Music Supervisor Rob Lowry (Photo by Philip Cosores)

In the past decade, the job of a music supervisor has become vital. The availability of film, television, and music through various streaming services has allowed media to become more accessible. Because of this transition, more people are watching films and TV shows, pulling songs from what they’re watching for their playlists. This phenomenon has also catapulted songs into popularity, putting songs back on the Billboard charts that have not been on them for over twenty years. Though you’d think those who make this happen are well-acknowledged, they often go regretfully unnoticed. 

In the era of streaming services and drawn-out production processes, music supervisors need support and advocacy now more than ever. The time between the seasons of streaming shows and films creates a lull in which the show’s music supervisors are out of a job. The job also differs from many film and television jobs because they often work independently as contractors, rather than for a film studio. 

Rob Lowry, 35, has been working as a music supervisor for over a decade now. Popular recent releases, such as the Sundance Audience Award winner Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022), Do Revenge (2022), and Gossip Girl (2022), credit Lowry as music supervisor. His credits display a range of musical knowledge and a noticeable talent for curation. He has a clear understanding of what songs will enhance scenes and will be enjoyed by the expected audience of the film or episode. He attended our virtual interview wearing a graphic tee with an enlarged photo of Janet Jackson displaying her side profile and gorgeous hair and her name printed in bold above it, so you know he has taste. 

According to the Guild of Music Supervisors, a music supervisor is “a qualified professional who oversees all music-related aspects of film, television, advertising, video games and any other existing visual media platforms as required.” They are responsible for not only selecting the music used in media but also negotiating licenses with rights holders for every song. 

Lowry started as a production assistant on a talk show, Parenthood (2010), and Friday Night Lights (2006). He says he began his career as a music supervisor by befriending writers and editors who invited him to sit in and listen as they pitched music options. He got his start on a small indie film, Sophomore (2012). “That was kind of my crash course in clearances and supervision,” said Lowry. After that film, he continued to make connections and relationships that led him to projects that grew in size as time went on and his experience expanded. 

Lowry typically works on eight to twelve projects at a time and is frequently in meetings that focus on his work. Lowry says his day-to-day meeting conversations include: determining if an actor/actress needs music lessons for onscreen performing; what to replace a song with if it doesn’t get legal clearance; which songs need to be written and composed; etc. “It’s all-encompassing. It’s all over the place. It’s jumping from project to project…whatever needs are popping up; whether it’s clearance, it’s creative, or it’s big picture stuff getting ready for production, it changes day-to-day for sure” said Lowry. 

For Netflix’s Do Revenge, a film in which two high school students become unlikely friends and pursue revenge on each other’s enemies, Lowry and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson started working on the music for the film over a year before they started filming. At the beginning, he says Robinson wrote over fifty songs into the script, which led them to start working on clearing many songs with publishers and getting an estimate on the clearance budget for the film. 

For the selection process, Lowry and Robinson sent each other 1,000+ songs and playlists. They aimed to collect a plethora of songs that could work in the film in case the needle drops proved to be too expensive to use. They would go to each other’s houses, sit on the floor with their laptops open, and listen to music for hours. Lowry found a lot of enjoyment in this process, which is clear from the smile he tells the story with. Their main goal was to connect their favorite songs from the 90s to today’s popular tracks and intertwine them in a way that contributes well to the big picture of the film, which proved to be a challenge at first but turned out to be a project Lowry is very proud of. 

The pair included music from the late 20th century to today’s pop hits like “brutal” by Olivia Rodrigo and Caroline Polacheck’s “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” which reflects their similar music tastes that help them work well together. Many favored their collaborative work on the soundtrack for the film, gushing over the use of their favorite songs on social media. The expansive soundtrack includes some of today’s favorites: such as Haley Kiyoko, Tate McRae, MUNA, Billie Eilish, Rosalía, and some 90s songs by Robyn and The Cranberries. 

On the other hand, some audience members resented the use of their favorite song, claiming the film made it too mainstream. This reaction has become commonplace for moviegoers. The use of “Silk Chiffon” in Do Revenge gave MUNA and Phoebe Bridgers their shining moment, leaving fans scrambling to keep the artists under wraps. Lowry has a more positive take on those with unavoidable individuality complexes. “You can also feel the power in knowing that you’re a tastemaker, and you have good taste and you can share these things with people,” he said. Though it can be difficult to lose the individuality of your favorite song to the masses, it’s great exposure for the musician that will help them to succeed.

But having good taste comes at a cost. The licensing process involves contacting rights holders of every song and inquiring about the price for the usage of the song in a film or television show. Rights holders will often create prices based on the song’s popularity, length of the song’s usage, usage context, and the song’s license territory. The consultation and negotiation process typically occurs at the beginning of production so the supervisors can know if a song is licensed for the scene it’s allotted for. It allows time for the supervisors to come up with a new plan of action ahead of time if a song doesn’t get approved or is too expensive for the budget. The Do Revenge selections relied heavily on licensing costs, as the film contained multiple needle drops. 

Brad Hatfield, a music supervision professor at Berklee College of Music and composer/songwriter, recommends that those looking into becoming a music supervisor should not overlook the licensing and business side. He advises learning about licensing, publishing, and copyright, saying “the more of that you know the more valuable you are going to be.” Hatfield also reinforces the importance of networking in the music supervision field, especially when working on productions with a small budget where connections with artists, producers, and publishers are almost necessary.  

When the licensing and creative efforts come together successfully, the selected music brings the scene to life. The success of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” in Season 4 of Stranger Things is a great example of successful collaboration. Music Supervisor Nora Felder’s song selection that excelled at soundtracking the character Max Mayfield would not have re-entered the Billboard charts if it wasn’t used in the show. Music Supervisors not only contribute their impressive selections to the story but Lowry feels the selections provide musicians with support for their careers through providing them with exposure to the film’s audience. 

Lowry also finds that even though supervisors are often collaborating with editors, directors, and studios, there is room for individual choices to be made about what song fits best with a scene. “You’re helping tell a story with music, but you’re also telling your own story with music,” said Lowry. 

In recent years, music supervisors have started to receive recognition for these efforts at large awards shows. The Emmys introduced the “Outstanding Music Supervision” category in 2017. Felder most recently received a win for her work on “Episode 4: Dear Billy” from the fourth season of Stranger Things. Soon after The Grammys adjusted the rules for the “Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media” in 2019, no longer requiring music supervisors to be listed as producers on the soundtrack to receive a nomination. These decisions show progress in recognition but music supervisors are yet to be a significant part of the conversation surrounding film and TV shows. 

So, the next time you watch a captivating scene that is well-paired with a song, take some time to research who’s behind the notable decision and recognize them with praise. They may be the driving force behind the discovery of your next favorite song.