The Jonas Brothers are a popular American rock band that has released six studio albums since 2005. In 2011, the band took a hiatus for Joe, Nick, and Kevin Jonas to pursue their solo music careers. In addition to performing on screen in various movies and TV shows over the years, the Jonas Brothers’ music has been used to establish a particular mood and create a vibe that helps to accentuate the emotional undercurrent of any given scene.
According to What-Song, The Jonas Brothers have ten songs that have been used in movies and television, while Nick Jonas has 18 and Joe Jonas has three. While some of the songs have been used multiple times across different movies and TV shows, the most memorable Jonas Brother’s needle drops directly comment on the action depicted on screen and help to reinforce the tone and tenor of the dramatic narrative.
10 “Mercy” – Space Jam: A New Legacy
“Mercy” is an upbeat toe-tapper recorded by The Jonas Brothers for the family sports movie Space Jam: A New Legacy. The catchy pop song is played in the middle of the movie when LeBron James heads to Tune Town to train Bugs Bunny and the other classic Looney Tunes characters how to hone their basketball skills, serving as a crucial turning point for them to get their act together.
Although the lyrics hint at a love song, Buggs and his pals are so bad at practicing that the refrain “Mercy” becomes a commentary on LeBron’s intense training regiment. Even so, the song perfectly captures the up-tempo energy needed for the fast-paced basketball practice that gives the characters in the animated sequel a much-needed boost to improve their skills and make their coach proud.
9 “Sucker” – 9-1-1
As one of the Jonas Brother’s most popular hit singles from their Happiness Begins album, it’s no surprise to learn that the song “Sucker” has been used six times in various TV shows. It was featured twice on Love Island, twice on The Masked Singer, once on Siesta Key, and most notably, the Fox police drama 9-1-1.
The song plays on the latter show after Michael gets pulled over on the way to GG’s with May and Harry in the car. Following a racial profiling incident, “Sucker” plays as the family drives home, providing a much-needed dose of uplifting energy. Rather than commenting on a romantic storyline, such phrasing as “Any road you take, you know that you’ll find me, I’m a sucker for all the subliminal things,” alludes to how Michael protects his children from subconscious prejudices during the encounter.
8 “Not Alone” – Devotion
Joe Jonas recorded a haunting duet with Khalid for the deeply emotional closing track “Not Alone” of the 2022 film Devotion. Based on a true story, the movie concerns Navy pilot fighters Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner, two soldiers from different backgrounds who become fast friends and risk each other’s lives to rescue one another amid racial strife in the 1950s.
When one of the Marines heroically dies in battle, the other is left feeling alone, empty, and utterly heartbroken. Just when all hope appears to be lost, “Not Alone” by Jonas and Khalid begins to play at the end of the movie and provides viewers with an emotionally uplifting sentiment to ensure that the survivor will always carry the memory of his fallen friend with him. The song is also much slower and more somber than typical Jonas Brothers’ pop songs, making it stand out more than most in the 2022 box office flop.
7 “Chains” – Escape at Dannemora
“Chains” is one of Nick Jonas’ biggest hit singles as a solo artist. The powerful song was used twice to great dramatic effect in Escape at Dannemora, the Showtime limited series based on real events that took place in 2015. The story follows Tilly Mitchell (Patricia Arquette), a married prison guard who becomes involved with two prisoners and helps them escape.
“Chains” is first played in the pilot when Tilly turns the song on in her car. Her husband Lyle immediately turns the song off because he doesn’t enjoy it. More than just a catchy needle drop to reinforce the mood, “Chains” is used diegetically to establish the frayed marriage between the two and how trapped Tilly feels.
When the song is re-purposed in Episode 4, “Chains” takes on a whole new meaning relating to the physical captivity of the two prisoners.
6 “X” – A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
One of the Jonas Brother’s biggest hit songs includes “X,” a rousing party anthem that has over 44 million views on their YouTube channel alone. The poppy dance song is used as the centerpiece track in A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, a delightful Netflix horror-comedy for the whole family to enjoy. The story follows Kelly Ferguson (Tamara Smart), a babysitter who must face her lifelong fear of monsters to protect a kidnapped boy she’s hired to watch.
