Music and television often go hand-in-hand.
If you’re a music fanatic as well as a TV Fanatic, then you know that some of the best songs that you add to your playlist are probably first introduced to you via some of your favorite television shows.
If it’s a particularly good or catchy song, then you’ve probably heard it countless of times on multiple shows across a diverse spectrum. Not to mention there are some shows that are known for their incredible soundtracks and bolster quite the impressive playlist. Grey’s Anatomy, Suits, and Riverdale come to mind.
There are a plethora of songs that had us moving, grooving, and humming along. So, which songs were so popular that they made the rounds on multiple TV shows over the past year or so? Check out the slideshow below to find out!
Way Down We Go – Kaleo
This Icelandic band’s catchy tunes have been making their way around the television for years, making their music a top contender for songs that have dominated the TV forum in 2017. But nothing is quite like this catchy little earworm that added an extra layer of intensity to so many dramatic and/or badass scenes.
This is sort of a cheat, because technically, “Way Down We Go” was generously utilized throughout 2016, but the song was way too good to lose momentum and spilled over into 2017 as well.
Where You’ve Heard It: Grey’s Anatomy, Teen Wolf, The Blacklist, Underground, Riverdale, Training Day. Also, Suits, Lucifer, Empire, The Vampire Diaries, Supergirl, Orange is the New Black, and The Night Shift.
Honorary Mention:Hot Blood.
It’s another of the band’s hits that popped up frequently on some of the aforementioned shows as well as Animal Kingdom.
Natalie – Milk & Bone
This Canadian electro-pop duo creates music that can best be described as weird but enchanting. That’s precisely what some of our favorite shows are often looking for, right? Natalie, with its simplistic beat and the duo’s breathy vocals with a Gaelic tinge, has been a go-to track for retrospective character moments or intimate scenes.
Where You’ve Heard It: Wynonna Earp, Saving Hope, and Riverdale.
Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man
One of the best earworms of the year, and I’m not just saying that because it has been stuck in my head for the better part of a month. This Alaskan Indie/Alternative band has been around for ages, but this funky hit has turned them into crossover mainstream artists.
Understandably so, it’s a combination of the hints of “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes, the ridiculous falsetto of the lead, and the quirky, carelessness that makes it not just a song, but a Mood, that makes it a catchy song that made music supervisors and viewers take notice.
Where You’ve Heard It: Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Siesta Key, The Brave, MacGyver, Grey’s Anatomy, and Riverdale.
I Feel It Coming – The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk
This Billboard Hot 100 song was a hit that had people wanting to move. it’s also not the Weeknd’s first song that you found yourself hearing EVERYWHERE, Earned It and Can’t Feel My Face were media sensations too.
There is something refreshing about the electro sounds, the catchy lyrics, and the happy, carefree feeling it invokes. If there was a happy, fun, or casual scene and/or moment, you may have heard this playing in the background.
Where You’ve Heard It: 13 Reasons Why, Being Mary Jane, Skam, Empire, Superstore
Mess Around – Cage the Elephant
This American Indie/Alternative Rock band has been around for a bit and can be found on many of playlists. Their album Tell Me I’m Pretty has produced a couple of gems that made their way around the airwaves and added something special to different types of scenes. It’s fun to see how one (or two) songs can be used in so many different ways.
Honorary Mention:Trouble
Where You’ve Heard (Them): Famous In Love, The Bold Type, Lethal Weapon, The Vampire Diaries, Lucifer, Quantico, Timeless, Santa Clarita Diet, Riverdale, and Bull.
Wild Horses – Bishop Briggs
This British musician/songstress has a very distinctive voice and unusual songs that you won’t be able to get out of your head. She dominated the TV world in 2016 and it carried right on over into 2017 too. Everything from powerful scenes to liberating moments, her unmistakable voice and sound can be found in the background on some of your favorite shows.
Honorary Mention:River
Where You’ve Heard (Them): Short Answer is everywhere. Good Behavior, Grace and Frankie, The Challenge, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With the Stars, The Voice, World of Dance, Party People, also, former shows Notorious and Scream.
Redbone – Childish Gambino
Sometimes, music and TV truly cross paths in the form of TV stars who also happen to be musicians. Donald Glover is one of those people whose music career is just as successful as his television career. When you’re talented in both, you’re bound to pop up in multiple ways.
This sexy and soulful tune has throwback funk vibes and his seductive crooning has contributed to many of sexy scenes. It also gained popularity in the movie Get Out and has somehow become an internet meme.
Where You’ve Heard It: Dear White People, Star, Greenleaf.
Believer – Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons had previous hits with “Radioactive” and “Demons”, both of which had a significant presence on the charts, in the movies, on television, and on many music lovers’ playlists. “Believer” can be added to the others.
