There are four soundtrack albums for HBO's Succession, all of which were composed by Nicholas Britell.
History[]
Background[]
On November 17, 2017, it was announced that Nicholas Britell would serve as the series' composer. Having previously worked with him on films such as The Big Short (2015) and Vice (2018), Adam McKay, the director of the series' pilot, referred Britell to showrunner Jesse Armstrong.[1][2]
Composition[]
Nicholas Britell, the composer of the series' score
Jesse Armstrong encouraged Britell to "go wild with texture and atmosphere to underscore the [Roy family's] precarious emotional state."[3] When creating the score, Britell decided to stay from being "musically funny" so as to not drain the series of its existing humor, and instead took a darker, more dramatic approach. He was heavily inspired by late-18th century classical music, often utilizing very loud bass and experimenting with piano, bells, strings, and percussions. He also infused much of the score with hip-hop beats by using a Roland TR-808 drummed machine, to reflect the taste and lavish lifestyle of its focal character, Kendall Roy.[4] Britell has said that he approached a lot of the writing with "what the Roy family might imagine for themselves" in mind.[3]
Soundtracks[]
Season 1[]
Succession: Season 1 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) was released by Milan Records on August 9, 2019. The main title theme was released as a single on July 20, 2018.[5]
| Track listing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Title | Length | ||
| 1. | "Succession – Main Title Theme" | 1:42 | ||
| 2. | "Adagio in C Minor" | 1:30 | ||
| 3. | "Minuet in B Minor" | 1:37 | ||
| 4. | "Andante in C Minor" | 1:57 | ||
| 5. | "Strings Con Fuoco" | 1:12 | ||
| 6. | "Clarinets and Strings" | 1:07 | ||
| 7. | "Serenade in E-Flat Minor" | 0:50 | ||
| 8. | "Bell Atmospheres" | 1:42 | ||
| 9. | "Waystar Royco Corporate Identity – "Feel It!"" | 0:44 | ||
| 10. | "Strings + 808 + Beat" | 1:11 | ||
| 11. | "Theme Variation – Piano, Orchestra, 808" | 0:52 | ||
| 12. | "Allegro in C Minor" | 0:57 | ||
| 13. | "Dark Minuet" | 1:05 | ||
| 14. | "Andante Con Moto – Strings in E-Flat Minor" | 2:14 | ||
| 15. | "Andante in C Minor – Solo Piano" | 1:45 | ||
| 16. | "Succession – End Title Theme (Strings and Winds Variation)" | 1:26 | ||
| 17. | "Andantino for Brass and Orchestra in B Minor" | 1:51 | ||
| 18. | "A Piacere" | 1:52 | ||
| 19. | "Bell and Pizzicato Fantasia" | 1:23 | ||
| 20. | "Power (Instrumental)" | 1:35 | ||
| 21. | "Succession – End Title Theme (Brass Quintet Variation)" | 1:24 | ||
| 22. | "Mysterium – Strings" | 1:56 | ||
| 23. | "Austerlitz – Allegro Moderato" | 1:15 | ||
| 24. | "Austerlitz – Allegretto" | 1:37 | ||
| 25. | "Million Dollar Home Run" | 1:30 | ||
| 26. | "Succession – End Title Theme (Piano and Cello Variation)" | 1:29 | ||
Season 2[]
Succession: Season 2 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) was released by WaterTower Music on May 22, 2020.[6]
| Track listing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Title | Length | ||
| 1. | "Succession (Main Title Theme; Extended Intro Version)" | 1:52 | ||
| 2. | "Rondo in F Minor for Piano and Orchestra – "Kendall's Journey"" | 1:27 | ||
| 3. | "Moderato Con Brio for Violin, Harp, and Orchestra" | 1:56 | ||
| 4. | "Intermezzo in C Minor – "Money Wins"" | 1:47 | ||
| 5. | "Rondo in F Minor for Solo Piano –"Kendall's Summit"" | 1:36 | ||
