Nicholas Britell
Nicholas Britell composed original music for the series.

The music for the 2018 HBO satirical black comedy-drama television series Succession is composed by Nicholas Britell. It is considered as a combination of "hip hop and classical music" approaching the life style of Kendall Roy's mindset, his entry in corporate business, and obsession over rap music, which led hip hop being a major influence in the show.[1] The score albums for each season were distributed by Republic Records, WaterTower Music, Milan Records, and Lake George Music Group. Britell's score, along with the main title theme, received critical acclaim and several accolades.

Overview

Nicholas Britell was hired to score the television series' music, referred by director and executive producer Adam McKay, who previously worked with him in The Big Short (2015) and Vice (2018).[2] It was his first scoring stint for a television series. Though he understood the musical language of being distinctive from the show's satirical elements, he tried not to be musically funny, because "as soon as the music says this is funny, all the humor is drained [...] Getting darker makes it funny, and that’s what I leaned into — this counterpoint." Hence, he approached a lot of the writing of the music as "imagining what the Roy family might imagine for themselves".[1]

He wrote a dark classical score based on the late-18th century music, which had infused with hip-hop beats, using a Roland TR-808 drummed machine, detuned piano, modern filters and samples, which is music for "delusions of Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong), who has a predilection for rap, but intentionally exaggerated". He sampled an initial part of the score to infuse with hip hop beats.[3] Some of the score had consisted of cohesive, song-like variations of main themes instead of cues being directed for the actions, situations and characters.[2][4] He was fascinated by finding strange sounds that are linked through the show. While mixing bass in the score, Britell "always turn it up a little ‘too much’, because that feels right to him for the show" while also experimenting piano, bells, strings, and percussions.[5]

In the second season, the album featured the rap song "L to the OG" performed by Strong himself, to depict Roy's rap obsession.[6][7] The song was written by Britell himself, as the showrunner Jesse Armstrong told him "Kendall was going to perform a rap for his father – because of course he would. Kendall doing a rap for Logan in itself is going to be a cringeworthy event, but if it’s just cringeworthy and falls flat then it doesn’t really work. It needs to be cringeworthy and well-executed [...] Kendall is basically the same age as I am and most people form their musical predilections in college, so I thought it would be really [funny] to take a beat [I wrote] from that time, that probably would represent Kendall’s tastes too."[5] Strong asked him to record the demo of it and had practiced the vocals, which was finalised.[8] Britell appreciated his performance in both acting and singing, saying "To rap a sequence like that is not easy and requires a whole rhythm sensibility. It’s a very different skill set from acting. I think he did an incredible job."[5]

The third season's score was influenced by Italian classical music. Britell spent time in Tuscany studying the musical tradition.[9] In some cues, the score had "the timelessness of that part of the world, the history and how that parallels with the sort of current mythmaking that the Roy family has of themselves at the same moment in time."[9][10] As a result, he had the scope to explore grandeur for the sequences in the location, as well as its cues. He added that the FBI raid in the third episode is probably "one of the largest [cues] certainly up to that moment".[9][11]

Main title

The main title theme was composed using classical piano layered with hip-hop beats. He used beats from the TR-808, along with strings and brass, and wove the percussive instruments into the theme to create a dissonant sound.[5][12] The theme song was released as a single on July 20, 2018.[13] It has been opened to acclaim from critics and fans, and has given rise to several memes, remixes, fan projects, and TikTok viral trends.

In an article for Time, Raisa Bruner wrote that "The theme mixes Britell’s expertise in classical composition with his background making hip-hop beats, layering the two styles. [Drew] Silverstein calls out the 808s (a popular drum machine sound), detuned piano (piano intentionally made to sound out-of-tune), audio-processing filters (more technical composition tools) and “gritty” strings that all come together in a way that’s “not as sweet and glossy as you might get in other soaring themes.” This is no Downton Abbey, gilding an image of a genteel patrician family, but rather something less polished and pleasant, reflecting the nastiness of the Roy family dynamics."[14]

