Gossip Girl is known for plenty of things — sex, drugs, rich people problems — but no one can deny the show’s excellent use of music and the impact its had on its fans discovering diamonds in the rough. As the series comes to a close, we wanted to reminisce in the highlights of the show’s run. That’s why we decided to make a short playlist of some memorable moments (and sometimes just great songs) in an 18-song mix that runs about one hour long. Of course, there are so many great songs from the series over the course of six seasons and we’re missing about 1,000 of them or so, but what can you do? We tried to keep as many small names as possible, include as many genres as we could, and organized it by mood. Of course, the following’s just a compilation of songs from the series we like and would rock out to. Your mileage may vary, so feel free to add a must-have song of your own.

Take a listen with our Spotify playlist by clicking here if you want and/or listen while reading the reasons why we chose them one by one below that.

1. “Shove It” by Santigold


Episode | 2×04 “The Ex Files”
Why? | “Shove It,” besides being the perfect way to put you in the badass mood, was the song that showcased our main character’s kickassery — by dumping and blackballing Lonely Boy. The song rocks. Serena rocks. Thus, our playlist should rock, right? Watch the scene here.

Bonus: “She’s On the Move” by Far East Movement


Episode | 3×14 “The Lady Vanished”
Why? | Everyone else has their sexcapades song on this list, Serena and Nate deserve it as well! Watch the scene here.

2. “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn


Episode | 4×07 “War at the Roses”
Why? | In many ways, this moment on the series completely captures everything the series has become: false love, schemes, and hate sex. Watch the scene here.

3. “Cosmic Love” by Florence + the Machine


Episode | 4×14 “Panic Roommate”
Why? | Look, we just like Florence + the Machine, okay? Watch the scene here.

4. “Animal” by Miike Snow


Episode | 3×03 “The Lost Boy”
Why? | Aside from aiding the Serena and Carter love, this track is quite infectious. It also helps us segue perfectly into our next genre of song, the indie rock mood. Watch the scene here.

5. “One Week of Danger” by The Virgins


Episode | 1×08 “Seventeen Candles”
Why? | The images of Blair walking out of church, after confessing of doing the deed with not her boyfriend Chuck Bass, coupled with the fitting lyrics of this track create the sense of irony and self-awareness that Gossip Girl has come to be known for. Watch the scene here.

6. “New York City” by Among Savages


Episode | 5×17 “The Princess Dowry”
Why? | Moving on to a bit of the slow side of the playlist, this song plays one of the cliffhanger episodes of season 5 — Ivy kicks Lily and Rufus out, Serena ponders when life will begin, and in one of the most polarizing moments ever, Dan and Blair become a couple. It’s as twisty as a Gossip Girl episode can be. Watch the scene here.

7. “Whatever You Like” by Anya Marina


Episode | 3×09 “They Shoot Humphreys, Don’t They?”
Why? | Are you kidding? The pinnacle of everything that this series has become was defined in this OMFG moment — when the series kind of stopped caring about stories and more about shocking you. Dan, Vanessa, and Lizzie McGuire get it on in the scene where the teen drama finally went there. Plus, the song is as sultry as ever. Watch the scene here.

8. “Secret” by The Pierces


Episode | 1×10 “Hi, Society”
Why? | Consider it the intermission of your playlist, but the continued atmosphere of sultry and mystery is enough to add this iconic song to the mix. Watch the scene here.

9. “Too Late” by M83


Episode | 3×12 “The Debarted”
Why? | Completely disregarding the silly resurrection later on, “The Debarted” showed that Gossip Girl can truly be about raw emotion and not just soap opera melodrama. Plus, it tees off our heartbreak section nicely. Watch the scene here.

10. “I Can Feel a Hot One” by Manchester Orchestra


Episode | 2×03 “The Dark Night”
Why? | One of the series prominent It-couples breaks it off for good (or as “for good” as anything can stay broken off on this show) with this poignant song as the underscore of the scene. Watch the scene here.

