Before Riverdale, before Élite, before Sex Education and Gossip Girl, there was One Tree Hill. A contemporary of The O.C. and a younger sibling of Dawson's Creek, OTH was equal parts basketball serial and teen drama (at least in the beginning). The show heavily relied on music to support its storytelling, creating unforgettable moments that fans instantly associate with a very particular song.
It usually favored rock tunes and was an ideal platform to launch smaller and even rather obscure bands. Throughout the show, many moments and songs became inseparable. From joyful celebrations to literal car crashes and deaths, this show was a music lover's dream.
Wedding Dress - Season 6, Episode 23
One of the landmark moments in the show's nine-season run has to be the wedding of Peyton Sawyer and Lucas Scott. After 128 episodes of drama, break-ups, and such, the pair finally made it to the altar. They marry by the lake where they first met and hold the reception at Tric.
When they return home, Lucas surprises Peyton with a house full of fairy lights, white rose petals, and candles. As "Wedding Dress" by Matt Nathanson plays, fans were delighted to hear Lucas call her Peyton Scott. It's a moment that feels earned and one the fans had been dreaming of ever since these two first met back in the Pilot episode.
Son's Gonna Rise - Season 2, Episode 19
Citizen Cope's "Son's Gonna Rise" is incredibly catchy and versatile. It can be used as a background song just as easily as it can be danced to. This ditty is used in a wonderful scene at Tric, where Deb, Peyton, Brooke, and Karen carelessly dance, enjoying themselves and momentarily forgetting their troubles.
The scene is juxtaposed with Nathan and Lucas in a car with Nathan's childhood friend Daytona. While the VFX for the race weren't that great, the boys looked like they are thoroughly enjoying their time on the track too. Considering all the stress they had all been under, it was nice to see the characters blow off some steam.
Missing You - Season 3, Episode 13
Nathan and Haley's relationship is derailed in season 2 after she goes touring with notorious jerk Chris Keller, played by 2000s teen heartthrob Tyler Hilton. When she returns to Tree Hill at the beginning of season 3, Nathan has reservations about their marriage. During a blackout in episode 13, while the two have a heart-to-heart, Nathan runs outside in the pouring rain to retrieve a box of newspaper clippings he kept about Haley's tour. The two kiss passionately under the downpour, cementing their reconciliation.
The scene, which also has Lucas and Brooke, Karen and Keith, and Peyton and her mom strengthening their relationships, is set to the beat of Hilton's cover of John Waite's "Missing You." While most fans will agree that this was a defining Naley moment, there is a funny irony considering who the voice in the soundtrack is.
Unsatisfied - Season 3, Episode 20
Nathan Scott lived for basketball. And he was truly great at it, not only out of talent but out of actual love and passion for the sport. During the coastal classic, Nathan faces an old rival who shows interest in Haley. With no time left on the clock and the game tied, Nathan had one shot to beat his rival and give the victory to the Ravens.
Remembering all the training his father put him through, Nathan smugly smiles and makes the shot without even looking. It's a perfect moment for the show, complemented by the excellent choice in music, and one of Nathan's finest hours.
Times Like These - Season 4, Episode 20
By the time season 4 ends, the characters are ready to leave high school. During their graduation ceremony, a live version of the Foo Fighters' "Times Like These" is used.
One by one, the main characters go on to the stage and receive their diplomas before the very pregnant Haley steps forward to give her valedictorian speech. But because OTH loves drama, she doesn't get to finish as she goes into labor in the middle of it. What a graduation ceremony.
Heartbeats - Season 4, Episode 9
José González' ballad, "Heartbeats," is at the center of one of the happiest moments in One Tree Hill history, when the Tree Hill Ravens finally become state champions. It's a triumph that comes after four seasons of watching the team struggle, and when they finally claim victory, there really isn't a single dry eye in the house.
The song is also the soundtrack to another milestone in the show. With Lucas finally understanding he wants to be with Peyton, he declares his love for her, to which she naturally corresponds. Their kiss in the middle of the celebration made Leyton fans scream, creating one of the show's best moments.
God Bless The Child - Season 3, Episode 16
One Tree Hill was brave enough to tackle a school shooting during its third season. It did so with delicacy and earnestness, effectively conveying the pain that leads Jimmy Edwards to take a gun to school, without making him too sympathetic. In the climactic minutes of the episode, and after realizing one of his bullets hit Peyton, Jimmy is ready to take his life. Keith tries to reason with the boy but ultimately fails to prevent his suicide. And just when the audience thought the hour was over, Dan appears and, taking the gun, kills Keith, framing Jimmy for the murder.
It's an intense episode, one that proved OTH was smarter than the average teen show. And the choice of song to accompany the final scene, Michelle Featherstone's haunting ballad "God Bless The Child," was as effective as it was unforgettable.
Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You - Season 3, Episode 22
Season 3 definitely had some of the show's most intense moments. Led Zeppelin's iconic tune "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" is the soundtrack to the season finale's last minutes, which take place after Nathan and Haley's wedding. Lucas learns that Karen is pregnant and that one of the other girls, Haley, Brooke, or Peyton, is too.
But the real drama takes place in the closing minutes when the newlyweds' car almost crashes with a limo, driven by Nathan's uncle Cooper, who's in the middle of a fight with Rachel. As the limo falls into a lake, Nathan jumps in after them to try and rescue them. The only issue is that he becomes trapped inside the car and is struggling to get out. It's by far the most dramatic season finale, and the choice of song only makes it all the more indelible and intense.
I Don't Want To Be - Season 1, Episode 10
Gavin DeGraw, who sang the show's emblematic intro song, made an appearance in season 1, singing in Karen's Cafe's open mic night. The scene is juxtaposed with a game of basketball at the River Court, between Nathan's Ravens and Lucas' court friends.
The match is fun, lighthearted, and exciting, which was everything One Tree Hill embodied. Basketball was always a big part of the story, so it's only fitting that one of the most recognizable songs plays during a scene that perfectly captures the very essence of the show.
Within You - Season 4, Episode 21
The fourth season finale felt more like a series finale than the show's actual series finale. Taking place on the night of the last senior year party, it features some really sweet moments as everyone prepares to leave Tree Hill behind.
In the episode's closing minutes, they all head to the River Court to play a game of basketball. As the scene cuts from Karen with her child, Deb with her grandson, and Dan in prison, it is here that Ray LaMontagne's ballad, "Within You" begins to play.
The last lines of the season fit perfectly with the song as they are spoken by Nathan and Lucas. "You sure you up for this, old man?" Nathan asks. "I could do this forever, little brother," Lucas replies. Considering how they started as enemies, it was true that "love" would persevere in the end.