Michael Giacchino definitely earned his Emmy award for this show.
Leitmotifs
- "Life and Death
", a beautiful and melancholy tune that accompanies scenes revolving around life and death. Used when Jack resuscitates Charlie, when Shannon learns about Boone's death, when the passengers get onboard Flight 815 in the flashback in "Exodus, Part 2," when Charlie dies, when Sun brings Ji-Yeon to Jin's grave, when Juliet dies, when Sun and Jin die, and when Jack 'remembers' his life on the island, among other moments. - "Hollywood and Vines", aka the "setting off" theme as it always plays when a group is going off to explore the jungle and has an air of adventure and mystery about it. Especially the part-Triumphant Reprise, part-Dark Reprise variation used in "Through The Looking Glass" as the Losties set off on their most epic and dangerous journey yet.
- John Locke's first theme, "Crocodile Locke, superbly compliments the badass survivalist aspect of his character.
- John Locke's second theme, "Locke'd Out Again", also known as his "tragedy theme", a fantastic, emotional piece that is a definite Tear Jerker every time it appears. It memorably accompanies the heartbreaking scene of Locke banging on the Hatch door the night of Boone's death.
- Kate's Psycho-inspired theme, "Kate's Motel", a darkly energetic melody that fits very well with her life on the run.
- The music from "Exodus" is stunning, especially over the saying goodbye montage in the episode.
- Ben's theme, "Dharmacide", is almost perfect in representing him. There's the sinister first part, the tragic second part and a sort of mixing together for the third. Pure bliss.
- The haunting "Ocean's Apart" plays at the end of "Stranger in a Strange Land". It serves as Juliet's character theme. Especially in "The Incident" when they combine the "Ocean's Apart" theme with the frantic strings and the "Life and Death" theme while Juliet is being pulled down into the Swan. Hauntingly poignant.
- Sweet Exposé, the track that accompanies Nikki and Paulo being Buried Alive, is just as much Nightmare Fuel as the scene it is featured in.
- "Time and Time Again", the freighter theme, varies between triumphant and ominous, reflecting the different faces of the freighter's crew.
- Desmond and Penny's love theme, an appropriately moving piece to accompany one of the show's purest love stories. It most famously plays during their call in "The Constant".
- The leitmotif of the season four finale, "There's No Place Like Home". The heartwarming version of the plane landing becomes the theme of terrible impending doom later on, but it's powerful nonetheless.
- Jacob's wonderfully mysterious theme from "The Incident" goes with the opening scene perfectly.
- The Man in Black's theme, a chilling Dark Reprise of Locke's fourth theme, reflecting how his evil doppelganger has perverted what once made him special.
- Desmond's Flash-Sideways theme has a dream-like quality befitting his mission to "awaken" his friends.
- The theme of the Heart of the Island from "Across the Sea" does a great job of selling its mysticism, inspiring the right balance of awe and apprehension.
- "Moving On", the medley of themes from the final scene of the show as the various characters meet up in the afterlife and Jack dies peacefully on the island is a guaranteed tearjerker. You will be bawling by the seven minute mark.
Non-original songs
- One of Lost's most famous usages of non-original music is "Make Your Own Kind of Music" in the season 2 première, in which Desmond plays it in the Hatch during the opening scene. Not only does it cause a crazy Soundtrack Dissonance, but it also has lyrics which still define Desmond for the duration of his time on the show.
- "Downtown" plays during the opening scene of the third season and introduces us to Juliet; the music gives this scene such an unsettling normalcy, and watching it for the first time leaves viewers questioning if they're on the right show.
- Season 3, "Tricia Tanaka Is Dead:" Hurley and Charlie are trying to jumpstart a van by rolling it down a hill and popping the clutch. Just as they are about to crash into some big rocks, the engine fires up, and the car's tape deck starts playing "Shambala".
- The season 3 finale includes Nirvana's "Scentless Apprentice". It was one of the first uses of their songs in a TV show.
- The season 4 finale includes The Pixies' "Gouge Away" in a similar context to the above example.
- The creepy Dark Reprise of "Catch a Falling Star" that plays over the ending of "Sundown" as the Man in Black's crew stroll through the aftermath of the Temple massacre.
- Sawyer listens to The Stooges' "Search and Destroy" in a sequence shot from the Smoke Monster's point of view.
