Music as Inspiration

Hello everybody! I got inspired to write a post on music from my boyfriend, Daniel, and some discussions I had on Twitter yesterday with people interested in finding what music inspired people to write.

Music has always inspired me to create. I like picking out crescendos and dips in the music in which the most important moments of a scene lies. Nine times out of ten, I will have music on when I’m writing. It helps me to focus. I created a long playlist for my series that inspire different scenes, different moods, and different environments, and it’s always helped put me in the mood.

I would like to offer a good number of suggested songs for the fantasy genre in particular to help inspire you to create something amazing. I’ve sorted everything below by the type of scene or interaction or character I envision the song representing. I hope you all enjoy my choices and interpretations!

Note: All of these song selections have come from my playlist for my series. Feel free to comment on your opinions of these songs or offer a suggestion to add to the list!

Strong Willed Characters

• Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons
• Bird Set Free by Sia
• Unstoppable by Sia
• Rise Up by Andra Day
• Something Wild (Acoustic) by Lindsey Stirling
• Magnetic by Jessie J
• Yellow Flicker Beat by Lorde
• Minimal Beat by Lindsey Stirling
• Moments by Tove Lo

Sad Scenes That Require Your Character to Reflect and Pull Themselves Up By the Bootstraps

• Some Nights by fun.
• Goodnight Goodnight by Maroon 5
• Trade Mistakes by Panic! at the Disco
• This is Gospel by Panic! at the Disco
• Don’t You Worry Child by Swedish House Mafia

Breakups

• Molly (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco) by Lil Dicky

Relationship Tension

• Irresistible by Fall Out Boy
• Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding
• Something Better by Audien, Lady Antebellum
• Infinity by One Direction
• Love’s Just a Feeling (feat. Rooty) by Lindsey Stirling
• If I Lose Myself by OneRepublic
• Alone Together by Fall Out Boy
• Night Changes by One Direction
• Coming Back For You by Maroon 5

Passionate Relationships

• The Last of the Real Ones by Fall Out Boy
• Good Thing by Sage The Gemini, Nick Jonas

Sexual Tension/Release

• PILLOWTALK by Zayn

Those “Prove Yourself” Moments

• The Arena by Lindsey Stirling
• Immortals by Fall Out Boy
• Centuries by Fall Out Boy
• My Song Knows What You Did In The Dark by Fall Out Boy
• The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy
• Viva La Vida by Coldplay
• Just One Yesterday by Fall Out Boy, Foxes
• No Place Like Home by Todrick Hall

Happy Ending Scene After A Long Struggle

• Straight Into the Fire by Zedd

Underestimated Characters That Are Destined to Succeed

• Castle by Halsey

Delicious Villains (very specific type of villain)

• Bartholomew by The Silent Comedy

Anthems to Character Pairings (can apply to relationships or friendships)

• Homemade Dynamite (feat. Khalid, Post Malone, and SZA) – REMIX by Lorde
• Creatures Of The Night by Hardwell, Austin Mahone

Fight Scenes

• Say Amen (Saturday Night) by Panic! at the Disco