Learn about some of the top Netflix shows that have great soundtracks that make the shows better and are worth listening to on their own.
Soundtracks can make an average television show good and a good show great. It is the music in a show that often makes scenes memorable. Music adds to the mood and can even tell us something about the characters involved in the show. Netflix has a reputation for putting out shows that have great soundtracks that really enhance the viewing experience. Many of them are well worth listening to on their own. You can listen to your favorite Netflix show soundtrack while you play on the site like at duelbits or take care of some household chores. Here are some of the best Netflix show soundtracks for your listening pleasure.
Stranger Things: A popular horror/scifi series, Stranger Things owes at least part of its success by playing to those who feel nostalgia for the 1980’s. The original score was written by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein and actually starts of with an early 90’s techno feel. However, it’s the tunes from groups like The Police, Duran Duran, Toto, The Bangles, Foreigner and Bon Jovi among others that really give Stranger Things that 80’s feel and allows a new generation to enjoy them. Nostalgia accounts for some of the 87 million plus streams of this Netflix series but no doubt there are some new fans of older artists in there.
13 Reasons Why: Netflix’s series “13 Reasons Why” deals with the subject of teen suicide. The show is somewhat controversial but whether you like it or not they did a great job with the soundtrack. Several Selena Gomez songs appear in the show (she is the show’s executive producer) and you have other recent pop songs from artists like Chromatics, LUH, School of Seven Bells and The Japanese House. These are mixed in well with some 1980’s indie classics from The Cure, Joy Division and The Call. For many people, the soundtrack was the best part of the show which is why it is the second most-streamed Netflix show soundtrack at around 60 million streams.
Peaky Blinders: Peaky Blinders is the story of a British crime family that takes place in Birmingham, England following the First World War. The Peaky Blinders soundtrack differs from a lot of British periods shows in that it uses punk and modern rock as opposed to music from the time. However, the music doesn’t feel out of place at all and contributes a lot to the show. Whether it’s songs from P.J Harvey, The White Strips, or the Savages they always set just the right tone. They also have the perfect theme song, “The Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
Sex Education: Sex Education is a comedy/drama that revolves around a teenage boy and the problems that having a mother who is also a sex therapist causes him. There are some fun songs in the show such as Rod Stewart’s “Do You Think I’m Sexy” and “Push It” by Salt-n-Pepa but the bulk of the songs come from Ezra Furman. Furman wrote a lot of original material for the series but included some of her previous work from “Day of the Dog” and “Year of No Returning”.
Russian Doll: Russian Doll is a comedy/drama about a woman, Nadia, who dies and relives the same day over and over, much like Bill Murray’s character in “Groundhog Day”. The song most closely associated with the show is “Gotta Get Up” by Harry Nilsson which was released in 1971. If you watch the show this is definitely a tune that’s going to stick in your head as it’s the song that plays every time Nadia’s day resets. There are plenty of other songs in the soundtrack in genres ranging from French pop to psych rock. These include tracks by Ariel Pink, Weyes Blood, John Maus, Light Asylum, Anika and many others but it will be “Gotta Get Up” that you find yourself singing.
GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling or GLOW is a show about women wrestlers based on the 1980’s television series. It’s another series that evokes a lot of nostalgia and this is reflected in the soundtrack. Patty Smyth, Roxette, Pat Benatar, Starship, Genesis, Madonna and Billy Joel are a few of the artists whose songs you will find on the soundtrack. It is a regular smorgasbord of 1980’s tunes. Given the premise of the show, it is much better than you might expect and if you enjoy 80’s music you will definitely get a kick out of the soundtrack
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Based on the Archie’s Comics character, this show is about a teenage girl who is half-human, half witch. The title song and original television score were written by Adam Taylor who does a great job of imbuing the show with a supernatural feel. Great use is made of old rock songs from the 50’s, 60, and 70’s like “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Electric Light Orchestra’s “Strange Magic”. There are also some good covers like “Black Magic Woman” by VCTRYS and “I Put a Spell on You” by Sylvia Black. The cast of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina also performs a few songs in the series including “Always is Always Forever” and “Blest Be the Tie That Binds”.
The Queens Gambit: The Queens Gambit is a mini-series based on the novel of the same name and is the story of Beth Harmon, a child chess prodigy, and her rise in the chess world while dealing with her personal problems. The series classical musical score was composed by Carlos Rafael Rivera. Initially, the piano is predominantly used but more instruments are added throughout the series to demonstrate Beth’s growth as a chess player and as a person. Additional songs such as “Don’t Make Me Over” by Dionne Warwick, “Fever” by Peggy Lee and “Classical Gas” by Mason Williams are used to help develop the story.
You will enjoy these 8 soundtracks from the Netflix series. If you would rather sing along than listen you might want to check out these classic rock karaoke songs instead.
