The Score Behind the Show: Audio Network’s Custom Music for US Television

Building on twenty-five years in production music, Audio Network brings composers, artists and producers into the creative process to develop original scores and songs for US television. 

Music helps define a show’s identity, its characters, its emotional rhythm and the world audiences return to each week. Yet for something so fundamental to the viewing experience, music is often brought into the process surprisingly late. 

“Music is often one of the last elements addressed in production, yet it’s one of the first things the audience feels,” says Greg Rappaport, VP of Custom Music and US Commissioning at Audio Network. “Bringing music into the conversation early gives it the opportunity to shape the show’s tone, identity and emotional impact.” 

That belief sits at the heart of Audio Network’s approach to custom music, bringing composers, artists and producers into the creative process while a show’s identity is still taking shape. 

Audio Network’s US custom music service connects networks, streamers and production companies with its global network of film and TV composers, artists and producers to create original scores and songs. Through a single point of contact, the team matches each project with the right creative voice and manages the process from first brief through final delivery. 

A Creative Partner From the First Brief

Audio Network has long been known for its production music catalog. The new service builds on that foundation, but it is a different proposition. The composers on its roster have credits that go well beyond production music backgrounds. Their work spans Netflix, Apple TV+, NBC, Disney+, Prime Video, Sky and the BBC. 

That range shows in the titles. The roster’s credits include scripted drama such as HBO Max’s Love & Death, Netflix’s In the Shadow of the Moon, Lockwood & Co. and The Umbrella Academy, and sci-fi favourites Falling Skies and Resident Alien. 

On the unscripted side, there are documentaries like National Geographic’s Life Below Zero and No Man Left Behind, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story (a 2024 International Emmy winner for sports documentary), and the BBC’s Human Universe. Entertainment formats include That’s My Jam and Naked Attraction. The roster’s work also reaches film, with Jackie and Coming 2 America, and games, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows and 007 First Light. 

This is music that has carried prestige drama, high-stakes documentary and primetime entertainment. It is now available to commission for your next project. 

The Right Voice for the Right Show

The hardest part of commissioning music is usually not finding a talented composer. It is finding the right one. A gritty survival series needs a different sensibility than a faith-based comedy, and a true-crime limited series has little in common with a Friday-night music show. 

Audio Network’s approach starts with the brief. The team matches each project to a composer, artist or producer whose voice fits the show’s specific tone, drawing on hundreds of creative voices across the genres television uses most: 

• Contemporary hybrid orchestral 
• Contemporary scripted drama 
• Dramedy, lifestyle and instrumental underscore 
• Hip hop, R&B, pop and EDM-infused scores 
• Latin, jazz and big band 
• Commercial vocals and songs written to order 

“The best custom music starts with a conversation,” says Rappaport. “The earlier composers understand the story and creative vision, the more intentionally they can write for it.” 

That understanding is what makes the difference between music that simply accompanies a production and music that genuinely belongs to it. Audio Network brings together the right creative talent and the people behind the show, creating space for ideas to develop through collaboration. 

For producers, it also means fewer moving parts. Rather than managing a scattered list of agents and freelancers, they have one experienced team that understands the roster, the brief and the demands of television production. 

Big-Studio Quality, TV-Schedule Speed

Television runs on two kinds of pressure: quality and time. Audio Network’s composers are experienced in world-class recording studios, working with top live musicians to the highest production standards. When a project calls for a full orchestral session, that capability is there. 

When schedules and budgets are tighter, as they usually are in TV, the team can produce in-house at speed without compromising quality. A premium score and a fast turnaround are not mutually exclusive, and the service is built to handle both. 

Rights and Deals That Fit How You Work

Every production is structured differently, and music deals should reflect that. Audio Network offers flexible rights models, from straightforward work-for-hire to co-creation arrangements and catalogue monetisation, where music written for a show can go on to earn beyond the original production. 

The commercial side is just as adaptable. Pricing and deal structures are tailored to different show budgets and commissioning models. That could be a one-off score for a single documentary or a long-term arrangement covering multiple series and seasons. 

From main title themes to complete custom show music packages, including bumpers and beds, Audio Network creates a cohesive musical identity for your project. 

The People Behind It

The US service is led by Greg Rappaport, VP of Custom Music and US Commissioning. He has more than 20 years in custom music, including a decade at Bleeding Fingers. His credits include Chief of War (Apple TV+), The Americas (NBC) and Beckham (Netflix). 

He is supported by a senior team with deep music-industry experience: 

• Ali Johnson, Chief Creative Officer, has spent more than 25 years as a composer, music director, music supervisor and major-label head of sync. He is also a Grammy-winning executive producer. 

• Gemma Guy, Global Head of Music Operations, has overseen hundreds of composers and thousands of recorded projects. She specialises in delivering complex, high-quality music at scale. 

• Jay Greenwood, Global Head of A&R and VP Artist Services, brings more than 25 years at EMI, Jive, BMG and Universal Music, along with a sharp ear for commercial music trends across every genre. 

Together, they combine creative instinct with the operational discipline that television schedules demand. 

More Than a Supplier

The most rewarding creative partnerships begin long before the final edit. Audio Network wants to be part of that journey from the outset, working alongside producers to develop music that understands their stories, strengthens their shows and builds an identity audiences recognise. 

It’s a relationship designed to grow from one project to the next, and from one season to another. 

Tell Us What You’re Developing

The Audio Network team is ready to discuss your project, share examples of its work and explore what a creative partnership could look like.