| 6. | "Atmosphere in B Minor" | 1:52 | ||
| 7. | "Contredanse – "Shiv's Move"" | 1:29 | ||
| 8. | "Cello Quintet in C Minor – "Tern Haven"" | 1:08 | ||
| 9. | "Andante Con Moto – Piano and Strings – "Vaulter"" | 2:54 | ||
| 10. | "Rondo in F Minor for String Orchestra" | 1:36 | ||
| 11. | "Concerto Gross in C Minor – Ripieno Strings" | 2:05 | ||
| 12. | "Andante Con Moto – Strings Orchestra Variation" | 0:52 | ||
| 13. | "Roman's Beat – "Hearts"" | 1:23 | ||
| 14. | "Andante in C Minor – Main Title Strings Variation" | 0:52 | ||
| 15. | "Maestoso – Piano Solo" | 1:29 | ||
| 16. | "Larghetto – Piano, Celesta, Strings – "Kendall's Return"" | 1:53 | ||
| 17. | "Intermezzo in C Minor – Piano and Double Bass" | 1:38 | ||
| 18. | "Moderato Con Brio – Violin Sextet" | 1:13 | ||
| 19. | "Boar On The Floor" | 1:51 | ||
| 20. | "Kendall's Departure – "This Is Not For Tears"" | 1:19 | ||
| 21. | "Maestoso – String Orchestra – "To The Press Conference"" | 1:32 | ||
| 22. | "Concerto Grosso in C Minor + End Credits – "You Have To Be A Killer"" | 1:58 | ||
| 23. | "L to the OG" (feat. Kendall Roy) | 2:35 | ||
"L to the OG"[]
Single artwork for the official release of "L to the OG"
"L to the OG" was performed by Jeremy Strong (Kendall Roy) in the episode "Dundee". Britell insisted that the song by well-executed despite being inevitably cringe-inducing, to reflect the ongoing duality of both gravitas and absurdity within the series.[7] He used a beat that he himself had made as an aspiring musician in college, a choice that he believed would reflect his interpretation of Roy as a character. Britell says that Strong did an "incredible job" in performing the song.[8]
The studio version of "L to the OG" was released as a single by Republic Records on May 20, 2020.[7]
Season 3[]
Succession: Season 3 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) was released by Republic Records on April 29, 2022.[9]
| Track listing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Title | Length | ||
| 1. | "Furioso in F Minor" | 1:51 | ||
| 2. | "Milan – Promenade" | 1:03 | ||
| 3. | "Rigaudon" | 2:09 | ||
| 4. | "Andante Agitato – End Credits – "The Raid"" | 4:09 | ||
| 5. | ""Sorry, Pinky"" | 1:24 | ||
| 6. | "Satyricon – Instrumental" | 1:29 | ||
| 7. | ""Tuscany" Suite for Piano and Orchestra" | 2:03 | ||
| 8. | "Sinfonietta in A Minor – Strings Variation – "The Photo"" | 1:08 | ||
| 9. | "Impromptu No. 1 in C Minor for Piano" | 5:33 | ||
| 10. | "Scherzo in F Minor – Strings" | 0:45 | ||
| 11. | "Doloroso – Strings" | 2:26 | ||
| 12. | "Serenata – "Il Viaggio"" | 1:21 | ||
| 13. | ""Tuscany" Suite for Piano and Bass" | 2:01 | ||
| 14. | "Impromptu No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra" | 2:11 | ||
| 15. | "Scherzo in F Minor – Piano and Bass" | 0:56 | ||
| 16. | "Rigaudon" | 1:18 | ||
| 17. | "Nocturne – Piano and Strings" | 1:22 | ||
| 18. | "Impromptu No. 1 for Strings – End Credits – "Chiantshire"" | 3:02 | ||
| 19. | "Andante Moderato – End Credits – "Amen"" | 1:21 | ||
| 20. | "Andante Moderato – End Credits – "Amen"" | 2:50 | ||
| 21. | "Honesty" (feat. Kendall Roy) | 3:54 | ||
Season 4[]
Succession: Season 4 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) was released by Lake George Music Group on May 29, 2023 .[10]
| Track listing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Title | Length | ||
