Music in Supernatural

Sam criticizing Dean's tape collection. Promotional image from 1.01 Pilot (episode)

Season 1 (2005/2006)

Pilot

Classic - What Cha Gonna Do

Jessica, Sam and a friend at the Halloween party

Eagles of Death Metal - Speaking In Tongues

guy stops for the hitchhiking Woman in White

Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man

Dean and Sam at the gas station

AC/DC - Back in Black

after Sam found Dean's "Mullet Rock" Collection

AC/DC - Highway to Hell

Dean and Sam are talking about finding their dad

The Living Daylights - Gasoline
Kid Gloves Music - My Cheatin' Ways
Mentioned, but not played: Black Sabbath , Motorhead, Metallica

Unaired pilot

Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Jessica gets ready for the Halloween party

50 Cent - Disco Inferno

Jessica, Sam and a friend at the Halloween party

Jay Z – 99 Problems

guy stops for the hitchhiking Woman in White

ZZ Top - La Grange

Dean and Sam at the gas station

Metallica - Enter the Sandman

after Sam found Dean's "Mullet Rock" Collection

AC/DC - Highway to Hell

after Constance's spirit's gone and Dean and Sam are talking about finding their dad

AC/DC - Back in Black

closing credits

Mentioned, but not played: Black Sabbath , Motorhead

Wendigo

Dave Matthew's Band - Out of My Hands

played during Sam's nightmare in which he visits Jess' grave

Foreigner - Hot Blooded

in the car when Sam wakes from his nightmare

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Down South Jukin'

at the bar where the guys discuss the case and watch the video on the laptop

Rush - Fly By Night

at the end when Sam's driving the Impala and they leave the woods

Dead in the Water

Black Toast Music - What a Way to Go

at the Lynnwood Inn, when the guys look through newspaper articles

Ratt - Round And Round

when they arrive at Lake Manitoc

Billy Squier - Too Daze Gone

in the car with the " We don't have to hug, are we?" -remark

Bad Company - Movin' On

at the end when they leave Andrea and her son

Mentioned, but not played: Led Zeppelin

Phantom Traveler

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

The "Blues Brothers" on the way to the warehouse

Rush – Working Man

in the Impala when they try to get Amanda Walker on the phone

Mentioned, but not played (well, hummed by Dean): Metallica - Some Kind of Monster

Bloody Mary

Fall Out Boy - Sugar We're Going Down

Jill's encounter with Bloody Mary

Def Leppard - Rock of Ages

in the car, when they're talking about how Mary is connected to all the mirrors

The Rolling Stones - Laugh, I Nearly Died

end of episode when Sam sees Jess at the side of the road

Skin

Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

shapeshifter is surrounded by police in the apartment

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Poison Whiskey

at the gas station, where Sam's reading his emails

Filter – Hey Man, Nice Shot

shapeshifter fleeing crime scene and shedding skin in the sewers

Free - All Right Now

end of episode when Dean tells Sam that he wished he could have a normal life

Hook Man

Split Habit - Higher Mathematics

beginning of episode, when Lori's getting ready for her date

Quiet Riot - Bang Your Head (Metal Health)

when they're arriving at the fraternity house

Low Five - Noise

when they meet Murf and question him about the death of the fraternity guy

APM - At Rest

at the sermon for Lori's dead friend

APM - Royal Bethlehem

when they do research at the library

Paul Richards - U Do 2 Me

at the college party

Boston - Peace Of Mind

end of episode, when Sam and Dean hit the road

Bugs

Def Leppard - Rock of Ages

at the beginning in the bar scene, also played in Bloody Mary

Bob Reynolds - Medusa

plays very briefly as Dean & Sam park at the university where they get the bones identified

The Scorpions - No One Like You

at the end of episode, when the guys hit the road

Home

NONE

Asylum

Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Hey You

at the bar when they question the cop

Scarecrow

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lodi

at the bus station, when Sam meets Meg again

Bad Company – Bad Company

at the end, when Meg makes her “call”

Mentioned, but not played: Led Zeppelin

Faith

Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper

when the Reaper kills the girl in the woods

Route 666

The James Gang - Walk Away

at the service station, when Cassie first calls Dean

Bad Company - She Brings Me Love

during the love scene between Dean and Cassie

Blind Faith - Can't Find My Way Home

at the end of the episode, when Dean puts on his shades

Nightmare

Bob Seger – 2+2=?

