How Music Drove the Narratives Behind ‘Euphoria,’ ‘High Fidelity’ and More Series

Music was front and center in a number of this year's Emmy contenders, from a gritty drama about a Paris jazz club (The Eddy) to a sunny dramedy that finds its characters bursting into Top 40 hits (Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist). More than just accompanying the action or setting the tone for emotional scenes, music is essential to the DNA of these series, often setting their course in the earliest stages of development. Whether the characters are musicians themselves, professional connoisseurs or just young people overflowing with feeling, music helps viewers understand who they are and what they're going through. Music supervisors and songwriters from four of this season's music-driven series spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about crafting their particular blends of music and storytelling.