FX's groundbreaking series Atlanta covered a lot of ground in its inaugural year. It helped propel Donald Glover into the mainstream, won two Golden Globes and two Emmys, as well as being a part of the current wave of black creatives bodying television and film. Thankfully, Atlanta did so while remaining as black as it wanted to be, which went from hiring a staff of all-black writers to the music used on the show, which is primarily comprised of rappers and singers of color.
You couldn't have a show named after one of the hotbeds in hip-hop and not pad the soundtrack with the likes of Migos, OutKast, Future, Young Thug, 21 Savage, and others who call the A home. The soundtrack isn't just rappers repping the 404, though; we're talking classics from Bill Withers and Funkadelic, modern jazz from Kamasi Washington, and neo-soul from Erykah Badu. Throughout Atlanta's 10-episode first season, the music supervisors provided a beautiful balance of songs that impacted that area, with one foot planted firmly in the world of hip-hop.
In anticipation of what we'll be hearing during Atlanta Robbin' Season (which premieres on March 1), we wanted to take a look back at the music that was featured during season one. Keep in mind, we left out material that felt like it was made specifically for music libraries for TV shows and movies. Scroll through and try and place each scene these Atlanta jams were from!
The Big Bang (Season 1, Episode 1)
OJ Da Juiceman - "No Hook"
(Mixtape, 2013)
Doe B - "Let Me Find Out"
(Mixtape, 2012)
Sango & Waldo - "SNS"
(AGO Music, 2014)
The System - "Don't Disturb This Groove"
(Atlantic, 1987)
Migos - "One Time"
(300/Quality Control, 2015)
Streets On Lock (Season 1, Episode 2)
Yo Gotti f/ E-40 - "Law"
(Epic, 2016)
Rich the Kid - "Running Threw It"
(Quality Control, 2016)
Bill Withers - "Grandma's Hands"
(Sussex, 1971)
Go For Broke (Season 1, Episode 3)
Kodak Black - "Skrt"
(Mixtape, 2014)
Cousin Stizz - "Shoutout"
(Mixtape, 2015)
Migos - "Cook It Up"
(Mixtape, 2013)
Lloyd - "Get It Shawty"
(Murder Inc, 2007)
Cheryl Lynn - "Encore"
(Columbia, 1983)
Shabazz Palaces - "An Echo from the Hosts That Profess Infinitum"
(Sub Pop, 2011)
Max P - "Gang"
(Mixtape, 2016)
Migos - "Spray the Champagne"
(300/Quality Control, 2015)
The Streisand Effect (Season 1, Episode 4)
Xavier Wulf - "Philosopher's Throne"
(The Hollow Squad, 2015)
Beach House - "Space Song"
(Sub Pop, 2015)
Lee Fields - "Could Have Been"
(Daptone, 2004)
Keith Ape f/ ASAP Ferg, Father, Dumbfoundead, & Waka Flocka Flame - "It G Ma (Remix)"
(Mixtape, 2015)
Eearz - "Ride Shotgun"
(Eardrummers, 2015)
Michael Kiwanuka - "Home Again"
(Polydor, 2012)
Nobody Beats The Biebs (Season 1, Episode 5)
Billy Paul - "Am I Black Enough For You?"
(Philadelphia International, 1972)
Nappy Roots - "Feelin' Like"
(Nappy Roots Entertainment, 2015)
SYPH f/ Tracy T - "The Bag"
(Mixtape, 2016)
Value (Season 1, Episode 6)
The Ebonys - "It's Forever"
(Philadelphia International, 1973)
George Benson - "The Masquerade"
(Warner Bros., 1976)
Jeremih - "Oui"
(Def Jam, 2015)
Funkadelic - "Hit It and Quit It"
(Westbound, 1972)
B.A.N. (Season 1, Episode 7)
21 Savage - "Red Opps"
(Mixtape, 2015)
The Club (Season 1, Episode 8)
Future - "Real Sisters"
(Epic/Freebandz, 2015)
Youngn Dro - "We In Da City"
(eOne, 2015)
Steve G. Lover III f/ Gonage - "Spray"
(Mixtape, 2016)
Young Dolph - "Get Paid"
(Paper Route Empire, 2016)
Crime Mob - "Knuck If You Buck"
(Warner Bros., 2004)
Adamn Killa - "Back 2 Ballin"
(Mixtape, 2016)
Dreezy f/ Jeremih - "Body"
(Interscope, 2016)
Young Thug - "Digits"
(300, 2016)
Jeremih f/ Ty Dolla Sign - "Impatient"
(Def Jam, 2015)
The New Bloods - "Self Service"
(20th Century Fox, 1963)
Baby Huey - "Hard Times"
(Curtom, 1962)
Black Dave - "Hangover"
(Fool's Gold, 2016)
Little Beaver - "I Can Dig It Baby"
(Cat, 1975)
Juneteenth (Season 1, Episode 9)
Kamasi Washington - "Change of the Guard"
(Brainfeeder, 2015)
Kamasi Washington - "The Rhythm Changes"
(Brainfeeder, 2015)
Sam Cooke - "Chain Gang"
(RCA Victor, 1960)
James Cleveland - "Save Me Lord"
(Savoy, 1974)
The Jacket (Season 1, Episode 10)
DRAM f/ Lil Yachty - "Broccoli"
(Atlantic/Empire, 2016)
ILoveMakonnen - "Flippin All Night"
(OVO Sound, 2015)
Erykah Badu - "Other Side of the Game"
(Universal, 1997)
OutKast - "Elevators (Me & You)"
(LaFace, 1996)
Yo Gotti f/ Future - "General"
(Epic, 2016)
Cool Amerika - "Make Some Shake"
(Alliance Music Group, 2015)
Daye Jack - "Raw"
(Warner Bros., 2016)
Nelly f/ St. Lunatics - "Ride Wit Me"
(Universal, 2001)
Jennifer Lopez f/ Ja Rule - "I'm Real (Remix)"
(Epic, 2001)
