Why the Severance theme music is so terrifyingly catchy

24 March 2025, 11:51

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What makes the ‘Severance’ theme so irresistibly catchy and undeniably terrifying?

The Severance Season 2 finale aired last Friday and on the same day, its director Ben Stiller confirmed that the show would be returning for a third season.

Severance has become the most watched series on Apple TV+, overtaking the hugely popular Ted Lasso, and its first season was nominated for three Golden Globes and seven Primetime Emmy Awards. But whilst the drama is gripping, its theme music is just as terrifying as the action.

The eerie music for this psychological thriller has taken the internet by storm, and TikTok has exploded with covers, remixes, and even dance routines set to this chilling melody.

Read more: Here’s why the ‘Succession’ theme tune is stuck in your head

Who composed the music and why is it so catchy?

Theodore Shapiro wrote the theme music as well the Emmy-winning score. He is known for writing music for iconic films such as 13 going on 30, The Devil Wears Prada and Tropic Thunder – where he first worked with Ben Stiller, who is executive producer and director of Severance.

Shapiro told Slash Film that the music had a “serendipitous route to coming into being”. Following conversations with Stiller, the composer started writing themes.

“I just started creating and sending him ideas to see what he would respond to,” Shapiro said. “Then one day he called, and he was like, ‘I was just listening to this stuff. And that piece is really great. That’s really exciting.’ And so immediately we just started honing in on that idea.”

The minimalist, atmospheric piano theme creates a growing sense of unease that perfectly mirrors the show's dark, corporate dystopia. Centred around a repetitive four-chord motif – C minor, F sharp major, F major, and A flat minor – the piece loops with hypnotic precision. Its simple structure feels unnervingly tranquil, opening with the chords played over a repeated C pedal. A descending melody is then introduced, adding depth to the unsettling calm.

As the theme progresses, a static sound gradually intensifies, enhancing the feeling that things are falling apart. Shapiro achieved this by reversing a piano note and then removing sections of the audio file to create a glitchy effect. Throughout the theme, he gradually adds more distortion, further heightening the sense of instability.

Why is everyone covering it on TikTok?

The show isn’t going viral just because of the script: musicians on TikTok have taken the Severance theme and made it their own. The theme’s easy-to-imitate structure has prompted a flurry of haunting covers and experimental reinterpretations. Check out some of our favourites:

This Bossa Nova cover manages to retain the sinisterness of the original while infusing it with a relaxed, syncopated Brazilian style:

Not only is this 80s synth version of the theme music a fun cover, we also appreciate the Helly R and Mark S outfits here:

This Kalimba cover has the simplicity and mystery that is so unnerving about the original. Perhaps someone should encourage Theodore Shapiro to include a Kalimba in the series three music…

We love this arrangement for five saxes!

And finally, this beautiful harp duet offers a delicate, yet haunting, twist on the theme:

These creative reinterpretations show just how captivating the Severance theme is, proving that its eerie melody is not just ‘mysterious and important’, but unforgettable and terrifyingly catchy.