Summary

• Teen drama TV shows have a significant impact on music tastes and can introduce unknown artists to viewers.
• The choice of music in these shows is influenced by tone, theme, and the personal tastes of the writers and creators.
• A show's soundtrack serves as a time capsule and should ideally stand the test of time even after the series ends.

The soundtracks of teen drama television shows have influenced the music tastes of viewers for years and have put unknown artists on the map. These shows are known for their romances, melodramatic tone, and ability to choose the perfect song to pair with significant plot points for unforgettable needle drops. Many viewers of these shows are feeling just as lost as the characters they are watching, and discovering new music to relate to can be important.

Tone and theme have a lot to do with what songs and artists are chosen to be featured, as well as the tastes of the writers and creators. A show's soundtrack can be a great time capsule of the moment it was airing, as popular genres evolve so much over time. Ideally, even if the music does cater to the tastes of the current climate, it will stand the test of time and remain effective long after the series is over.

10 One Tree Hill (2003 - 2012)

Everything from Alt Rock to Singer-Songwriter

Not only did One Tree Hill utilize great songs as non-diegetic sounds, but also included in-world performances by prominent musicians of the time. Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy guest starred, and his band played, as well as Sheryl Crow, and Gavin DeGraw, who performed the series theme song. Music was a big deal for the show, as Peyton (Hilarie Burton) opens a club where many musical guests performed, and Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) is a singer herself. Music is a way for the characters to express their unsaid feelings in a relatable way to the audience.

9 The Vampire Diaries (2009 - 2017)

Intense melodic music to accompany the darker themes

The tone of The Vampire Diaries is as serious as any teen drama gets, and the supernatural elements of the story make the emotional moments all the more compelling. For a show with so many ups and downs, it was vital that the musical accompaniment could live up to the drama onscreen. Artists like Sara Bareilles, Florence + The Machine, and The Fray exemplify the genres the show goes for to match the tone. Singers with emotive voices and sympathetic lyrics made frequent appearances and showcased how to correctly match a musician with a series.

8 Veronica Mars (2004 - 2019)

A tough and angsty playlist to live up to Veronica herself

There would be no Veronica Mars without the titular character, Veronica (Kristen Bell), and her unique perspective. The story is told through Veronica's lens, so it's only right that the music should align with her character. Many teen girls struggling to fit in and trying to discover themselves found anthems that spoke to their experiences within the Veronica Mars soundtrack. More often than not, the series goes for upbeat, punk-leaning songs like "One Way Or Another" by Blondie or hits from Fountains of Wayne. These picks are popular enough to be relevant, but alternative enough to be unique, like Veronica.

7 Freaks And Geeks (1999 - 2000)

A variety of genres across many decades

Set in the early '80s but filmed in the late '90s, Freaks and Geeks was in the perfect position to explore the best songs of the second half of the twentieth century. Known best for its theme song "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett, the series was able to utilize a broad range of music because the characters were trying to find themselves, and testing out different tastes to do so. Each character represents a niche in the high school experience, and like them, the song choices express their own niche and individuality.

6 Pretty Little Liars (2010 - 2017)

Much more than "Secret" by The Pierces

In its plot points and character relationships, Pretty Little Liars was frequently controversial, but the music choices were not. One of the most popular shows on ABC Family, now Freeform, the series followed a group of young women who begin getting blackmailed in the wake of their friend's disappearance and assumed death. Though the girls face near-constant danger, they remain safely covered in plot armor, but that doesn't stop them from going through emotional struggles.

Each of the girls has their own personal style, archetype, and romantic upheavals. All this, and the high stakes of life-threatening blackmail, led to distinctive music cues. The theme song for the show is iconic, with its eerie tone and foreshadowing of all the secrets the girls keep, but the in-world music is much less threatening. They're typical teenage girls who listen to plenty of modern pop, like Lady Gaga and One Republic, to name a few. The show is plenty scary on its own and doesn't require any more help from the music.

5 Euphoria (2019 - )

The music, makeup, fashion, and drama of Gen Z

Sam Levinson's Euphoria took the world by storm when it premiered in 2019, especially in the eyes of Gen Z. Using spell-binding cinematography and innovative costuming and makeup, in the year following the first season it was difficult to walk outside without seeing someone with glitter on their eyelids and Rue (Zendaya) and Jules (Hunter Schafer) on their mind. Although season 2 saw a decrease in critical reception, there was no decline in the influence the show wields. Being featured on Euphoria is virtually a guarantee for an artist that their music will become popular.

With an original score from Labrinth, that's almost as listened to as the soundtrack, Euphoria mines the most popular current artists, classics from the past, and up-and-coming musicians who have the series to thank for exposure. The song "Dead of Night" by Orville Peck was played in the premiere of season 2, along with hits from Lana Del Rey and Lenny Kravitz throughout the remainder of the season. The diversity of genres and artists coupled with the emotional truths shown onscreen, and it's clear just as much attention is paid to the music as the look of the show.

4 Friday Night Lights (2006 - 2011)

Classic picks that remain relevant today

A show about football may be an unexpected piece of media to single out for its music, but Friday Night Lights was popular for much more than its depiction of sports. The show depicted its characters in messy love triangles, family issues, and the everyday struggles of going to high school. Staying true to its Texan roots, the series includes classic country music, as well as classics across the board. Shying away from music that's too trendy and going with picks that hold up over time was a smart move for a show that has become a classic itself.

3 Glee (2009 - 2015)

Covers so good, or bad, they're more popular than the originals

Glee took on every kind of music there is and had characters singing them with everything they had. Although it was rare for a song to be performed by the original artist, Glee covers have become a genre in and of themselves, with many people preferring them. Unlike other shows, Glee could use songs as direct metaphors for what the characters were feeling or doing because the words were coming out of their mouths. Though the series wasn't always the most politically correct and many plot points wouldn't fly today, the music has outlasted any of the controversies.

2 The O.C. (2003 - 2007)

"Do not insult Death Cab" - Seth Cohen

Josh Schwartz, the creator of many teen dramas, including The O.C. and Gossip Girl, has gone down in history as a tastemaker for his culturally impactful shows and their iconic soundtracks. The character Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) was obsessed with the band Death Cab For Cutie and other indie rock groups. "California" by Phantom Planet ranks among the best theme songs for any television show and marks the tone of the show at the beginning of each episode. Music brings together the characters on the show, not just Seth, and inspires many young watchers to listen to Death Cab.

1 Gossip Girl (2007 - 2012)

Fabulous, scandalous music to match the character's scandalous lives

There were many characters on Gossip Girl that audiences loved or couldn't stand in equal measure. However, regardless of how viewers felt about the characters and their actions, the music could keep them coming back for more. Also created by Schwartz, the series drips with wealth, and privilege, and would almost be aspirational if not for the truly terrible things the characters do to each other. Fortunately, every stab in the back is accompanied by a fabulous music cue that makes the world of the show feel like an adventure.