A soundtrack can make or break a TV show. Music can accompany the deep emotions depicted in a show- from sadness to joy. Additionally, they draw us in and keep us hooked. Season two of The Summer I Turned Pretty, a coming-of-age drama based on Jenny Han’s beloved novels, has a stellar playlist with something for everyone. The series follows protagonist Isabel “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung), who spends every summer at Cousins Beach with her family and family friends- including brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno).
Lola Tung
Christopher Briney
Gavin Casalegno
Sean Kaufman
Jackie Chung
Rachel Blanchard
Alfredo Narciso
Minnie Mills
Contrary to the prior season, it isn’t fully set in the summer and deviates from the first season's storyline. Susannah Fisher (Rachel Blanchard), Conrad and Jeremiah’s mother, has passed away after a long battle with cancer. A time jump occurred between the two seasons. Belly and Conrad enter a short-lived relationship that ends when he breaks her heart at prom. Again, the dynamic of the love triangle shifts and unfolds correspondingly with the drama of season two.
The show's second season is a testament to how music can enhance a story's emotional depth and resonance. Exploring the series’ themes of love, loss, and personal growth, Han artfully picks tracks that seamlessly fit in.
Episode One: Love Lost
Season two starts with a kick as “See You Again” by Kali Uchis and Tyler, The Creator plays. Belly dreams of being in Cousins Beach and reminisces about her wonderful summers there.
After Susannah’s death, the Fishers and Conklin’s annual beach trip ended. Instead, we see Belly’s life at school in her hometown. Later in the episode, one of arguably the best mic drops of the entire season occurs. Following a fight at her brother Steven’s (Sean Kaufman) graduation party, he yells at Belly for driving the Fisher brothers away, and she drives home crying. “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo plays softly in the background. Not only does the song reflect her frustration over her fight with Steven, but it alludes to her breakup with Conrad. With lyrics like, “And all my friends are tired/Of hearing how much I miss you,” it’s impossible not to argue the song mirrors Belly’s life.
Episode Two: Love Scene
Episode two solidifies this frequent use of pop music, kicking off with One Direction's "Steal My Girl" during a flashback to when Belly visited Cousins Beach in the winter with Conrad.
Episode one ends with Belly calling Jeremiah to plan a search for Conrad, but episode two reveals a flashback where Conrad surprises Belly by showing up at her house to whisk her away for Christmas. Little of their relationship is shown, so these flashbacks provide context into his disappearance. Their giddy excitement is infectious, and the song enhances the scene's nostalgic warmth as the song itself holds memories for the show’s key audience. During their search for Conrad, Jeremiah and Belly have evident tension. They stop at Rosie’s to eat pie while “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat” by Del Water Gap pokes at the lack of conversation between the two. Contrastingly, the scene is a key moment in their growing relationship as it gives them a sense of normalcy after so much loss.
Episode Three: Love Sick
Fleetwood Mac's "Silver Springs" underscores a pivotal moment at Susannah's funeral reception. The haunting lyrics, "You'll never get away from the sound of a woman that loves you," take on new meaning as Belly confronts Conrad in a heated scene. Seeing another girl comforting Conrad triggers Belly's feelings of betrayal, leading to an intense argument in front of all the guests. The parallels between the song's backstory and Belly's situation with Conrad are striking, making this one of the most emotionally charged moments of the season.
If you’re a fan of Fleetwood Mac, you may know that the song is about Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s breakup, making the scene all the more poignant. Later in the episode, Conrad and Jeremiah bond (yes, they found him). Conrad approaches Jeremiah and apologizes for his behavior. With all of the conflict derived from their love triangle, it’s a refreshing moment, and “Circles” by Mac Miller smoothly accompanies it.
Episode Four: Love Game
Katy Perry's "Never Really Over" sets the tone for a competitive basketball shootout between Belly and Conrad on the boardwalk. The fast-paced tempo mirrors the adrenaline rush of the game, and the song hints at the unresolved tension between Belly and Conrad, echoing Jeremiah's later assertion that there will always be something between Belly and Conrad. The song title is a direct callout that their love for each other will never really be over.
As the episode progresses, Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine" plays during a tender moment that shifts Belly's perception of Jeremiah. Jere holds her hand on The Tower of Terror in order to comfort her. It's clear that Belly's feelings for Jeremiah are growing, leaving viewers wondering where their relationship will go next. The constant switching of affection between the boys gives viewers whiplash.
Episode Five: Love Fool
Frank Ocean's cover of "Moon River" (originally sung by Audrey Hepburn) provides the backdrop for an intimate scene between Steven and Taylor, bringing them closer together after a season of emotional ups and downs. The sweet song and dance allow the pair to reconnect, setting the stage for their evolving relationship. After Belly caught them kissing last season and told them she was uncomfortable with it, their feelings for each other went on the back burner. The smooth melody of “Moon River” is the perfect song to build the romantic tension.
Meanwhile, Niall Horan's "Heaven" plays as Jeremiah reflects on seeing Belly for the first time last summer and how he instantly fell in love with her. In the prior season, Belly’s reaction to seeing Conrad for the first time that summer was shown from her perspective. It leaves watchers wondering if, in season three, we will finally see his perspective.
Episode Six: Love Fest
Taylor Swift songs normally mark romantic scenes between Conrad and Belly. However, at the start of episode six, it shifts. Belly and Jeremiah are playing by the pool when she pushes him in. “Delicate” plays in the background, emphasizing the new era she’s in. As the song title suggests, their relationship is delicate but strengthens by the minute.
Susannah’s half-sister Julia (Kyra Sedgwick) inherits the house and plans to sell it. Understandably, the crew (Belly, Jeremiah, Conrad, Steven, and Taylor) is upset, and in protest, they throw a giant retro-themed party. Belly glides around on roller skates serving drinks while Sublime’s “Doin’ Time” plays.
Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." sparks a lively dance routine by Steven and Taylor inspired by a routine she and Belly had made as kids. The celebration adds a much-needed break from the heartbreak thus far in the season.
Episode Seven: Love Affair
After the party, reality starts to settle in. Conrad has finals coming up and, after running away to Cousins Beach, hasn’t had the chance to study. "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty brings Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah together during a car singalong after spending a grueling night studying for his final. The song unites the trio, offering a brief respite from the tension between them.
Later, Phoebe Bridgers and Maria Taylor's "Summer's End" plays during an emotional flashback of Susannah, adding to the melancholic atmosphere of the penultimate episode. The song underscores Laurel's struggle to write her memoir, It's Not Summer Without You (also the name of the third novel in the book trilogy), and during the scene, Susannah encourages her to stop procrastinating writing it.
Episode Eight: Love Triangle
At the start of the episode, Taylor Swift's "Bigger Than the Whole Sky" perfectly encapsulates Conrad's heartbreak as he tries to take back his confession of love for Belly before isolating himself from her and Jeremiah despite Jeremiah being the one to prompt him to do so. Shortly after, Conrad discovers Jeremiah and Belly kissing, and the trio finds themselves sharing a motel room with only one bed to avoid a storm.
As Lana Del Rey's "How to Disappear" plays in the background, the tension between them reaches its peak, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats. The two boys silently sit on the floor, unsure of what to do next.
In the final moments of the season, Belly makes the unexpected choice to be with Jeremiah. As she breaks the news to Conrad, Taylor Swift and Bon Iver's "Exile" plays, capturing the scene's raw emotion. Conrad tries to mask his sadness, but the heartbreak is evident as he returns the infinity necklace to Belly and walks away alone. The season ends on a bittersweet note, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this love triangle.
Check out the full The Summer I Turned Pretty Season Two soundtrack here.