‘Love Story’: From Pulp to Lenny Kravitz, How Music Supervisor Jen Malone Built the Show’s Perfect ’90s Soundtrack

New York City in the 1990s has become an almost inescapable cultural fixation, and Ryan Murphy's FX series "Love Story" is the latest catalyst. By dramatizing the ill-fated romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. (played by Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon), the show has ignited a wave of nostalgia. Fans are now cycling through Manhattan in homage to Kennedy, embracing Bessette’s minimalist fashion aesthetic, and obsessing over the show's meticulously selected soundtrack. This phenomenon taps into a broader societal longing for a pre-digital age, where love and tragedy existed without the constant lens of social media. The 1990s, often romanticized as a simpler, more authentic time, saw New York’s cultural landscape shift with the rise of indie films and alternative music, a backdrop the series exploits to great effect.

Music supervisor Jen Malone was driven by a quest for absolute historical accuracy. "My goal was to achieve total period authenticity, right down to the specific year," she says. She began by combing through her personal collection of favorite 1990s tracks, organizing them into yearly playlists labeled "1991," "1992," and so forth. The result is a diverse mix spanning Britpop, soul, and indie rock, which helps immerse viewers in the era's atmosphere. Notably, the 1990s were a golden age for New York’s live music scene, with iconic venues like CBGB and the Knitting Factory fostering a rich variety of sounds—a context Malone skillfully weaves into the narrative. She now reflects on the show's most pivotal musical moments, which have become a talking point among fans and critics alike.

The pilot episode sets a deeply emotional tone with Peter Gabriel's "Blood of Eden" and Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work." "Director Max Winkler and I exchanged numerous song ideas for this scene, envisioning it as a 'Romeo and Juliet' moment of missed connection," Malone recalls. "Blood of Eden" captures the intimate pulse of John and Carolyn's first meeting, while "This Woman's Work" envelops them, making the world around them disappear. "We worked closely with Kate's team to ensure she was comfortable with the song's placement," she adds. Later in the same episode, Lenny Kravitz's "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" perfectly encapsulates the thrill of new romance. "It’s a joyful scene—everyone in Carolyn's office is elated, and the audience feels that same rush. The song has that floating sensation of early love, and its title and lyrics mirror their story. The viral response has been incredible; every social media post seems to feature that track," Malone notes. This track, originally a hit in 1991, has seen a resurgence on streaming platforms, underscoring the show's cultural impact.

For "The Pools Party," Malone finally secured a long-coveted track: Björk's "Human Behaviour." "I've always wanted to use Björk's music, but she's notoriously selective about licensing," she explains. With deadlines approaching, she wrote a personal letter to the artist. "Her first two albums, 'Debut' and 'Post,' were the soundtrack to my first love and heartbreak. I shared how much her music meant to me and explained the show's context. Within 48 hours, we got approval." In "The Wedding," Pulp's "Common People" was written directly into the script. "Jarvis Cocker rarely licenses this song," Malone says. "A colleague knew his team, so I called and kept pushing. Seeing John and Carolyn dance together made their relationship and love feel tangible—it was a huge victory for us." Music critic Alex Thompson notes, "Malone's choices don't just support the visuals; they immerse viewers in the emotional world of the era, making the nostalgia feel both intimate and widely relatable."

The season finale, "Search and Recovery," closes with Dido's "Here With Me." "As soon as I heard it, I knew it was perfect. I only submitted that one track for the scene, and when I first saw it with the visuals, I cried. It gives you hope they'll make it work, but you know the tragic outcome. We didn't plan for it to be the last song, but it beautifully wraps up the season and their story," Malone reflects. The series, which also explores the intense media scrutiny surrounding the couple, has been praised for its authentic portrayal of 1990s New York, with the soundtrack acting as a time capsule. Dido's 1999 debut single, originally a hit in the UK, gained further fame through the TV series "Roswell," adding another layer of nostalgic resonance. The show's success highlights how music can bridge past and present, turning historical tragedy into a shared, emotional experience for a new generation.