Cross Season 1 Soundtrack: A comprehensive guide to the music of the crime thriller series

Aldis Hodge in Cross (Image via Prime Video)
Aldis Hodge in Cross (Image via Prime Video)

Music can make or break a show. Cross Season 1 delivers big time when it comes to its soundtracks. This Prime Video crime thriller isn’t just about catching killers. It’s about those heart-pounding moments that music simply amplifies.

Cross is based on James Patterson's best-selling novels. It features Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross, Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson, and Juanita Jennings as Regina Cross. It first aired on the 14th of November on Amazon Prime Video.

Cross Season 1 gets great help from its music which has a character of its own. We can say that it shaped the drama, complementing the emotional bits of the show. There are some fan favorites, and some haunting melodies, and all of it only enriches the show.

The soundtracks make you connect with each scene deeply. Whether it’s Alex's reflective moments, thrilling chases, or family interactions, the music hits you right in the feels. So, here are all the soundtracks of each episode that make this show even better.


A comprehensive guide to the music of Cross Season 1

Alex Cross is a whip-smart detective. He is a skilled forensic psychologist and a loving family guy who somehow juggles it all. He has an insatiable drive to crack the toughest cases and crawl inside the minds of killers.

You can call him a justice machine but with problems of his own. He is still grieving his wife’s murder and wrestling with his fiery temper. He has avoided therapy for over a year and is this close to taking a break.

But when a prominent activist is murdered, Alex Cross cannot afford to take a break.


Episode 1: Hero Complex

In the first episode of Cross Season 1, Detective Alex Cross gets absorbed into the case of Emir Goodspeed. Emir was a Black Lives Matter activist who was found dead in his car under unknown circumstances.

Initially, the cop ruled it as a drug overdose. However, Alex’s sharp instincts and the autopsy said otherwise. The victim had eaten pork, unusual for a Muslim convert. Alex pieces together the clues - the drugs, the odd meal, and other unsettling details. Eventually, what he uncovers is a chilling truth. Emir was force-fed the pork before being murdered.

The soundtracks used in this episode were:

  • Love Me Still by Chaka Khan
  • Hustlin by Rick Ross
  • They Can't Control Us by Bantana
  • Kill Your$elf Part XIV The Vulture by $uicideboy$
  • Can't Buy Love (feat. Baby E) by B-Case & Robin Schulz
  • Bustin' Loose by Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers
  • Lady in My Dream by Music Makers Band
  • Moanin by Dick Hyman
  • The River by Alexis Joi
  • Tokyo Spinach by Backyard Band

Episode 2: Ride The White Horsey

In this episode of Cross, Emir Goodspeed’s murder sparks chaos in D.C., pulling everyone into it. Alex gets a wake-up call from John who reminds him there’s still a mess to untangle. Tavio’s missing phone that was last seen at the crime scene.

It is revealed that Vanessa, Tavio’s girlfriend and mom to his child, had stolen it. She is all set to play vigilante since she doesn’t trust the police. Meanwhile, Ed Ramsey has his eye on his next move. He drags art lover Shannon Witmer into his web of schemes.

Here are the soundtracks used in this episode:

  • Love Me Still by Chaka Khan
  • Just the Two Of Us (feat. Bill Withers) by Grover Washington, Jr.
  • Watch Out (I'm Coming For You) by Jess Domain
  • Bidi Bidi Bom Bom by Selena
  • Word Up by Cameo
  • Party People by King Tutt Band
  • Neva Eva by Trillville
  • Prelude and Fugue in C Major by Bach
  • Weak by SWV
  • Siempre by Mind Bath
  • I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
  • The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens
  • Lose Myself (feat. Jesse James) by DENM & Landon McNamara

Episode 3: The Good Book

Alex Cross fights for a warrant to search Ed Ramsey’s apartment. But the judge initially refuses, saying there's not enough to go on. After some convincing, though, the judge changes their mind.

Meanwhile, Shannon wakes up in a creepy basement. She is tied up and facing a camera. She is forced to play along with Ed's sick "facemask" ritual.

Back on the case, Alex raids a house linked to Emir's murder. The suspect slips away, but not without leaving behind a key piece of evidence that narrows down the list to a select group of D.C.'s high society suspects.

The soundtracks used in this episode are:

  • Soul Skate by The Soulsations
  • I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair by South Pacific
  • Hey You by Experience Unlimited & E.U.
  • Lana by Richard Cole
  • Love Me Still by Chaka Khan
  • Name This Club by Gavin Edwards
  • Clair de Lune by Debussy
  • Double Dutch (feat. L1ve beats & Push.audio) by I. AM. EM

Episode 4: Masks

As Alex Cross gets closer to Ed, the twisted killer keeps Shannon locked up in a basement closet. He is prepping for more horrors by soundproofing the place. Meanwhile, the Cross family is still haunted by a mysterious figure tied to Deirdre Nolan.

