The Best Songs From Ms. Marvel Season 1's Soundtrack

The first (and possibly only) season of "Ms. Marvel" has nearly run its course, but the series is fast on its way to becoming some of the best Marvel television yet. Each episode is absolutely packed with colorful pop culture references, most of them striking a perfect chord with the South Asian diaspora, as the series' varied soundtrack has already proven. Each needle drop holds major significance in the community — and clearly for the characters in the series. Each song could have easily been pulled from one of Kamala's own playlists, from classic Punjabi folk songs to Bollywood hits, and even a few South Asian MCs — but you don't have to be familiar with any of these artists to enjoy the sonic tapestry of "Ms. Marvel."

Each song throughout the series is undeniably worth a second listen, but we've compiled a few of the best songs throughout the series, from episode 1 to the final "Ms. Marvel" episode of season 1.

Nothing beats an angsty high school montage, except when said montage is scored by the stylings of the Oscar-winning actor-producer-rapper Riz Ahmed. Ahmed's album "The Long Goodbye" features a host of cathartic tracks, most of which find the actor navigating the Western world as a South Asian man. Ahmed's indignance in this particular track contrasts pretty starkly with Kamala's own feelings in this scene. She's yet to gain the confidence that superpowers will inevitably help her find, and she's the subject of a lot of ridicule, both from teachers and her fellow students. Of course, all that changes by the end of the first episode, but this scene is still a brilliant nod to an artist that many are already familiar with ... just maybe not in the context of his music.

The hype continues in episode 2 with a fast-paced training montage set to "Goddess" by Krewella, Raja Kumari, and NERVO. With this track, "Ms. Marvel" adds three artists of South Asian heritage to the roster: the sister duo behind Krewella are of Pakistani descent, and rapper Raja Kumari is Indian-American. Each artist is formidable on their own — both Krewella and NERVO are well-known in the world of EDM — but with "Goddess," they pool their collective talents into a perfect hype track.

Who hasn't had a 1960s girl group moment after hanging out with a cute boy? It's a trope often used in the best coming-of-age flicks — and even some of the worst — but it doesn't ever get old. The Ronettes are an iconic girl group in their own right, inspiring the likes of Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen if you can believe it. Their most popular songs had the giddy feelings of first love down to a tee, making it a perfect fit for Kamala's first run-in with Kamran in episode 2.

While each song that plays in the background during "Ms. Marvel" is great, the series likes to save some of its best songs for last — that is, for the end credits. The closing track for the third episode, "For Aisha," is one of the best, as much for its dazzling hook as it is for its alternate meaning. The song was composed for "The Sky Is Pink," a film based on the life of Indian author Aisha Chaudhary, who passed away in 2015 from pulmonary fibrosis. "For Aisha" served as an end credits tribute to the late motivational speaker, and it was composed by her brother, Ishaan Chaudhary, who makes up half of the producing duo MEMBA.

If you found yourself poring over every detail of the "Ms. Marvel" trailers before the series officially dropped, then you might recognize "Lightswitch," which provided the soundtrack for one of the series' many teasers. Not unlike "Blinding Lights," "Lightswitch" also found its way into a "Ms. Marvel" episode — the finale, to be exact. After Kamala's superhero threads get a proper update (thanks to her mom), she takes to the streets to find Bruno and Kamran, who've become fugitives from the Department of Damage Control. It makes for a perfect full-circle moment for Kamala, who finally seems comfortable in her new role as a hero.