Top 10 BEST Fake Songs from TV

“Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century” (1999)

Even though she’s from the far off year of 2049, Zenon is just like any other teen girl. She gets crushes, loves to hang out with her friends, and is obsessed with the teen pop star of her era - Proto Zoa. Proto Zoa is a part of the 21st century pop rock group, Microbe, who perform their hit song “Supernova Girl” at the end of the film. With space-themed lyrics and a repetitive chorus, this track might be a little corny to some, but like most songs from Disney Channel original movies it’s still an entertaining earworm that’s difficult not to sing along to.

“Degrassi: The Next Generation” (2001-15)

This song may be from a teen drama, but its subject is decidedly adult. In “Shout, Parts 1 & 2” Paige Michalchuk is assaulted at a party. It’s a shocking plot development, and the show’s handling of its aftermath stands out amongst the many harrowing storylines on “Degrassi.” Paige is initially hesitant to tell people about what happened, only confiding in her best friend, but when her bandmate Ashley suggests that they perform a song about sexual violence for a competition, she finds herself unable to keep it to herself. Paige tells her the truth, and ends up leading a powerful performance of the song, titled “Poor Thing,” in front of her attacker. Her band loses the contest, but audiences could still take comfort in watching her take her first steps towards recovery.

“The Fairly OddParents” (2001-17)

Dental hygiene doesn’t seem like a topic that would lend itself to a good teen pop song, but this animated hit had kids across America singing about the importance of flossing. …Before flossing was a dance move. In the world of “The Fairly OddParents,” this anthem to ivories, aptly titled “My Shiny Teeth and Me,” is sung by Chip Skylark, who acts as a parody of boy band performers. Ironically, the character is actually voiced by former *NSYNC member Chris Kirkpatrick - which explains how songs like “Shiny Teeth” are so catchy and authentically “boy band” in spite of their somewhat silly lyrics.

“Schitt’s Creek” (2015-20)

Auditioning for the lead role in “Cabaret” is a big deal, even if it’s just a local production. Although Alexis is urged not to try out, she shows up anyway, and performs her own song, “A Little Bit Alexis” at the audition. Drawing inspiration from 2000s’ pop stars like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, the tune has a catchy - if generic - beat, but its lyrics leave a lot to be desired, eventually devolving into a repeated [SB: la la la la la la la] chorus. Fortunately, its low effort lyrics just make it all the more enjoyable, and hilariously in-character. The tune quickly became a hit on TikTok, and even inspired a parody song performed by Murphy and Kelly Clarkson titled “A Whole Lotta Texas.”

“Nashville” (2012-18)

Generational conflict is a tale as old as time. “Nashville” decided to highlight this classic dynamic within the world of country music through its protagonists Rayna James and Juliette Barnes. In an early episode of the series, Rayna agrees to duet with the younger musician on the Ryman Stage, not anticipating what a headache it would be to choose a song suited to both of their styles. After some deliberation, the pair decided to collaborate on an original song, which they called “Wrong Song.” The number is an empowering anthem about a woman who refuses to accept her cheating partner back into her life, and directly riffs on classic country songs that suggest women do the opposite.

“Parks and Recreation” (2009-15; 2020)

Li’l Sebastian’s size was miniature, but the love his town had for him was “anything but li’l.” When the famed equine died unexpectedly, the people of Pawnee were devastated, and a memorial service was set up on his behalf. Naturally, Andy Dwyer’s band, Mouse Rat, headlined the event with an original song titled “5,000 Candles in the Wind.” As per Leslie’s instructions, it was like Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind,” but “5,000 times better.” The lyrics were pretty straight-forward in their memorialization of Li’l Sebastian, but the song managed to be a big hit anyway, leading to an unprecedented amount of CD sales for the amateur musician.

“Daisy Jones & the Six” (2023)

Before “Daisy Jones & the Six” was a series, it was a bestselling novel, and with that positively reviewed title came some hefty expectations. “Look At Us Now,” also known as “Honeycomb,” was the song that catapulted the fictional band at the story’s center to stardom, and held deep meaning for both of its protagonists. It needed to sound like a surefire hit, and have lyrics that accurately represented both Billy’s life prior to the series, and his eventual relationship with Daisy Jones. Thankfully, the people behind the Amazon adaptation hit it out of the park with their version - which changes the lyrics of the book’s version of “Honeycomb.” “Look At Us Now” is as emotional as it is iconic, and the show’s first and last performances of the song act as perfect bookends to the series’ central relationship.

“Schmigadoon!” (2021-)

Since its premiere in 2021, “Schmigadoon!” has featured a number of entertaining tunes, many of which were sung by legendary Broadway performers. Of all these songs, only one has had the honor of winning an Emmy: “Corn Puddin’.” Although its title may not sound like an award-winner, the comedic song wears its classic musical inspirations on its sleeves, and brilliantly sets up the dynamic of the series’ two protagonists with the strange town of Schmigadoon. The song is also just a ton of fun - so much so, that when the ensemble starts their “Corn Puddin’” chant, it’s hard not to want to sing along. That is, unless you’re Josh.

“Friends” (1994-2004)

“Soft Kitty” is cute, and Marshall’s songs about cat-sitting in “How I Met Your Mother” are darkly comedic, but when it comes to fictional songs about feline friends, nothing can truly top “Smelly Cat.” The iconic original song from “Friends” originated in the episode “The One with the Baby on the Bus,” and quickly became a running gag on the show when it was clear the song was a hit. And why wouldn’t it be? The simplistic pop-folk song, sung by Phoebe, is the perfect ode to pungent felines everywhere, reassuring them that it’s “not [their] fault.” After “Friends”’ finale, Kudrow has continued to occasionally perform the whimsical song in real life, dueting with the likes of Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Before Childish Gambino, Donald Glover Performed on the Full Version of This Halloween Classic

This One-Hit Wonder Was Such a Hit That It Directly Influenced the Show's Subsequent Set-Up

The Original Brie Larson Superhero

A Universally Relatable Anthem About Unwanted Flirtations

Titus Andromedon’s Catchy & Confident Ode

“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)

“How I Met Your Mother” isn’t necessarily known for being a musical show, but when they do a musical number they go all out. And who could blame them? Especially with a guy as talented as Neil Patrick Harris at their disposal to perform shockingly entertaining songs about suits. (xref) Ironically though, the show’s best song isn’t by the Tony-award winning actor, it’s by Cobie Smulders. In “Slap Bet,” it’s revealed that Robin has a hidden past as a teenage pop star. Her song, “Let’s Go to the Mall,” is shown to the audience, and it’s just as delightfully ‘80s (and Canadian) as one would hope. Sure, it was actually released in 1993, but, according to Robin, that’s exactly when the 80’s “came to Canada.”