Heartstopper: The Playlist
Heartstopper has finally come to Netflix so I am living in a Heartstopper world! The 8 episode show starring Kit Conner and Joe Locke has been so cathartic for me- a positive viewing experience in every episode. Part of that experience is the contemporary and vibrant music. I’ve compiled a song list so we can all rock Heartstopper all day long.
The techno-punk vibes for the Heartstopper show are thanks to the original compositions of Adiescar Chase (first name pronounced add-ee-ES-ker, also goes by Adie); any time an instrumental song is heard, it’s by Chase. In addition to her wonderful work, we also get to hear some bangers by various groups like Baby Queen and beabadoobee. See below for a “playlist” as well as a full list of songs by episode.
What I love about the soundtrack choices is how relevant the lyrics are to the particular scene. During a montage of Elle at Higgs (the girl’s school), we hear “Girls”; when Nick is trying to figure out his sexual identity, we hear “My Own Person”; when Tara and Darcy are kissing, we hear “Flirting With Her.” My favorite is “Why Am I Like This?” by Orla Garland because Nick and Charlie’s catchphrase in the books is “Why are we like this?” any time they realize how silly they are. In the full song list below, I’ve highlighted some particularly apt lyrics that match with the scene.
Full Song List (with scene context, links to YouTube videos where available, and some key lyrics)
Episode 1
Opening song: “Want Me” Baby Queen: “I wish I thought that I was pretty”, “I wanna tell you that you’re mine”, “I’ll go anywhere you want me”
Seeing Nick: “First Sight” Adiescar Chase
Seeing Ben in hall: “X” Adiescar Chase
“First Sight” playing again when seeing Nick with friends
New day: “On the Move” Adiescar Chase
Seeing Ben with girlfriend: “Angst” Adiescar Chase
Nick seeing Charlie run: “Lovesick” Peace: “I wanna get lovesick with you”
Playing rugby: “Dover Beach” Baby Queen: “In my self-made isolation, you’re my only inspiration”, “Everywhere I look, I just see you”, “In my head, if we can be together, we can live forever”
Nick and Charlie going home: “Don’t Delete the Kisses” Wolf Alice: “What if it’s not meant for me? Love”, “Me and you were meant to be in love”
Credits: “Sports Day” Adiescar Chase
Episode 2
N&C texting: “Sappho” Frankie Cosmos: “I’m shivering just thinking, where have you been all these minutes”, “I’m sorry if I have been a real bad friend”, “I’m not grounded”
Elle montage: “Girls” Girl in Red: “I’ve been hiding for so long”, “Afraid of what they’ll say, so I push them away/I’m acting so strange/They’re so pretty it hurts”
Snow time: “Dance With Me” beabadoobee: “If you wanna dance then dance with me” “And I know it’s hard to tell but I think I really like you”
N&C hanging out at Charlie’s: “Electricity” Adiescar Chase
N&C texting: “Why Am I Like This?” Orla Gartland: “I’ll be there in the corner thinking right over every single word of the conversation we just had”, “Why am I like this?”, “I’ve got my mistakes on loop inside my head”
Episode 3
Opening song, Nick searching google: “My Own Person” Smoothboi Ezra: “Waiting for some kind of inspiration to make me feel like I'm my own person”, “I try too hard, guess I gotta keep searching” “No matter what I do, it’s bad, it’s hurting” “I just feel like some other version of me”
Texting friends: “Misconceptions” Adiescar Chase
First party song: “Telephone” Waterparks: “I've gotta let you know that I think that I love you so”, “I know we only just met so why do I feel invested? And do you feel it too?”, “Where you go, I'll follow”
Party, Imogen dancing, Tara and Darcy dancing: “Clearest Blue” CHVRCHES: “Please say you’ll meet me, meet me halfway”
N&C talking downstairs and running upstairs: “Alaska (Toby Green Remix)” Maggie Rogers: “I thought it was a dream, so it seemed”, “You and I, there’s air in between”
Kissing: “Kiss” Adiescar Chase
Charlie sulking, Nick showing up, credits: “Heartstopper” Adiescar Chase
Episode 4
Kissing: “Kiss” Adiescar Chase
Nick leaving and Charlie chasing: “What’s It Gonna Be?” Shura: “Do I tell you I love you or not?
