Some decent tunes can turn a great show into an iconic one From ushering indie-minnows onto the next level or giving heritage acts a boost, TV shows are increasingly crucial for music acts, and a good soundtrack can become as iconic as the program itself. Whether it’s Stranger Things playing homage to classic ’80s artists or noughties teen-fest Skins vomiting up Bloc Party and Crystal Castles into the toilet of their out-of-control house party, these are the small screen wonders with the biggest tunes. Artists featured: Death Cab for Cutie , Franz Ferdinand , Interpol , The Killers , Imogen Heap , Phantom Planet Chrismukkah came early for Y2K indie lovers courtesy of this banger-filled glossy Californian teen soap, with geeky music connoisseur Seth Cohen (played by Adam Brody) being a ride-or-die Death Cab For Cutie fan, helping to propel the band from the college-rock margins to the mainstream.
The show birthed multiple compilation CDs, artists such as Gwen Stefani and Beck used episodes to premiere new tracks, and a club called The Bait Shop showcased performances from the likes of The Killers and Modest Mouse . Best sync: The gasp-inducing season two finale (once parodied by Saturday Night Live ) where Marissa Cooper shoots Ryan Atwood’s brother Trey in order to save him was memorably accompanied by Imogen Heap’s ghostly ‘Hide and Seek’. Artists featured: MGMT , Crystal Castles, Yeah Yeah Yeahs , Mogwai , Vampire Weekend , Skepta , Florence + The Machine A soun.