The Role of Soundtracks: How Music Shapes the Film and TV Experience

Imagine watching Stranger Things without its eerie synth intro, Jaws without its creeping two-note buildup or Inception without Hans Zimmer’s deep, pulsing score. Something would feel off, agree?

That’s because when it comes to movies or TV shows, music isn’t just background noise—it shapes the entire viewing experience. Soundtracks can turn simple moments into iconic ones, making sure audiences feel every twist, triumph, or heartbreak.

Want to learn more about this particular topic? Read on as we discuss:

• How music influences emotions

• The role of soundtracks in storytelling 

• Music’s additional role in TV

At the end of this article, you’ll understand why soundtracks are a crucial part of film and television, shaping how we experience stories across all genres.

The emotional impact of soundtracks

Remember our movie and TV show examples earlier? Didn’t hearing those particular soundtracks influence how you felt while watching the action unfold? Well, let's take a look at how soundtracks act as a powerful emotional trigger.

Music as an emotional trigger

Music influences emotions on a deep, almost instinctive level. This is partly due to psychoacoustics, the study of how sound affects human perception. Research shows that low frequencies and dissonant chords naturally trigger unease—this is why horror films rely on eerie, clashing sounds, like the aforementioned iconic two-note Jaws theme. These sounds mimic distress calls in nature, making us feel an immediate sense of danger.

Conversely, romantic scenes often use soft, harmonious melodies in major keys because they evoke warmth and security. Our brains associate smooth, flowing music with calm and happiness, which is why love stories feel more heartfelt when paired with sweeping orchestral scores.

Volume and tempo also play a role. A sudden swell in music heightens excitement, while a slow, drawn-out score deepens sadness. Composers carefully craft these elements to guide our emotions, making us feel tension, joy, or heartbreak—even when we don’t realize it.

Character themes and emotional connection

While general musical techniques can evoke emotional responses, character themes take this connection further by creating a specific musical identity. A character's theme is like their musical signature, instantly reminding us who they are. For instance, when you hear "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter, composed by John Williams, it's not just a melody. It brings to mind Harry's world of magic, his adventures, and his feelings. 

Likewise, Hans Zimmer's theme for the Joker in The Dark Knight isn't just music. It reflects his chaotic and unpredictable personality, making his actions seem even more intense. These repeated musical themes help us connect with characters on a deeper level, making their stories more emotionally powerful.

Enhancing storytelling through music

Music doesn't just create emotion—it tells stories. Here are two ways how.

Foreshadowing and narrative cues

Music often acts as an invisible guide, subtly preparing viewers for what's to come. Think about how Bernard Herrmann's screeching violins in Psycho instantly signal danger, creating tension even before anything alarming appears on screen. This musical foreshadowing primes our emotional response, making the shocking shower scene all the more impactful.

Similarly, leitmotifs—recurring musical themes associated with characters or ideas—can signal important plot developments. When John Williams' "Imperial March" plays in Star Wars, we immediately sense the Empire's menacing presence, whether or not Vader himself appears. In HBO's Game of Thrones, the haunting "The Rains of Castamere" warned attentive viewers of impending betrayal long before the Red Wedding's shocking events unfolded. These musical cues often reveal character development, such as when a theme transforms from minor to major key as a character overcomes challenges.

World-building with soundtracks

A well-crafted soundtrack also helps create entire worlds through carefully chosen musical elements. Howard Shore's Celtic-influenced score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy embodies Middle-earth's grandeur, with pastoral Shire themes transporting viewers to the hobbits' idyllic homeland while harsh, dissonant Mordor themes evoke a threatening landscape. These distinct musical identities establish the world's geography and cultural landscape without requiring descriptive dialogue.

Beyond fantasy realms, soundtracks also efficiently communicate real-world settings and periods. As mentioned earlier, Stranger Things uses a distinctive synth-wave soundtrack, immersing viewers in 1980s small-town America, while the traditional African instruments in Black Panther help establish Wakanda as both technologically advanced and deeply rooted in heritage. The moment these characteristic sounds begin, viewers instantly recognize which world they're entering.

The role of soundtracks in TV shows

While film music has long been celebrated, TV soundtracks have evolved into a powerful art form of their own. Here's how they work.

Thematic openings and recognition

Opening themes serve as both artistic statements and powerful branding tools for television series. The upbeat, clap-along rhythm of Friends' "I'll Be There For You" instantly establishes the show's lighthearted, optimistic tone while creating an immediate sense of familiarity for viewers. Similarly, the haunting strings and percussion of Succession's theme brilliantly foreshadow the show's exploration of power, wealth, and family dysfunction.

This familiarity creates a unique challenge for television composers who must craft themes that remain engaging through multiple episodes and seasons without becoming repetitive. The best opening themes, like The Office's quirky piano melody or The Mandalorian's distinctive flute motif, strike this balance perfectly, becoming cultural touchstones that viewers recognize and enjoy whenever they watch the show.

Soundtracks in emotional climaxes

Television's long-form storytelling allows music to build emotional resonance over multiple episodes or seasons, creating more powerful payoffs than films can achieve in two hours. For instance, in Breaking Bad's final scene, as Walter White walks through his makeshift meth lab one last time before collapsing, Badfinger's "Baby Blue" plays—the lyrics "I guess I got what I deserved" providing perfect commentary on his journey from desperate chemistry teacher to drug kingpin. The music transforms a simple death scene into a powerful reflection on Walter's entire arc.

Six Feet Under's series finale features one of television's most memorable musical moments when Sia's "Breathe Me" accompanies a flash-forward montage showing how each main character eventually dies. As Claire drives away from her family home, the emotionally raw vocals underscore a sequence spanning decades of future events—a narrative technique requiring the audience's deep investment in characters they've followed for five seasons. While movies must create and resolve emotional connections within a single sitting, television composers can craft musical moments that pay off years of character development and audience attachment.

Conclusion

As we have discussed, soundtracks are far more than background decoration—they're essential storytelling tools that shape how we experience films and TV shows. From establishing emotional connections to building entire worlds, music transforms ordinary scenes into memorable moments that stay with us long after the credits roll.

This transformative power is what makes the greatest soundtracks so impactful—they don't just complement what we see but reveal character truths, foreshadow events, and create emotional depth that visuals alone cannot achieve. In the most powerful moments of cinema and television, it's often the music we remember most, proving that what we hear matters just as much as what we see.