Chris Pratt & Olivia Wilde’s 92-Episode Outer Banks Replacement Has The Best Soundtrack In Modern TV History

Published Oct 11, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT

Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.

Though it's not always something viewers notice, a soundtrack can make or break a TV show, and it was the backbone of a 2000s hit that featured performances from stars like Olivia Wilde and Chris Pratt. While it may not feel as important as the stars on screen or the writing driving the story forward, the soundtrack of a series can create the pacing of a show, dictate what direction a scene takes, or how a storyline flourishes. Soundtracks are especially important in teen dramas, and were somewhat more noticeable than they are today in the shows of the 2000s.

While the writing, the cast, or the authenticity of a teen drama may seem like they determine the overall mood of the show, the soundtrack of the series is always doing work behind the scenes. Shows like Outer Banks or Euphoria live and die by their soundtracks, but viewers aren't yearning for them in the same way they were pre-internet. Over two decades after its premiere, however, The O.C. is still a teen drama others aspire to, and its soundtrack was the best in modern TV history. Though the series only ran for four seasons, it left a permanent mark.

As The O.C. followed the messy relationships between Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), Seth Cohen (Adam Brody), and Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson), the series featured some of the most iconic music of the era, and introduced new artists to the mainstream during its iconic, unmatched 92-episode run.

The O.C. Has Television’s Ultimate Modern Rock Soundtrack

While The O.C. may seem like a fairly standard teen drama at first, it's got a rebel heart that's exposed by the soundtrack of the series more than what's typically happening on screen. After premiering in 2003, the series consistently brought indie rock and alternative music into the mainstream, featuring artists like Phantom Planet, who perform the show's anthemic theme song "California", Death Cab for Cutie, and Bright Eyes. The show's music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas, worked on curating the right music for the series throughout its run, ensuring that the indie rock and alternative bands were always current and cool.

Song	Artist	Notable Moment on The O.C.
"California"	Phantom Planet	The O.C.'s iconic theme song
"Hide and Seek"	Imogen Heap	Played during the shooting scene during The O.C. season 2 finale
"Champagne Supernova"	Matt Pond PA	Played during the Spider-Man kiss scene of The O.C. season 2 episode 14
"Into Dust"	Mazzy Star	Played during the rescue in Tijuana scene of The O.C. season 1 episode 7
"Orange Sky"	Alexi Murdoch	Played in The O.C.'s pilot episode as viewers see Orange County for the first time

With the show's creator, Josh Schwartz, open about the fact that he considered the show's soundtrack to be another character on the series, the music of The O.C. quickly gained a life of its own. From bands like The Killers and Modest Mouse coming onto the series to perform their music at the show's fictional all ages club, The Bait Shop, to the curated soundtracks that introduced viewers to the songs of the series on coveted CDs, the music of The O.C. was an integral part of the show that can't be separated from the other more predictable on-screen elements.

Music From The O.C. Still Defines A Generation

Although the general soundtrack of The O.C. is iconic in itself, the individual volumes released from the show (of which there are 6), became the songs that defined a generation. With teens of the early 2000s heavily invested in the series, the music on the show became a way to relate to other fans, to introduce new people to the show, and to relive the moments of the series when it wasn't on the air. With a range of music spanning from wistful indie rock to alt-pop and power ballads, the California cache of the show's soundtrack was tremendous.

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At a time when the internet was rapidly gaining relevance, sharing music from The O.C. was part of what brought fans together during the show's hiatuses, and what kept them talking long after the series went off the air. The series was an exceptional example of what music can be to a TV series and how it can work to tie a story together. Without the iconic music moments of the series, some of The O.C.'s greatest scenes would probably fall flat. By integrating its soundtrack so deeply into its story, The O.C.'s cultural footprint grew infinitely larger.