Population and spectral synthesis: it doesn't work without binaries

Abstract: In this chapter we discuss the population and spectral synthesis of stellar populations. We describe the method required to achieve such synthesis and discuss examples where inclusion of interacting binaries are vital to reproducing the properties of observed stellar systems. These examples include the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, massive star number counts, core-collapse supernovae and the ionising radiation from stellar populations that power both nearby HII regions and the epoch of reionization. We finally offer some speculations on the future paths of research in spectral synthesis.