11. “Apologize” by One Republic


Episode | 1×10 “Hi, Society”
Why? | A whisked away Serena by Dan, a medicating CeCe, a defeated Chuck, and a sexing up Blair and Nate… goodness, is this not what this show is all about? False pretenses and hopes of love, omissions that change everything later on, and… sex. Watch the scene here.

12. “Don’t Wait” by The Duke Spirit


Episode | 4×17 “Empire Of the Son”
Why? | Aiding our soft rock at this part of the playlist, this song also plays during another one of the most polarizing moments of the series — Dan and Blair’s first kiss — sparking controversy and war for seasons to come. Watch the scene here.

Bonus: “Concrete Wall” by Zee Avi


Episode | 5×11 “The End Of the Affair?”
Why? | This song may be associated with one of the worst episodes of the series, but it truly was able to take ahold of it by the reigns and is memorized in the fandom as a whole. In other words: #BoomSheClackClack.

13. “The General Specific” by Band of Horses


Episode | 1×11 “Roman Holiday”
Why? | During season one, when this song plays, Dan loses his virginity to the presumed love of his life in one of the series’ more sweeter moments. Watch the scene here.

Bonus: “Season of Love” by Shiny Toy Guns

Episode | 2×25 “The Goodbye Gossip Girl”
Why? | Closing out the final time some would argue was when the series stopped being “good,” this song echoes the end of the cat and mouse game Chuck and Blair played for so long. Watch the scene here.

14. “Silent Machine” by Cat Power


Episode | 6×08 “It’s Really Complicated”
Why? | Dan decides to play with power, and the shift between our UESers and The Ultimate Insider has never been more uproarious.

15. “With Me” by Sum 41


Episode | 1×07 “Victor, Victrola”
Why? | The song that plays over Blair losing her virginity to Chuck, this scene sort of kind of totally changed the entire show forever. Watch the scene here.

16. “Ricochet!” by Shiny Toy Guns


Episode | 2×14 “In the Realm of the Basses”
Why? | Look, we just like Shiny Toy Guns, too, okay? Plus, this song rocks. (And fits the portion of our playlist.)

Bonus: “Tell Me a Lie” by The Fratellis

Episode | 2×02 “Never Been Marcused”
Why? | This song helps aid the transition from rock to hip hop here, but it’s also just one of those sexy, upbeat songs that Gossip Girl does so well. Watch the scene here.

17. “Whatcha Say” by Jason Derulo


Episode | 3×11 “The Treasure of Serena Madre”
Why? | Transitioning into a more urban sound now, we just love the unconventional ways Josh Schwartz has used Imogen Heap from The O.C. to here. Tensions run high during Thanksgiving dinner… and everyone basically walks out. Glorious infamous GG Thanksgivings! Watch the scene here.

Bonus: “Beautiful Girls” by Sean Kingston


Episode | 1×04 “Bad News Blair”
Why? | You gotta have a Blair and Serena song! Watch the scene here.

Bonus: “Glamorous” by Fergie


Episode | 1×01 “Pilot”
Why? | Like many songs we wanted to include, “Glamorous” is not listed on Spotify. But this song is one the first songs that’s played in the entire series’ run. That’s pretty huge… and because of that, it’s embedded in our brains. If you want to play this one, make sure to do it here as it weaves in nicely.

18. “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z


Episode | 3×12 “The Debarted”
Why? | Admittedly, this isn’t a really memorable moment of the series as a whole (as if that’s stopped us from adding songs in the playlist), but there’s no denying that one of the more memorable characters on the show is New York City itself, and this song celebrates it so well. Watch the scene here.

Bonus: The Final Song

Episode | 6×10 “New York, I Love You XOXO”
Why? | The episode has yet to air, but there’s no denying that the final song that the show decides to use is a must-list — whatever that may be. It’s a monumental choice, and here’s hoping it reflects the series as a whole.