Music in television isn’t just background noise—it shapes mood, defines characters, underscores tension, and lingers in our minds long after the screen goes dark. In 2025, some streaming shows have pushed the boundaries of what a TV score can do, pairing inventive compositions, original songs, and superb sound design to create immersive viewing experiences. Whether it’s the minimal-but-eerie theme that sets your skin crawling or a retro funk groove that transports you to another era, musical craftsmanship is more central than ever.

In this post, we’ll highlight several streaming series from 2025 whose original music and scores have drawn wide acclaim—either winning industry awards, being praised by critics, or capturing audience love. We’ll analyze what makes their soundtracks special, examine composers’ techniques, and offer insights for fans and creators who want to know what to listen for.

Severance (Apple TV+): Theodore Shapiro’s Electrifying Blend
 

Musical Style & Innovation

Severance stands out for its original dramatic score by Theodore Shapiro, combining traditional orchestration with electronic textures and jazz inflections. 
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 The score doesn’t just underscore scenes—it actively shapes the tone: disconcerting, detached, sometimes ironic. It uses silence and restraint as much as sound, which is rare.

For example, the theme uses sparse instrumentation, subtle percussion, and ambient drones, creating a sense of unease. In contrast, moments of emotional weight or revelation are punctuated by richer orchestral swells. There’s also sampling of “curated existing songs” interwoven with score (jazz, older pop, etc.) which adds texture and emotional contrast. 
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Critical Recognition & Audience Reaction

At the 2025 Creative Arts Emmys, Severance won Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score). 
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 That award signals that the score is not only technically excellent but resonant to viewers and critics alike. Fans have commented on how the sound is “haunting,” “obsessive,” and integral to the show’s identity.

What Composers & Showrunners Can Learn

Atmosphere via minimalism: Not every moment needs full orchestra; sometimes an isolated synth pad, a single dissonant note, or electronic effect makes more impact.

Balance emotional peaks and restraint: Use silence or near-silence to set up contrast.

Integrate song choices with scoring for contrast: old songs, jazz, etc., can deepen character, era, or theme.
 

Composer & Genre Mashup

One of the 2025 shows getting attention for its original music is Duster, streaming now on HBO Max. Composer Laura Karpman (with J.J. Abrams also contributing to the main theme) crafted a soundtrack heavily inspired by 1970s funk, vintage orchestration, and dramatic cues that lean both into suspense and groove. 
Soundtracks, Scores and More

The music is designed to evoke that criminal-thriller, detective era of film and TV, with horn hits, wah guitars, syncopated percussion, and orchestral swells—all mixed with modern mixing techniques so it sounds current but nostalgic.

Standout Tracks & Themes

Tracks like “Nina’s Theme” are praised for weaving character motivation into melody. The main theme (created with Abrams) sets the show’s tone: you know this is about crime, mystery, but also personal stakes. Other tracks (“Duster Theme”, chase cues, etc.) shift mood well: from tense investigation to reflective moments. 
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Impact & What To Appreciate

The use of retro style isn’t just aesthetic; it supports setting, character, and plot.

Consistency in sonic identity gives the show a musical signature: when you hear the funk horns or that consistent rhythm, you recognize Duster immediately.

The mix between orchestral score and genre instrumentation (electric guitar, synths, horns) gives flexibility: the show can move from action to character drama without jarring.
 

Forever (Netflix): Modern Songs & Original Score Fusion
 

Composer & Song-Driven Moments

Forever, adapted loosely from the Judy Blume novel, has its original score composed by Gary Gunn, but what makes its music noteworthy is how the score and curated songs blend. The soundtrack features a mix of opened up original score cues and songs from major artists like SZA, Daft Punk, Tyler, The Creator, Anderson .Paak, etc. 
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The juxtaposition of these songs with the score supports the show’s emotional arcs: adolescence, first love, family pressure. The score often steps in quietly to bridge scenes or to give weight where dialogue can’t.

Why the Soundtrack Resonates

The musical selections (song-driven) are contemporary and relatable to younger audiences, helping with immediacy.

The original score avoids being overshadowed by big songs—it complements them.

Emotional beats: the score often matches what’s already subconsciously felt, making small moments more powerful.

What We Can Learn from Forever

In romance or teen-drama shows, mixing songs that people recognize with original score helps both marketing (soundtrack interest) and narrative impact.

It’s important not just to pick songs, but to place them in moments where they elevate or contrast. A well-timed song can feel cathartic; badly used, it feels manipulative.

Score composer needs awareness of scene tone so that transitions between score and song are smooth.
 

Other Shows & Nominees with Outstanding Scores
 

Beyond those three, several streaming shows in 2025 have been nominated for or won awards for original music and scores. These deserve attention if you want a fuller picture.

Notable Emmy Nominees & Winners

Severance won Outstanding Music Composition for a Series. 
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Other nominees in that category included Andor, Based On A True Story, Cobra Kai, The Studio, The White Lotus. 
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Even being nominated shows the show’s music is making an impact—often because of how the score supports themes, visuals, or narrative complexity.

Emerging Shows & Composers to Watch

Duster we already covered, but composer Laura Karpman is one to watch given her work on other high profile projects and her ability to blend genres. 
Soundtracks, Scores and More

Shows with cross-genre music supervision (score + songs) are gaining more traction—audiences respond to soundtracks that feel both cinematic and culturally relevant.
 

Analyzing the shows above, some recurring traits arise. For creators, composers, or even viewers, these are useful criteria.

Thematic Cohesion & Identity

The best scores give a show a musical identity—something consistent (theme, instrumentation, style) that ties episodes or seasons together. Severance has this via its eerie minimalism; Duster through its 70s funk action sound; Forever through romantic melodic swells combined with song choices.

Emotional Support vs Overpowering Presence

A good score supports rather than dominates. It magnifies emotional moments, adds tension, but also knows when to step back. Too loud or too busy, and it distracts. The strongest scores feel like part of the fabric of the storytelling.

Innovation & Genre Blending

Original music in 2025 isn’t just orchestral: there’s electronic, retro-funk, jazz, ambient, and hybrid styles. Blending genres allows shows to surprise us and make soundtracks memorable.

Recognition & Awards (as Measure, but Not the Only One)

Winning or being nominated for awards (like the Emmys) helps spotlight what critics and peers see as exemplary. But audience reaction—streaming-industry praise, track streaming numbers, soundtrack sales—also matter.

Music Supervision & Song Selection

When a show uses existing songs (pop, older tracks, etc.), how those are placed matters. They can heighten narrative, set period, reflect character, or contrast tone. And when score and song choices are used together smartly, the result is more layered.
 

How to Find Shows With Great Scores & Music (For Viewers & Creators)
 

If you love good TV soundtracks, or if you’re making a show and want strong music, here are actionable tips to identify or build them.

 For Viewers: Spotting What’s Good

Look for award nominations in “Original Dramatic Score” or “Music Composition” for a series—these are strong signals.

Check composer credits: names like Theodore Shapiro, Laura Karpman, or others with track records in film/TV.

Sample a show’s soundtrack/score separately: if themes or cues hold up listening alone, it likely is well-crafted.

See how the score interacts with visuals: silence, transitions, theme reprises—if you notice those, that's good scoring.

 For Creators/Composers: What to Aim For

Develop a musical voice: Pick instrumentation or styles that reflect setting, tone, genre. Be consistent.

Collaborate closely with showrunners & directors to time emotional beats. Score is not an afterthought.

Balance originality and familiarity: audacious or experimental elements are good, but sometimes audiences respond more to melody or recognizable emotional cues.

Consider music supervision: select songs with purpose, not just popular tracks. Also think about how score and song interact.