at the beginning, when Jim pulls his car in the garage

The Benders

Joe Walsh – Rocky Mountain Way

Kugel's Kec bar, with Dean playing dart and Sam doing research

Shadow

Little Charlie and the Nightcats - You Got Your Hooks In Me

teaser, the song Meredith is listening to on her iPod

The Vue – Pictures of Me

Firehead Bar, when Dean hits on the bartender and Sam spots Meg again

Hell House

Blue Öyster Cult – Fire of Unknown Origin

the song on the radio Dean is singing

Blue Öyster Cult – Burnin' for You

at the end of the episode, when they are leaving the trailer park

Something Wicked

UFO – Rock Bottom

after the Teaser; Sam and Dean on their way to Fitchburg

Ozzy Osbourne – Road to Nowhere

at the end of the episode, when they hit the road again

Provenance

Steve Carlson - Night Time

at the Bar, when Dean hits on the girls

Grand Funk Railroad – Bad Time (To Be In Love)

the song on the car radio; Dean "sets the mood" for Sam and Sarah

Dead Man's Blood

Stevie Ray Vaughan - The House Is Rockin'

teaser; Elkins in the Bar studying his journal

Tito & Tarantula - Strange Face Of Love

the vampires partying at their place

Brian Keith Nutter - Searching For The Truth

Salvation

Kansas – Carry On Wayward Son

played during the recap of events before the actual episode

Devil's Trap

Triumph – Fight The Good Fight

"The Road So Far", recap of previous events

Joe Walsh – Turn To Stone

Sam and Dean on the way to Bobby

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising

end of episode, when they are hit by the truck

Season 2 (2006/2007)

In My Time of Dying

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising

still playing in the crashed car

Ted Nugent - Stranglehold

played during recap of previous events

Everybody Loves a Clown

The Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come Today

played during recap of previous events

Three Dog Night - Shambala

One week later as Dean fixes the Impala

Captain & Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time

Played in the van Sam and Dean take to the Roadhouse

Bloodlust

Journey - Wheel in the Sky

played uring recap of previous events

AC/DC - Back in Black

The Impala is back on the road

Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things

Supergrass - Sad Girl

at the beginning when Neil plays the emo music

The Rolling Stones - Laugh, I Nearly Died

played as Dean and Sam talk on hood of Impala near end; also played in Bloody Mary

Simon Said

REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling

the song Jo puts on at the Roadhouse that Dean scoffs at

Daniel May - Women's Wear

plays while Doc looks at guns, then kills the shop owner, Dennis

Spinal Tap - Stonehenge

heard as Dean and Sam stake out Andy's van

Soundgarden - Fell On Black Days

heard as the episode closes, as Ellen gets whiskey for the boys

No Exit

Cheap Trick - Surrender

As Sam and Dean drive to Philladelphia

Foreigner - Cold As Ice

heard on the radio that Dean turns on during the long drive home and Ellen shuts off

The Usual Suspects

NONE

Crossroad Blues

Downhearted Blues - Son House

The song played in George's apartment, when Sam and Dean question him about Lloyd's

Crossroad Blues - Robert Johnson

Flashback scene with Johnson at the Crossroads

Key to the Highway - Big Bill Broonzy

On the radio in the Impala as Sam talks to Dean about John

Nazareth - Hair of a Dog

Played during the SOON preview for upcoming episodes

Brian Tichy - Chaos Surrounds You

Croatoan

NONE

Hunted

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

Scott talks to his psychologist about the Yellow-Eyed Man through him walking home

Carey Bell - Lonesome Stranger

Sam talks to Ellen at the Roadhouse

Muse - Supermassive Black Hole

Ash gives Sam his search results at the Roadhouse

Playthings

NONE

Nightshifter

Styx - Renegade

When the boys get into the car at the end of the episode in their SWAT outfits

Houses Of The Holy

Jamie Dunlap - Down on Love

the song Dean listens to, while he's on the "Magic fingers" bed

Bob Dylan - Knocking On Heavens Door

played at the end of the episode, when Dean tells Sam about "God's will"

