The following contains spoilers for The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 1, now streaming on Prime Video.
The Summer I Turned Pretty has an unforgettable soundtrack. The young adult drama consciously makes music a main character, as it should be on a teen-oriented show. The needle drops are perfectly paired with Belly Conklin's journey figuring out what it means to be the main character in her life story. Along the way, this dreamy show also adds more to the argument that soundtrack-driven series aren't in the past but in the future.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is based on the books by Jenny Han and focuses on Belly as she spends another summer with her family and the Fishers at Cousins Beach. Belly is about to turn 16, and she's grown up a lot over the last year. The Summer I Turned Pretty's narrative layers in heartfelt approaches to a debutante ball, a growing love triangle, family drama and complicated friendships.The soundtrack ties everything together with ease.
The Summer I Turned Pretty music supervisor Liza Richardson curates a playlist that elevates the characters' stories and paints a saturated portrait of Cousins Beach. Taylor Swift's music is incorporated from the beginning and her songs become tell-tale signs for influential scenes between Belly and Conrad Fisher. Belly also sings her heart out to Kim Petras' "Can't Do Better" when she, her brother Steven and her mother Laurel start their road trip to Cousins. The song's lyrics speak directly to Belly's experience; it's about a girl killing her insecurities to prove to "the one" that they can't do better. "Can't Do Better" bookends the first episode as Belly chooses spending time with Cam Cameron over grabbing muffins with Conrad.
The show knows its audience well enough that a fight scene in Season 1, Episode 1, "Summer House" must be set to Olivia Rodrigo's "brutal." Rodrigo's music is a part of the cultural zeitgeist right now, but it's also popular with the young-adult audience (and beyond) because of her relatable lyrics. The use of "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus in Season 1, Episode 2, "Summer Dress" is a nostalgic hit that was also featured on Dawson's Creek; it scores slice-of-life moments that cause domino-effect changes that summer, like Belly's first date with Cam. The familiar lyrics of Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever" create anticipation leading up to Belly discovering her best friend Taylor and Steven hooking up in Season 1, Episode 4, "Summer Heat."
The Summer I Turned Pretty uses Alessia Cara and Hayley Kiyoko's songs as the background music for car rides and family gatherings. Dua Lipa's "Levitating" boosts the energy during a volleyball tournament in Season 1, Episode 6, "Summer Tides." The songs create comforting backdrops and their lyrics add layers to the series' storytelling. It's not uncommon for people to have soundtracks for phases in their lives -- like a summer spent at Cousins Beach. The Summer I Turned Pretty uses that universal experience to its advantage at every turn. The show even features what could be considered a throwback by playing the Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha" when Laurel and Susannah blow off steam at the Fat Pelican.
The show taps into fan favorites and nostalgic beats in every episode. The soundtrack never overpowers a scene but supports it, filling in gaps and underscoring feelings. In that way, The Summer I Turned Pretty is reminiscent of how The O.C., Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries incorporated music to create stand-out scenes. Soundtracks are imperative in teen dramas and have even become important in genre shows because music can be as universal as the themes. A song can create a memory for the audience as it becomes one for the character on the show.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is spectacular in capturing the authentic characteristics and voices of teenagers like Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah. The series emphasizes their experiences with music that would realistically be on their Spotify or Apple Music playlists. It also never musically leaves its adult characters behind. In Season 1, Episode 7, "Summer Love," The Summer I Turned Pretty brings two generations together with the heartbreaking use of "Funeral" by Phoebe Bridgers, reinforcing that a carefully crafted soundtrack is the connective tissue in life -- and in a great TV series.
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 1 is streaming now on Prime Video.