Heartstopper has been one of Netflix’s most popular shows to date. Just recently, it got renewed for seasons two and three — practically unheard of for the streaming giant — and has changed the lives of so many LGBTQ+ youth around the world. Based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series of the same name, Heartstopper tells a heartwarming story of love and self-discovery between Charlie and Nick.
Per Decider, one of the most praised elements of Heartstopper, especially on social media, was the soundtrack. With so many songs on the soundtrack, we’ve decided to rank the best songs from it.
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7 “Girls” — girl in red
“Girls” by LGBTQ+ icon, girl in red, has gone viral in the past, but its appearance in Heartstopper has brought new life to it. Played in episode 2, the lyrics of this song are specifically lesbian-oriented and are about accepting yourself for your sexuality. In Heartstopper, though, it is played over scenes of young trans woman Elle envying other girls at her school — more specifically, envying Tara and Darcy.
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6 “Sappho” — Frankie Cosmos
Netflix
Another song which appears in episode 2, “Sappho” is a sweet song about pining over somebody and getting more anxious the closer you get to them. The title is obviously a reference to the poet who hailed from the Isle of Lesbos, from which the word “lesbian” is derived. The song is about two girls, but in the show, this song is used as the first song in the episode, likely to tell the story of Charlie pining for Nick while being unsure of Nick’s feelings.
5 “If You Want To” — beabadoobee
“If You Want To” plays in episode five, when Nick is walking into Charlie’s bowling party. Despite the song sounding like a soft and romantic ballad, the lyrics are actually about insomnia and being a pushover. In the show, the song represents Nick’s nerves about being around Charlie’s friends, but also Charlie’s lack of self-esteem in relationships.
4 “Smokey Eyes” — Lincoln
“Smokey Eyes” by alt-rock powerhouse Lincoln soundtracks the fight between Tao and Harry on the field, and it’s just the right amount of chaos and anger to fit the moment perfectly. The lyrics are all about the anxiety of being in a new place without support systems, perfectly representing Tao’s isolation as Charlie gradually becomes more detached from him and attaches more to Nick. This song is also one of the most unique songs of the soundtrack for season one, and so it stands out for more than one reason.
3 “Don’t Delete The Kisses” — Wolf Alice
See Saw Films
Wolf Alice are an iconic British grunge inspired band, most known for sharing a label with pop band The 1975. “Don’t Delete The Kisses” is one of their most popular songs — and for good reason. The dreamy sound combined with the anxiety filled lyrics make for a perfect song, one especially fit for the soundtrack of Heartstopper. The London-centric lyrics are another aspect of this song, which makes it a great fit for the extremely British show. The song plays at the end of episode one, and sets up the story as one of the most epic love stories to grace our screens.
2 “Why Am I Like This?” — Orla Gartland
See-Saw Productions
This song is one of the most popular from the Heartstopper soundtrack, having gone viral on TikTok and sharing its title with one of the most iconic catchphrases from the show. In Heartstopper, it plays at the end of episode 2, just before Nick goes down the rabbit hole of questioning his sexuality. The lyrics quite literally questions why the singer is the way they are, and is another anxiety-ridden song to match the show perfectly.
1 “I Want to Be With You” — Chloe Moriondo
Finally, the best song on the Heartstopper season one soundtrack is “I Want to Be With You” by Chloe Moriondo. This song was mentioned in the graphic novel that inspired the show, and fits the story of Nick and Charlie perfectly. It’s a teen rock anthem about not caring about anything except the person you love, and being happy together. It is everything Heartstopper represents, and the fact that it’s sung by a member of the LGBTQ+ community makes it even better!
