The 15 Greatest Music Moments on “The Hills”

The Hills may be the show you love to hate (or hate to love), but there’s nothing detestable about the show’s soundtrack, which is meticulously selected by Joe Cuello and Jon Ernst, the music gurus who painstakingly combine footage of Lauren, Heidi and Co. with tracks from Carolina Liar, Ashlee Simpson and a thousand other bands you’ve probably never even heard of yet. Here’s a countdown of the show’s 15 most memorable music moments:

SONG: “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield
EPISODE: All
SCENE: Opening credits
ESTABLISHING LYRIC: “Live your life with arms wide open / Today is where your book begins / The rest is still unwritten”

SONG: “Stop and Stare” by OneRepublic
EPISODE: Paris Changes Everything
SCENE: Spencer leaves Colorado without Heidi; Lauren and Whitney head back from Paris to L.A.
SERIES-DEFINING LYRIC: “Stop and stare”

SONG: “Bizarre Love Triangle” by Frente
EPISODE: A Night at the Opera
SCENE: Audrina busts Justin Bobby for cheating on her, which he denies
CAUTIONARY LYRIC: “The wisdom of a fool won’t set you free”

SONG: “Umbrella” by Marie Digby
EPISODE: You Know What You Did
SCENE: While in the Teen Vogue intern closet, Lauren learns to accept that her friendship with Heidi is really over
WISTFUL LYRIC: “When the sun shines we shine together / Told you I’ll be here forever / That I’ll always be your friend / Took an oath, I’mma stick it out ’til the end”

SONG: “Soulmate” by Natasha Bedingfield
EPISODE: Second Chances
SCENE: Heidi faces the consequences of stealing Elodie’s promotion at work because Spencer encouraged her to apply for the job; Audrina and Justin Bobby resolve their problems with a motorcycle ride into the sunset; Lauren reconciles with Jason
UNLIKELY LYRIC: “Is it possible Mr. Lovable is already in my life / Right in front of me or maybe you’re in disguise”

SONG: “Beautiful in Los Angeles” by Garrison Star
EPISODE: Timing is Everything
SCENE: Lauren forgoes Teen Vogue‘s summer internship in Paris so she can spend time at the beach with Jason Wahler
PAINFULLY LITERAL LYRIC: “I’m so beautiful in Los Angeles”

SONG: “Pocket Full of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedingfield
EPISODE: When One Door Closes
SCENE: Lauren finally gets her chance to go to Paris; Heidi goes to Colorado to get some space from Spencer; Spencer flops around on his sister’s couch
PLEADING LYRIC: “Take me away to better days / Take me away a higher place”

SONG: “Between the Lines” by Sara Bareilles
EPISODE: They Meet Again
SCENE: Lauren and Jason run into Heidi and Spencer for the first time since they accused them of spreading the sex tape rumor
JUSTIN BOBBY LEVELS OF OBTUSE LYRIC: “Leave unsaid unspoken / Eyes wide shut unopened”

SONG: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Greg Laswell
EPISODE: Out with the Old …
SCENE: Heidi takes a pregnancy test
DISASTER AVERTING LYRIC: “Some boys take a beautiful girl / Only hide her away from the rest of the world / Well not me I want to be the one in the sun / Girls they want to have fun”

SONG: “Show Me What I’m Looking For” by Carolina Liar
EPISODE: Paris Changes Everything
SCENE: Lauren is taken on a midnight Vespa tour of Paris by Rock & Roll guitarist Matthias Cadeac D’Arbaud
SAME FEELINGS, DIFFERENT COUNTRY LYRIC: “Save me from being confused / Show me what I’m looking for”

SONG: “Almost Lover” by A Fine Frenzy
EPISODE: A Night at the Opera
SCENE: Justin Bobby kisses another girl in front of Audrina and he still sweet-talks her into going home with him
CONTRADICTORY LYRIC: “So long my luckless romance / My back is turned on you”

SONG: “Same Mistake” by James Blunt
EPISODE: When One Door Closes
SCENE: Lauren regrets turning down the trip to Paris while Spencer plots to win Heidi back
SELF-PITYING LYRIC: “I’m not calling for a second chance / I’m screaming at the top of my voice / Give me reason, but don’t give me choice / ‘Cause I’ll just make the same mistake again”

SONG: “Loose Ends” by Imogen Heap
EPISODE: Boyfriends and Work Don’t Mix
SCENE: Lauren takes a tough test in her class at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
ERUDITE LYRIC: “It’s complicated, this time I think it could be / Triangulated, it could be just what we need”

SONG: “Come On Come Out” by A Fine Frenzy
EPISODE: Paris Changes Everything
SCENE: Lauren, Whitney and the guys from Rock & Roll pop open a bottle of champagne underneath the Eiffel Tower
DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE LYRIC: “Watching the sky / Watching the painting come to life”

SONG: “Apologize” by OneRepublic
EPISODE: You Know What You Did
SCENE: Lauren and Heidi’s showdown about the sex tape rumor in the Season 3
premiere
BFF BREAKUP LYRIC: “It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late

SONG: “Apologize” by OneRepublic
EPISODE: You Know What You Did
SCENE: Lauren and Heidi’s showdown about the sex tape rumor in the Season 3
premiere
BFF BREAKUP LYRIC: “It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late”