Every song tells a story — even if that story is “MMMBop” — and every story can be a TV show. And that means every song can be a TV show, if you want it badly enough.
The current slate of TV pilots features not one but two shows inspired by songs: The ABC pilot Heart of Life (which just nabbed Shadowhunters star Harry Shum Jr.) is based on the John Mayer song of the same name, and the hit Plain White T’s single “Hey There Delilah” is also being adapted into a potential series.
We here at TV Guide found this trend creatively inspiring. We’ve pulled together a list of 18 other songs that might as well be TV shows at this point, complete with our pitches for the ideal plot (and, in some cases, cast) to get the concept off the ground. Be sure to listen to the playlist below for the full effect.
Could one of these shows become your new favorite in a few years? Literally anything can happen.
“Lucky” by Britney Spears
This is a story about a girl named Lucky. The world-famous pop star/actress (Zendaya) doesn’t know who she is outside the fame machine, so she starts taking online college courses to broaden her horizons. But when Lucky hires a tutor (Anthony Ramos), he winds up teaching her about a lot more than economics. Get on this, The CW. –Kelly Connolly
“What’s My Age Again?” by Blink-182
Played by Matt Bomer, a former pop-punk kid has aged into a mid-30s CEO of a Fortune 500 company, completely forgetting his alt roots. A freak accident puts him into a coma, and upon awakening, his personality has reverted to his immature teenage rebellious self. He attempts to navigate the world of big business while staying true to his pop-punk roots. –Tony Maccio
“Goodbye Earl” by The Dixie Chicks
This song is messed up. It’s about two gal pals who murder one of their husbands with black-eyed peas (not the band, the food). Though for the show, The Black-Eyed Peas (the band, not the food) would reunite and kill Earl. They spend the rest of the season “hiding in plain sight,” only to find out no one was looking for them to begin with. Earl is played Gary Busey. Marianne is played by Patricia Arquette, and Wanda is played by all three Dixie Chicks (you get used to it). –Kelsey Pfeifer
“MMMBop” by Hanson
The origins and meaning of “MMMBop” are somewhat mysterious and unclear… even to the devout Church of Hanson fans. This would be the perfect Goonies-esque limited Showtime series, centered around finding the true meaning of “MMMBop” – only to realize FRIENDSHIP WAS THE ANSWER ALL ALONG. Starring Chad Michael Murray (obviously) as a detective and all the kids from Stranger Things as “the gang,” plus Chance the Rapper as an all-seeing oracle. –Kelsey Pfeifer
“Space Oddity” by David Bowie
You may be thinking this is space thriller about an astronaut, but you’d be wrong, because the song is a metaphor. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on: This sports drama follows fictional quarterback Tom Major’s (Taylor Kitsch) meteoric rise to football stardom — and his discovery that it’s lonely at the top. Will everything come crashing down? –Noelene Clark
“Drops of Jupiter” by Train
This song, however, is not a metaphor. This very literal adaptation is a Disney Channel fish-out-of-water series about Jupiter (Mckenna Grace), a teen who is new to Earth after being raised on a moon base, and Adam (Asher Angel), the boy who helps her discover the many wonders Earth has to offer, like fried chicken, soy lattes, Mozart, and Tae Bo. Bonus: Disney can reuse its Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century movie sets for the space station flashback scenes. –Noelene Clark
“Konstantine” by Something Corporate
This 2003 song about a guy trying to win back his ex-girlfriend whom he hurt when he left her to pursue his music career would be perfect for a tearjerker Freeform series starring K.J. Apa (with his natural hair color, of course) and Victoria Justice. And with the song a staggering 10 minutes in length, the writers would have more than enough material to pull from to craft a story about the confused young lovers. –Sadie Gennis
“Year 3000” by Jonas Brothers
A boy discovers that his neighbor, Peter, has built a time machine and has been traveling to and from the year 3000. He eventually takes the singer of the song with him, and the two witness that “not much has changed but they lived underwater.” This drama details the exciting, supernatural events that occur in the future, plus the complications that would inevitably occur from time traveling — and living underwater. –Aliza Sessler
“Foolish Games” by Jewel
She’s a full-on poet, so most of the lyrics in her Pieces of You album were rich with innuendo, but Jewel’s “Foolish Games” has some especially captivating story potential. Who is this Mozart-loving weirdo who likes to stand in the rain and keeps the woman who adores them at bay? And why she is she so attached to this brick wall of a person? The potential for a heady drama about unrequited love is very real with this number. –Amanda Bell
“Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
A couple, Tommy and Gina, live in challenging times and struggle to make ends meet, but their bond is unbreakable, even in the face of many trials and tribulations. –Aliza Sessler
“Mind Playing Tricks on Me” by Geto Boys
The narrative in Geto Boys’ 1991 hit “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” is rich enough that even the laziest of screenwriters could put together a decent pilot with the source material. The 5-minute-long song tells the tale of three men (Scarface, Willie D, and Bushwick Bill) each suffering from different mental health issues because their gangster lifestyle is making them paranoid. The verses deal with heavy topics like suicide, drug use, and murder and expose the vulnerable side to the outlaw lifestyle that other shows tend to glamorize. The drama, the character development, the humor, and the romance are all right here in these bars — your move, HBO. –Lauren Zupkus
“Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield
Jessie and Mandy are high school juniors — and girlfriends — in a universe with 2019 technology and ’80s fashion. When their best friend Liz starts crushing on Mandy, can the inseparable trio sustain the rift? Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo star as Jessie’s parents in Jessie’s Girl, coming this fall to The CW. –Kelly Connolly
“Hands Down” by Dashboard Confessional
A young man trying to win the heart of his high school bestie (who has “friend-zoned” him) poses as her crush in a series of notes, culminating in him setting up the “hands down, best date they’ll ever remember.” Chris Carrabba, who will look like he is 14 years old forever, plays the lead. –Tony Maccio
“We Built This City” by Starship
A group of aspiring musicians want to make it big while bringing ’80s music back. Covers of popular ’80s songs will be played throughout the series. –Aliza Sessler
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At the Disco
Panic!’s music tends to be on the theatrical side, so why not embrace the band’s signature flair by doing a soapy CW drama about a newlywed couple (Willa Holland and Robbie Amell) whose marriage becomes strained after the groom overhears a few choice rumors about his bride-to-be immediately before walking down the aisle. This idea calls for a toast, if you ask us, so pour the champagne. –Sadie Gennis
“Temperature” by Sean Paul
In the wake of Sean Paul’s lukewarm comeback, he obviously deserves a show. Think Romeo and Juliet meets the trashy British club scene. Everyone should be wearing jackets, but they’re not. Turns out Sean has superpowers to make everyone warm. Takes a 180 into a political climate change drama about halfway through the season. Starring the actual Sean Paul as himself. –Kelsey Pfeifer
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem
Here’s a fresh idea that’s never been done before: A white guy in Detroit is obsessed with two things — his mom’s spaghetti, and making it big as a rapper. But can he lose himself in the music and take his one shot to overcome his blue-collar background and his broken home? Find out in 8 Mile: the series. –Noelene Clark
“The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy
A group of boys return to town. Pretty much writes itself, no? –Kaitlin Thomas
PHOTOS: The 50 Funniest TV Shows of the Century
Britney Spears, “Lucky”/Panic! at the Disco, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”
Source : TVGuide