Emmanuel Ocbazghi of Insider stated of the main theme, "Britell manages to distill Succession's key themes into its title song. There's an unsettling atmosphere to it, an unease lurking beneath its polished veneer. This makes it hard to pinpoint exactly what the tone of the song is, but that's the point. Even fans of Succession argue whether the show is a dark comedy or a drama. The theme song matches those conflicting tones.[15]

An official remix of the song by rapper Pusha T was released on October 2019.[16]

Soundtrack albums

Season 1

Succession: Season 1 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Nicholas Britell
ReleasedAugust 9, 2019 (2019-08-09)
Genre
Length37:43
LabelMilan Records
Succession soundtrack chronology
Succession: Season 1
(2019)		 Succession: Season 2
(2020)
Singles from Succession: Season 1 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack)
  1. "Succession (Main Title Theme)"
    Released: July 20, 2018

Succession: Season 1 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the first season of the television series, released on August 9, 2019 by Milan Records.[17] The album was preceded by the single—the main title theme, released earlier on July 2018.[12]

No.TitleLength
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 Major"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" (Orchestra)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
Total length:37:43

Season 2

Succession: Season 2 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Nicholas Britell
ReleasedMay 22, 2020 (2020-05-22)
Genre
  • Classical
  • hip hop
Length39:52
LabelWaterTower Music
Succession soundtrack chronology
Succession: Season 1
(2019)		 Succession: Season 2
(2020)		 Succession: Season 3
(2022)
Singles from Succession: Season 2 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack)
  1. "L to the OG"
    Released: May 20, 2020

Succession: Season 2 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the second season of the television series, released on May 22, 2020 by WaterTower Music.[18] The album was preceded by the single—"L to the OG", performed by Jeremy Strong.[7]

No.TitleLength
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 Grosso in C Minor – Ripieno Strings"2:05
12."Andante Con Moto – String Orchestra Variation"2:27
13."Roman's Beat – "Hearts""1:23
14."Andante in C Minor – Main Theme 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
Total length:39:52

Season 3

Succession: Season 3 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Nicholas Britell
ReleasedApril 29, 2022 (2022-04-29)
Genre
  • Classical
  • hip hop
Length44:16
LabelRepublic Records
Succession soundtrack chronology
Succession: Season 2
(2020)		 Succession: Season 3
(2022)

Succession: Season 3 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the third season of the television series, released on April 29, 2022 by Republic Records.[19]

No.TitleLength
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."Ricercare – Strings and Voices – Bonus Track"1:18
17."Nocturne – Piano and Strings"1:22
18."Impromptu No. 1 for Strings – End Credits – "Chiantishire""3:02
19."Dolce Pianos and Strings – "Il Viaggio""1:21
20."Andante Moderato – End Credits – "Amen""2:50
21."Honesty" (feat. Kendall Roy)3:54
Total length:44:16

Season 4

Succession: Season 4 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Nicholas Britell
ReleasedMay 29, 2023 (2023-05-29)
Genre
  • Classical
  • hip hop
Length48:43
LabelLake George Music Group
Succession soundtrack chronology
Succession: Season 3
(2022)		 Succession: Season 4
(2023)

Succession: Season 4 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the fourth and final season of the television series, released on May 29, 2023, by Lake George Music Group.[20]

No.TitleLength
1."Succession - Main Title Theme; Orchestral Intro Version"2:01
2."Langsam - "We Gave It a Go""2:13
3."End Credits - Vivace 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."Marcato 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
Total length:48:43