Born Under A Bad Sign

Tarbox Ramblers - Ashes to Ashes

played when Demon!Sam enters the bar where Jo works

The Doors - The Crystal Ship

played while Demon!Sam talks to the tied up Jo

REO Speedwagon - Back on the Road Again

at the end of the episode, while they talk about everything that happened

Tall Tales

James Gang - Walk Away

the song on the radio at the beginning; also played in Route 666

Chris De Burgh - Lady In Red

the fratboy is slowdancing with the alien

Junk Food - Next to You
Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe

played when Dean enters the hall with the two girls on the red bed

Roadkill

The Animals - House of the Rising Sun

played through the episode

Heart

Kip Winger - Smoking Gun
The Stooges - Down in the Street

played while Dean is hunting the werewolve

Screaming Trees - Look at You

during the love scene

Queensrÿche - Silent Lucidity

played at the end of the episode, when Sam shoots Madison

Hollywood Babylon

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Green Peppers

played at the end, when they ride into the sunset

Folsom Prison Blues

Booker T. & The MGs - Green Onions

played at the beginning when Dean and Sam get into prison

Rooster - Alice in Chains

played at the end of the episode

What Is And What Should Never Be

The Ramones - What a Wonderful World

played as Dean mows the lawn

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Saturday Night Special

played as Dean drives back to Illinois

Promos

Season 1 promos

Dave Matthews Band - Out Of My Hands
Crossfade – No Giving Up
Echo And The Bunnymen - Killing Moon UK-Promo by ITV
Unknown - All I Need Is You

Season 2 promos

Johnny Cash - God Is Gonna Cut You Down

Heard in a promo for new Jan '06 eps

Score - Season 1

The Supernatural OST received an Emmy nomination in 2006.

Score analysis by Zimshan.

Supernatural has two score composers. Christopher Lennertz and Jay Gruska, brought in by executive producers Eric Kripke and Robert Singer respectively, who share the composing responsibility by alternating episodes.

Lennertz Scores

Lennertz seems to prefer a style of scoring for SPN similar to the Bernard Herrmann idea, focusing on the irrational by consisting of small dissonant repetitive pieces that rest on "unfulfilled" endings or just pure Jerry Goldsmith-stamped clangor. If you’ve ever found yourself on the edge of your seat in anticipation or just scared absolutely shitless, he’s probably the reason. He uses the strings more for the unsettling, scary action and turning to the piano keys for the creepy tension. He works with a lot of extended notes and swells with diverse percussion but mostly, his approach is very anti-melodic. His pieces are perfect for the visuals that accompany it but they are very indistinct. Its effect is incredibly embedded in the unconscious which is fabulous but...it's a bitch to ID.

The following list of tracks appeared on the OST CD, leaked online on August 25, 2006.

cover of the promotional CD

The promotional CD showcases the following tracks:

• And So It Begins - 1.01 - Heard in the opener as Mary gets out of bed to check on baby Sam. The beginning strains are heard again in 114 as Max tells Sam his mother died in his nursery. (Can be considered The Demon's Theme.)

• Let‘s Go Hunting - 1.01 - Heard as Dean opens up the trunk and tells Sam what John was hunting

• On the Bridge - 1.01 - Heard as Dean and Sam spot the Woman in White who falls from the bridge

• Sam Understands - 1.03 - Heard as the father sits on the deck through the son talking to the boys

• A Father‘s Despair - 1.03 - Heard after the boys first meet Lucas as the Sheriff tells them what he’s been through

• He Can‘t Speak - 1.03 - Heard as Dean colors with the kid in the park

• Not The Lake - 1.03 - Heard as the boys find the father in the boat on the lake through the attack

• A Lonely Picture - 1.03 - Heard as Dean talks to the kid the second time, realizing he’s scared and telling him his father would want him to be brave

• The Water Attacks - 1.03 - Heard as Andrea gets attacked in the tub

• Evil Awaits - 1.03 - Heard as the old lady tells Dean and Sam about her boy’s disappearance through the father sitting on the dock.

• The Hidden Terror - 1.03 - Heard throughout the climactic scene, starting as Andrea says “Tell me you didn’t kill anybody” and all the way through to Dean saving Lucas

• The Morgue - 1.05 - Heard as the boys examine the body in the morgue. Theme throughout the episode

• Dean Comforts Sam - 1.05 - Heard when Dean pulls over the car to tell Sam Jess’s death wasn’t his fault

• Searching History - 1.07 - Heard as Dean and Sam first get the boxes to go through papers at the library

• The Library - 1.07 - Heard as Sam and Dean return to the books after the pastor gets attacked

• No One Believes Me - 1.07 - Heard at the end as Laurie and Sam talks while Dean watches in the mirror

• Fighting the Beast - 1.09 - Heard as the boys fight the poltergeist in the house through Mary appearing

• Nightmare - 1.14 - Heard when the brothers are at the wake at the house, starting as Dean asks the mother about the house, through Sam talking to Max

• Into The Loft - 1.16 - Heard as Sam follows Meg through the streets and into the warehouse

• Dad Is Alive - 1.16 - Heard throughout the reunion of John and the boys

• Hell House - 1.17 - It’s got to be in 117 right? But hell if I can find it.

