Euphoria season – Fans say Euphoria’s season three music misses the emotional punch once tied to Labrinth, sparking backlash and debate online.
Euphoria without Labrinth is quickly turning into a weekly flashpoint for fans, with many viewers saying the show no longer feels like the one they fell for in its earlier seasons.
As the series moved through the early stretch of season three, reactions surged after episode three aired on April 26.. One viewer said the episode felt like “a whole different show. ” while another described how they were suddenly not paying attention to the music the way they used to. arguing that the absence of Labrinth’s work made the soundtrack feel less important to the overall experience.
That concern circles back to why Labrinth’s involvement mattered so much in the first place.. After season one of the Sam Levinson drama debuted in 2019. audiences didn’t just connect with the performances; they also latched onto the program’s distinctive sonic identity. built around eclectic needle drops and a genre-bending score that helped define the mood swings at the heart of the story.
Labrinth’s imprint on the series wasn’t just cultural—it came with formal recognition. His work on “All For Us” in season one earned him an Emmy Award for best original music and lyrics, alongside additional nominations that reinforced how central his sound was to Euphoria’s breakthrough status.
In reflecting on the impact of his contribution, Labrinth said it was gratifying for an artist when their work resonates and people value it, a sentiment that now sits alongside the unexpected decision that has fans debating the series’ direction.
At the beginning of April, Labrinth said he would not be involved with the new season.. He explained the choice in a message shared via Instagram Story. writing that he decided to remove whatever music he had from the show.. He also said he spoke with HBO and described leaving as tied to creative ownership—emphasizing that when he works for others. their vision must be paramount. and he said he wouldn’t tolerate how he was being treated.
While the specific reasoning behind the split was not fully detailed publicly. Labrinth later told GQ he felt that the “family” and the creative fluidity had deteriorated. and that the camaraderie that comes with collaboration had faded—leading him to conclude. as he put it. that “this is done. for me.”
Still, fans weren’t only reacting to a name on the credits.. The show’s music team changed in a way that they believed would ripple through the series’ tone.. Labrinth was not simply replaced by another artist at random; Hans Zimmer—among the most celebrated film composers—had initially joined to collaborate with Labrinth on the series’ music.. But when Labrinth exited right before season three’s premiere, Zimmer became the sole composer for the new season.
Zimmer’s reputation is not in question, sources indicate, and his awards and credentials stand on their own.. Yet the dispute among viewers is rooted in expectation and sonic continuity: when a series establishes a signature sound early on. a sudden shift can feel like a mismatch to the emotional atmosphere audiences have learned to rely on.
That point was echoed by Kier Lehman. an Emmy-nominated music supervisor who has worked across film and television. including Project Hail Mary. Abbott Elementary. Insecure and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.. Even though Lehman hasn’t watched the current season and hasn’t tracked the debate. he told The Hollywood Reporter that consistency in a show’s sound and themes matters—especially in longer series where themes for characters and situations help ground viewers.
Lehman also warned that if audiences don’t receive the sound they expect, it can be jarring. In a third season, he noted, viewers are often hoping to return to the ride they were on after time apart—so the audio identity becomes part of what makes coming back feel seamless rather than disruptive.
The complaints have become specific. particularly after episode three. when fans pointed to a moment involving Maddy (Alexa Demie) walking into Nate (Jacob Elordi) and Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) wedding.. Viewers criticized the scene’s music for feeling mismatched: a whimsical marimba beat. they argued. didn’t align with Maddy’s usual intensity and confident presence.. Some comparisons went so far as to liken the track to “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid.
These objections weren’t confined to the single episode.. Even before episode three—beginning with scenes from “The Ballad of Paladin. ” the episode’s title—viewers were already pointing out moments where it seemed Labrinth’s music and sound were missing.. One user on X said Labrinth’s music had been doing “heavy lifting” for the series by giving scenes their emotional weight. while another said the show was still good but that losing his music reduced the pull in scenes.
The social-media response then expanded into a kind of grassroots experiment.. Around the same time season three premiered. Labrinth released his own single. “Shut Your Damn 95.7892.” Fans reportedly took to TikTok to dub the new track into scenes from the episode. essentially testing how the show might feel when his sound is present.
When the conversation escalated online, HBO declined to comment when THR reached out about the discourse. That silence has left the debate to run mainly through fan reactions, comparing how the show feels with the music they remember versus what they hear now.
At the core of the backlash is a broader argument that audiences are paying attention to more than what plays on screen—they are also listening for what makes the world feel coherent.. Lehman. in the same interview. framed it as a matter of recognizable identity: a show can be strongly associated with its music. so when viewers hear it elsewhere or think about it. they know what show it is because the sound belongs to it.
With that established identity built across two seasons, the shift in season three has become a visible sticking point.. For many viewers. it isn’t merely preference for one composer over another; it’s about how quickly the series’ emotional cues change when a signature voice disappears and a new sonic palette takes over.
For now. the weekly cycle continues: as each episode airs on Sunday. fans take to social media to react to the music choices. and the debate shows no sign of fading.. In the middle of season three. the question fans keep asking is simple: can the show fully replace the specific sound that once anchored its most intense moments?
Euphoria season three Labrinth Hans Zimmer Euphoria music Sam Levinson drama music supervisor Emmy best original music