Accolades

Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Grammy Awards 2023 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Nicholas Britell (for Succession: Season 3 soundtrack) Nominated [21]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2019 Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music Nicholas Britell Won [22]
[23]
2020 Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) Nicholas Britell (for "This Is Not for Tears") Nominated [24]
[25]
[26]
2022 Nicholas Britell (for "Chiantishire") Nominated [27]
[28]
Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards 2019 Outstanding Original Score for a Television or Streaming Production Nicholas Britell Nominated [29]
2022 Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production Nicholas Britell Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 Desowitz, Bill (May 6, 2019). "'Succession': Nicholas Britell Mixed Classical and Hip-Hop to Show the Precariousness of Power". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Rao, Sonia (August 12, 2019). "How 'Succession' composer Nicholas Britell captured the HBO series' gravitas and absurdity". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  3. ↑ Greiving, Tim (August 24, 2019). "'Succession' Composer Nicholas Britell on Making Music for the One Percent". Variety. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  4. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 17, 2020). "How Composer Nicholas Britell Is Holding A High Note In The Ongoing Opera Of The Roy Dynasty In HBO's 'Succession' Season 2 – Crew Call Podcast". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Britton, Luke Morgan (June 16, 2020). "'Succession': how composer Nicholas Britell wrote the show's iconic theme tune". NME. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  6. ↑ Hamilton, Jack (November 29, 2021). "Succession Can't Stop Using Hip-Hop as a Punchline". Slate Magazine. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Harris, Hunter (May 20, 2020). "Kendall's Succession Rap Finally Got an Official Release". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  8. ↑ Surrey, Miles (October 1, 2019). "The Definitive Analysis of Kendall Roy's Rap From 'Succession'". The Ringer. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 Tangcay, Jazz (April 28, 2022). "'Succession' Composer Nicholas Britell on the Season 3 Soundtrack's Choirs, Italian Influence and Billy Joel Cover". Variety. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  10. ↑ Buchanan, David (August 12, 2022). "'Succession' composer Nicholas Britell on his 'lyrical, romantic' and 'Gothic dark' score for Italy episodes [Exclusive Video Interview]". GoldDerby. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  11. ↑ Fisher, Neil (October 10, 2019). "Nicholas Britell, who wrote Succession's title music, on how to create the perfect TV theme". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "What makes the Succession theme worth ignoring the 'Skip Intro' button every time". Firstpost. December 7, 2021. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Here's Why the Theme Song on 'Succession' Stands Out So Much". Time. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  14. ↑ Bruner, Raisa (August 30, 2019). "Here's Why the Theme Song on 'Succession' Stands Out So Much". Time.com. Time.
  15. ↑ Ocbazghi, Emmauel. "'Succession' won the Emmy for Best Drama Series. This is why the theme song is so catchy". Insider.
  16. ↑ Wheat, Lorraine (October 12, 2019). "Pusha T Joins Line of 'Succession' by Adding Rap to Nicholas Britell's TV Theme". Variety. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  17. ↑ Succession: Season 1 (HBO Original Series Soundtrack) by Nicholas Britell, August 9, 2019, archived from the original on November 30, 2022, retrieved November 30, 2022
  18. ↑ "WaterTower Music - SUCCESSION: SEASON 2 - HBO ORIGINAL SERIES SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE MAY 22". www.watertower-music.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  19. ↑ Peacock, Tim (May 1, 2022). "The 'Succession Season 3' Soundtrack Album Is Out Now". uDiscover Music. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  20. ↑ Tangcay, Jazz (May 29, 2023). "'Succession' Composer Nicholas Britell on the Season 4 Soundtrack: 'This Score Represents the Culmination of My Musical Vision'". Variety. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  21. ↑ Willman, Chris (November 15, 2022). "Grammy Awards Nominations 2023: The Complete List (Updating)". Variety. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  22. ↑ Mitovich, Matt Webb (September 22, 2019). "Emmys 2019: Game of Thrones Ties Record and Leads TV Pack; Fleabag, Chernobyl and Mrs. Maisel Win Big". TVLine. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  23. ↑ Hill, Libby (September 14, 2019). "Complete Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2019 Winners List: 'Game of Thrones' Torches Competitors". IndieWire. Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  24. ↑ "2020 Emmy Nominations: Full List of Nominees for 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards". Rotten Tomatoes. July 28, 2020. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  25. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (July 28, 2020). "Emmy Awards Nominations: The Complete List". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  26. ↑ Snierson, Dan (September 21, 2020). "Emmy Awards 2020: See the full list of winners". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  27. ↑ Moreau, Jordan (July 12, 2022). "Emmys 2022: Complete Nominations List". Variety. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  28. ↑ Maas, Jennifer (September 12, 2022). "Emmy Awards 2022: The Complete Winners List". Variety. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  29. ↑ The Society of Composers & Lyricists (December 2, 2019). "SCL Awards Nominations". Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  30. ↑ "The SCL Announces Nominees for Third Annual SCL Awards". The Society of Composers and Lyricists. January 4, 2022. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
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