• Boys Break In - 1.19 - Heard as the boys break in the auction house to destroy the painting

• Sam Can Love Again - 1.19 - Heard as Dean confronts Sam about moving on after Jess

• Sam Opens Up - 1.19 - Heard as Sam tells Sara about Jess

• Penance/Murder - 1.21 - Heard from the moment the episode begins (the beginning vocals were taken out of the real ep track) through Meg’s arrival and subsequent attack on Pastor Jim

That's not to say Lennertz hasn't done other cues that were noteworthy. There were a few other memorable ones that weren't included in the compiliation.

• Home Sweet Home - 1.09 - The full opening sequence in Lawrence, Kansas

• Go Back Home - 1.09 - Sam tells Dean where they need to go next

• What Happened That Night - 1.09 - Sam and Dean discuss what they know

• Dean Calls Dad - 1.09 - Self-expanatory, don't ya think?

• Goodbye - 1.09 - Towards the end as Sam and Dean leave

• Ending - 1.10 - Sam and Dean sees the kids off, and Sam apologizes

• Let Sam Go His Own Way - 1.16 - Through Dean's confession that he wants them to be a family again

• Let Dad Go - 1.16 - As Sam and Dean let John go, and watch him drive away

• Jim Murphy's Dead - 1.21 - As the trunk and Impala drive down the road through John stopping and explaining what happened to Pastor Jim

• Finding The House - 1.21 - After Sam has the first vision, as he goes looking for the house

• Happy Family - 1.21 - As Sam leaves Monica and Rosie, and watches the family from afar

• Holy Water - 1.21 - Throughout John saying his prayer and dropping the rosary in the water

• The Brothers' Confrontation - 1.21 - Throughout Sam's lamenting at Dean not letting him go back in.

Lennertz Motifs

The Demon's Theme: (the beginning of 'And So It Begins')

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• 1.01 - Starts as Mary gets out of bed to check on Sammy
• 1.14 - Heard again as Max tells Sam his mother died in his nursery

Gruska Scores

Gruska, in comparison, has a much more melodic hand. He’s the one that helps give the show its big beating heart. While Lennertz tends to be more focused on the scare, Gruska tends to be more focused on the sentiment. I’ve personally grown more accustom to favoring his scoring because I like the balance he’s seemed to create between the two aspects. What struck me when I first started watching was the amount of actual emotion contained in the show, and how they could balance it in just being real instead of going over the line into the corn most shows would make it. I’ve found Gruska’s scores to be really integral in all the most important scenes, skilled in being just prominent enough to be effective while being careful enough not to be intrusive. It’s unconscious enough to let a viewer live in a scene alone, but when you are listening for it, you realize why that scene worked so well for you before. It truly LENT something to the scene. If you’ve developed a connection to these characters and their journey, most likely it’s because of Gruska’s score that has effected you along the way. Of course, because this IS Supernatural, he also plays the needed amount of creepy Lennertz favors so much. But generally, he's more willing to use strings and woodwinds (including some fabulous oboe uses) especially in terms of sentiment where Lennertz leans more on the lone piano keys. He’s also more likely to use an acoustic guitar (as opposed to Lennertz's electric) and less-commonly used folk instruments to make a much more rustic Midwestern sound for the show.

• For Jessica - 1.02 - Sam’s dream of visiting Jess’s grave

• We‘re Gonna Find Dad - 1.02 - End of episode as Dean assures Sam they’ll find John

• Triumph - 1.04 - The muted horn victory as the plane returns to safe flight

• On Solid Ground - 1.04 - The passengers return to safety of the airport

• Dad‘s Message - 1.04 - Sam and Dean call John’s cell and hear the new message. Melody heard again in 120 when John tells Sam this was never the life he wanted for him. (Can be considered Sam and John's Theme)

• Mirror Murder - 1.06 - After Dean shoots the shapeshifter, as he examines the body and retrieves his necklace

