Music that Shaped Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joss Whedon inspired many a writer (myself included) with his panache for strong story, witty dialog, and quirky characters in his irreverent series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

What’s easy to overlook, though, is how Whedon broke new ground with music in the series. To the point where music became a character integral to the story.

Take the Bronze. Sunnydale’s hippster nightclub. Of 144 episodes of the series, 66 have at least one scene at The Bronze. Each of those scenes featured live bands, playing original music. [Wikipedia] By the third season, groups were clamoring to be featured in an episode of Buffy.

But the Bronze’s live music wasn’t just a convenient plot device; it also shaped the mood and tone of the show. New bands from the Los Angeles area were showcased, as well as more well-known artists such as Aimee Mann, Splendid, Cibo Matto, Angie Hart, Michelle Branch, K’s Choice, Garbage and Nerf Herder.  [Wikipedia]

The bands that took the stage at The Bronze weren’t everything, though. The musical scores that flowed through the seven season run, gave depth of story and emotion in equal measure.

Every Buffy fan has their musical favorites. Here are a couple of mine…

Prayer of St. Francis ~ Sarah McLachlan

Try as I might, I couldn’t pick just one favorite song from the classic musical episode, Once More With Feeling, in Season Six, so I opted for the trailer. If you haven’t seen the episode, do it NOW. It’s utterly brilliant. All the more so, when you realize the story, music, and lyrics were all written by Joss Whedon himself!

Buffy ~ The Musical: Once More with Feeling

What’s your favorite Buffy musical moment?