The 'Virgin River' Season 2 Soundtrack Is a Near-Perfect Folk-Pop Playlist

Don't worry: Lizzo has reached the citizens of the (very fictional) town of Virgin River.

virgin river netflix
(Image credit: Netflix)

It can be tricky enough to keep up with the emotional roller-coaster ride that is Netflix's Virgin River. But if you've somehow had no trouble keeping track of the love triangles, secret twins, and mysterious pasts that are apparently a requirement for all residents of Virgin River, California, you may have found yourself with enough extra brainpower to pick up on the absolutely impeccable soundtrack playing behind all those twists and turns.

The first season's playlist was already exceptional (hello, that "Landslide" cover?!), perfectly encapsulating in musical form Mel Monroe's rocky adjustment to small-town life and the landslide (sorry!) of drama that ensued. But the show's music supervisors have truly outdone themselves in season two: In addition to the usual mix of singer-songwriter-y covers and a trio of onscreen performances by real-life indie rock group The Promised, the new soundtrack is also peppered with major hits from Lizzo, Aretha Franklin, and Hozier. Far beyond providing the sense of relief that comes with learning that Lizzo is just as important to this tiny fictional town as she is in real life, the second season's soundtrack is also just a spot-on combination of pop bangers, acoustic jams, and nostalgic swingy tunes.

Here, find an episode-by-episode guide to the songs of Virgin River season two, courtesy of the musical detectives at Tunefind. Disclaimer: Don't be surprised if this becomes your go-to playlist.

Episode 1: "New Beginnings"

  • "Your Song" by Chance Peña
  • "Wonderwall" by Eden xo

Episode 2: "Taken by Surprise"

  • "Reality" by DYAN
  • "Where It Stays" by Charlotte OC

Episode 3: "The Morning After"

  • "Hugging You (Acoustic)" by Tom Rosenthal
  • "Lie to Me" by The Dahls
  • "Milk in Sunshine" by Kelly Pardekooper
  • "Your Head and Your Heart" by The Saint Johns

Episode 4: "Rumor Has It"

  • "Still on Top" by Kate York
  • "We Could Be in Love" by The Promised
  • "Take a Little Time" by The Promised
  • "Already Gone" by The Promised
  • "Rollin' Trainwreck" by Rollin' Trainwreck
  • "Close the Blinds" by Denney and the Jets
  • "San Luis" by Gregory Alan Isakov

Episode 5: "Can't Let Go"

  • "November" by Keith Skooglund
  • "Better Man" by Black River Delta
  • "Just Like You" by The Dahls
  • "Meant to Stay Hid" by SYML
  • "Howl" by Jake Houlsby

Episode 6: "Out of the Past"

  • "Grow Old With You" by Bobby Watson
  • "Cave In" by Derrick Procell
  • "Do You Wanna Go" by Michael Kisur
  • "Tried and True" by Evan Olson
  • "Thread" by Keane
  • "As You Fly" by Regina Price
  • "Give You My Love" by Daniel Milewski
  • "Free Rider" by Spirit City

Episode 7: "Breaking Point"

  • "I'm Here" by Sweet Talk Radio
  • "All My People" by Daniel Milewski
  • "Tomorrow Is Coming" by Ocha La Rocha
  • "This Time" by Daniel Milewski
  • "Heartshaker" by Tom Speight
  • "Troubled Roads" by Black River Delta
  • "Good as Hell" by Lizzo
  • "Catacombs" by sød ven

Episode 8: "Blindspots"

  • "Put It on Me" by Matt Maeson
  • "Fever Dream" by mxmtoon
  • "Symmetry" by SYML

Episode 9: "Hazards Ahead"

  • "Sweet End" by Five2
  • "This Cruel Town" by Matt Keating
  • "Universe" by Sounding Arrow
  • "Someone Someday" by Red Shahan
  • "Ode to LBC" by Satica
  • "Ear to the Ground" by Chris Erikson
  • "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" by Aretha Franklin
  • "Take Me Apart" by SYML

Episode 10: "Blown Away"

  • "Song of Yesterday" by Dominic Pesce
  • "Straight From the Bottle" by Cree Rider Family Band
  • "Movement" by Hozier
  • "Our Own Cloud" by Daniel Milewski
  • "Carry You (feat. Fleurie)" by RUELLE
Andrea Park

Andrea Park is a Chicago-based writer and reporter with a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the extended Kardashian-Jenner kingdom, early 2000s rom-coms and celebrity book club selections. She graduated from the Columbia School of Journalism in 2017 and has also written for W, Brides, Glamour, Women's Health, People and more.