From The Wonders to Sing Street to Josie and the Pussycats, we all love a good fictional band. We enjoy watching their stories unfold, relishing in their rise to fame and not-so-discreetly peeking at their backstage drama. Then, we take pleasure in seeing them fall apart as their members die tragic deaths or simply move on to a not always successful solo career. But, perhaps most importantly, we absolutely love to listen to their songs.

Real-world acts can often have a hard time creating tunes as delightful as Sing Street’s “The Riddle of the Model” or as memorable as The Wonders’ (or is it The Oneders?) “That Thing You Do”. But while these bands have made their sound synonymous with the 60s and 80s, respectively, even though they came way later, the most recent addition to the neverending list of fictional acts that can give real artists a run for their money comes straight from the 70s. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give it up for Daisy Jones and the Six!

The stars of the eponymous Prime Video series haven’t exactly been getting the most stellar reviews as far as their story is concerned. Music-wise, however, things couldn’t be more different. Would-be hits such as “Regret Me” and ”Look at Us Now (Honeycomb)” have been winning over the hearts and ears of old-time Daisy lovers and newcomers alike. Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, and many other digital platforms, the band’s debut album, Aurora, features numerous amazing tracks from the titular “Aurora” to “No Words”. I, particularly, have become a huge enthusiast of the album’s second track, “Let Me Down Easy”. The record is full of absolute bops from start to finish.

But, sadly, as we all know, Daisy Jones and the Six aren’t the actual composers of these songs. Because, well, they’re not real. Much like The Wonders needed Adam Schlessinger to write the music and lyrics to “That Thing You Do”, Daisy Jones and the Six required the help of a group of songwriters to pen their greatest hits and B-sides. In case you’re wondering who are the talented artists behind the tracks of Aurora and where you know them from, don’t worry: we have the answers to all your questions.

What Is ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ About?

Based on the novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones and the Six chronicles the rise to fame and eventual break-up of a Fleetwood Mac-inspired rock band in the 70s. Riley Keough stars as the titular Daisy Jones, while Sam Claflin, Will Harrison, Suki Waterhouse, Sebastian Chacon, and Josh Whitehouse make up the other six. Or, rather, five. Though, in the book, Daisy Jones’ band had originally six other members, in the show, the number has been reduced to five. The main cast also features Timothy Oliphant as the band’s manager, Rod, and Camila Morrone as Camila Dunne, the girlfriend of the Six’s de facto leader, Billy Dunne (Claflin).

The story of Daisy Jones and the Six begins with the band making their way through the LA music scene until they hit it big with the release of their first record, Aurora. From then on, Daisy and the Six’s popularity only grows, to the point where they become one of the most iconic acts in the history of rock’n’roll. However, due to circumstances that will become clear throughout the show’s ten episodes, the six eventually decide to go their separate ways right at the height of their fame. Produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter’s company, Hello Sunshine, the show was created by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.

Who Are the Masterminds Behind the Songs of ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’?

As you can see, a lot of people were involved in turning Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestseller into a TV show. But what about the ones tasked with bringing to life the songs that are only described in the book, giving the show that distinct sound that will certainly live on for years to come? As it turns out, much like Keough and Claflin, many of the masterminds behind Aurora are people that you might recognize from their previous works.

Known for his work with artists like Perfume Genius, Sky Ferreira, Laura Marling, and Fiona Apple, producer and composer Blake Mills was the one responsible for putting the show’s soundtrack and the Six’s first album together. In a press release, Mills stated: “Creating the library of music for Daisy Jones and The Six was an experience I’ll never forget. I am grateful that, among other things, it afforded me an opportunity to collaborate with so many of my peers, and also some of my heroes.”

Among the peers and heroes mentioned by Mills is current indie darling Phoebe Bridgers. The singer-songwriter behind beautiful, haunting tunes such as “Motion Sickness” and “I Know the End” has lent her talent to the world of Daisy Jones and the Six, as did Marcus Mumford. Best known as the leader of the indie folk band Mumford & Sons, Mumford is one of the names responsible for hits of the late-2000s, early-2010s such as “Hopeless Wanderer”, “I Will Wait”, and, of course, “Little Lion Man”. Winner of the 2023 Grammy for Best Folk Album, with Revealer, Madison Cunningham has also contributed to the show’s soundtrack.

But perhaps the most impressive and decisive addition to this list of artists is classic folk-rock singer and guitarist Jackson Browne. Coming straight from the 1970s, Browne is best known for composing the now classic “These Days”, most famously recorded by Nico. However, his list of Top 40 hits also includes “The Pretender”, “Running on Empty”, and “Somebody’s Baby”. There is no doubt that Browne’s experience with the genre was key to giving the sound of Daisy Jones and the Six its authentic vibe.

Where Can You Listen to ‘Aurora’, Daisy Jones and the Six’s Debut Album?

Whether you've read the book or you're just discovering the show, chances are that you are dying to listen to all these great songs we’ve talked about so far. And the good news is you don’t have to keep rewinding the show to catch an ear-glimpse of “Regret Me” or “Look At Us Now (Honeycomb)” as if you were living in the Stone Age. Aurora has been released as an actual record by Atlantic Records and you can even buy a copy on vinyl if you like to listen to music the old-fashioned way. In case you prefer a more modern approach, you can also listen to the album on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube, and other platforms.

And, if you’re feeling particularly folk-y, don’t forget to check out the Daisy Jones and the Six official playlist, featuring acts like Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, and, somewhat strangely, Harry Styles.