From a support band to Grammy Award: songs becoming hits through the phenomenon of Grey's Anatomy

Abstract

For some critics the TV serie Grey's Anatomy, created by Shonda Rhimes, with 10 seasons and preparing the 11th one next September, has been considered an impact on culture: “isn't just a show, it's a phenomenon”. On 2005 this medical serie won the BMI Film & TV Award for the category of BMI TV Music; the following year the songs of the serie were nominated for the Grammy Award 2006 for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album. Up to date, five volumes of the Grey's Anatomy Original Soundtrack have been released as of 2011. This cable serie exemplifies how their songs can be turned into hits by the audience (and social networks), and, subsequently, how music supervisors have become important people for the TV and music industry. Analysing the narrative functions of the songs through all the ten seasons, especially in the musical episode The Music Event ["Song Beneath the Song", 7x18] we can see that each episode has its own melodies, which has led several groups to achieve fame after his appearance, which shows that music is not added just by chance in this TV serie.