The soundtrack follows Jeanette (Chiara Aurelia) and Kate (Olivia Holt) through high school halls, summer malls, and far less happy settings. It’s an angsty story that is matched by an equally emotional set of retro teen bangers. If you were a kid in the ’90s, this playlist will likely take you right back. But this is more than aural mise-en-scene; the music propels the plot and also foreshadows the journeys of both troubled teens. It’s particularly interesting, as the three different timelines have three completely different tones and temperaments: ’93 is uplifting, ’94 is angsty, and ’95 is pure raw teen anger.
If you’ve been pausing throughout Cruel Summer to try and pinpoint a given song, or just want to re-listen to your favourites before the next episode, here’s an episode-by-episode guide of every song featured in the Jessica Biel-produced teen thriller.
Episode 1: Gabrielle, “Dreams”
This is a delightfully bittersweet setup: we meet Jeanette as she wakes up on her birthday in ’93 with what could be described as a perfect life. But her own dreams will send her down a twisted path, as we see with the subsequent birthday mornings that open the pilot.
Episode 1: Brandy, “I Wanna Be Down”
The second birthday we see is in ’94. Jeanette is woken by her boyfriend Jamie (Froy Gutierrez) rather than her dad. It’s the cool girl life she always dreamed of. The lyrics to the song also echo Jeanette’s attempts to find popularity and happiness with Kate’s ex and friends.
Episode 1: Northside, “Take Five”
What’s a ’90s shopping centre montage without a photo booth scene? And we get one here as Jeanette and her buds hit up the shopping centre on her birthday and it’s soundtracked by this song.
Episode 1: The Cranberries, “Dreams”
We heard this track during the skate rink sequence in 1994. It’s a smart reflection of Gabrielle’s “Dreams” in the pilot. Yet, here we see Jeanette achieving those very hopes. She’s got a hunky boyfriend who loves her and popular friends, but at what cost?
Episode 1: Susan Voelz, “I Never Saw You Cry”
During the dreadful dreariness of ’95 we see Jeanette’s dad, Greg (Michael Landes), drinking at a bar as this song plays. It’s a nod to the emotional time that the family are living through as well as a soundtrack to meeting his new girlfriend, Angela (Brooklyn Sudano).
Episode 1: En Vogue, “Free Your Mind”
In ’93 when Vince (Allius Barnes), Mallory (Harley Quinn Smith), and Jeanette are stealing the keys to what will soon be Martin Harris’ house, this is the song we hear.
Episode 1: Tiger Trap, “Supreme Nothing”
In ’95 when, we see Jeanette in her car getting harassed by strangers, she’s listening to this ominous track — likely a nod to how she went from new queen bee to social pariah.
Episode 1: Garbage, “Stupid Girl”
This is easily the best needle drop in an episode filled with them. As the show reveals its hand, the song begins. In just one hour we’ve seen Jeanette go from naive nerd to most hated woman in America, and Shirley Manson’s dulcet tones feel like another brutal accusation.
Episode 2: Tiger Trap, “You & Me”
As we get into the ins and outs of Kate’s life, this is a fitting title track as it also introduces us to Kate and her mom’s almost symbiotic relationship.
Episode 2: The Cranberries, “Zombie”
Essentially the song of the episode, this iconic track from the Irish sensations is the tonal setting for where we find Kate after her return. We hear different versions of the song as we progress and the show introduces more potential characters who represent the song.
Episode 2: Stevie Vaus, “Inside My Radio”
When Greg’s dropping Derek off at the garden party, this is the song they’re listening to in the car before they discover the rumors about Jeanette.
Episode 2: Raelyn Nelson Band, “Rebel Girl”
This cheery classic kicks in as Vince, Mallory, and Jeanette prank Kate’s parents’ garden party. Not only is it just a song about the act, but it’s also a reference to Kate’s escape from the party, which sees her first split from her tight knit family.
Episode 3: The Muffs, “Everywhere I Go”
Back in the dreamy world of ’93, Jeanette is filling out a quiz in her living room. It’s about the kind of boyfriend that she might have, which is a little grim foreshadowing for us.
Episode 3: Fairweather Friends, “Sick Sick Sick”
In what is their first face to face meeting that we’ve seen in the ’95 timeline, Jeanette is driving listening to this aggy tune when she’s chased down and confronted by Kate.
Episode 3: Cottage Sounds Unlimited Feat. Traci Amos & Oscar Jackson, “Respect Yourself”
As part of their “things to do this summer” list, Mallory steals a bag of her mom’s pot. So, in Jeanette’s bright ’93 bedroom, we hear this when she pretends to throw away the drugs.
Episode 3: Jennifer Tefft, “Enemy”
Jeanette has plenty of enemies this season, not the least of which is herself if what Kate says is true. That’s probably why we hear this track as she sits at home isolated and alone.
Episode 3: Mazzy Star, “Fade into You”
While Vince and Ben (Nathaniel Ashton) head off to a secret home that’s been converted into a bar for queer couples, they dance the night away to this classic track.
Episode 3: Bleach Bath, “Fade into You”
Cruel Summer loves to reuse or re-imagine a track, and here we get this haunting cover of the song we just saw as a backdrop for romance, but instead it’s a dark soundtrack to depression.
Episode 4: The Slugs, “Kids With Toys”
While Kate and her family get ready for a hunting trip in 1993 we hear this track that hints at the irresponsibility and danger of the whole gun-toting family weekend away.
Episode 4: 99 Tales, “Thursday”
In 1995 this is what Mallory and Kate are listening to in the kitchen of Kate’s house. The rebellious grungy vibes are completely representative of Kate’s unexpected transformation.
