21 Songs From The O.C. That Will Transport You Back to Your Angsty Teenage Bedroom

It would be wrong to even think about starting a list of the most memorable songs from The O.C. with anything but the theme song, "California". It was only the soundtrack to our youth, OK.

Next, the song that marked the end of The O.C. — Imogen Heap's harrowing cover of Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" will always conjure an image of Ryan carrying a limp Marissa from a burning car wreck.

Youth Group recorded the cover of the Alphaville song, "Forever Young", especially for The O.C., and it was actually played twice during season three. The first time was while Marissa and Ryan dance in the pool house, and — you'll be surprised to hear — that it played a second time while Ryan and Marissa broke up . . . again.

"Hide and Seek" played in The O.C. during the season two finale — the first time is when Marissa shoots Ryan's brother Trey, and once you're done reliving that haunting moment, cool down by watching Lonely Island's SNL parody video inspired by the scene.

Rooney is another band whose sound will always be synonymous with The O.C., and "I'm Shakin'" plays in season one when the team goes to see Rooney play live. It's also during this song that the biggest creep of all time, Oliver, starts acting a bit titchy . . . again. And Ryan gets jealous . . . again.

Ryan Adams' cover of the Oasis song "Wonderwall" was the perfect backing track to another of Ryan and Marissa's breakups. The dramatic scene overshadowed a seriously cute slow-dancing scene with Seth and Summer, and we're still not happy about it.

Death Cab for Cutie was Seth Cohen's first true love in the show (sorry Summer), so there are many Death Cab songs played throughout the series. The scene best known for showing Seth's unwavering dedication to the band was in season one when Summer throws serious shade and Seth passionately defends his beloved with the line "Don't insult Death Cab!".

Coldplay debuted their song "Fix You" on the final episode of season two. After Summer wins prom queen (alongside *gasp* Luke) and is stood up on stage, Seth makes the grand gesture of running on stage to slow-dance with her. But, once again, the scene is overshadowed by Ryan surprising Marissa, and the song plays softly in the background while they slow-dance in the school carpark. Famously, it is also during this song that Caleb falls into the pool mid-heart attack. It was a big moment for the show.

A new scene opens with this song blaring and a sleep-mussed Seth Cohen happily dancing his way through his family's palatial home — the song cuts out suddenly as he enters the kitchen, ready to convince Sandy that he's too sick to go to school. Oh, Seth.

Jem performed the cover of Paul McCartney's hit "Maybe I'm Amazed" at Julie and Caleb's wedding. This scene is best known as being the moment Ryan plucked up enough courage to ask Marissa to dance, and she says these memorable lines: "I just want you to know that I understand why you have to do this . . . but I wish you didn't have to (insert another dramatic pause) *whispers* I love you."

"Speeding Cars" was the perfect song to play while watching the four main characters graduate high school — and was a much more lighthearted tune than Heap's rendition of "Hallelujah" that plays at the end of the very same episode. Sorry, we won't go there again.

This song — both the original version and the cover performed by Syd Matters — perfectly sums up how mesmerised Seth is with Summer, equally in season one as in the fourth episode of season four.

Seth Cohen races to the airport to try and stop Anna from leaving Orange County and flying home to Pittsburgh. He catches her at security and breathlessly begs her to not leave because of him, but once she clears up the fact that she only loves him as a friend, she tearfully hugs him and says goodbye.

Following the death of Marissa at the end of season three, the fourth season opens with this song by Placebo, showing a moody video of Ryan — sporting a busted up face — answering a call, then Sandy finding him living out of the back of a dark, smoky bar. Basically, this song showed just how messed up everyone had become in the months since Marissa's death.

Another song from the first episode of season four, "Bad Dream" is the backing track for the moments when Summer leaves town to attend a protest against seal poachers, and Ryan sets out on his mission from Julie to carry out revenge on Volchok. There's also a scene during this song that explains how Ryan's face got so bruised, and we have two words for you: cage fighting.

"Champagne Supernova" played during season two, in the scene where Seth and Summer shared their upside down Spiderman kiss in the rain after Seth falls off the roof of his house.

Just when we thought Seth and Summer would get back together, and Marissa and Ryan would rekindle their turbulent love, "Worn Me Down" comes on, and it all, once again, goes down the drain.

Just another song that plays while Ryan saved Marissa — twice. First, in the pilot episode where he carries a drunk Marissa home and in episode seven of the same season during that scene in Tijuana.

Seth and Ryan go on a superawkward date with Lindsay and Alex to a Killers concert, which is only made more awkward by Marissa showing up with Summer and her boyfriend Zack. During the date, The Killers play "Smile Like You Mean It" and "Mr. Brightside".

"Orange Sky" accompanies two scenes that show the aftermath of Ryan going back to Chino for the first time since leaving to move into his Newport Beach pool house. The contrast between the two places is obvious — he knows it, Seth knows it, and of course, Marissa knows it, too.

Running out of time before the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, "Dice" plays just as Ryan makes it to a party to kiss Marissa and tell her that he loves her for the first time. In case you forgot, he wasn't there in the first place because he said "thank you" when she told him she loved him earlier in the episode. Yeah, ouch.