• Never Disappointed - 1.08 - Dean assures Sam John was never disappointed in him

• To Find The Truth - 1.08 - Native melody heard as the boys visit the tribe to find information

• Sam Wants To Find Dad - 1.08 - End of the episode as Sam admits to Dean he does want to find John

• Opener - 1.11 - Beginning as the couple comes out of the restuarant in the town

• Dad‘s Call - 1.11 - Throughout John's call to the boys

• The Split - 1.11 - As Sam gets out of the car, Dean declares he's selfish, through Sam walking away and Dean leaving him behind

• Coming Into Town - 1.11 - Dean drives into Burkittsville

• Brothers' Goodbye - 1.11 - Throughout Dean's conversation with Sam on the cell

• To Boston - 1.11 - A short melodic piece heard as the boys see Emily's bus off

• Stuck With Sam - 1.11 - Sam tells Dean he's staying

• Sheriff Checks Out The House - 1.15 - As the Sheriff walks up to the hillbillies' house

• Don't Ever Do That Again - 1.15 - The ending as Dean expressing his sympathies to the sheriff, through Dean and Sam walking away to the close

• The Hospital Walk (Full Episode Theme) - 1.18 - Heard as the boys first investigate the hospital corridors through talking to the doctor

• Full Episode Theme - 1.18 - Same place as above, just cut before dialogue for a cleaner version of the theme

• Drive Into Town - 1.18 - A short fragment heard as the boys drive into the hotel parking lot

• Second Flashback - 1.18 - Heard throughout Dean remembering the milk and spaggetios memory

• Asher's Sick - 1.18 - Throughout Michael telling Dean about his brother

• Old Woman (Theme) - 1.18 - Throughout Dean and Sam walking through the hospital to the old woman's room

• Fort Douglas, Wisconsin - 1.18 - Throughout Dean's reveal of what happened before

• Do Anything For Your Brother - 1.18 - As Michael comes back and agrees to help

• All Better - 1.18 - As Dean, Sam, and Michael find out the kids are all well again

• Stake Out/The Colt - 1.20 - As John stakes out the vamps with the boys, through him telling them about The Colt

• Not The Life John Wanted For Sam - 1.20 - As John explains to Sam his mindset in their fight (Same motif as that used in 'Dad's Message' - 1.04)

• Leaving The Colt - 1.22 - A small response to Dean supposively giving into Sam and putting The Colt in the trunk

• Pulling The Alarm - 1.22 - As Sam pulls the alarm, Dean bothers the firefighters, and Sam gets the uniforms

• Attack - 1.22 - Throughout Sam being attacked, to Dean's bullet usage

• Dean's Family Dedication Theme - 1.22 - Heard as the Impala speeds down the road in the night, this is the clean version of the motif used for Dean later in 122, more fully heard throughout 201, and then again in 209.

• The Things Dean's Willing To Do (Dean's Full Theme) - 1.22 - In the cabin, the full motif is heard as Dean laments to Sam about killing for Sam, through John coming in and praising Dean

Gruska Motifs

Sam and John's Theme:

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• 1.04 - Heard at the end as Sam and Dean listen to John's new cell message
• 1.08 - A wavering, unsettled derivative heard as Sam tells Dean he wants to find John
• 1.20 - Heard as John tells Sam this was never the life he wanted for him

Dean's Family Dedication Theme:

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• 1.22 - Heard through Dean's "Things I'm willing to do" speech inside the cabin
• 2.01 - Episode Theme (small strains are heard throughout the episode)
  • The pure form heard as John sits by Dean's bedside while Dean yells at him to do something
  • A distorted form heard as Tessa is revealed as a reaper and tries to convince Dean to let go
  • A piano and flute version heard through John's "You did that" speech to Dean
  • A higher octave flute w/ backed orch. version heard as Sam finds John dead
• 2.09 - An acoustic version heard throughout Dean's "I'm tired" speech
• 2.11 - Same acoustic version heard as Dean watches Drunk!Sam go to sleep after he made Dean swear to kill him if he goes dangerous

Sources/Credits

• zimshan compares the Pilot to the unaired Pilot scores
• Score motif analysis by zimshan
• Lennertz & Gruska score division by zimshan
• Score analysis and downloads by zimshan
• The Music of Supernatural Fanlisting
• Supernatural Music on Squidoo
• trustygeek here
• shadow_walker3 here
• goldie_gal here
• keepaofthecheez here