Bridgerton is a Regency-era romance series that understands its assignment. That’s true for how it handles its storylines – lusty historical romps that disguise modern takes on sex scenes under tightly-constricted corsets – and for how it approaches the music that scores its most climactic moments. In the show’s first season, the soundtrack worked hard to pull newcomers to the period genre in. A montage of Regé-Jean Page spoon-licking to the sounds of Billie Eilish’s "Bad Guy" and a love confession timed to a whimsical Taylor Swift track bridged the gap between the delicate sensibilities of the London ton and the fans streaming the show on Netflix while … well, horny.
But in its second season, Bridgerton refines its musical tastes, experimenting with grunge deep cuts and 80s pop, and even a Bollywood hit – all beautifully translated into the language of orchestral strings that lay the scene for proposals, weddings, and balls. So many balls. So obviously, we took the time to rank these needle drops by just how well they got us in the mood.
10. "What About Us" – DUOMO
Original Artist: Pink
Featured In: Episode 6, “The Choice”
This Pink ballad has the tough job of lyrically translating all the conflicting emotions happening during a scene that sees Edwina finally standing up for herself and Kate eating a bit of crow for trying to control her sister’s love life. It succeeds, but the scene in question is just too sad to rank any higher on this list.
9. "Diamonds" – Hannah V & Joe Rodwell
Original Artist: Rihanna
Featured In: Episode 1, “Capital R Rake”
Naturally, any string cover of a Rihanna banger is going to be welcome by fans and this version of the singer’s smash hit “Diamonds” is perfectly coupled with a scene from the Queen’s Diamond Ball. Unfortunately, the entire dance is a bit of a letdown. The Queen isn’t moved by any of the young potentials to actually choose a Diamond of the First Water for the season and the sound of strings gliding over Rihanna’s directives to “shine bright like a diamond” is too soft to hear over Lady Danbury’s scheming.
8. "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" – Kris Bowers
Original Artist: Lata Mangeshkar
Featured In: Episode 6, “The Choice”
This subtle nod to Desi fans doubles as the perfect score to emphasize the pre-wedding traditions of the Sharma clan. Pulled from a beloved Bollywood classic, the melody opens one of the season’s most pivotal episodes, traipsing along as the Queen delegates wedding tasks while Edwina, Kate, and Mary Sharma merrily slather each other with turmeric paste – a ceremonial blessing given to the soon-to-be bride and groom.
7. "Stay Away" – Vitamin String Quartet
Original Artist: Nirvana
Featured In: Episode 1, “Capital R Rake”
This is perhaps the most imaginative choice on this season’s soundtrack. A grunge masterpiece filled with angst and self-loathing, the Nirvana track perfectly encapsulates who Anthony Bridgerton is when we meet him again, setting the stage for his tedious and disappointing search for the perfect Lady Bridgerton. Pinning your Regency-era speed dating montage to a Kurt Cobain scream track? Truly none of the other girls are doing it like Bridgerton.
6. "You Oughta Know" – DUOMO
Original Artist: Alanis Morissette
Featured In: Episode 5, “An Unthinkable Fate”
Bridgerton’s fifth episode asks a very important question: “Can you have an enemies-to-lovers trope without an orchestral cover of a banger by thee Canadian alt-queen?” The answer: No, you can’t. Lilting in the background of a tense meeting between Kate and Anthony amongst the lush foliage of an English wood, Alanis’ vengeful break-up track helps us navigate a precarious truce between the hot-for-each-other enemies in which they idiotically assume their combustible chemistry will simply fizzle out. Oh, you sweet summer children – this is capital L LUST, and it has you in its grips. There’s really no escaping this.
5. "Sign of the Times" – Steve Horner
Original Artist: Harry Styles
Featured In: Episode 6, “The Choice”
This moody synth track from Harry Styles was, quite notoriously, the most difficult license for the show to get. But it was well worth it. This ballad pulls double duty, narrating both an opulent wedding where one too many attendees are dreading the nuptials and an at-the-altar epiphany that leads to its disastrous end.
4. "Material Girl" – Kris Bowers
Original Artist: Madonna
Featured In: Episode 1, “Capital R Rake”
If you’ve ever wondered, “Will I really recognize a string cover of an 80s Madonna hit if it’s not “Like A Prayer,” the answer can be found in Bridgerton’s first episode. (It’s yes. The answer is yes.) The first ball of every marriage season is filled to the brim with nervous energy, giddy excitement, and lavish fashion, which makes the choice of “Material Girl” especially delicious. Not only is the London ton introduced to the Sharmas in their muslin-draped, gem-embellished best, but the show is given the freedom to deliver what we all want most: exquisitely choreographed waltzes, longing glances, and a good dressing down by the show’s feisty heroine.
3. "How Deep Is Your Love" – Kiris Houston
Original Artist: Calvin Harris
Featured In: Episode 7, “Harmony”
Some genius working behind the scenes on Bridgerton’s second season realized that the only thing that could make the loooong-awaited hook-up between Kate and Anthony even hotter was a Euro house dance club anthem from Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and thus this string cover was born. The sexual gratification between the show’s two leads may be delayed a bit by some labored breathing and name-calling but that just makes their eventual erotic union, scored to this sultry, sweaty summer techno smash all the more worth it.
2. "Dancing On My Own" – Vitamin String Quartet
Original Artist: Robyn
Featured In: Episode 4, “Victory”
This synth-pop ballad is filled with heartbreak and longing and a bit of voyeurism, which makes it the perfect choice to host Kate and Anthony’s first waltz. Robyn is the Queen of sad girl pop-rock and even though Jonathan Bailey is twirling his little heart out, pulling off the most extra pirouette we’ve seen in any Regency romance to date, all the complicated choreography and slow-mo tension won’t keep the tears at bay. Robyn knows the true tragedy: these two can never be together.
1. "Wrecking Ball" – Midnight String Quartet
Original Artist: Miley Cyrus
Featured In: Episode 8, “The Viscount Who Loved Me”
No enemies-to-lovers romance is complete without a climactic burn-it-all-down moment and who better to musically narrate the implosion of Kanthony better than the Queen of construction-themed break-up ballads, Miley Cyrus? This emotionally-charged pop number scores the couple’s final dance – after a failed engagement sparks rumors of a scandalous affair amongst the London ton. Both lovers are aware of the gossip, but the attraction between them is too heavy to deny so instead, they perform a cotillion-inspired middle-finger gesture for their onlookers before, eventually, admitting their true feelings to one another.