The Guest soundtrack guide: A complete list of the music in the latest four-part thriller on BBC

The Guest ( Image via YouTube / Netflix )
The Guest ( Image via YouTube / Netflix )

If you've been hooked on BBC's four-part drama thriller, The Guest, you may be wondering what music accompanies its intense storyline. The answer is simple: The Guest is complemented by a mix of Blair Mowat's theme and similarly selected licensed material. Right from the first scene to the last credit, music takes center stage in creating the mood and emotional impact of the show.

Blair Mowat, also a music composer for Class, Nolly, McDonald & Dodds, and After the Flood, scored the original music for the show. His scores offer the emotional stitching that constitutes the core of the tension and suspense of the themes of the series.

The soundtrack album, titled The Guest (Original Television Soundtrack), was released on September 12, 2025, and is available for streaming on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify


Blair Mowat and the original score

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Original score by Blair Mowat for The Guest is a reflection of his capacity to compose music that complements visual storytelling. His past collaboration with the producer, Matthew Barry, on television programs like Men Up, made him ready to work with him on this production. Blair Mowat's scores are ambient-sounding and include motifs that reflect the tense atmosphere of the show.

The official score has 19 tracks and takes approximately 38 minutes. Some of the pieces of note include:

Ria Goes to War – A piece that marks moments of tension.

House Tour – A tranquil piece that is suitable for discovery scenes.

Blackout – A piece that instills suspense and creates ultimate tension in climactic scenes.

End Credits – A reflective piece that ends the series.

Even though the album has Mowat's original material, there is no inclusion of the licensed tracks from the series.


Episode-by-episode licensed tracks

Apart from Mowat's music, The Guest has licensed tracks to spice up some of the scenes. Below is a breakdown of the licensed tracks used in each episode:

Episode 1

  • MWY – Adwaith
  • Lose Control – Teddy Swims

Episode 2

  • Still Dreaming – Gillie
  • Humanity – Lava La Rue

Episode 3

  • Burn – Blewska
  • Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves

Episode 4

  • Miliwn – Adwaith

All these songs are positioned to highlight key points and contribute to the narrative.


Full soundtrack album tracklist

The soundtrack album comprises the following songs:

  1. Ria Goes to War
  2. House Tour
  3. Butterflies
  4. Heavy Drinking
  5. The Help
  6. Mirage
  7. All Dressed Up
  8. Secret Messaging
  9. The Cottage
  10. Blackout
  11. Knock Knock
  12. Bench Pressing
  13. Due Diligence
  14. Run for Your Life
  15. Old Habits
  16. Runaway Ria
  17. I Really Did Care
  18. Previously
  19. End Credits

Each of these scores contains the emotional and thematic nucleus of the series, providing listeners with a unified aural experience.


How the score and songs interrelate

The combination of the original score by Mowat with the licensed music plays a crucial role in the narrative of The Guest. Mowat's score is the constant musical thread, while the licensed music surfaces periodically to contribute to some scenes or mood shifts.

This is used to help keep the soundtrack complementary to the narrative without dominating it.


Why the soundtrack matters

The Guest score is not background music by itself; it is part of the series' narrative. The Mowat original score and selected licensed tracks blend hand-in-glove to achieve the maximum emotional and thematic payload of the series.

For the series fans, the soundtrack is a means of reliving the atmosphere and sensation of the series through the music.

Also read: The Guest ending explained: Ria finally uncovers the dark secret behind Fran's empire

Edited by Anjali Singh