FX’s The Shards is one of the most anticipated dramas of the summer, adapting Bret Easton Ellis’s bestselling 2023 novel of the same name under executive producer Ryan Murphy. Set in 1981 Los Angeles, the series follows a fictionalized teenage version of Ellis (played by Igby Rigney) at the elite Buckley prep school, where the arrival of mysterious new student Robert Mallory (Homer Gere) coincides with a string of murders tied to a serial killer known as The Trawler. The ensemble also includes Kaia Gerber, Wes Bentley, Evan Rachel Wood, Jordan Roth, Graham Campbell, and Hayes Warner. The series premieres August 5, 2026 on FX and Hulu in the United States, with an international rollout on Disney+.
Beyond its starry cast and pedigree, The Shards has already generated buzz for its music. Two composers are handling the instrumental score, while a trio of pop artists are contributing original songs written specifically for the show’s 1980s-soaked atmosphere. Here’s everything that’s been officially confirmed about the soundtrack — and what’s still pending ahead of the premiere.
The Shards Soundtrack Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Series | The Shards |
| Based on | The Shards (2023 novel) by Bret Easton Ellis |
| Creators | Ryan Murphy, Bret Easton Ellis |
| Director | Max Winkler |
| Network / Platform | FX, Hulu (U.S.); Disney+ (international) |
| Studio | 20th Television, Ryan Murphy Television, Color Force, Sodium Fox Productions |
| Premiere Date | August 5, 2026 (U.S.); August 6, 2026 (U.K., Disney+) |
| Score Composers | Morgan Kibby, David Klotz |
| Original Songs By | Troye Sivan, Leland, Hayes Warner |
| Episodes (Season 1) | 10 |
| Soundtrack Album Label | Not yet announced |
| Total Tracks / Runtime | Pending official release |
The Shards Soundtrack Overview
The music for The Shards is being built in two distinct layers. The instrumental score comes from composers Morgan Kibby and David Klotz, who are scoring the series together. Meanwhile, original songs — separate from the score — are being contributed by pop artist Troye Sivan, his longtime songwriting collaborator Leland, and series star Hayes Warner, who plays Debbie Shaffer. These songs were written specifically to reflect the show’s early-1980s Los Angeles setting, with the stated goal of amplifying the “suspense, seduction and obsession” running through the story.
As of this writing, no soundtrack album, label, or release date for a commercial score or song release has been announced. This is expected, since the series has not yet premiered — the score and original songs typically surface for review or digital release only after episodes air. This article will be updated once tracklists, needle drops, and album details are confirmed.
Who Composed The Shards Soundtrack?
Morgan Kibby (Score Composer)
Morgan Kibby, also known by her recording moniker White Sea, is an American composer, singer, and producer based in Los Angeles. She first gained wide recognition as a member of the French electronic group M83 between 2008 and 2015, co-writing on albums including Saturdays = Youth and the platinum-certified Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. Following her time with M83, Kibby transitioned into film and television scoring, earning her first credit on Eva Husson’s Bang Gang in 2016, for which she won Best Original Score at the Les Arcs European Film Festival. Her scoring resume since then includes Grand Army, Wilderness, The Power, Grotesquerie, Mothering Sunday, Queens, and Finding Emily. Alongside her scoring work, Kibby has written and produced for artists including Panic! At the Disco, Harry Styles, and Lady Gaga.
David Klotz (Score Composer)
David Klotz is an American composer and music editor born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Emerson College. He is widely known in the industry for his Primetime Emmy Award–winning music editorial work on Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, and American Horror Story — earning eight Emmys across those series. As a composer, Klotz’s credits include Netflix’s The Prom (co-composed with Matthew Sklar), American Sports Story, and All’s Fair. He also performs and records with the synth-based band DREAM SYSTEM 8.
Original Song Contributors
Separate from the score, Troye Sivan and his frequent collaborator Leland are writing original songs for the series, marking their latest partnership following hits like “Rush,” “One of Your Girls,” and “Talk Talk.” Hayes Warner, who plays Debbie Shaffer, is also contributing original music of her own — Warner is a New York-based pop-punk singer-songwriter signed to Glassnote Records, previously named one of People magazine’s Emerging Artists to Watch for singles including “Predator” and “Breadcrumbs.”
The Shards Official Tracklist
Update (September 2026): The Shards premiered as scheduled and has been airing weekly since August 6, 2026. No standalone score album or Troye Sivan/Leland/Hayes Warner original-song EP has been released as a discrete soundtrack product as of this writing — but episode-by-episode needle-drop tracking is now available (see below). This section will be updated if a formal soundtrack album is announced.
