We're still buzzing off the enormous resurgence of Kate Bush mega cult-hit 'Running Up That Hill'. Its inclusion on Stranger Things this summer even brought the famously elusive star into the public eye again thanks to its ascension to number thirty-seven years after it first dropped.
Yesterday, we shared how people of different ages discovered music when they were kids when neither Netflix nor TikTok were the leaviathans they are now. Today, we're sharing the TV shows that turned our writers onto certain bands, certain songs, and music in general.
Believe it or not, The War on Drugs were a band it took me ages to get into. Since Lost in the Dream broke them into the mainstream in 2014, I wilfully avoided any and all recommendations, narrowly avoiding the hype that is until 2018, when my veil of ignorance was torn apart by, of all things, a cartoon horse. BoJack Horsemans season 5 finale The Stopped Show is best described as a succession of emotional suckerpunches, culminating in a scene where Diane takes BoJack to rehab. Without giving too much of the context away, both characters go through A LOT in season 5, with their relationship nearly breaking down as a result.
BoJacks spiralling drug addiction leads him to a breaking point, with Diane getting him to accept the help he needs to make positive changes. The bittersweet mix of emotions shown on her face frustration, anger and warmth are assisted beautifully by the shimmering intro to Under the Pressure. The hazy melodies and driving drumbeat is such a perfect soundtrack for this moment, and she drives off into the sunset as Adam Granduciels distinctive vocal kicks in. Its a beautiful moment from a beautiful show, and that finale was the perfect gateway drug (pun very much intended) into finally appreciating the band. (Cameron Sinclair Harris)
Naughty Boy and Bastilles collaboration No Ones Here to Sleep largely flew under the radar except for a showing in one of 2014s most iconic TV moments: "Why is your penis on a dead girls phone?"
Before going a little off the rails, How To Get Away With Murder was one of the best shows on television, led by Viola Davis always giving it 250% and killing it. One of the earliest episodes ended with an emotive scene seeing Annalise Keating, played by Davis, removing her make-up (and her strong persona along with it) to confront her husband on his infidelity with a dead woman. All of it soundtracked by this slow burn tune: an iconic moment in television! (David Roskin)
The medical comedy Scrubs was a surprising hotbed for new music, and with its unique ability to combine side-splitting dream sequences with tear-jerking dramatic moments, there are a number of moments that stand out and tracks that will forver be 'from Scrubs'. Arguably the most famous of them is the use of The Fray's 'How To Save A Life', which soundtracked Dr. Cox's slide into depression following his decision to rush a number of transplants with organs that, unbeknownst to him, were from a rabbies-infected patient, causing three fatalities in quick succession. His spiral, including a desperate attempt and later destruction of a defibrillator, set the scene for a season-spanning climb to recovery; and one of the most haunting TV moments of the series' nine-year runtime. (Cailean Coffey)
'The Young Ones' in the early '80s always had a band on in the middle of the show, with people like Jools Holland, Amazulu and Madness doing one track, usually playing in the grotty student hovel that the characters lived in. I was a fully paid up metal fan at the time, so was obviously delighted when Motorhead appeared in series two to play 'Ace of Spades'. But most importantly for my musical development was The Damned playing 'Nasty': I joined the dots and realised that punk wasn't that different from what Motorhead were doing, and from The Damned I got into Sex Pistols, Ramones and The Clash. All down to some fictitious, smelly students in Bristol!" (Ben Willmott)
Gilmore Girls is a treasure trove of hidden music references and gems. There was Slint, The Shins then an appearance from Sonic Youth; and one of the most memorable being The Bangles appearance in the Concert Interruptus episode during the first season. Hearing the band play both 'Hero Takes A Fall' and 'Eternal Flame' performed during the episode got me into the band...but 'Walk Like an Egyptian' was the deal breaker. (Emma Way)
When I was 18, I was secretly obsessed with The O.C., thinking myself in tune with the sarcastic, indie rock-loving outcast Seth Cohen. The show poked fun at the self-absorbed privilege of those living in the Orange County, California. Oh, and it had a fantastic soundtrack too! At the end of the first season, just as Seth had finally begun to feel a sense of belonging, his adopted brother and best friend Ryan makes the decision to return back to his hometown.
This leaves Seth absolutely distraught. He packs his bags, jumps on his boat (he's a rich kid after all!) and sails away from home. As he does so, Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah' soundtracks, increasing the emotions of the moment tenfold. I remember frantically scribbling down the lyrics at the time and rushing off to the family computer to Google the tune (the depressing days before Shazam...). Before long, I'd bought the singer's 1994 classic album Grace, being equally blown away and ashamed that I was only then discovering his music. (Matthew McLister)
Another form of music discovery that is anathema to the snobs out there is the cover. Is there anything that will have a gatekeeper spitting more than telling them you loved a reinterpretation before an original? There are many instances in which I discovered tunes this way, but one that stands out is the sultry Anya Marina version of T.I.'s 'Whatever You Like', which played during the (traumatic) threesome scene between Dan, Vanessa and Hilary Duff character Olivia in season three of Gossip Girl.