During the investigation, Alex stumbles upon a chilling serial killer’s handbook. It details the exact methods used in a string of murders. Surprisingly, even serial killers themselves are becoming victims in the same way.

This book becomes key in the search for Shannon. With 11 murders done and one more to go, the book might hold the final clue to cracking the case.

Alex and John zero in on Shannon’s connection to dating apps. Specifically e-Fling, an app that matches people of any gender. Alex analyzes profiles linked to both Emir and Shannon. That's when he finds a vital lead that could finally solve the puzzle.

The songs in this episode are:

  • Clair de Lune by Debussy
  • Love Me Still by Chaka Khan
  • Lady Marmalade by Patti LaBelle
  • Rumors by Timex Social Club
  • Pon de Replay by Rihanna
  • Whip My Hair by Willow
  • Just a Friend by Biz Markle
  • We Runnin' by Tommee Profitt and Beacon Light
  • Ready for Love by India.Arie
  • 2Official by Tone P

Episode 5: What Happens At Ramsey's

Alex Cross and his partner dig into Ed Ramsey's shady past. They are hoping to find his weak spot. Luckily, Elle invites them to Ramsey's birthday bash. This gives Cross the perfect chance to confront him.

At the party, things get creepy fast. Cross suspects Ramsey's next victim might already be in the house. Meanwhile, John does some digging and finds out Ed’s been lying about his life including a big lie about his mom being dead.

However, Ed claps back hard at dinner. He mentions unsettling details about Alex’s family, leaving him seriously shaken.

The songs complementing this episode are:

  • What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
  • Not Today Satan by Elliot Bless
  • Mountains by Benya Vya
  • Lift Me Up by Bihlman Bros
  • Mournin' Time by Sara Jean Kelley
  • Go Home by Summer Cannibals
  • Lit in the Party by Digital Blizzard

Episode 6: A Bang, Not A Whimper

Alex Cross heads to Philly with his son Damon. The trip becomes a bittersweet bonding moment for the two as they grieve over Maria’s loss.

In Philly, Alex tracks down White Mike and chats with frontman Michael Grisham. He spills the tea on Ed’s creepy obsession with death. He says that Ed once dug up a knife and sent it to Mike. But he returned it soon. Filled with guilt, he confesses his regret over not coming clean sooner.

The songs in this episode are:

  • Cello Suite No 1 in G Major by Bach
  • Pour It In My Cup by Digital Blizzard
  • Woop! by Wolf Castle
  • In My Head by Juice World
  • Who Knows Who by Orgone and Finny Franklin
  • Work by Kovas
  • Clair de Lune by Debussy
  • What's Luv by J. Mar & John B
  • Jubilee by Bitillman Bros
  • Hold Out Your Hand by Binman Bros
  • Nothin' Like The Blues by Rebecca Sayre
  • Prelude No. 1 by Bach
  • Major Tom by Peter Shilling

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Episode 7: Happy Birthday

Cross rushes to Senator Caitlin. He had pieced together the puzzle. Caitlin, shaken, reveals a chilling memory of Ed Ramsay’s blood-stained hands. She confirms Alex’s hunch that Ed is the killer. She begs Alex to keep her secret, and he agrees.

Meanwhile, Shannon faces her horrifying fate. Time’s ticking, but Cross is faster. He bursts in just as Ed is about to inject Shannon. But that same night, danger strikes again when Peter Lenox invades Alex’s home and attacks Regina.

Here are the songs in the episode:

  • What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
  • I'm Like A Bird by Nelly Furtado
  • Tomorrow by Miner
  • Please Don't by Milo Greene
  • Don't Fear The Reaper by Topher Mohr & Brian Fallon

Episode 8: You Had Me At Motherf***er

Alex Cross finds out that Peter Lenox has no family left. But he did have a mysterious "fairy godmother" and "street mom" in his life. Meanwhile, Kayla strikes a deal with Bobby Trey, the infamous Fanboy killer.

Trey’s hands are far from clean. He admits to killing Vanessa and Tavio. And he dangles a tempting offer, intel on six Fanboy victims, plus dirt on high-level corruption. All of that in exchange for immunity and a light 24-month sentence.

Alex realizes that his efforts to protect his family might have put them in even greater danger. Alex must act fast to save his loved ones before danger strikes again.

  • Hustlin' (feat Jerry Douglas & Chris Eldridge) by The War and Treaty
  • I Fall To Pieces by Rich White
  • X Don' Give It To Ya by DMX
  • Moanin' by Valerie Capers
  • Love Me Still by Chaka Khan
  • Never Be Stopped by Elliot Bless

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Edited by Nimisha Bansal