| 1. | "Succession - Main Title Theme; Orchestral Intro Version" | 2:01 | ||
| 2. | "Langsam – "We Gave It a Go"" | 2:13 | ||
| 3. | "End Credits – Vivance Appassionato in G Minor" | 1:09 | ||
| 4. | "Lento Nobile + Lento Pizzicato" | 1:16 | ||
| 5. | "Allegro Bellicoso – "Pirates"" | 0:55 | ||
| 6. | "Lamentoso – "Needy Love Sponges"" | 2:40 | ||
| 7. | "Minuet in C Minor – English Horn – "I Need You"" | 1:47 | ||
| 8. | "Phone Call" | 3:26 | ||
| 9. | "Piano Solo + Elegy for Orchestra – "Logan's Return"" | 2:45 | ||
| 10. | "Lamentoso – Clarinets, Piano, Pizzicato Strings" | 0:51 | ||
| 11. | "End Credits – "Action That"" | 2:05 | ||
| 12. | "Pianos + 808 + Beat – "Welcome Home"" | 2:04 | ||
| 13. | "Maracto e con Forza" | 1:16 | ||
| 14. | "A Piacere di Nuovo" | 2:12 | ||
| 15. | "Interlude – Ricercare – "On the Lot"" | 0:40 | ||
| 16. | "Minuet in C Minor – Strings and Viola Solo" | 1:30 | ||
| 17. | "Andante Espressivo – String Orchestra – "Number One Boy"" | 3:25 | ||
| 18. | ""My Dear, Dear, World of a Father" | 1:57 | ||
| 19. | "Molto Grave – Recessional" | 1:02 | ||
| 20. | "Elegy – Strings" | 2:31 | ||
| 21. | "Lamentoso – Piano, Oboes, Strings" | 1:50 | ||
| 22. | "Allegro in F Minor – Arrival at Waystar" | 1:30 | ||
| 23. | "It's Done" | 2:49 | ||
| 24. | "Succession – Andante Risoluto" | 2:28 | ||
| 25. | "End Credits – Choir and Orchestra – "With Open Eyes"" | 2:21 | ||
Reception[]
Critical and fan response[]
| “ | It's amazing, honestly. [...] The dream of any artist or any composer is to be able to share music in the first place—that’s the primary goal, I think. But the true hope is that people hear it, and it moves them, and they dig it. | ” |
— Britell on the fans' reception of the score
| ||
Many critics have applauded Britell on his work for the series,[11][12] with Joshua Barone of the New York Times saying that the score "would be just as fit for the concert hall as for the small screen."[13] In particular, the series' main title theme has been referred to as "iconic"[12][8][14] and as "the definitive TV theme tune of the 21st century."[15] It ranked 25th on Rolling Stone's list of "the 100 greatest TV theme songs of all time."[16] The theme has also become a cult-favorite among fans, and has sparked ample online discourse as the subject of viral trends and "memes."[17][18]
Accolades[]
- Main article: Full list of awards and nominations
Britell has been nominated for several awards for his work on Succession, including a Grammy Award.[19] In 2019, he won a Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award for the main title theme.[20]
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grammy Awards | 2023 | Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media | Succession (Nicholas Britell) | ✗ | [19] |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2019 | Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music | Succession | ✓ | [20] |
| 2020 | Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Succession (Nicholas Britell for "This Is Not for Tears") | ✗ | ||
| 2022 | Succession (Nicholas Britell for "Chiantishire") | ✗ | |||
| Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards | 2020 | Outstanding Original Score for a Television or Streaming Production | Succession (Nicholas Britell) | ✗ | [21][22] |
| 2022 | Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production | Succession (Nicholas Britell) | ✗ | [23] | |
| 2024 | ✓ | [24] |