TV series are more than just a gateway to beloved fictional universes, their sense of artistic escape is also tied to their OSTs, which is why we couldn’t just leave out talking about these TV shows with the best soundtracks. Ever since the early 2000s, back when we all had to tune into our favourite shows on TV cable instead of OTT platforms, these premieres have been overloaded with indie, alternative, rock soundscapes that pulled the audiences even closer to the grand scheme of their narratives.
Nowadays, with K-dramas also taking a step into the mainstream spotlight, there’s no dearth of content on the web, which is further accompanied by saccharine music that adds the cherry on top. Let’s take a look at some of TV shows that belt out a fine tracklist of music for our sore eyes.
TV Shows With the Best Soundtracks
One Tree Hill
The plot of the show was defined by great music hits especially since that’s what it centred around once TRIC was set up and several artists were invited to the place to set up shop. From actors within the show making a their singing careers out of the show, and the most iconic theme song opening the episodes – Gavin DeGraw’s I Don’t Want to Be, the nine seasons of this series introduced us to one of the most magical soundtracks ever. You can stream the show on Prime Video.
Stranger Things
Even Stranger Things’ score is one haunting and dark piece of synth-pop harmony we start grooving to with it playing in the background. Yet, most importantly, this doesn’t even need an introduction, but here we go, the show helped Kate Bush’s song originally released in 1985 to gain a fanbase 37 years down the lane. Leading with hits of the ’80s from Bon Movie, The Police, Duran Duran, Toto and more, this show is stacked with a soundtrack that keeps on giving.
Dickinson
Hotel del Luna
Atlanta
Couldn’t have expect any less from this series’ tracklist, especially when Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino aka mcDJ himself is involved in the project. The Atlanta soundtrack makes for a groovy list of sick beats, all headed to us from the minds of hip-hop legends like Jeremiah, Future, 21 Savage, Young Thug, Migos, Usher, 2 Chainz and so many others.
Itaewon Class
Supernatural
Here’s yet another CW show that kept things classic with its music taste. When you have a guy like Dean Winchester blasting out his vintage mixtapes in the Impala, this is what you get – blockbusters like the awe-inspiring theme song Carry on Wayward Son by Kansan, AC/DC’s Back in Black and Highway to Hell, making his cassettes the best ‘rocking’ companions on the hunting road trip.
Guardian: The Lonely and Great God /Goblin
Even if you’re just a newbie to K-dramas and other Korean content, there’s no way that you could’ve missed out on the songs Beautiful by Crush and Stay With Me by EXO’s Chanyeol and Punch.
Though leading with a mythical fantasy at the core, this Korean series is still one of the constant favourites among the fans, and the credit for that goes to its ultimate packaging of the spectrum of emotions and genres. It has something for everyone, and even if it ends up hitting you in the feels, you can always go back to songs like AILEE’s I Will Go To You Like the First Snow and more to fully vent our your sadness and cry without a care.
Empire
Record of Youth
While the show led its storyline with the stock trope of love triangles used in K-dramas, it brought us down and closer to a reality of struggling artists trying to make their name in the world by following their dreams. However, their social backgrounds weigh these aspirations and relationships, further questioning a lot about life in general while keeping up a warmhearted countenance.
The long-running soundtrack of the Korean slice-of-life series features quite a few rising K-pop artists like SEVENTEEN’s Seungkwan, EXO’s Baekhyun, former member of iKon – Bobby, Chungha and MAMAMOO’s Whee In. Just like the relatable heartbreaks faced by the characters in the show, these songs will help you fight through it all and encourage to move forward.
Sex Education
The day and age that this series came out in appropriately sets the stage for addressing several issues sexuality, gender identities and more. What makes its soundtrack stand out is the fact that its bursting with a similar new-age pop culture-driven trajectory, but that’s not all. With few classics in the mix along with covers as well, its these songs that make the scenes of this show a memorable mess and breathe a startling vitality into them.
Descendants of the Sun
Still one of the best charting OSTs in the K-drama arena, Descendants of the Sun soundtrack has songs from some of the greatest Korean artists like DAVICHI, EXO’s CHEN with Punch, Yoon Mirae and others. Both the wartime drama series and its OST did well back at home as well as internationally. Charging in with acoustic ballads, all the songs match the tonality of the warmly wistful themes of the series and helps convey the unspoken expressions for love.
Euphoria
Labrinth rules the Euphoria soundtrack with the same aesthetic aura as that of the series’ visuals. The music maker even bagged an Emmy for his contribution of original lyrics and music to this show, and that in itself is suffice to illustrate the impact laid down by this soundtrack. Each songs picked on the list almost turn into character anthems, defining their respective personalities aptly.
Which of these soundtracks has touched your heart the most? Is there any other TV show that you think had a banger overall OST? Let us know your suggestions in the comments section below.
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