Featuring Karol G, “X” is played in the middle of the movie when Kelly searches for Jacob. The track injects a vivid dose of energy into the colorful sequence, with lyrics like “That someone who won’t leave me lonely tonight” directly commenting on the action depicted onscreen in the acclaimed Netflix horror-comedy. It’s an undeniably feel-good song that is used brilliantly to underscore the dramatic impact of the story.
5 “Jealous” – The Dropout
Nick Jonas’ “Jealous” is one of his biggest hits as a solo artist. The song has been utilized in everything from Looking and Love Island to The Masked Singer and The DUFF. However, it has never been used more memorably than in The Dropout, the Hulu original series about the rise and fall of Theranos founder, Elizabeth Holmes.
In Episode 6, “Iron Sisters,” a playful scene takes place where Sunny puts on a mask resembling Elizabeth before asking her to dance with him. The song “Jealous” begins to play, putting a whole new spin on the meaning of the song. On the surface, the song has a romantic tinge. Deep down, the song is really commenting on Elizabeth’s uncontrollable envy, craven ambition, and how far her sense of jealousy will take her down a criminal path.
4 “Bom Bidi Bom” – Fifty Shades Darker
Music supervisors will often pick a pre-existing pop song to accentuate a given scene. Other times, music is specifically crafted to help tell a story. Nick Jonas and Nicki Minaj’s sexy and seductive “Bom Bidi Bom” belongs to the latter, a song that was created for the soundtrack of the all-time controversial movie, Fifty Shades Darker, the sadomasochistic erotic thriller starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.
While attending a masquerade ball together, Ana and Christian step away to have a torrid sexual fling inside the lavish mansion. As soon as they become physical, “Bom Bidi Bom” swells up and instantly amplifies the sexual energy in the scene. Beyond the silky R&B vibes, the lyrics speak to Christian’s desire to give “dirty love” to a bad girl. The song is tailor-made to bring the scene to a steamy fever pitch and does exactly what it’s intended.
3 “Like It’s Christmas” – Dash & Lily
Dash & Lily is an endearing holiday romantic miniseries that builds its way toward a riotous rendition of the Jonas Brothers’ 2019 single “Like It’s Christmas.” The story concerns Dash, a jaded single man, and Lily, a hopeless romantic who cross paths around Christmastime and begin to know each other through a series of letters.
In the series finale, the romantic vibes of the entire show culminate with a live performance by the Jonas Brothers, who croon “Like It’s Christmas” as the snow falls. While technically not a needle drop, the effect of the song is incredibly romantic and too touching to omit. It’s as if the resolution between Dash and Lily hinges on the catchy Christmas jam to bring the two lovers together in a heartfelt union.
2 “Lovebug” – 90210
The Jonas Brothers’ “Lovebug” is a soft-strumming love ballad that is used perfectly to underscore a tender romantic scene between Navid and Adrianna on CW’s 90210. When Navid finally conjures the courage to ask Adrianna to be his Valentine, “Lovebug” begins to play in the background. The two amorous teens stare into each other’s eyes, smile, and share an intimate kiss in close-up as the song continues to grow louder.
The song continues to play as the scene transitions to Dixon and Erin, who also share an awkward kiss in public at school. The scene leads to Erin revealing her tattoo of Dixon’s name on her stomach. In both instances, the simple and stripped-down “Lovebug” beautifully encapsulates the romantic tenor and awkward teenage longing that the scenes are trying to communicate on the popular CW TV series.
1 “What A Man Gotta Do” – Shameless
With over 122 million YouTube hits on their channel, “What a Man Gotta Do” is one of the Jonas Brother’s biggest hit pop songs. Aside from the supremely catchy instrumental arrangements, the lyrics convey wanting to find a permanent lover. As such, the song was perfectly used to highlight the romance between Ian and Mickey in the final season of Shameless, an all-time great TV drama that follows the dysfunctional Gallagher family in Chicago.
Ian and Mickey have been on-and-off lovers on the show for several seasons, finally culminating in marriage in the season finale. In the third episode of the final season, “What a Man Gotta Do” plays as Ian and Mickey continue to work on their relationship in the lead-up to their marriage. With such lyrics as “I’m not trying to be your part-time lover, Sign me up for the full time… I’m yours, I’m yours,” it’s hard not to conjure everything Ian and Mickey have been through in the series.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
