How the '90s Soundtrack of 'Love Story: JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette' Became a Cultural Phenomenon
Music supervisor Jen Malone reveals how she crafted the nostalgic, era-defining soundtrack for FX's hit series — and why Björk was the hardest clearance to land.
The Music Behind FX's Breakout Hit
Since its debut on FX just before Valentine's Day, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette has evolved into far more than a prestige television drama — it has become a full-blown cultural moment. Filming locations across New York City have seen surges in foot traffic, fans are replicating the couple's iconic fashion choices, and JFK Jr. lookalike contests have sprung up across the country.
But perhaps no element of the show has resonated as deeply — or spread as virally — as its soundtrack.
The series, created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, features an eclectic mix of artists including Radiohead, Björk, Lenny Kravitz, Stereolab, the Velvet Underground, and Dido. The music has proven so impactful that the show currently occupies four of the top ten positions on Billboard's Top TV Songs chart for February — including the top three spots. Music supervisor Jen Malone sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss how she assembled the series' definitive '90s soundscape, navigated complex licensing negotiations, and shaped the emotional tone of the heartbreaking series finale.
A Personal Journey Through the '90s
Starting with a Personal Playlist
Malone's approach to building the soundtrack was both methodical and deeply personal. Having grown up in the 1990s herself, she began by drawing from her own collection of favorite songs from the era, organizing them chronologically by year.
"We 100 percent wanted to be period-authentic," Malone explained. "There were times when a song came out in 1996 but we were filming in the 1994 episode, and we didn't use it because we wanted to be really accurate about where John and Carolyn were in their lives at that moment."
The goal was to construct a soundtrack that felt both universal and genuinely true to the decade — blending widely recognized hits from artists like the Goo Goo Dolls and The Cranberries with deeper, more indie-leaning cuts from acts like Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, and Low.
"Gen X has the best generation for music," Malone said with a laugh, noting the delight she felt watching younger TikTok audiences discover artists they had never encountered before.
Capturing the Pre-9/11 Spirit of New York
For Malone, the music served a purpose beyond simple nostalgia. She viewed the soundtrack as a vehicle for transporting viewers to a very specific cultural moment — one that existed before the internet reshaped daily life and before the trauma of September 11 changed the world forever.
"This was a very special time, especially in New York," she said. "Music can be incredibly powerful in transporting you to a specific moment in time, and the '90s songs helped support the journey of John and Carolyn's relationship in a way that felt authentic and emotionally honest."
Honoring Real Lives Through Music
What John and Carolyn Actually Listened To
One of the more nuanced challenges Malone faced was finding musical choices that felt true to who John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette actually were as individuals. While research on Kennedy's tastes offered some guidance — he was known to love classic rock — information about Carolyn's personal musical preferences was far scarcer.
"In one scene where John is listening to his Walkman, we used a Tom Petty song as a nod to his real tastes," Malone noted. "But with Carolyn, there just isn't a lot of personal information out there. We had to take creative leaps."
One such leap proved inspired: placing Pulp's beloved anthem "Common People" in a scene of the couple dancing around their home. "I think everybody dances around the house when they hear 'Common People,'" Malone said. "That was a fun one to get approved."
The Björk Battle: A Letter From the Heart
Perhaps the most compelling behind-the-scenes story from the entire music supervision process involved securing the rights to Björk's "Human Behaviour" for the series' second episode.
Malone freely admitted that she knew from the start the clearance would be difficult. Björk is famously selective about how and where her music is used. As the clock ticked down and alternative tracks were tested, anxiety mounted across the production team.
"Nobody is to blame but myself for placing a song I knew was going to be tough to get," Malone said, laughing. "But I was manifesting — this song is going to clear."
When it became clear that a personal appeal was necessary, Malone volunteered to write the letter herself. In it, she described how Björk's first two albums, Debut and Post, had served as the emotional backdrop to her own first love — and first heartbreak — at age nineteen.
"It was a very personal, very vulnerable letter — so much from the heart," she recalled. "We sent it, and we got approval basically the next day. I'm very happy I got the chance to tell Björk what her music has meant to me."
Remarkably, despite the complexity of navigating so many high-profile artists and catalog holders, the production ultimately received zero outright denials. Every song they committed to made it into the final cut.
Songs Finding New Audiences
The show's cultural ripple effect has been particularly pronounced on TikTok, where clips featuring the series' music have accumulated massive engagement. Lenny Kravitz's "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" has become one of the most shared songs from the soundtrack, introducing the track to an entirely new generation of listeners.
Malone noted that the phenomenon extends beyond music. Carolyn Bessette's signature headbands — sourced from New York pharmacy institution C.O. Bigelow — have reportedly caused a rush on the store as fans scramble to recreate her effortlessly chic aesthetic.
"A whole new generation is singing along to Lenny's song on TikTok," Malone said. "And even people who grew up in the '90s are discovering artists they might have missed back then, like Stereolab. That's been really fun to witness."
Scoring the Heartbreak: The Finale's Musical Choices
With the finale — titled "Search and Recovery" — the tonal demands of the soundtrack shifted dramatically. The joy and romantic tension of earlier episodes gave way to something quieter and far more devastating.
Malone worked closely with editor Jordan Bracewell on the episode, which went through numerous revisions before arriving at its final form. Rather than leaning heavily on licensed tracks, the finale relies primarily on composer Bryce Dessner's original score, bookended by just two carefully chosen songs.
The first, by French duo Air — featuring vocalist Beth Hirsch — plays during an intimate reconciliation scene between John and Carolyn. "It has this very intimate, enclosed quality," Malone explained. "It kept them in this bubble they were in together as they found each other again."
The second selection is Dido's "Here With Me," used in the scene where Carolyn arrives at a George magazine gala event and the couple reaffirms their commitment to one another.
"The lyrics are so perfect for the moment," Malone said. "It gives you this bittersweet feeling — you're so happy they're coming back to each other, but knowing what's coming makes it hit even harder. Jordan and I put it in and it was just perfect."
She also took a moment to champion the Air track, noting that the band's landmark 1998 album Moon Safari remains as emotionally resonant today as it was upon its release. "Not everyone will immediately recognize the Air song, but it absolutely holds up. That record withstands the test of time."
A Soundtrack Built with Love
For Jen Malone, the overwhelming audience response to the series' music has been both humbling and deeply gratifying. Fans have reached out to share personal memories unlocked by specific songs — moments of first love, lost friends, and simpler times.
"The music is hitting core memories for a lot of people," she reflected. "Everybody who worked on this show made it with so much love, and to feel that love back from the audience — especially for the music — has been really special."
In curating a soundtrack that is at once a precise historical document and a deeply emotional experience, Malone has helped elevate Love Story from a compelling biographical drama into something that genuinely resonates across generations.