Episode 4: INXS, “Beautiful Girl”
This ultimately creepy track plays as Kate learns she’s trapped in Martin’s basement for the long haul. It’s especially awful in the context of her situation as the we hear the singer demand “beautiful girl, stay with me.”
Episode 4: Carina Round, “Come Undone”
At the end of this episode Kate begins to listen to her therapy tapes, this is the song we hear playing behind her self-discovery and it’s appropriate as she begins to spin out from them.
Episode 5: Spin Doctors, “Two Princes”
In the halcyon days 1993 we see Kate and Jeanette getting ready, when they were both royalty in their own worlds which is a vast difference from their lives in 1994.
Episode 5: Mecca Normal, “I Walk Alone”
Speaking of which, in 1994 the girls are getting ready to this more muted track. Of course the title and lyrics represent their new roles as outsiders post Kate’s disappearance.
Episode 5: Skunk Anansie, “Weak”
In a soundtrack full of bangers this one still stands out as a top tier choice. The unforgettable tones of Skunk Anansie accompany Jeanette as she climbs out of the shower in 1995.
Episode 5: Steve Vaus, “All Over But the Shouting”
As Jamie and Kate head to the county fair in 1994 this is their soundtrack. It’s bittersweet and direct as their relationship is devolving and there’s not much left but shouting.
Episode 5: 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up”
In a rare feel good moment in Cruel Summer we join Angela and Jeanette as they yell through this karaoke classic. Viewers will likely feel that this one is fitting as we all wonder “What’s Going On?”
Episode 6: Bratmobile, “Queenie”
This riot girl classic opens the episode as Derek and Jeanette set up an anniversary breakfast for their parents. It’s a nice little nod to the perfect life Jeanette had in 1993.
Episode 6: Lowdown Brass Band, “Can I Kick It?”
In 1993 Vince, Mallory, and Jeanette are planning their next item list, unlucky number #13. It’s an interesting choice as the Vince and Jeanette decide whether or not to go along with Mallory’s newest scheme.
Episode 6: Cracker, “Low”
On one of her many trips to Martin Harris’ house in 1993 Jeanette hides in a closet while Martin entertains Tanya (Kim Jackson Davis). And when the stereo accidentally turns on this massive 90s hit blares from the speakers.
Episode 6: Screen, “Brad”
When Cindy turns up in Angela’s bar for that surprisingly moving and powerful shared solidarity moment, we can hear this little ditty playing as they have their revelatory chat.
Episode 6: Damned Anthem, “Save Your Soul”
Each episode of Cruel Summer ends with a pretty killer cliffhanger and this week we hear this dark tune as Jeanette’s parents discover that she did have a key to Martin’s house.
Episode 7: Gabrielle, “Dreams”
In a little reflection of the first episode where we met Jeanette on her birthday in 1993, here we meet young Kate Wallis on her birthday listening to exactly the same song as she wakes.
Episode 7: Heavens To Betsy, “Me & Her”
Mallory wakes Kate on her birthday in 1995, to this iconic sapphic track. The lyrics like “I HATE HER AND I LOVE HER” might give those suspicious of Mallory some pause though.
Episode 7: The Slugs, “We’ll Get Through”
With Kate getting ready for her birthday party there’s a little foreshadowing as she listens to “We’ll Get Through” completely unaware of how much she’ll need that reassurance later.
Episode 7: 99 Tales, “Nightfall”
After indulging in some of her mom’s stash a very high Mallory and Kate laze on the carpet in her bedroom eating nachos and listening to this.
Episode 7: Olivia Holt, “Today”
In 1995 Mallory organizes one of the coolest birthdays ever for Kate. As they skate in the empty roller rink Holt’s cover of the Smashing Pumpkins track plays echoing their brilliant day.
Episode 7: Zella Day, “Wonderwall”
As the episode comes to a close we hear this Oasis cover as we see the reason Kate ran away to Martin’s home, and as we see Derek and Jeanette discover that she went willingly.
Episode 8: Cover of Deelite, “Groove Is In The Heart”
This feel good classic sets the tone for the fresh new start of the 1993 school year. Jeanette’s braces are off, she’s ready to make some new friends and things are looking up… if only she knew.
Episode 8: Corey Landis Cover of The Pixies, “Where Is My Mind”
You could ask this question of many people in the cast of Cruel Summer, but here we hear it as Mallory recovers the snowglobe and Martin watches the video Mallory made of Kate in his home.
Episode 9: No Vacation cover of The Cranberries, “Linger”
Cruel Summer drops this chilling bit of foreshadowing as Kate stands in Martin’s window house watching him go to work after the first night that she stayed there.
Episode 9: Johnny Amaroso, “There She Is”
Martin’s music choices are creepily anachronistic and this is the song that plays as he grooms Kate with breakfast for dinner.
Episode 9: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, “Laid”
One of the most heartbreaking reveals in the season is set to this cheery indie pop track as we see Kate and Martin playing hide and seek and kissing on Day 21 of Kate’s captivity.
Episode 10: Damon & Naomi, “Laika”
This-guitar driven track plays as Jeanette and Jamie reconcile in 1995 and hints at their newly rekindled romance.
Episode 10: Garbage, “Only Happy When it Rains”
In what seems like a rare happy ending Mallory and Kate dance together — echoing Kate’s dancing in the street earlier this season — and share a kiss to this classic. It’s a little nod to the happiness they found in the darkest times of their lives together.
Episode 10: Olivia Holt Cover Of Radiohead, “Creep”
As the rotten truth of Cruel Summer is revealed — that Jeanette knew Kate was in the basement and left her there all along — Holt’s dulcet tones seep in stating “I’m a Creep” over Jeanette’s smiling face.
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