The Best TV Music of 2016

Music, it defines us; overwhelms us. There’s nothing more vital than good music or a well-placed bit of music in entertainment and when you have as much great TV as we do then it’s really an embarrassment of riches in terms of great soundtracks.

2016 was no different. From the big screen to the small, music was as good as it’s ever been with some incredible composers breathing life into some of the most exciting shows of the year. Yet, with such focus on celebrity and surface, musicians often get overlooked in the public eye.

So, here’s to all the great artists, soundtracks and tracks of TV in 2016.

Top Composers

Cristobal Tapia de Veer

Really hitting the mainstream with bizarre Sci-Fi dramedy ‘Utopia’ Cristobal has had a fantastic year; scoring both the exquisite Brit zombie adaptation ‘The Girl with All the Gifts’ as well as the creepy, operation Yewtree drama ‘National Treasure’. He then joined the ranks of the remake of Douglas Adams’ ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’; his imitable, darkly Sci-Fi inspired style making him one of the most interesting and engaging composers of recent years.

Ramin Djawadi

Despite having scored many big budget movies (Warcraft, Pacific Rim), Djawadi’s best work has been on the small screen. Most notably, his continued excellence on HBO behemoth ‘Game of Thrones’ has been earning him accolades for years and he maybe even bettered himself in its most recent sixth season. However, it’s his old-timey versions of modern songs for HBO’s new big hitter ‘Westworld’ that has proven he’s as adept at lending his hand to the smart blending of genres as he is ar doing the epic fantasy type stuff.

Max Richter

Beautiful and ethereal are some of the best ways to describe Max’s work. From the nuance and heartbreak of ‘The Leftovers’ to the darker edge of ‘Black Mirror’ and onto a single piece of music (On the Nature of Daylight) included in one of the best films of 2016 ‘Arrival’; Richter creates music that’ll make you weep and his delicacy will continue into 2017 when he scores Tom Hardy drama ‘Taboo’.

Top Soundtracks

Luke Cage

The first Marvel/Netflix series to use music as a part of its DNA, blending classic 90’s hip/hop with a variety of blues and jazz and hints of superhero anthems thrown in. It exquisitely delves into the culture of Harlem and its title character, using its soundtrack as a character in itself; from club scenes to fight scenes, it’s the most energising, culturally important soundtrack of recent years.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

It would be a travesty not to put this delightful and occasionally demented musical dramedy on this list. With songs that homage and spoof classic Hollywood musicals to 80’s rock and beyond with incredible dexterity; Rachel Bloom and co. are some of the smartest songwriters on TV at the moment. Funny, filthy, emotional and, most importantly, very, very good.

Stranger Things

Maybe an obvious choice but in a way, that’s not a bad thing. Stranger Things was the breakout hit of the summer for all who love 80’s nostalgia and damn good TV, which was in part due to the excellent soundtrack. Blending 80’s classics (Should I Stay or Should I Go) and a fantastic techno/synth score from Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, this was the soundtrack made for a vinyl release and it was wonderful

Top Tracks

1. Exit Music (For a Film) – Ramin Djawadi – Westworld

2. Light of the Seven – Ramin Djawadi – Game of Thrones

3. I Could If I Wanted To – Santino Fontana – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

5. Oh My God I Think I Like You – Rachel Bloom – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

6. Group Hang – Rachel Bloom – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

7. The Crown (Main Title) – Hans Zimmer – The Crown