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Music of darkness: This is how Adolescence's score shapes the story
The Netflix series “Adolescence” debuted on April 15, 2025, which addresses toxic masculinity and provides realistic insights into youth violence. Owen Cooper stars as Jamie Miller, while chords from Aaron May and David Ridley support the intense action.
Music of darkness: This is how Adolescence's score shapes the story
Netflix series Adolescence has created a huge buzz since its release on April 15, 2025, becoming the third most watched British show on the platform with over 124 million views. The story, which revolves around 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is accused of killing a classmate, is seen as a wake-up call to social issues such as toxic masculinity and the dangers of social media. Director Philip Barantini and the creative team around co-writer and lead actor Stephen Graham have developed a special cinematographic style that has been praised by critics with this immersive narrative style, which shoots all four episodes in a single take.
In an interview, Aaron May, one of the series' composers, described how the musical background contributes to the strong emotional impact. He began working on the music with David Ridley in September 2024 after filming was completed. Their first challenge was to decide whether the series needed music at all and how it could further strengthen the narrative power without distracting from the image. The two composers sought to develop a musical language that would underline the brutal reality of the story while supporting the engaging one-take style, as GoldDerby reports.
Musical design and technical implementation
The composers integrated a variety of instruments, including recorders, organs and harmonies, to create an organic-looking sound space. Of particular note is the use of the voice of Emilia Holliday, who plays Katie - the victim role in the series. Her fragile and untrained vocals found their way into the film's music and give the score a unique dimension. Recordings with a local children's choir made it possible to create special vocal elements to deepen the themes of the series. PRS for Music highlights that the composers paid close attention to the simple but effective melodic structure to support the emotional climax of the action.
The narrative is driven by the intense portrayal of the characters, particularly Jamie Miller, played by Owen Cooper, and his father Eddie, portrayed by Stephen Graham. These characters are intended to encourage viewers to think about the relationships between parents and their children and question how well parents actually know their children. In response to the frightening issues the series addresses, the UK Government is supporting an initiative to promote free screening of the series in secondary schools.
Social relevance and critical voices
The series deals with uncomfortable truths about youth violence and social isolation. In particular, the discussion about toxic masculinity and the impact of online ideologies on young men has sparked widespread debate. The critics aim to highlight the need for a closer look at these issues and the role of adults in educating youth. In her analysis, journalist Anne Dittmann highlights that the perspective of girls and women may be inadequately represented, which also provides cause for critical discussion.
Overall, “Adolescence” has not only broken records and surpassed other popular Netflix series, but also sparked an important social discussion that goes far beyond the visual representation. She challenges viewers to actively think about the challenges facing young people today - a topic that is more relevant than ever in today's world.