Supernatural can be streamed on Netflix, but season 1 contains one huge difference regarding the music that completely changes an iconic aspect of the show. For 15 seasons, audiences followed Sam and Dean Winchester on their adventures hunting monsters and creating their own found family while on the road. On the road in Dean’s 1967 Chevy Impala, Sam and Dean traveled to nearly all corners of the United States and had an amazing soundtrack behind them as they did so.
The music in Supernatural is just as iconic as characters like Dean, Sam, and Castiel. In many ways, the music of Supernatural is its own character, it has its own story and significance across all of Supernatural’s 15 seasons. Dean is known for his music taste which includes some of the best rock and roll music like AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seger, and many more. Some songs, most notably Kansas’ “Carry on Wayward Son,” have become synonymous with the show, especially since it’s been played in nearly every season of Supernatural.
Some Supernatural Season 1 Episodes On Netflix Don’t Have the Right Music
Some Music Is Different Than When it Aired
Supernatural season 1 is so important because it establishes so much of what the show becomes and the major character attributes of the main protagonists in Sam and Dean. One of the things that best defines them is their taste in music, but if you watch Supernatural season 1 on Netflix, you'll notice that the music has been changed in multiple episodes. Unfortunately, these changes boil down to usage rights and whether certain parties are willing to lend rights to certain songs.
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It’s nothing new that musical artists are strict with who and what can use their music in media, but these rights issues can get a lot more complicated when it comes to digital streaming. In fact, for Supernatural season 1, the show only had music rights for DVD and broadcast television—not for streaming. This meant that much of the music had to be changed when Supernatural went to stream on Netflix. This does not happen in the DVD or Blu-Ray box sets.
How Netflix's Supernatural Season 1 Soundtrack Changes Affected The Show
Season 1 Set The Tone For the Whole Show
Even though Supernatural season 1 featured some of the show’s worst episodes, it still established much of the lore, recurring gags, and music that would be heard in the rest of the series. Many of the songs used in season 1 made lasting impacts and would return throughout the rest of Supernatural’s run. Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” would play during “The Road So Far” recap which usually happened in the penultimate or final episodes of each season. The original version of Supernatural season 1 started this tradition, but on Netflix's version, that isn’t the case.
Kansas was supposed to appear and perform "Carry on Wayward Son" in the
Supernatural
series finale, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the appearance did not happen.
In the episode “Faith” in Supernatural season 1, Supernatural used Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” in a scene where Dean Winchester saw a literal reaper chasing down a woman. While Sam and Dean eventually learn that a preacher’s wife had bound a reaper to help her husband perform miracles, having the original music playing in the background enhances the scene. However, in all digital versions, The Death Riders’ song “Death in the Valley” plays. While it’s still a great musical selection, there’s no doubt that Blue Oyster Cult’s aptly named song would’ve (and did) worked better.
Other iconic songs were replaced, including Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” from the Supernatural season 1 finale. These changes in music selections can also be seen in the infamous “Skin” episode, which is the first time Sam and Dean encounter a shapeshifter. The episode originally featured Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” for its opening scene, but was ultimately replaced with “Good Deal” by Mommy and Daddy, which doesn’t pack quite the same punch.
Why The Rest Of Supernatural On Netflix Doesn't Have A Soundtrack Problem
The Show Quickly Learned From Its Mistake
Much of Supernatural season 1 was a learning curve. Supernatural was one of the few horror-based television shows on air at the time and had to navigate balancing the horror elements with what was allowed on television. With the show still finding its footing, producers didn’t pay as much attention to the rights they obtained for the episodes. The original versions of Supernatural season 1 can only be found now on physical DVDs, but not if someone were to download the episode or watch it on Netflix.
Despite how successful Supernatural was, it didn’t always get what the music producers wanted, most specifically Led Zeppelin was too expensive for the show. At least, after learning of Supernatural season 1’s musical pitfalls, the show made sure that the following seasons would have the rights to the songs no matter the platform or format. It’s also worth noting that the majority of the songs featured in season 1 remain in the streaming version. However, some key, iconic songs are omitted in digital versions, which negatively affects the experience.
How Else Watching Supernatural On Netflix Is Different From When It Originally Aired
It’s Not Just The Music in Season 1 That’s Been Changed
Eagle-eyed fans have also noticed that the music from Supernatural season 1 isn’t the only thing that’s been changed since the show moved to Netflix for streaming. For the most part, Supernatural seasons 2 through 15 have remained largely untouched, and this extends to its music. However, “The Road So Far” segments, which usually appear in the penultimate or finales of each season are missing in Supernatural seasons 10 and 11. When these shows originally aired, the segment that includes Kanas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” was included, but on Netflix, they aren’t.
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There’s no indication why this is the case, but audiences can still hear a cover of “Carry On Wayward Son” in the Supernatural season 10 fan-favorite episode “Fan Fiction.” This means that the song that is unofficially Supernatural’s theme song, is missing from three key moments in the series. So much of Supernatural’s appeal has to do with its expert use of music, and when those things are altered, even the central message of an episode can get lost. While Supernaturalseason 1 still works with the other songs, these changes for streaming take away from the overall experience.
Created by Eric Kripke, Supernatural is a fantasy/drama series that premiered in 2005. The series follows the adventures of Dean and Sam Winchester - two men wronged by supernatural beings as children who now spend their days investigating and hunting demons, ghosts, and monsters across the United States.
Release Date September 13, 2005
Seasons 15
Franchise(s) Supernatural
Writers Eric Kripke , Andrew Dabb , Robert Berens
Directors Philip Sgriccia , John F. Showalter , Robert Singer
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