To regular readers of this blog, it is no secret that I am a big fan of music. I sang in front of people from a young age in musicals and choirs and have played guitar (though not well) on and off since I was seventeen. I also grew up surrounded by music—my sister played piano and I often came home from school to one of my parents listening to the Beatles or Stevie Wonder.
I am an especially big fan of using music to inspire writing. I always listen to music when I write—if I forget my headphones on my way to do some writing at a coffee shop, there is a good chance I will turn around to go get them even if I’m already decently far from home.
I write while listening to heavily curated playlists. Some are named after particular characters while others capture certain moods or emotions like “Love” or “Angst”. I cannot overstate how much these playlists help me to get into the writing groove and sink into whatever scene I’m writing. (More here on how to create your own writing playlist).
I know that musical taste is extremely subjective. You might hate a song that I love and vice versa. But today I thought I’d share some of the songs that I’ve found to be most inspiring in my two decades of fiction writing experience. You never know—one of these songs might affect you the same way.
Here are some songs that might set off a creative spark.
1) “In the Backseat” by Arcade Fire
This song served as a sort of theme song for my science fiction novel, Viable. It was the first time I had ever written in first person and it could get rough. But whenever I listened to this song, it would help me to sink into my main character’s perspective. The book’s protagonist also plays the violin, and the violin in this song is simply gorgeous. Even after about a thousand listens, I’m still in awe of how Arcade Fire is able to start this song in one place and end up somewhere else entirely.
2) “Look on Down from the Bridge” by Mazzy Star
I was first exposed to this song by the show Rick and Morty. Though the show is known for its humor, this tune is used in a time of confusion and isolation for Morty. “Look on Down from the Bridge” has a haunting tone to it and I often use it for writing melancholy scenes. It is actually one of the first songs on my “Sad” playlist.
3) “In My Life” by The Beatles
If I had to have a favorite band, it would be the Beatles (a boring answer, I know). And if I had to have a favorite Beatles song, it would probably be “In My Life”. As soon as I hear the opening guitar, I’m instantly seized by an intense feeling of nostalgia. I have a “Falling in Love” playlist and a “Love” playlist and they share a lot of the same songs, but this one is just on my “Love” playlist. I’m not sure why—somehow it sounds like something more lasting than initial infatuation.
4) “Resolution” by Jon Brion
While some children’s films are aimed at that demographic and no one else, I’ve found that a lot of kids’ movies can be just as enjoyable for adults. After I learned that the animation studio behind Coraline had made another film, I eagerly headed to the movie theater to go see it. I thoroughly enjoyed ParaNorman, and one of my favorite parts was the music. Jon Brion (who composed the music for one of my favorite films, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) wove a beautiful score, and I love “Resolution” most of all. I have listened to it when crafting the endings of multiple stories—something about it tugs at the heartstrings and brings goodbyes to mind.
5) “Debaser” by the Pixies
I adore the Pixies, and this song sounds to me like teenage rebellion and angst. It’s on my “Angst” playlist and I often turn to it when I need to get into the mind of a reckless and defiant character.
6) “The Very Thought of You” by Billie Holiday
No one sings about love like Lady Day. Holiday’s songs often tend to be sad, but this one is a joyful ode to being in love. This is a song that does appear on both my “Falling in Love” and “Love” playlists. Being this infatuated is common in the early days of love but, if you’re lucky, you’ll continue to be just as enamored of the thought of your partner through the years.
7) “For Once in My Life” by Stevie Wonder
This is a song that just makes you want to get up and dance. And considering how much time you spend in a desk chair while writing, it’s probably not a bad idea. Like “The Very Thought of You”, this song appears on both my “Falling in Love” and “Love” playlists. It just encapsulates the joy of being in love and having finally found that special someone.
8) “Impossible Germany” by Wilco
We’ve been talking about songs all about when love is going well. But for me, “Impossible Germany” is the sound of the longing and sorrow involved when a relationship can’t or won’t work out. You also can’t beat the guitar in this song—just beautiful.
9) “The Hill” by Markéta Irglová
Here’s another tune from a movie—this one is in the film Once. Once tells the story of two musicians who have both just gotten out of serious relationships and come together to write and record an album. Markéta Irglová sings “The Hill” about her former lover. The melancholy tone of the piano gets me every time and I frequently have it on in the background while writing sad scenes.
10) “Fotografia” by Yiruma
For those of you who get distracted by music with words, here’s another instrumental piece for you. Yiruma is an extremely talented pianist and composer. His music always makes me feel emotional. “Fotografia” has shades of nostalgia and wistfulness in it for me.
11) “Polly” by Whitney
“Polly” tells the story of a relationship that has ended. The sadness in Julien Ehrlich’s voice can always get me to the sorrowful place I need to be to write about a couple who have split up. And that trumpet solo at the end—with one particularly sad scene I wrote, I listened to just that solo on repeat.
12) “King and Lionheart” by Of Monsters and Men
When I was writing Vita and the Monsters of Moorhouse, I got into Of Monsters and Men’s My Head is an Animal album in a big way. It felt like these songs had been written just for me and my story. “King and Lionheart” fits most perfectly and I listened to it often while writing. If the book were ever adapted to film, I imagine this song playing during the opening credits. I highly recommend taking the time to watch the beautifully whimsical music video for this one as well.
13) “Real Rain” by Randy Newman
When I was eleven years old, my parents and I were on a trip to Vancouver and driving through the Whistler Mountains. The only tape I had to feed the car’s tape player was the Pleasantville soundtrack. Just as we hit the most beautiful views, this track began to play. Now I always associate it with arriving somewhere wondrous and new.
14) “Memory” by SEATBELTS
I had seen a few episodes of Cowboy Bebop in high school on Adult Swim but never watched the complete series until fairly recently. I loved everything about it—the animation, its slick style, the characters, the writing. One of the greatest aspects of this fantastic anime is the music. Much of it is raucous jazz, but my favorite track is this wistful little tune. Now I love to listen to it during scenes of characters looking back sadly on their pasts.
15) “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy
If I’m getting ready to write a particularly epic action scene, this is one of the first songs I will play. Something about it just gets me pumped and feeling like I could write through till morning. The lyric “You will remember me for centuries” is just so badass and has given more than one of my characters the courage to charge forward into battle.
I hope you were able to find inspiration in a few of these songs, or at least were able to spend time enjoying some new music. Even if nothing on this list turned out to be for you, you can still try listening to some of your favorite music while you write and see if it helps to ramp up your creativity.
If you want to listen to these songs on Spotify, here’s a playlist of all the songs included in this post:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1sSEgFWce2mkkAWp8QFim7?si=7f70df0d1fa84731
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