“The Summer I Turned Pretty” has become known for its flashy soundtrack, which accompanies viewers at all moments of the emotional, teenage rollercoaster that viewers board when they start watching. Han has made a point to include as many Taylor Swift songs as possible in this series, but for those who are not Swifties, don’t worry. Only three of the nine total Swift songs used this season made it into this ranking of needle drops. You’re welcome.
For those who think this list will be full of pop, teen bops, look again! There are some oldies but goodies, alternative, folk and rock songs in addition to the bubblegum radio pop that represents coming of age as a teenager.
Here are the top 15 musical moments in Season 2, ranked from last to first:
15. “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo, Episode 1
The smoothest insert of “Driver’s License” into the first episode had to make the cut, no matter how low-hanging fruit some might think it was. The lyrics don’t exactly capture the experience of Belly and Conrad’s falling out, but they hit pretty close to home because Conrad is older, and Belly did get her driver’s license between Seasons 1 and 2.
14. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses
Another summer anthem, devoted to a scene between Belly and Jeremiah, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” mimics the adrenaline that the pair experiences on the Tower of Terror after Belly’s team loses to the boys in the Great Boardwalk Showdown (™). This scene also marks the turn in tides where Belly might be having feelings for Jere AGAIN. Even Taylor notices it.
13. “Steal My Girl” by One Direction, Episode 2
Taylor Swift, One Direction and Olivia Rodrigo make up a solid trifecta of teen pop music that is perfect for the TV adaptation of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” When Episode 2 of Season 2 kicked off with “Steal My Girl,” it became even stronger as viewers realized this was a flashback moment to when Belly went to Cousins in the winter with Conrad. Episode 1 had left off with her calling Jeremiah and the two of them making plans to meet up to find Conrad. Some might have thought she was going out to get in Jeremiah’s car. The hope for Conrad and Belly remains strong with the use of this song.
12. “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty, Episode 7
Belly and the boys’ car singalong to “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty has to make this roundup because it unites the three of them after an intense almost all-nighter of studying for Conrad’s biology final. Belly herself is not only passenger princess, but queen of belting bangers in the car, as we saw with her solo to Kim Petras’ “Can’t Do Better.”
11. “All the Small Things” by blink-182, Episode 6
Milo (Will Spencer) and Steven’s fight, which breaks out right after Steven and Taylor complete their spirited routine to “Party in the USA,” summons the energy given off by blink-182’s “All the Small Things.” While a fight between two boys isn’t a small thing, and neither is what they are fighting about, Taylor ultimately hits home the point of the song because the fight Milo picks makes him look ridiculous.
10. “Never Really Over” by Katy Perry, Episode 4
A summer song alone, the use of Katy Perry’s “Never Really Over” during the shoot your shot challenge between Conrad and Belly on the boardwalk all but confirms Jeremiah’s assertion later on in Season 2 that “there will always be something between [Belly] and Conrad.” The fast-paced tempo suits the adrenaline rush of a competitive basketball shootout, especially one between the ever-competitive Belly and the athletic Conrad.
9. “Delicate (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift
Way to confuse us, Jenny! For those who don’t know, “Delicate,” from Swift’s “Reputation” album is Jenny Han’s favorite Taylor Swift song, and she used it for a scene between Belly and Jeremiah. Up until this point, Jere hadn’t gotten a Taylor Swift song — most of them had been reserved for Belly and Conrad. Also, “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” hasn’t even BEEN ANNOUNCED YET. This is like when Jenny secured “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” for the first season TEASER, and Swift hadn’t yet announced that album’s rerecording launch date. She since has in a very epic way.
8. “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, Episode 6
Steven (Sean Kaufman) remembering Taylor (Rain Spencer) and Belly’s dance routine set to “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus has to make the top 10 musical moments. Sean and Rain worked hard on that choreography, according to a video posted on Instagram by Jenny Han. The scene kicks off a sequence of crazy moments at the party the kids throw in Susannah’s Cousins Beach house after Julia sells it, one of which makes this list.
7. “I’m Kissing You” by Des’ree, Episode 2
Many attentive fans have already pointed out that this song was used in Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet” when Claire Danes’ Juliet and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Romeo meet for the first time through the glass panes of a fish tank. As if that connotation weren’t enough, this becomes the song that Belly and Conrad have sex to! Way to add more powerful pop culture layers to an already great song, Jenny!
6. “Last Nite” by The Strokes, Episode 7
Time to balance out all this sadness and angst with a song dedicated to the bright version of Susannah, who loved “Last Nite” by The Strokes. Aux master Belly puts it on to get the boys up for a late-night dance party during their study session for Conrad’s biology final, and Conrad even remarks, “My mom loved this song!” to which Belly says “Duh!” At first, Conrad refuses to dance, but eventually, he gets in the groove, which shows the power of Susannah and this favorite son of hers.
5. “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” by Taylor Swift, Finale
An already powerful ballad by Swift, and a 3 AM bonus track off of “Midnights” at that, “Bigger Than the Whole” sky playing over Belly’s last moments with Susannah drives that Phoebe Bridgers knife in deeper and twists it for good measure. Since Taylor Swift seemed to be reserved for funner moments and many between Conrad and Belly until this season (looking at you “Delicate” playing during Belly and Jeremiah’s pool scene), this one for a heavier moment hits home.
4. “Exile” by Taylor Swift, Finale
A more perfect song for Mr. Conrad Fisher in this moment does not exist. Viewers can physically feel him crumbling and struggling to breathe as he stubbornly takes back his last confession of love for Belly before walking out and isolating himself further from her and his brother. Of course, Jenny Han chose a Taylor Swift ballad for this moment, and it came shortly after the use of another Swift ballad that we had to include in this ranking. There are only three total Taylor Swift songs in this ranking, for any haters!
3. “Silver Spring” by Fleetwood Mac, Episode 3
Yes, of course, any Fleetwood Mac music might call to mind another Prime Video book adaptation, “Daisy Jones & the Six,” especially now that Stevie Nicks herself has praised the Hello Sunshine show. But “Silver Spring” packs a punch as it backs Belly making a scene at Susannah’s funeral reception with Conrad. “You’ll never get away from the sound of a woman that loves you,” hits different when it refers to Conrad and Belly.
2. “Summer’s End” by Phoebe Bridgers and Maria Taylor, Episode 7
Leave it to Jenny to not only up the ante on the number of Taylor Swift songs this season but to also stick ANOTHER SAD Phoebe Bridgers song in a scene memorializing Susannah (Rachel Blanchard) in the penultimate episode. “Summer’s End” is so appropriate because it plays over Laurel’s emotional flashback of Susannah on the doc, encouraging Laurel to stop procrastinating writing her “It’s Not Summer Without You” memoir. Looks like we can expect some Phoebe Bridgers in Season 3 after “Funeral” played over the news of all the kids finding out about the return of Susannah’s cancer.
1. “Tiebreaker” by The Head and the Heart, Episode 7
The Head and the Heart’s “Tiebreaker” has to come first because it contextualizes the wild final moment of the penultimate episode of Season 2. The title of the song alone speaks volumes when applied to Belly kissing Jeremiah. Jenny Han knows exactly what she is doing. The scene might lose points since it parallels their kiss in the pool in Season 1, so viewers — especially those on Team Conrad — might be familiar with the complicated emotions that arise out of seeing it happen again.
