Music in Media, Part II: Television

An exploration of the use of licensed music in "The Golden Age of Television"

In 2011, French media scholar Alexis Pichard argued that American television is in a “New Golden Age” that began in the early 2000’s, and is ongoing today. He attributed this to three reasons: an increase in the quality of visual/aesthetic storytelling, a harmonization between cable and network series, and incredible popular success.

Since 2011, the medium has only continued to grow. With the explosion of streaming services, the consumer market for television is higher than ever. An increase in viewership and public conversation has resulted in bigger budgets and an even further increase in both the quality and quantity of shows made. These factors have resulted in TV taking over as the predominant entertainment platform for most Americans. No longer seen as living in the shadow of movies, TV shows often garner even more popular attention and critical acclaim than movies.

During the early 2000’s (the beginning of Pichard’s “New Golden Age) one of the ways that TV distinguished itself from movies was in sound design - particularly in its use of music. While movies often had a composer or popular artist create an original song, TV shows rarely had that luxury. Rather than create new music, these shows began relying nearly entirely on using existing, licensed music in new and creative ways.

While there was some precedent for using existing music in movies and television (such as the use of “Bohemian Rhapsody” in Wayne’s World) it wasn’t until shows like Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Scrubs, and Lost that this was widely used. These shows found new, creative ways to apply these songs. Whether it was to set the scene as a subtle piece of background music or to evoke an emotional reaction from the audience, licensed music quickly became a staple in critically-acclaimed shows.

This trend has only become even more popular in recent years. Shows like Stranger Things, The Blacklist, and Westworld are known for their creative uses of licensed music. However, unlike their predecessors, these shows are often more bold in the way they use their songs. Stranger Things uses its familiar 80’s soundtrack to bring a sense of nostalgia and familiarity to the show, often juxtaposed with its more serious horror elements. The Blacklist uses lesser-known songs for each “Blacklister” of the week - functionally providing these characters with a memorable theme song. Westworld is famous for playing old-timey piano versions of well-known songs, feeding into the uncanny atmosphere the show works so hard to cultivate.

Rather than using licensed music as another element of sound design, these shows will often craft an entire scene around a song in new and creative ways. Whether it’s Umbrella Academy setting an incredibly graphic fight scene to the upbeat and cheery tune of “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” or having an elaborately-choreographed dance sequence set to "Dancing in the Moonlight," or even Arrested Development using “The Final Countdown” to poke fun at Gob’s pathetic career as a magician, the options for what music could be used for exploded.

While movies have long been praised for their soundtracks, television is quickly closing the gap. Though lacking the ability to create original music, most shows more than make up for it through their creative and artful use of existing licensed music.

Me personally, I’m still waiting on my fight scene choreographed to “Tainted Love” - but that could just be me.