The 20 best TV series soundtracks

This acclaimed series created by Donald Glover, who's also an accomplished rapper under the name Childish Gambino, features an excellent soundtrack that's full of Southern rap deep cuts, from Outkast to Migos. 

Millennials who grew up on this Fox series got a solid education in early '00s indie rock via soapy teen drama "The O.C." Over its six seasons, the show featured indie darlings like Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, and Modest Mouse, and listening to the soundtracks feels like being transported back in time, 

The soundtrack for this supernatural series co-created by David Lynch is, perhaps not surprisingly, equally eerie. Much of the soundtrack is instrumental, but that didn't stop it from becoming a cult favorite among both music nerds and "Twin Peaks" fans. 

Just like the fashion, the architecture, and the gender roles, the soundtrack for "Mad Men" is quintessentially mid-century. Patti Page, Simon and Garfunkel, The Kinks, and Waylon Jennings are among the diverse slate of artists whose music appears in the series.

The success of this nostalgic '80s-inspired Netflix series propelled Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" to #1 nearly 40 years after its release. The soundtrack is also packed with others '80s favorites, including "Every Breath You Take" by The Police and Metallica's "Master of Puppets." 

This envelope-pushing HBO series is paired with an equally compelling soundtrack and score, the latter of which was composed by British musician Labrinth. In addition to that striking score, you'll also find Arcade Fire, Bobby Womack, Orville Peck, and Bobby Derrin among the artists on the "Euphoria" soundtrack. 

Transport yourself back to the days of Midge Maisel with the soundtrack from this series, created by "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman Palladino. Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, and Dinah Washington songs set the mood perfectly and are great for those days when you're pining for a little nostalgia. 

Even if you don't necessarily want to watch a teen romance drama, there's no denying that "One Tree Hill" has an excellent soundtrack. Fleetwood Mac, Jose Gonzalez, and Gavin DeGraw, who performed the series's iconic theme song, all make appearances. 

Music supervisor Raphael Saadiq curated a very of-the-moment soundtrack for "Insecure," creator Issa Rae's series about love and relationships set against the backdrop of Los Angeles. Bangers from Kari Faux, Flo Milli, and Tay Money mingle with classics like Too $hort's "Blow The Whistle" set the perfect vibe for this series. 

Lead character and litigator Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) is a real music enthusiast in "Suits," so much so that his office is packed with vinyl records spanning genres. The Black Keys, Charles Bradley, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Gary Clark Jr. all appear in the series, making this an especially sonically diverse soundtrack. 

"Grey's" creator Shonda Rimes is well-known for her shows' soundtracks, and "Grey's Anatomy" is among the best. The series's second season even earned a Grammy nomination for its soundtrack, which included songs from Rilo Kiley, Get Set Go, and The Postal Service. 

Lorelai and Rory Gilmore might have been more obsessed with movies and coffee than music, but don't underestimate this soundtrack. PJ Harvey, Big Star, Bjork, and more appear on the soundtrack for "Gilmore Girls," which also boasts a killer theme song in Carole King's "Where You Lead." 

The soundtrack for this legendary Mafia series is truly diverse, with everyone from Cream to Mazzy Star to Andrea Bocelli on the track listing. Opera, Otis Redding, and of course, plenty of Sinatra combine to set the mood and create a truly authentic soundscape fo the world of Tony Soprano. 

This wildly popular NBC series takes place at multiple points throughout the '70s, '80s, '90s, and now, so it's unsurprising that its soundtrack spans the decades. REO Speedwagon, The Cure, and Adele among a slew of music greats whose songs soundtrack the series' happiest — and saddest — moments. 

Sure, it's a goofy comedy, but Zach Braff's "Scrubs" boasts a serious soundtrack. Indie rock bands feature heavily, including the Polyphonic Spree and Death Cab For Cutie, along with performances from Braff and fellow actors Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke in the soundtrack for the series's musical episode, which included ten original songs. 

Music is so important in helping a television series establish mood, and HBO miniseries "Big Little Lies" is a perfect example of a show that gets it right. The mood of this intense thriller is bolstered by superbly selected tracks from Portishead, Neil Young, and Charles Bradley.

"Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan flexes his country music muscles on this series, which has featured songs from many bands from his home state of Texas, including Whiskey Myers and Flatland Cavalry, along with other Americana and red dirt favorites like Zach Bryan and Colter Wall. 

Legendary producer Timbaland was tasked with creating the music for this primetime drama about the music industry, and pulled off a real feat in getting actors to record rap music that people actually wanted to listen to. The first season's soundtrack was surprisingly popular, and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart upon its release in 2015.

Starring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere as dueling country stars, "Nashville" brought some serious country music chops to the silver screen. The series included original songs penned by Kacey Musgraves, Hillary Lindsey, and Gillian Welch, all performed by the series's stars. 

It's perhaps not surprising that a series all about musical theatre would have a killer soundtrack. Even if you don't love the "Glee" takes on classic songs like "Don't Stop Believin," there's no denying that the music directors on this series did a really great job picking songs for this group of seriously dramatic teens.