It wasn't the only song I discovered from the series. Like many people's The Show from when they were teens, Gossip Girl literally shaped my taste in so many things, not least of them music. The show's very own Taylor Momsen got her music with The Pretty Reckless played on the show, with 'Make Me Wanna Die' soundtracking a poignant moment. Baby Jessie was immediately obsessed. (Jessie Atkinson)
I'm sure that I would say 'Dear Love of Mine' by Daniel Spaleniak and you'd think: "what song by who?", but if you've seen hugely popular Netflix crime drama Ozark, chances are you'll recognise this song instantly upon pressing play.
The Polish composer's track from his brilliant 2016 album Back Home is a wonderfully dark and bluesy slice of Americana that exquisitely soundtracks the ending to Ozark's second ever episode. Helping to establish the tone of the show early doors, it's the perfect audio companion to the Byrde family's exploits. Well done the music supervisors of Ozark for bringing this lesser-known moody and heartfelt track to the attention of a much bigger audience. (Karl Blakesley)
If, like me, your parents didn't spend too much time listening to music, you might have had to discover the sounds of the 1980's elsewhere. Life on Mars follow-up Ashes to Ashes was the place for me, and thank the television gods that the soundtrack was a good one. From New Order and Frankie Goes to Hollywood to Yazoo and ABC, it was the perfect primer for the best and most popular from the decade in pop music. (Jessie Atkinson)
With a strong variety of 1960s classics from the likes of The Monkees, The Kinks and The Zombies woven into the narrative of Matthew Weiners Mad Men, the show helped turn me onto a large supply of quality 60s rock that I hadn't explored before. These sorts of tracks were largely the foundation and inspirations of my current interests of psych rock, garage rock and indie so I immediately was enthralled by it. The show's soundtrack as a whole does an incredible job of really making it feel like you're in the time it's set and who doesn't love feeling born in the wrong era every now and again? (Ross Carley)
The use of Roxy Music's album-concluding 'In Every Dream Home A Heartache' during the cold open of series two, in which BTK killer Dennis Rader auto-erotic-asphyxiates, is one of the most effective uses of non-diegetic sound I have ever seen. While the For Your Pleasure cut creepily speaks from the point of view of a man in love with a blow-up doll, the parallels between its themes and the dark degeneracy of the '70s and '80s serial killer are stark, the guitar breakdown both releasing and reaffirming a profound sense of wrongness.
Yes, this was the first time I'd ever heard the song. Yes, it played on repeat for weeks afterwards. And yes: in our flat, we still regularly sing random verses from the creepiest rock song of all time. (Jessie Atkinson)
The rest is here:
The TV shows that got us into music | Gigwise - Gigwise
- THE WAR ON DRUGS EXPLAINED Vox [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2016]
- War On Drugs: Pictures, Videos, Breaking News [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2016]
- War on drugs news, articles and information: - NaturalNews [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2016]
- The War on Drugs: The Prison Industrial Complex - Top ... [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2016]
- The War on Drugs (band) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2016]
- War on Drugs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2016]
- War-On-Drugs.net [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2016]
- A Brief History of the Drug War | Drug Policy Alliance [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2016]
- Police Wage War on Drugs in the Philippines Photos - ABC News [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2016]
- The United States War on Drugs - Stanford University [Last Updated On: July 29th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 29th, 2016]
- History of the War on Drugs - About.com News & Issues [Last Updated On: August 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 23rd, 2016]
- How America Lost the War on Drugs - News | Rolling Stone: [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2016]
- Chasing the Scream | The First and Last Days of the War on ... [Last Updated On: January 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 23rd, 2017]
- Ice Wars: ABC documentary shows reality of Australia's war on drugs - The New Daily [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- War on drugs: Priest speaks out against Philippines 'blood lust' - CNN [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Philippines: Duterte must end his "war on drugs" - Amnesty International [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- PDEA: Army to play support role in war on drugs - ABS-CBN News [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- State to push on with drugs war Ruto - VIDEO - Daily Nation - Daily Nation [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- California Is Wondering If Trump and Sessions Will Relaunch the War on Drugs - New York Magazine [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Where Is Death Penalty Legal? Duterte's War On Drugs In Philippines Would Mean More Executions If Capital ... - International Business Times [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Letter: The failed 'war on drugs' divides country - Rockford Register Star [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Words won't win war on drugs - The West Australian [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Tanzania: Magufuli Adds Weight to War On Drugs - AllAfrica.com [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Congressmen: Let's take a new look at the war on drugs - AZCentral.com [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- President Duterte Threatens to Extend Drug War and Kill Korean ... - Newsweek [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- War on drugs not war vs poor: Cayetano | ABS-CBN News - ABS-CBN News [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Magufuli adds weight to war on drugs - The Herald [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Trump's 'Great Wall' and the 'Drug War' - Consortium News [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- How Much is the War on Drugs Costing Us? - Los Cerritos News [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Trump Watch: Emboldened cops and border patrol agents, a more 'ruthless' war on drugs, and threats against the ... - Washington Post [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Increasing opposition in Philippines to war on drugs: UN official - Reuters [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- DERMODY: War on Drugs requires more than 'quick-fix' | The Daily ... - RU Daily Targum [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Palma: Church leaders will continue to oppose bloody war on drugs ... - Inquirer.net [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Shahbal to introduce tough laws to curb drug abuse - Daily Nation [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- In Trump's 'ruthless' vow, experts see a return to the days of the drug war - Washington Post [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Rights agency calls for sober talk in war on drugs - Daily Nation [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Trump on Drug War: 'We're Going to be Ruthless ... We Have No Choice' - CNSNews.com [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Mexico Should Ask Trump to Pay For The Drug War - AlterNet [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- War on drugs has left us with a latticework of crime - The Boston Globe [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- President Duterte Changes and Defends Philippine Drug War - Voice of America [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Why war on drugs fires up our soft political underbelly - The Standard (press release) [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Unnecessary fighting south of the border: Mexico should ask Trump to pay for the drug war - Salon [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- After war on drugs, it's 'war vs illegal gambling' for PNP - Rappler [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Duterte militarises the war on drugs in the Philippines - World Socialist Web Site [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Death of a businessman: How the Philippines drugs war was slowed - Reuters [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Sh170m heroin recovered in war on drugs at Coast - The Standard (press release) [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- President Trump Just Renewed the War on Drugs - MERRY JANE - MERRY JANE [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Donald Trump Vows 'Ruthless' War on Drugs and Crime - The Daily Chronic [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Is Ending The War On Drugs A Panacea? - Modern Times Magazine [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Duterte targets Philippine children in bid to widen drug war - Reuters [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Simonson: The war on drugs - La Crosse Tribune [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Scott Pendleton: Civil forfeiture is an important tool in fighting the war on drugs - Tulsa World [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Go whole hog in war on drug lords - The Standard (press release) [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Trump goes full Nixon on law-and-order, vows ruthless war on drugs and crime - Salon [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Human Rights Watch: Japan should condemn Duterte's drug war - Philippine Star [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- War on drugs intensified as police arrest wanted drug baron's accomplice - The Star, Kenya [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Duterte attributes war on drugs success to AFP's support | SunStar - Sun.Star [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Duterte's 'war on drugs' in the Philippines - Deutsche Welle [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- President Trump Signs Executive Order Ramping Up The War On ... - TheFix.com [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- A man of God in the Philippines is helping document a bloody war on drugs - Columbia Journalism Review [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- Reckoning with the Addict and the U.S. War on Drugs - OUPblog - OUPblog (blog) [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- Duterte calls for stronger AFP support in war on drugs, terror - Inquirer.net [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- In Manila, Catholics March Against War on Drugs Tactics - Voice of America [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- Napolcom: Police need to regroup, rethink role in war on drugs - Inquirer.net [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- HRW on war on drugs: PH needs 'international intervention' - Rappler [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- Study: Mexican Military Should Not Have Intervened In Country's War On Drugs - Fronteras: The Changing America Desk [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- Why we can't seem to end the War on Drugs | TheHill - The Hill (blog) [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- Philippine's Rodrigo Duterte urged to drop charges against leading war on drugs critic - Telegraph.co.uk [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- War on Drugs | The Huffington Post [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- Our Aggressive "War on Drugs" Is Not Actually About Drugs - AlterNet [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Shots fired in war on drugs - Commonwealth Journal's History [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Philippines to defend Duterte's drug war at UN rights body - Reuters [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- War on drugs: a failing battle against suffering - The Suffolk Journal [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Ureport: WAR ON DRUGS NOT ABOUT PERSONAL FIGHTS - The ... - The Standard (press release) [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Palace: Arrest order vs De Lima a 'fulfillment' of war on drugs - Inquirer.net [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- How Rodrigo Duterte's War On Drugs Looks In Colombia - Worldcrunch [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Opponent of Duterte's drugs war arrested in Philippines on drug charges - Reuters [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Trump administration signals new war on drugs, crackdown on marijuana use - ThinkProgress [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Philippine citizens protest Duterte's drug war on anniversary of dictatorship overthrow - Deutsche Welle [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2017]
- Our View: White House plan reignites wasteful war on drugs - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2017]