Score Highlights
Status: Pending, with limited confirmed context. No individual score cues or track titles have been released yet. Based on public statements from the involved artists, the original songs are intended to underscore the show’s “suspense, seduction and obsession,” inspired directly by its 1980s Los Angeles setting — but no scene-specific placements or cue titles have been confirmed. Once the score album or episode-level needle drop data becomes available, this section will include verified highlights with proper scene context.
The Shards Licensed Songs / Needle Drops
The show leans heavily on period-accurate 1980s needle drops alongside its original score. Per NME’s episode-by-episode tracking (updated through Episode 5):
Episode 1
- The Cars – “Moving In Stereo”
- Ultravox – “Vienna”
- Duran Duran – “Planet Earth”
- The Go-Go’s – “This Town”
- The Stranglers – “Golden Brown”
- Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “Crimson and Clover”
- The Pretenders – “Bad Boys Get Spanked”
Episode 2
- The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me”
- Dionne Warwick – “Deja Vu”
- The Buggles – “Video Killed the Radio Star”
- Fleetwood Mac – “Tusk”
- Floyd Lloyd – “Rasta Roots Man”
- Sly Fox – “Let’s Go All the Way”
- Al Stewart – “Year of the Cat”
Episode 3
- The Police – “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
- Blondie – “Rapture”
- The Beach Boys – “Help Me Rhonda”
- Peter Gabriel – “Games Without Frontiers”
- Stevie Nicks – “Edge of Seventeen”
Episode 4
- Split Enz – “Nobody Takes Me Seriously”
- Blondie – “Heart of Glass”
- Teena Marie – “Square Biz”
- Joan Armatrading – “The Weakness in Me”
- Lipps Inc. – “Funkytown”
- The Go-Go’s – “We Got the Beat”
- Icehouse (as Flowers) – “Icehouse”
Episode 5
- The Go-Go’s – “Our Lips Are Sealed”
- Generation X – “Dancing With Myself”
- Rick James – “Super Freak”
- Loverboy – “Turn Me Loose”
- Foreigner – “Waiting for a Girl Like You”
- Juice Newton – “Angel of the Morning”
- Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough”
This list will be extended as later episodes air and additional placements are confirmed.
Composer Filmography
Morgan Kibby — Selected Composing Credits
| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Bang Gang | Film |
| 2020 | Grand Army | Netflix Series |
| 2023 | The Power | Amazon Series |
| 2023 | Wilderness | Amazon Series |
| 2024 | Grotesquerie | FX Series |
| 2026 | The Shards | FX Series |
David Klotz — Selected Composing Credits
| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Prom | Netflix Film (co-composer) |
| 2024 | American Sports Story | FX Series |
| 2025 | All’s Fair | Series |
| 2026 | The Shards | FX Series |
Where to Listen The Shards Soundtrack?
No standalone streaming album for the score or the Sivan/Leland/Warner original songs has been released as of this writing, even though the series has been airing since August 6, 2026. The period needle-drop songs listed above are all independently streamable on Spotify and Apple Music via their original 1980s releases. This article will be updated with direct links if a formal soundtrack or song release is confirmed by the composers or label.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sings the original songs in The Shards?
Original songs for the series are being contributed by Troye Sivan and his longtime collaborator Leland, along with series star Hayes Warner.
Who composed The Shards score?
The instrumental score is composed by Morgan Kibby (also known as White Sea, formerly of M83) and David Klotz, an Emmy-winning music editor turned composer.
When did The Shards premiere?
The first two episodes premiered August 5-6, 2026 on FX and Hulu in the US, and Disney+ internationally, with the remaining episodes of the 10-episode season following weekly.
Is there a soundtrack album for The Shards?
Not as a discrete release as of this writing. The series relies on period-accurate 1980s needle drops (Duran Duran, The Human League, Blondie, and others) alongside the Kibby/Klotz score and the Sivan/Leland/Warner original songs, but no formal album has been announced.
What songs are used in The Shards?
Confirmed episode-by-episode placements include The Cars’ “Moving In Stereo” and Duran Duran’s “Planet Earth” (Episode 1), The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” (Episode 2), and Blondie’s “Rapture” and Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” (Episode 3), among many others.
What is The Shards based on?
The series adapts Bret Easton Ellis’s semi-autobiographical 2023 novel of the same name, following a fictionalized teenage version of Ellis at an elite 1981 Los Angeles prep school.
Related Reading
For more FX and Hulu original series music guides, see our Hulu hub, Disney+ hub, and TV soundtrack guide.