Content overview: “How The O.C.'s Groundbreaking Soundtrack Changed Teen TV Forever”. Before Outer Banks, there was The O.C., the early-2000s Fox drama created by Josh Schwartz that ran for 92 episodes and launched the careers of stars like Ben McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, and Rachel Bilson. But its most lasting legacy may be its music. The show turned indie bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Phantom Planet, and Imogen Heap into household names, and its curated soundtrack albums sold millions of copies. Music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas became a tastemaker, later shaping the sounds of Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl.
By weaving songs directly into emotional storylines, The O.C. proved that a teen soap could be both commercially savvy and culturally influential. It set the template that modern hits like Outer Banks and Euphoria still follow today. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.