Much is different in Euphoria season 3. As we’ve learned from the first episode, which premiered on April 12, the characters are no longer students, and the stylized high school soap has evolved into a chaotic collage of genres—ranging from drug-smuggling Westerns to crime capers and Hollywood satire. While the show continues to push boundaries, a primary point of dissatisfaction for many is the shift in its musical identity: Labrinth is gone, replaced by the legendary Hans Zimmer.
Labrinth, the composer and artist who defined the show’s first two seasons, infused the series with a poppy, moody, and evocative sensibility. His soundtrack provided a necessary emotional grounding for a show that was often as volatile as its characters. His craft was undeniable, turning the series into a sonic experience as iconic as its gel-lit cinematography.
The Shift to Hans Zimmer
Turmoil behind the scenes ultimately led to Labrinth’s departure. He expressed his frustration on social media, clarifying that he chose to remove his music from the third season, stating, “I don’t let people treat me like shit.” While showrunner Sam Levinson initially aimed for a collaboration between Labrinth and Hans Zimmer, the final product features Zimmer working alone. Levinson has cited the 1968 Sergio Leone Western Once Upon a Time in the West as a primary inspiration for the new score, but this genre-pastiche feels disconnected from the show’s core.
Zimmer’s music, while technically powerful, feels referential and hollow in this context. Where Labrinth utilized electronic, hip hop, and pop elements to create a world that felt current and urgent, Zimmer’s symphonic Americana approach feels like a stylistic mismatch. It lacks the intimacy and the specific, Tumblr-era aesthetic that made the first two seasons feel so vital to a generation raised on curated playlists.
A New Direction or a Lost Identity?
The show no longer appears to be a generational attempt to unpack the complexities of trauma and addiction; instead, it has become a series of shocking, disjointed plot turns. With the absence of Labrinth’s signature sound, the series feels less like the Euphoria fans fell in love with and more like a generic, high-budget spectacle.
However, Labrinth has not been silent. On the night of the season 3 premiere, he released a new track, “SHUT YOUR DAMN 95.7892.” With its distorted vocals and pulsing electronic beat, the song serves as a reminder of the unique sonic spirit he brought to the show—a spirit that is sorely missing from the current season.
Ultimately, the transition from Labrinth to Hans Zimmer highlights a broader issue with the show’s evolution. By leaning into referential tropes rather than authentic, fresh expression, Euphoria risks losing the very thing that made it a cultural phenomenon.
