Music can elevate absolutely anything, and I think that’s beautiful. Musicians are so powerful because they have the ability to captivate an audience through song. Some artists are able to refine this ability more than others, but all of them have a voice. We see the use of music in basically every form of media. From the score of a film, theme songs in tv shows, and background music in YouTube videos; music can truly set the scene.
Both movies and television shows have reeled me in strictly due to their opening sequence. Think about movies like Mission Impossible or The Pink Panther, who you can recognize just from hearing the instrumentals alone. The beat is THAT good. I can be really picky about what to watch. After viewing countless intros, trailers, or snippets of scenes that have good background music, and I give the show a chance. Today we’ll go through various forms of media and why their music choices specifically made them stand out.
FILM
Top Gun: “I Ain’t Worried”
I know that we are all aware of “I Ain’t Worried“ by One Republic. It has been absolutely everywhere since Top Gun: Maverick came out this past summer. The scene that features this song is also when Miles Teller stole the hearts of every male loving audience member in the theater. Top Gun: Maverick truly made this song a sensation. Every time I would hear only a second of the track I would know exactly what song was playing. I recently saw in an interview with One Republic that they saw the scene, created the track, and Tom Cruise instantly knew they needed it in the movie. It is amazing to see the talent that artists have when they work on a movie’s soundtrack. They never know that their song is going to be apart of the best or most iconic scene, but they pour their hearts into each measure.
When people listen to “I Ain’t Worried,” it takes them back to the first time they saw their favorite scene in a hit movie. I love that music is able to transport us and make us remember specific events or times in our life. Music truly makes movies memorable and more heart hitting. Without this particular song in Top Gun: Maverick, would the Miles Teller scene be as well known?
TELEVISION
Friends: “I’ll Be There For You”
The classic American sitcom, Friends, has been around for years and thankfully won’t be going away any time soon. Friends was created in 1994 and continues to be a sensation across the world. This show is one of the longest running television series ever, which means the theme song is also known worldwide. If the same song is being played over and over across 10 seasons, it’s bound to become iconic. With that being said, not every popular show has an intro song that the audience adores. A lot of times the fans absolutely hate the theme song and they reach for their remote to quickly skip through it. That’s not the case with Friends. The traction that The Rembrandts have gotten with “I’ll Be There For You,” in the past three decades is unheard of.
Even though in this instance Friends has been the one to affect this particular song, the artists have created a memento that Friends lovers can always have. When the show ended, everyone was devastated. But, they had this special song that they held so close to their hearts because of the memories they were able to form around the track. People will never listen to “I’ll Be There For You” and not think about Friends. This is such a special thing for artists to have and hold onto in their careers.
YOUTUBE
David Dobrik: “Show Me What I’m Looking For”
Calling out the YouTube fans out there for this one. Vlog squad fans know Carolina Liar’s iconic beat from David Dobrik’s viral vlog style. To me, this song is powerful and gives off good vibes, which is why Dobrik chose it to be his outro song. Content creators and influencers need to have a brand and it’s important for them to build that brand’s aesthetic in every aspect that they can. If a creator is trying to build their image to be positive and uplifting, then they need a song that matches their energy. “Show Me What I’m Looking For” is a genuine and and upbeat tune which exudes positivity. This song was able to set the stage for David Dobrik in order to bring his fan base together.
Music is such a powerful outlet that can affect so many people emotionally. It’s so special when artists are able to use their incredible voice to pull the audience’s heart strings. Musicians send messages through their music which allows us as audience members to create visuals in our heads. Have you heard music from a movie or TV show that resonated with you? Feel free to leave a comment!
