Whether it’s TV shows with a musical focus like Glee, shows with one-off musical episodes such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or shows that are not inherently music-related but regularly license beloved studio recordings, music is often a crucial driver of a TV show’s narrative. In the case of licensing, a song’s lyrical content, the mood of the music, its current popularity, or a mix of all three may speak to a show runner and make the song a clear choice for placement.
Videos by American Songwriter
Most licensing for television is done by a music supervisor, who consults the director and writers about the tone, themes, and characters in a given season before contacting the prospective songwriters and publishers. It may take a while for all parties to embrace a song’s use, but ultimately the right music for the right moment can make or break a television program. Here are five songs that became fixtures in the respective TV shows they appeared in.
1. Euphoria, “Fly Me to the Moon” (2019)
HBO’s Euphoria has an eclectic mix of licensed music, nestled between singer/songwriter Labrinth’s original score. From Doja Cat to Donny Hathaway, the soundtrack dictates the show’s emotional highs and lows, with the songs tailored to fit each of the characters’ tastes and arcs.
As one of the trendiest shows of the 2020s, one would expect the show runners to include the songs of mostly well-known, current names in the music industry. But Euphoria features its fair share of old-time picks—especially from soul musicians. This style of music curation helps give the show a timeless feel. One of their go-to artists is Bobby Womack, and the show especially likes to feature his 1969 track “Fly Me to the Moon.”
While it’s a joyful-sounding song when standing alone, Euphoria Season 1, Episode 2, subverts that mood. “Fly Me to the Moon” propels the character Rue through memories of the summer before, highlighting the good, but also the bad and downright horrifying. Her struggles with addiction intrude otherwise happy memories, overlaying her singing along to the song with her sister and mother, for example.
2. Breaking Bad, “Baby Blue” (2013)
[Spoiler Alert]
Breaking Bad, over a decade after its final episode aired, still receives praise for its writing, acting, and even song choices. “Baby Blue” by Badfinger is one of the most famous to be included in the show; it appeared in the series finale, “Felina.”
This song rings in Walter White’s (a.k.a. Heisenberg’s) death. It begins as he’s finally accepted his fate, soon to be cornered and shot by police. With his family leaving him behind, his connections in the drug cartel dead or gone, and his partner in crime Jesse escaping him, Heisenberg is left with nothing but the remains of his drug empire, or his “Baby Blue.” The song title draws a clear connection between the Heisenberg character and his produced drug of choice, methamphetamine, which sports a translucent blue color. White prioritized the building of his empire over friends and family—he treated his product like his baby, going to great lengths to protect it.
3. The Bear, “Love Story” (2023)
For a show that’s centered more around familial bonds, and platonic relationships that are regarded as such, Taylor Swift’s sentimental, Romeo and Juliet-inspired hit “Love Story” might come off as a strange choice for FX’s The Bear.
Viewers can quickly gather that passionate, and oftentimes forceful, Ritchie triumphantly screams along to “Love Story” in his car because he’s preparing to see Swift in concert with his daughter. But the song choice isn’t random; it soundtracks Ritchie falling in love with life again.
Still reeling from the loss of his friend Mike, Ritchie struggles to find his purpose, especially in light of changes to Mike’s restaurant, The Beef. In Season 2, Episode 7 (“Forks”), however, he finds his bearings again as a staff member at an esteemed Chicago restaurant, working his way up from hand-drying forks, a job he’s not satisfied with, to hosting guests. “Forks” is thought to encompass one of the best character arcs of the series, partly owed to its use of Swift’s song.
4. Sense8, “What’s Up?” (2015)
From the creators of the Matrix franchise, Netflix’s Sense8 has a cult following, garnering a small but loyal fanbase over the years. The sci-fi series follows a group of eight individuals over its two-season run as they become emotionally wed, and slowly discover their status and powers as “sensates.”
Season 1, Episode 4, “What’s Going On?,” illustrates the interconnectedness of its main characters, and their lingering, yet understandable, confusion over it. Foreshadowed by the episode title, it features “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes. The ’90s fave pops up in the characters’ day-to-day lives in a variety of ways—singing it at a karaoke session, belting it from a rooftop, murmuring it to themselves. Regardless, a passion for the song courses through each of these scenes.
Sense8 was canceled in 2019 after its second season, but the show has been praised for its celebration of diversity and unity, and more specifically, its LGBTQ+ themes and representation.
5. Stranger Things, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” (2022)
Stranger Things’ use of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” was likely an easy choice—although no one could’ve expected the track to resonate quite as profoundly as it did in the pop culture zeitgeist of 2022. Season 4, Episode 4, “Dear Billy,” gave way to one of the biggest chart resurgences of the decade, and established “Running Up That Hill” as one of the most popular songs of 2022.
[RELATED: The Meaning Behind Kate Bush’s 1985 Classic “Running Up That Hill”]
Set in 1986, one year after Bush released Hounds of Love, it’s no question that someone Max’s age would be listening to the album on their cassette player. But the song is not simply an accoutrement to the “Eighties” aesthetic; rather, its lyrical content speaks to Max’s depression and grief after losing her brother, Billy, and in particular how she’s still bargaining, wishing she had died instead. After she’s captured by Vecna, the song acts as a beckoning call to her friends—a metaphorical “hand” to help pull her out of the villain’s grasp, and a confirmation she has support in navigating her pain. Stranger Things’ version of “Running Up That Hill” introduces orchestration into the mix as Max makes her escape, adding to the scene’s tension.
Photo by Pete Still/Redferns
