If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or scrolled through Instagram lately, you’ve heard it. That specific, shimmering synth-pop or the gut-wrenching bridge of a Taylor Swift song. It’s the sound of Cousins Beach.
The Summer I Turned Pretty music isn’t just a background track; it’s basically a lead character in the show. Jenny Han, the creator and author of the original books, is notoriously picky about the vibe. She gets it. She knows that when you’re seventeen and your heart is breaking for the first time, a song isn't just a song. It's the entire world.
Music supervisors Alexandra Patsavas and Lola Romero didn't just pick hits. They curated a specific feeling of "Taylor Swift-coded" longing. Patsavas is a legend for a reason—she’s the person who made Grey’s Anatomy and The O.C. sound the way they did. With this series, she’s doing it again for a new generation.
The Taylor Swift Effect is Real
Let's be honest. You can't talk about the show without talking about Taylor.
It started with "Lover" in the first teaser and basically exploded from there. By the time Season 2 rolled around, we were getting "Back to December (Taylor's Version)" and "August" at exactly the moments our brains needed them.
Han has mentioned in multiple interviews that she writes while listening to Taylor Swift. It’s a symbiotic relationship. When Belly and Conrad are staring at each other by the pool, and "The Way I Loved You" starts playing, the audience isn't just watching a scene. They are experiencing a collective memory of every "Team Conrad" girl who read the books in 2009.
But it’s not just the big names. The show uses music to signal growth. Season 1 felt like "Cruel Summer"—bright, frantic, and full of new feelings. Season 2? That was "Last Kiss" territory. It was heavier. The music reflected the grief of losing Susannah and the messy, complicated reality of growing up.
Beyond the Swifties: The Genre-Blending Soundscape
It's easy to focus on the pop queens, but the show is surprisingly eclectic.
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You’ve got Olivia Rodrigo, obviously. "Drivers License" and "Vampire" fit the angst perfectly. But then you’ll hear something like "Party in the U.S.A." or even throwback tracks that feel like they belong to the parents' generation. This matters because the show is as much about Laurel and Susannah as it is about the kids.
The music bridge between the generations is intentional. When we hear a song from the 90s or early 2000s, it reminds us that the adults were once Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad. They had their own "Summer I Turned Pretty music" moments.
Lizzo, Phoebe Bridgers, Tyler, The Creator, and Caroline Polachek have all made appearances. The diversity of the soundtrack prevents the show from feeling like a one-note teen drama. It feels like a real teenager’s Spotify Wrapped. One minute you’re crying to a folk ballad, the next you’re blasting a rap track while driving to the boardwalk.
Why This Music Strategy Ranks So High on Social Media
There is a reason why every episode release results in a surge of "The Summer I Turned Pretty music" playlists on Spotify.
The showrunners understand "The Drop."
They know exactly where to cut the dialogue so the chorus can hit. It’s designed for the "edit" culture. If you go on YouTube, you’ll see thousands of fan-made videos using these specific songs. By choosing tracks that are already viral or have deep emotional legacies, the show guarantees a second life on social media.
Take "Snow on the Beach." Using that song wasn't just a choice; it was a cultural event. It signaled to the fans that the creators were "in" on the lore. They knew what we wanted.
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The Technical Side of the Sound
Music licensing is a nightmare. Truly.
Getting the rights to multiple Taylor Swift vault tracks or high-profile hits from artists like Ariana Grande and Jack Harlow costs a fortune. It shows the massive budget and faith Amazon Prime has in this franchise. Most shows get one or two "big" songs per season. The Summer I Turned Pretty has three or four per episode.
This creates a high-gloss, cinematic feel. It elevates the production value. Without this specific soundtrack, the show might feel like just another YA adaptation. With it, it feels like an event.
Honestly, the score—the instrumental stuff—is underrated too. It’s delicate and beachy without being cheesy. It fills the gaps between the Top 40 hits, keeping the emotional stakes high even when no one is singing.
The Impact on Artist Careers
It’s not just the show benefiting. Being featured on a "Jenny Han soundtrack" is the modern-day equivalent of being on a Twilight soundtrack.
Smaller artists see massive spikes in streaming numbers the day after an episode drops. It’s a kingmaker. Fans of the show are loyal. They don’t just listen to the song once; they add it to their "Cousins Beach" aesthetic playlists and listen to it all year to chase that summer feeling during the winter.
We saw this with tracks from artists like Des'ree or even more contemporary indie acts. The "Belly Effect" is real for the music industry.
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Making Your Own Cousins Beach Playlist
If you’re looking to recreate that feeling, you need to look for a specific blend of three things:
- The Heartbreak Anthem: Think Phoebe Bridgers or Lana Del Rey. Songs that feel like staring at the ocean at 2 AM.
- The Coming-of-Age Bop: High energy, slightly nostalgic. This is where your Olivia Rodrigo or early 2010s pop comes in.
- The "Taylor" Factor: You need at least five Swift songs. It’s the law of the show at this point.
The magic is in the transition. The show moves from euphoria to devastation in about thirty seconds, and the music handles that heavy lifting.
What’s Next for Season 3?
Everyone is speculating about the Season 3 tracklist. Since it’s likely based on the third book, We’ll Always Have Summer, expectations are through the roof.
We’re expecting more "Reputation" or "Folklore" vibes. Maybe some more mature indie-pop. Whatever it is, you can bet it will be the soundtrack of the summer it drops.
Actionable Steps for Music Discovery:
- Follow the Official Playlist: Amazon Music and Spotify both host "official" versions, but the fan-curated ones often include the deep-cut background tracks you might miss.
- Use Shazam During the Transitions: Some of the best songs in the show are the 15-second clips played during the "golden hour" transitions between scenes.
- Check the Credits: If a song isn't on the official list yet, the end credits are your best friend for finding those indie gems.
- Look for "Taylor's Version": The show almost exclusively uses Taylor's re-recorded tracks, which is a deliberate choice to support artist ownership.
The music of this series proves that teen dramas aren't "just for kids." They are emotional time capsules. When that one specific song plays, it doesn't matter how old you are—you're back at the beach house, feeling everything for the first time.