Bluey Composer Joff Bush on Musical Storytelling

The music of the hit children’s series Bluey has transitioned from the screen to the symphony with the release of a new orchestral album titled Bluey: Up Here. The project, led by composer Joff Bush, marks the fourth album for the series and the first to feature a chamber orchestra.

The album features music from favorite episodes performed by more than 100 musicians, primarily based in Brisbane. This includes the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) and Camerata, the region’s chamber orchestra, along with other musicians frequently employed by the Bluey team.

Bush, who has been a key architect of the show’s sound since it first aired in 2018, described the recording process as a weird dream where his music was played by various instruments simultaneously. He noted that the project was an ambitious undertaking, reflecting a desire to have adults dedicate their craft to creating beautiful music specifically for children.

A Philosophy of Non-Simplification

Central to the show’s musical identity is Bush’s refusal to dumb down classical music for a younger audience. He argues that the capacity for children to enjoy complex music is often underestimated and believes that children do not have preconceived notions of what constitutes a sad or happy note.

To foster this connection, Bush weaves elements from legendary composers into the soundtrack, including:

• Mozart’s Rondo alla turca in the episode The Magic Xylophone
• Holst’s Jupiter from The Planets in Sleepytime
• Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker in Ice Cream
• Beethoven’s Ode to Joy in the episode Bike
• Works by Vivaldi, Bizet, Bach, and Ravel

Bush explained that the goal is not explicitly to inspire a love of classical music, but rather to do what was best for the story. He uses a technique he calls seeding, where musical elements are introduced subtly throughout an episode to create a subconscious association, leading to a more powerful emotional payoff when the music is finally revealed in full.

We look at the end, where Bingo says the line ‘I’m a big girl now’, and we know that’s a psychological step in a child’s development. We wanted to have [Gustav] Holst’s Jupiter from The Planets play over the end sequence and we asked ourselves: what’s the most powerful thing that goes along with a child finding their independence? It’s the idea that no matter what, you’ll always be loved and your parents will be there.

Joff Bush, Composer

Global Reach and Industry Recognition

The musical success of Bluey has mirrored the show’s massive global popularity. The soundtrack previously debuted at number one on the Aria album charts, becoming the first children’s album to do so, and it also topped the Billboard US kids album charts.

According to reporting from The Guardian, the show’s music releases have surpassed 1bn audio streams globally, with the theme song alone reaching 126m streams. In Australia, viewers have watched 4.8bn minutes of the series.

The show’s dominance extends to streaming platforms in the United States, where it was the most-streamed show in 2024 and 2025, surpassing long-running international hits such as Grey’s Anatomy.

This success has brought unexpected recognition for Bush. He noted that high-profile figures in the music and film industries, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Jonas Brothers, and film composer Kris Bowers, have reached out to share their appreciation for his work.

Despite the availability of digital orchestras, Bush maintains a commitment to using real musicians and imperfect instruments to preserve the humanity and magic of the performance.