'Cause I can't really guess what you want. If you let me down, let me down slow… If you've got feelings for me, you just gotta speak honestly. If you let me down, let me down slow”, “I don’t wanna give you up, I don’t wanna let you love somebody else but me”Charlie practicing rugby alone: “Heart” Flor: “I can’t connect to a vicious game”, “We’ve got the heart, it’s true. Don’t wanna waste love, don’t wanna hurt you”
Running track: “Clash” Adiescar Chase
Imogen asking Nick out: “Wanna Go Out Sometime” Adiescar Chase
Credits: “Happy Complications” Adiescar Chase
Episode 5
Tao and Elle talking: “UrbanAngel1999” Thomas Headon: “I want you to be mine”, “I wanna see you inside of my life”, “I'm kinda scared I'll lose you half the time, I'm insecure alright, but with you I feel fine”
Outside school: “New Best Friend” Adiescar Chase
Bowling: “If You Want To” beabadoobee: “If you want, you can go ahead and fix my head”
2nd bowling song: “Buzzkill” Baby Queen: “My biggest flaw is a total lack of self-control. I have a sadness that I can’t console”
N&C kissing, then group playing games: “Paper Mache World” Matilda Mann: “I’d find you in any world”
New school day and credits: “I Want To Be With You” Chloe Moriondo: “You know that you’re the one, I want to be with you”
Episode 6
Watching movie and googling: “Exploration” Adiescar Chase
Kissing: “Knock Me Off My Feet” SOAK: “You’re still my home, you stay within my bones”, “You can knock me off my feet”, “You’re still my home, even though I’m alone”
N&C saying goodbye, making plans: “Milkshakes” Adiescar Chase
Tara and Darcy kissing: “Flirting With Her (Reprise)” Sir Babygirl: “She left her name on my lips, I don't think I'll ever get over her hips, or ever feel like anything else exists”
Credits: “Encore” Adiescar Chase
Episode 7
Opening song, Charlie getting ready: “Bang Bang Bang” Lauran Hibberd: “I would die if you just let me be your baby”
Movie theatre: “On the Move” Adiescar Chase
Nick driving home with mom: “Tired” beabadoobee: “Is it the sound of your own thoughts that always keeps you up at night?”, “'Cause I've been eating less all day to give my brain some extra space to think 'bout all the things to do to help distract me from the rude of heart”
N&C talking, Charlie eating lunch alone: “Any Other Way” Tomberlin: “There's gotta be a way, I'm tired of feeling like you only stay out of guilt and out of shame. But did we know any other way?”
Fighting, credits: “Smokey Eyes” Lincoln: “Seems like we’ve waited long enough for someone else to make us feel complete”, “Quiet lies that you’re telling to those black and screaming skies. I hope you’re walking around campus contemplating your own smallish size”
Episode 8
N&C texting: “Our Window” Noah and The Whale: “Well it's four in the morning, things are getting heavy. And we both know that it’s over, but we're both not ready”, “Spring can be the cruelest of months, but bringing in your life, yeah we're promising so much”
Sports Day montage: “Sports Day” Adiescar Chase
Running: “Because I Love You” Montaigne: “My friends all feel that I'm different around you. I tell them all that they are wrong because I love you”
Sports Day montage song #2: “Close To You” Dayglow: “There's somethin' on my chest, I wish I would've said. I think it over and it might be true, I'm only overthinkin' when I'm close to you”
Tao and Elle talking: “Kiss” Adiescar Chase
Nick and Charlie meeting eyes: “Heartstopper” Adiescar Chase
N&C kissing: “Moment In The Sun” Sunflower Bean: “Winter, spring, summer, fall. A moment's fine but I wanna feel them all”, “I don't need money, I don't need to be cool, I'd trade it for a moment in the sun with you”
Montage song into credits: “I Belong In Your Arms (Photek Remix)” Chairlift: “All silhouettes with no regrets when I'm melting into you, 'cause I belong in your arms”, “Feelings are good, nothing to say, just want my head on your shoulder”
