The Sopranos is noted for its "eclectic array of music." With no original score, these are just some of the great songs used throughout the show.
- "Woke Up This Morning"
by Alabama 3, a song whose tone and lyrics are so perfectly suited to the show that you'll be astonished it wasn't composed for it. - The opening itself is a beautiful marriage of sight and sound that can always be counted on to set the mood and feel of a Mafia-run New Jersey.
- From "Pilot": Dion & The Belmont's "I Wonder Why," which plays over a car chase and beating committed by Tony over an "outstanding loan." The song is catchy and upbeat, providing Soundtrack Dissonance when Tony terrifies his first on-screen victim.
- "Look on Down from the Bridge" by Mazzy Star, as used in the closing scene of "Meadowlands". Haunting and melancholy, the song is perfect for the sight of A.J. realizing the true nature of his father's business.
- "Frank Sinatra" by Cake, the song that closes "The Legend Of Tennessee Moltisanti" when Christopher has a small victory by finding his name in a newspaper mentioning mafia-related activities, is a bizarre song that reflects Christopher's personality in its lyrics, instrumentation, and weird sense of melancholy.
- The instrumental version of Xzibit's "Paparazzi," which plays as the FBI witnesses Junior assuming control of the family, is truly impressive and ranks among the series' most iconic endings to an episode.
- The entirety of "Down Neck" features period-appropriate songs for Tony's flashbacks to his youth, including "White Rabbit" and The Animals' "Don't Bring Me Down." "Don't Bring Me Down" is particularly effective as it plays over Johnny Boy and Junior laying down a beating.
- "Tiny Tears" playing over an oddly beautiful and sort of climactic scene of Tony buying orange juice in "Isabella".
- The understated first season finale, "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano", with the haunting "State Trooper" by Bruce Springsteen playing over the end credits.
- Music by Frank Sinatra accompanying a montage in "Guy Walks Into a Psychiatrists' Office" is pleasantly surprising and effective in its reintroduction of the show's characters.
- Carmela's motif, Andrea Bocelli's "Con te partiro" that recurs throughout the show, is substantially different than other songs here but is still quite emotional and fitting on Carmela's behalf.
- Journey's "Wheel in the Sky," playing when Tony has a heartwarming moment with his son, is made even more epic when paired with the sight of Tony's boat gliding across the ocean.
- Eurythmics' "I Saved the World Today" plays at the end of "The Knight in White Satin Armor" as Tony feels relieved after dealing with Richie Aprile, the season's main threat.
- Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" during Tony's fever dream/the car ride with Silvio in "Funhouse" is especially chilling in its uplifting tone, as it contrasts with the subsequent brutal murder of a close friend.
- Much of the diegetic (in-universe) music qualifies:
- Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" plays when Christopher and Adriana return from Massive Genius' party, lampshading the toxic nature of Christopher's ambition.
- Link Wray's famous "Rumble" plays at the guys' first on-screen hangout at the pork store. It's a song so tough it got banned from radio, being an instrumental.
- As a nice nod to Goodfellas, the ever-so-great "Layla" plays in Tony's car just before he gets home in "Whitecaps".
- Deep Purple's hard-rockin' "Smoke On The Water" plays on Tony's radio as he passes out behind the wheel in the Season 2 opener. Even Tony jams out to it.
- Paul Simon's "Mother and Child Reunion", which plays in Janice's car in "Do Not Resuscitate", is pretty catchy and is a great song in its own right.
- In "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood", Tony comically sings along to the catchy gem of a song, "Dirty Work," performed by Steely Dan.
- In the same episode, Tony works out to Eagles' amazing "Hotel California."
- Led Zeppelin's "Rock And Roll" plays inside a pizza parlor. What makes it notable is that usage of the already congenial song was the first time Led Zeppelin's music had been featured in any television series, and that the song is off what is considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time.
- The Kinks' "Living On a Thin Line", which is the definition of a badass song, plays in the dark just before and during the strippers' introduction at the Bing.
- Bobby Baccalieri, Sr. drives and crashes his car while listening to America's mellow #1 hit "Sister Golden Hair."
- The hard-rocking "Gloria" by Them, a fitting song for Tony and Gloria's relationship.
- "Rock the Casbah" by The Clash plays while Tony chases Phil by car in "In Camelot", which is very fitting considering Tony's later nickname for Phil as the Shah of Iran.
- "Flashing For Money", which plays in the gay club in "Mr. and Mrs. Sacrimoni Request", is a fun mash-up of Deep Dish and Dire Straits.
- Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name"
- "Thru and Thru" by The Rolling Stones as used in the Season 2 finale, is incredible haunting. The final shot of Season 2, Tony smoking in his living room, contrasted with Pussy Bonpensiero's final resting place, is truly something to behold.
- The two sequences in the Season 3 premiere where the Peter Gunn theme and "Every Breath You Take" are played over each other. The two songs have the exact same beat and mesh perfectly.
- Nils Lofgren's soothing and beautiful "Black Books", which plays over what is possibly one of the most tender moments between Tony and Carmela.
- Uncle Junior shows off his singing chops in the Season 3 finale with his rendition of "Core Ingrato" that's sadly interrupted by Meadow.
- "I Love Paris" by Dean Martin, blared over a boat's loudspeakers, is classic and enjoyable Rat Pack material.
- The use of "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" by The Kinks after Tony provokes Janice is simply badass.
- "Glad Tidings" by Van Morrison, which comments lyrically on the story's events, is a great song in its own right.
- The Drifters' "This Magic Moment," a classic and incredibly soulful song, playing as Bobby embraces his kids after returning home.
- "Evidently Chickentown" by John Cooper Clarke has an ominous foreboding quality at the close of "Stage 5" as it plays when Phil decides to declare war on the Sopranos and when the awkward tension between Tony and Chris is at its peak.
- Los Lobos' amazing and haunting "The Valley", which plays over the ending to "Walk Like a Man".
- Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", as used in the final scene, is an iconic marriage of sight and sound and is a testament to David Chase's ability to select music appropriately for The Sopranos.