Where You’ve Heard It: Dancing with the Stars, Marvel’s Inhumans, World of Dance, America’s Got Talent, Love Island, Riverdale, and The Challenge.
Feeling Alive – Earl St. Clair
This artist is a little bit bluesy and has a whole lot of soul. Feeling Alive is the type of song that makes you want to boogie, which is why it circulated around reality shows like Dancing With the Stars, and of course, it’s soulful, Mardi Gras vibe is one of the reasons you may have heard it in NCIS: New Orleans too.
Sign of the Times – Harry Styles
This former One Directioner has kickstarted his solo career, and so far, it’s been pretty darn good. This popular song has appeared in adverts, promos for early morning television shows, news specials, TV shows,
you name it. It’s a serious, thoughtful song that perfectly encapsulates, well, the times.
Where You’ve Heard It: Kingdom, Riverdale, Love Island, America’s Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars, and SYTYCD.
Human – Rag’n’Bone Man
You’ve probably heard it plenty of times before, and you may have found its honest lyrics chilling. It’s simplistic, gritty, and very grounded and has a crossover appeal that has it being played in everything from pubs to churches. As a result, it’s unsurprising that it has been used in everything from movie trailers, commercials, and yes, television shows.
Where You’ve Heard It:Oasis, Shots Fired, The Good Doctor, Marvel’s Inhumans, The Shannara Chronicles, Into the Badlands, The Night Shift, and World of Dance.
Forever Mine – Andra Day
If you haven’t heard of Andra Day by now, you may very well be living under a rock. This soulful singer is heavily influenced by the likes of Billie Holliday, Etta James, and Eartha Kitt, and it comes through in her vocals and retro style.
Last year, her hit song “Rise Up” was one of the “it” songs you heard everywhere from your favorite shows to charity functions, to political campaigns, protests, and events related to natural disasters or nationwide tragedies.
“Forever Mine” is another hit of hers that made the rounds. Music Supervisors can’t seem to get enough of this soulful powerhouse.
Where You’ve Heard It: Since both songs were quite popular, you’ve probably heard one or the other on The Originals, Riverdale, The Blacklist, Madam Secretary, Grey’s Anatomy, The Voice, America’s Got Talent, Chicago Med, White Famous, Star, and Stronger,
Waves – Dean Lewis
This beautiful song with great acoustics, by Aussie artist Dean Lewis, has absolutely nothing to do with relationships. Those are his words, not mine, yet that’s precisely what it’s so often used for in some of our favorite shows. You can usually catch his vocals quietly playing in the background during some angsty heart-to-hearts, pining, or what have you.
Where You’ve Heard It: Suits, Riverdale, Shadowhunters, Hollyoaks, and So You Think You Can Dance.
Come Down – Anderson .Paak
Once this number is in your head, you might have trouble getting it out. It’s a good thing it’s a funky and fun song that will keep you grooving. Maybe with a precocious kid, or perhaps it somehow helps you find your Chi. Either way, it’s good times and a stellar choice to liven up a scene.
Where You’ve Heard It: Marvel’s Iron Fist, Ten Days In the Valley, Ballers, Hand Of God, and NCIS: Los Angeles.
Down – Marian Hill
Hey, if Captain America approves of this sleeper hit than it’s a no-brainer. This song gained traction after appearing in an awesome Apple commercial and took off from there. I bet you found yourself humming this little diddly once or twice during the year.
Where You’ve Heard It: The Originals, Shots Fired, Lucifer, The Challenge, and DWTS.
Love & Hate – Michael Kiwanuka
If your ear is particularly attuned to soulful music that reminds you of Marvin Gaye, then you most definitely caught this haunting number this year. Oftentimes it’s used to heighten the angst, but there is also a hopeful air about it as well. This is just one sultry single from an album chalked full of them with songs that have ended up on Big Little Lies, Atlanta, The Blacklist, Parenthood, The Royals, American Crime, and The Get Down.
Where You’ve Heard It: Queen Sugar, The Brave, Dear White People, Elementary, Suits, and also Rosewood and The Catch.
24K Magic – Bruno Mars
It’s Bruno Mars. What else is there to say? This was one of the hottest songs of the summer and everyone got in on it. How could they not? I’m dancing in my seat just thinking about it.
Where You’ve Heard It: Aside from everywhere, MacGyver, Supergirl, Chicago Med, Empire, Lip Sync Battle, Being Mary Jane, SYTYCD, DWTS, and The Voice.
Love is Mystical – Cold War Kids
The Billboard Chart topper took 2017 by storm both on air and off. The song was inspired by a song, and it’s not much of a surprise that it would find it’s way into various shows over the past year. The band has had popular tunes making their way onto hit shows many times before, whether it was Numb3rs, CSI: NY, Gossip Girl or 90210, this is not the band’s first time playing in the background of some of the best shows on TV.
Where You’ve Heard It: The Brave, Quantico, Riverdale
