“For Bridgerton-inspired content”: Library music between streaming and online media

On the website of French library music company Cézame, a playlist of “soundalikes” inspired by popular streaming shows is advertised with the words “A true cultural phenomenon, the era of streaming has raised the series to the rank of major cinematographic art”. The industry of library music has undergone significant shifts as it seeks to adapt to both streaming services and online media. Among these changes – which include new licensing models for emerging media formats – we increasingly find library tracks that evoke (and, sometimes, very closely emulate) the score of fiction series such as Stranger Things and Bridgerton. These tracks often come to be used in online content that stems from the shows, be it fan-created videos or professionally-produced adverts that market these productions on social media.

But how exactly is the trademark sound of these programs worked into library catalogues? How do libraries reinforce the sonic imaginary that is associated with these fictional narratives? Drawing from interviews with library music producers and users, as well as from an examination of musical and audiovisual examples, I explore library music’s role in strengthening the sonic identity of a fiction series, acting as a bridge between streaming platforms and online media. Rather than viewing this streaming-inspired library music as a mere reflection of a show’s popularity, I inquire into how it actively roots a series’ distinctive soundtrack in a shared imaginary, as library composers reproduce and reinvent the signature sounds of fictional universes and spread them beyond the boundaries of streaming platforms.