The Traitors uses cinematic music to manipulate viewer emotions

The BBC reality competition series The Traitors utilizes a strategic musical score to drive suspicion, intrigue, and drama. Composer Sam Watts, who created the opening theme and incidental score, designed the music to be 'dark but fun' to match the high-drama atmosphere provided by host Claudia Winkleman.

Watts modeled the melodic approach of the theme on the Thundercats theme, using a full orchestra layered with electronic elements and cinematic techniques like the 'Braam' punctuation mark. To further enhance the show's atmosphere, producers commissioned additional music from film trailer composers, including Hans Zimmer’s company, Bleeding Fingers.

In addition to the original score, the production incorporates eerie, sinister cover versions of popular songs. These include a reworking of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ and a haunting version of Tears For Fears’ ‘Mad World,’ created by the German production duo 2wei.