the soundtracks?
Each season of American Horror Story has its own unique rock-inspired soundtrack that’s dictated by the vibe of the story. But one thing that each season has in common is that Charlie Clouser, member of rock band Nine Inch Nails, creates the theme tune.
What is the best musical moment?
The Handmaid's Tale (2017 – Present)
What is the show about?
Dystopian series The Handmaid’s Tale takes place in the totalitarian society of Gilead – a country that was once part of the United States – and follows a brave and rebellious handmaid named June as she fights for justice from inside of the system.
What genre are the soundtracks?
The music of The Handmaid’s Tale tells the story just as well as the visuals, as the producers are less concerned with the genre of the music and more concerned with the message it conveys. For this reason, the soundtrack to The Handmaid’s Tale features songs from various genres – including alternative, soul and hip hop.
What is the best musical moment?
Lovecraft Country (2020 – Present)
What is the show about?
Lovecraft Country is a television series that concurrently explores the occult and the issues of social injustice within a 1950s setting. The main protagonist of the show is Atticus Freeman who goes searching for his missing father alongside his Uncle George and love interest, Letitia.
What genre are the soundtracks?
The Lovecraft Country soundtrack is filled with old and new hip hop, R&B and soul songs, including Cardi B’s Money, Rihanna’s Bitch Better Have My Money and Nina Simone’s Sinnerman.
What is the best musical moment?
Westworld (2016 – Present)
What is the show about?
Westworld pivots around a futuristic amusement park that sees guests live out their fantasies with life-like robots called hosts. During the first season of the show, some of these hosts seemingly gain consciousness; pretty swiftly, all hell breaks loose.
What genre are the soundtracks?
The Westworld soundtrack features versions of contemporary pop and rock songs that work well within the theme of the amusement park. For example, within the Western section of the amusement park, a country piano take of songs such as Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and Radiohead’s No Surprises can be heard.
What is the best musical moment?
Peaky Blinders (2013 – Present)
What is the show about?
Based on real events, Peaky Blinders is centred around a Birmingham gangster family, led by the formidable Thomas Shelby, just after the First World War.
What genre are the soundtracks?
Peaky Blinders is a violent, action-driven series that’s married with a rock soundtrack featuring artists such as Joy Division, David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys.
What is the best musical moment?
Music For Your Television Project
If you’re currently working on your own television project and have been inspired by the soundtracks above, you may want to explore our catalogue of production music tracks.
Here at Audio Network, we have over 200,000 tracks ready and waiting to be used by you. If you’re looking for a track from a particular genre, we suggest you head on over to our production genre page; if you want to pick your songs based on the emotions they evoke, we recommend exploring out music via mood/emotion ; or, if you prefer to select your music based on instruments used in the piece, we suggest you check out the variety of Instrumentation we have available.
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