The late2000swere a great time for YA dramas, and none had viewers in a chokehold more thanThe CW’sGossip Girl. Premiering on the network in 2007,Gossip Girl, which was the brainchild ofJosh SchwartzandStephanie Savage, was based on theCecily von Ziegesarnovels that toldthe story of rich students whose lives are turned upside down and made public by a mysterious bloggernamed “Gossip Girl”.
As great as the series was from beginning to end, what made this series stand out from its late-aughts peers was the stellar music that provided the soundtrack for each episode. In a lot of ways,the music inGossip Girlis a time capsule of the decade the series took place, and none captured that period of time than the following songs below. So, let’s take a trip back to the 2000s and list the best songs that were featured in one of the best teen dramas of all-time.
10"Here It Goes Again" by OK Go
Season 1, Episode 9 “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!”
Well-known for its hilarious music video (which you can enjoy above), “Here It Goes Again” really did match the vibe of Season 1. The song was performed byOK Go, an alt-rock band from Chicago who worked hard during the 2000s to achieve that elusive Billboard hit.That hit came in 2006 with this up-beat power pop single, which became the band’s first, and only single to chart in the Hot 100.
“Here It Goes Again” was still at the height of its popularity when it was used in Season 1, Episode 9, “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!,” andthe cheeky song was the perfect backdrop for the episode, and its fast-paced tempo showed that the producers were well-tuned to what kids were listening to back in the day.
9"Blue Monday” by New Order
Season 2, Episode 24 “Valley Girls”
New Wave certainly made its mark on music when it became the de-facto genre teens were listening to in the early ’80s, and no song defined that time more thanNew Order’s “Blue Monday,“which was featured in the Season 2 episode “Valley Girls,” which was actuallya backdoor pilot for the spin-offValley Girlsthat never saw the light of day. Instead, the episode references elements of ’80s mall culture, with “Blue Monday” plopped right smack in the middle of the neon vibe.
“Blue Monday,” which was released in 1983, was a breakthrough hit for New Order, which was still trying to recover from the loss of singerIan Curtis. you may’t mention the ’80s New Wave without bringing up “Blue Monday,” which, with its soaring synths and drum machine, isone of the defining singles of the early ’80s.
8"Telephone” by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé
Season 3, Episode 10 “The Last Days of Disco Stick”
If you watch YouTube edits ofGossip Girl, this song, byLady Gagafeaturing a cameo fromBeyoncé, is the most prominently featured, and for good reason.If you’re aGossip Girlsuperfan, then you know that those kids spend a lot of time on the phone, and what better track to point this out than the 2010 single that was all over the radio at the time (yes, we were still listening to the radio back then).
“Telephone” was a huge hit for Gaga, and the song was nominated for a Grammy Award thanks to Gaga’s collaboration with Queen B. The song was so big that it was the fourth-best-selling single of 2010, which, in no doubt,was partly thanks to its inclusion onGossip Girl, and that Gaga and Beyoncé sound so good together.
7"She’s Long Gone” by The Black Keys
Season 4, Episode 6 “Easy J”
Some of the best music fromGossip Girlwere songs that weren’t officially released as singles, and this song is Exhibit A.The Black Key’s “She’s Long Gone"was never an official single released from their double platinum LP Brothers; but,once it was featured in the Season 4 episode “Easy J,“Gossip Girlfans sought out this little-known gem.
The song itself is an all-time classic, with its gritty, but soothing blues riffs as smooth as Kentucky Bourbon on a hot, steamy day, and the lyrics, whilestaying true to its blues-rock roots, matching the tone ofGossip Girl. While not a chart hit, “She’s Long Gone” is a song that you can play on repeat all day, and provided the perfect soundtrack to “Easy J.”
6"Heartlines” by Florence + the Machine
Season 5, Episode 10 “Riding in Town Cars with Boys”
Like “She’s Long Gone,“Florence + the Machine’s"Heartlines"was never an official single released from their Ceremonials album; however, it was the perfect song choice to be included in the Season 5 episode “Riding in Town Cars with Boys,” an episode that isone ofGossip Girl’s best episodes.
