Film & TV Music From “Shameless,” Ken Burns Documentaries + More

This listing features music written primarily for placement in television and documentaries. The top earning programs in the past year include Shameless, Jackie Robinson, Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre, Central Park 5 and more. 

Shameless, an American adaptation of the British series, aired on Showtime from 2011 to 2021 and became a commercial hit for the network. By its tenth season in 2019, it became Showtime's longest-running scripted series. The show earned numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy (William H. Macy, 2015), a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series (Macy), and several Emmy nominations. To see where Shameless is available now check TV Guide's Where To Watch.  

The documentary series Jackie Robinson, directed by Ken Burns, is a comprehensive two-part, four-hour film that aired on PBS in April 2016. It explores the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. The documentary won a Peabody Award in 2016 for its impactful storytelling that contributed to the public's understanding of racial issues and American history. The Central Park Five is another documentary directed by Ken Burns. It was released on November 23, 2012, in limited theaters before being broadcast on PBS in April 2013. The film explores the legal injustice, media frenzy, and the lasting effects of the wrongful conviction on the five men’s lives.

Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre is a documentary that aired on May 30, 2021, on the History Channel, coinciding with the centennial anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The documentary received the NAACP Image Award award for Outstanding Documentary (Television) in 2022.