We’ve reached that middle point of winter when all the holidays have passed and people set into borderline hibernation mode. You get home after work, pass on socializing, and kick back behind your computer screen.
The holdouts to this lifestyle won’t last long. Netflix earnings reached new heights at the end of 2017, and the company plans to inject another $2 billion into their advertising this year. Add to that HBO Go, Hulu, and the classic cable providers— TV will always have its chokehold on audiences worldwide, meanwhile, movies, not so much.
But we’ve also reached a point where audiences hold their television programs to higher standards. Better production, quality storytelling, and diverse voices. One result of this broadened diversity is that the soundtracks of many top shows have begun to reflect music people actually like, and music that a diverse range of people listen to. To that end, we have put together a list of some of the best soundtracks on TV right now, in no particular order.
(Advisory: We’re speaking to the music here… we can’t guarantee the quality of (all) these shows.) Comment to let us know what are some of your favorite TV shows when it comes to a dope ass hip-hop-centric soundtrack.
The Chi
Here’s a show that is devoted to authenticity at every level of production. This soundtrack pays homage to a variety of Chicago musicians, and a lot of Chicago rappers. Chance The Rapper, Taylor Bennett, Kanye West are a few of the bigger names that grace this soundtrack. The importance of these voices goes beyond regionalism and musical excellence. The show’s creators have selected artist who have concerned themselves with poverty and violence and the nuances that the show itself addresses. But there’s nothing overbearingly grim about it. Chance the Rapper’s “All We Got” celebrates the beauty of his city and the heights that can be achieved through solidarity. Similarly “Chi-City” by Common celebrates the poetry of Chicago, while Thundercat brings LA funk, bridging the shared artistic heritage of the Midwest and West.
Atlanta
A TV show about a rap manager, with the lead character played by a huge rapper, better have good music. And Atlanta delivers. Regardless of your opinions on Donald Glover, he knows how to recognize talent in others. From Atlanta's own superstar, Gucci Mane, to Australia’s Tame Impala, this soundtrack seems transposed from Glover’s personal playlist. He mostly sticks to his roots, keeping music from Atlanta’s greats on heavy rotation. This is a show that had a hilarious and unnerving cameo by Migos, who play a drug dealing trio (appropriately known as “Migos”) that count up bills and move weight to a soundtrack by… well, Migos.
Insecure
Issa Rae’s masterpiece has broadened TV audiences’ conception of young black people, and disrupted stereotypes about black people as a whole. Outside of her artistry she works just as hard to promote black representation in the non-acting sectors of the television industry. Along with advocating for more producer roles to be filled by black people, she has one of the most eclectic soundtracks on this list. Between the first two seasons you’ve got hipster avant garde, street classics, and everything in between. Her sound team is a big fan of Goldlink, mainly his mixtape And After That, We Didn’t Talk. There’s also lots of Kari Faux (if you’re like me and didn’t know who that was, go check her out), the stray Usher ballad, Kali Uchis, Blood Orange, and Boozie Badass.
The Get Down
The Get Down is on course to be a short-lived flop. It is a fictionalized account of the birth of hip-hop. It looks at every part of the culture, from disco and tagging to early DJs. Though it won’t make it past a second season, it has introduced us to the big soul and R&B tracks that served as hip-hop’s early inspirations. There are classics from the Isley Brothers, The O’Jays, and the Supremes. The Get Down also relies its talented cast and producers, such as Nas, to produce a multitude of original songs. Some other stand out tracks are, “September” by Earth, Wind, & Fire and Que Lio, one of the many salsa and Spanish-language songs that pay homage to the multiethnic origins of hip-hop in the South Bronx.
Black Lightning
I’ll admit, when I first saw ads for this show, I thought cable TV was trying to piggyback onto the new wave of ethnically diverse superheroes. I brushed it off. And, while my initial judgement may hold true, there’s no denying that Black Lightning's playlist slaps. Kendrick Lamar, Famous Dex, and Flume— this show’s music team is pulling songs from the radio as soon as they drop. If you like getting pumped to SZA and Maroon 5's collab, try doing it with superheroes blasting the shit out of each other with lightning.