The soaring neoclassical beat, combined with Florence Welch’s powerful lyrics,makes “Heartlines” a dynamic track that fits the mood of the episode. It’s quite a shame this song wasn’t released as a single, as it would have climbed quickly up the Billboard charts. Give this song a listen, and you’ll see what I mean.
5"Lost” by Frank Ocean
Season 6, Episode 5 “Where the Vile Things Are”
Ah, you would be hard-pressed to find a better song that fits the vibe ofGossip Girlquite like Frank Ocean’s “Lost.“The soft-natured single from one of the most underrated modern-day R&B singers, “Lost,” which was featured in the Season 6 episode “Where the Vile Things Are,” perfectly plays to the tone of the episode, which sees Blair (Leighton Meester) getting ready for her mom’s (Margaret Colin) arrival.
This song will have you getting lost on a warm summer’s evening,with its good vibes and catchy lyrics, and idiosyncratic stylethat will grab hold of you and will never let you go. It’s that style that meshes so well with the episode, and makes it one ofGossip Girl’s best featured songs.
4"The Ice Is Getting Thinner” by Death Cab for Cutie
Season 1, Episode 18 “Much ‘I Do’ About Nothing”
Every episode has to have that mellow single that lets the lyrics carry the day, and for the Season 1 finale “Much ‘I Do’ About Nothing,” that song was “The Ice Is Getting Thinner"byDeath Cab for Cutie. If you recall, this was the episode in whichBlair and Chuck (Ed Westwick) finally expressed their feelingsfor one another, which had us all going “aw”.
The single was the perfect backdrop to this moment, and if you listen to the song,it’s almost like Death Cab for Cutie is speaking directly to Chuck and Blair’s soul.Chris Walla’s guitar is haunting and ethereal, andBen Gibbard’svocals are damn-near perfect in invoking the emotion of the moment.
3"Divertimento No. 15” by Mozart
Season 4, Episode 14 “Panic Roommate”
At its core,Gossip Girlis the story of a bunch of rich kids, and when you think about the rich, you think about all things debonair and fancy, which, in my opinion,Mozart’s “Divertimento No. 15,” featured in the Season 4 episode “Panic Roommate,” is the perfect soundtrack to the series.It just brings out so much of whatGossip Girl’saesthetic is about: high-class, flaunting, back-stabbing, first world problems.
While I’m very much into modern-day music,sometimes, you have to reach back to the classics to get the perfect soundtrack to a moment, and, good Lord, did “Divertimento” provide the moment. The Adagio is simply exquisite and divine, and you may put this on, pour some wine, and relax to the harmonious playmaking by one of music’s most famous performers.
2"Like a Virgin” by Madonna
Season 5, Episode 14 “The Backup Dan”
I feel like this famous song could be featured in anyGossip Girlepisode, but it fits incredibly well with Season 5’s “The Backup Dan,” which followsBlair trying to get a divorce from Louis (Hugo Becker) without him knowing about it. What a great song to feature at that moment?Madonnasongs provide the perfect soundtrack to all of our lives, especially this 1984 dance-pop classic.
“Like a Virgin"was a breakout hit for Madonna, who was coming into her own in the video age, and would go on to become one of music’s most celebrated artists.’80s songs went very well with the mood of 2010s youth, and if you want your own “divorce someone without their knowledge” adventure, “Like a Virgin” will give you that perfect song to give you the confidence to make it happen.
1"Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John
Season 1, Episode 1 “Pilot”
Peter Bjorn and Johnwill hold a special place in the hearts of allGossip Girlfans. Their song, “Young Folks,“was the first song to ever be featured on the hit series, and was the perfect opening tune to what would become one of the bestmodern-day teen dramasever. Who can ever forget the up-beat whistling as we’re shown shots of New York City, andsee our favorite “it girl,” Serena van Der Woodsen (Blake Lively), on the train while her return is chronicledby the mysterious “Gossip Girl?” Not me, I can tell you that.
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