History Main / MusicalSpoiler

* At the beginning of ''[[LetsPlay/{{Dream}} Dream's]]'' Minecraft Manhunt videos, he goes off without the hunters, and there's an absence of music. Once they start realizing he's gone, the music starts up. Therefore, the absence of music is this trope.

** Perchance to Dream uses a modified version of [[spoiler: The Mad Hatter]]'s Leitmotif as a musical hint towards [[spoiler: his usage of a dream machine on Batman]].

* Parodied in this [[http://www.theonion.com/content/video/ominous_music_heard_throughout_u Onion piece]], where ominous music starts playing across the USA, sending the media into high alert.

* If you think you've just started the final BossBattle, listen to the music. If you're hearing the standard boss theme, you're probably up against TheDragon or the first form of a OneWingedAngel.

* In each series of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'', the music will tell you whether that apparently game-winning combo is actually going to finish the duel -- if so, the music swells. If not, it sticks with the standard BGM, or don't have BGM at all.
** Every once in a while it's subverted, though, and the [[TheDayTheMusicLied music is cut out suddenly as the duel isn't finished after all]]. Very rare, however.

* In ''Anime/SailorMoon'', the title character's attacks had their own BackgroundMusic. Occasionally she started her attack but the 'tense' or 'battle' music would continue, which was a sure sign the attack would fail (either because it was SoLastSeason or to show the enemy she was facing was not just any random monster of the day.)
* In the ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'' episode "Trial", the instrumental intro of I Can't be Cool is played over a speech by Togusa. I Can't be Cool is usually played when [[spoiler:The Major is hacking. Later in the episode it's revealed that she hacked Togusa's brain to deliver that speech.]]

* In the ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' series, if a digivolution is running but there's no music at all (or, sometimes, the regular fight or ambient track that was playing before), you can be sure the transformation will not be finished or turn to be a [[DeadlyUpgrade dark form instead of the regular one]], or the Digimon will be beaten even after evolving. Played more straight in the ''[[Anime/DigimonAdventure Adventure]]'' and ''[[Anime/DigimonAdventure02 Adventure 02]]'', when there are fewer soundtrack options than the sequels.

* In the first episode of ''Anime/KillLaKill'', when Ryuko is first revealed to be wearing her Kamui Senketsu "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWhcTesRFq0 Blumenkranz]]" starts playing. The fact that this is the theme music for Ragyo Kiryuin [[spoiler:Ryuko's mother (not that Ryuko knows at the time)]] is not at all a coincidence.

* It's not very obvious, but Music/BernardHerrmann uses a leitmotif for [[ItWasHisSled "the big secret"]] in ''Film/CitizenKane'' that spoils said secret within the first twenty minutes of the movie.
* Done straight and subverted in ''Film/{{Jaws}}''. Every time the real shark appears, its classic theme plays; notably, it doesn't when the fake shark appears. Subverted in the second half of the movie, which plays the theme a few times as a red herring, and withholds the theme before the shark first encounters the ''Orca''.

* As a version that pays off sooner than usual, the opening part of the FramingDevice in ''Film/TheBalladOfBusterScruggs'' features a slow instrumental guitar version of "The Streets of Laredo". The song is about mourning a cowboy dying in the streets. Needless to say, [[spoiler:the guitar-playing Buster does not survive to the end of his segment, being shot dead in the street.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': "[[LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn Can't you hear the music?]] That's a 4/4 string ostinato in D minor! Every sailor knows that means death!"

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "A Canterlot Wedding", the reprise of "BBBFF" ends on a deceptive cadence, foreshadowing Cadance's ([[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis in disguise]]) true nature.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In the Webcomic/MSPaintAdventures series ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', in order to warn the viewer that the next update will have sound in it, every flash update with sound will start with an [S] in the link to the page.
** The flashes are often made with music that has been public for a long time. Most of the time this isn't spoilery, as the music is straightforward - dramatic, sad, awesome, etc. However, in one case it was. The flash [[spoiler: Jade: Wake Up begins with happy, joyful music reminiscent of the Squiddles and appropriate visuals. People who listened to the ''Squiddles!'' album before that, however, will know immediately that this won't last as the song later breaks down and turns into full-on NightmareFuel.]]
*** And then there's Intermission 2 which uses a previously released song entitled [[spoiler:"English"]].
[[/folder]]

** Near the end of one case in the first game, [[spoiler:Edgeworth senses the witness on the stand is the guilty party, prompting him to take the first steps toward his HeelFaceTurn. He shouts, "[[CatchPhrase OBJECTION!]]" and the epic music starts playing. The Judge questions him on his objection, and the epic music dies, as Edgey responds [[ThatWasObjectionable he didn't have a reason.]] After a beat, OBJECTION! *cue epic music* Edgeworth asks the witness to testify again. Judge asks why, and Edgeworth is drawing a blank. The music dies AGAIN, then after a beat, Edgeworth has something now.]]

* The ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' episode "[[Franchise/StreetFighter Balrog]] VS [[VideoGame/KillerInstinct T.J. Combo]]" has the fight accompanied by the song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JapDyUwAu8 I'm Back (To Rise)]]", T.J. Combo's ImageSong. Anyone familiar with the song should be able to quickly clue in as to whose going to end up winning this fight.

* Creator/EddieIzzard refers to this in one of his routines about horror movies.

!!Subversions

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AxiomVerge'': "Apocalypse", which was used previously in the game as a variant boss music plays during the battle against [[spoiler: Athetos]], who turns out not to have a second form or unique FinalBoss music at all.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' has a funny pair of subversions involving Ozzie. The first time you meet him, he brings up a series of monsters with a crank, and they drop onto a conveyor belt. The battle music starts, and your characters even get into their battle poses... then the enemies fall into a pit at the other end of the conveyor belt. Insert "record winding down" sound here. Then, the second time you meet him, the boss theme starts playing, and then [[spoiler:a small cat comes in and trips a lever, and the boss theme [[FadeOut fades out]] as Ozzie drops into the BottomlessPit.]]
** And who can forget Dalton? When he epically turns the Epoch into the "Aero-Dalton Imperial", Crono's "fanfare" theme starts up, prompting Dalton to yell, [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall "No, no, no, no...! Stop the music!"]] The music then changes into "A Spot of Crisis", a tense theme, and he says, "Ha! There we go! Ready for takeoff!"
* The final boss of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' is an [[InvertedTrope inversion]]: it had special music for its first forms, but used the ''mini-boss'' music for its final form. This was changed in the Switch remake.
** Also, in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]],'' in Hyrule Castle, the final dungeon, aside from the mini-boss songs that play when fighting a Darknut and [[spoiler:King Bulblin for the last time]], no danger music plays while fighting enemies, [[NothingIsScarier adding to the mounting climactic suspense.]]
** Both the Ganondorf and Ganon battles in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' have their own unique theme, making the first form (Ganondorf) seem like the final battle.
* In the Greenwood area of ''VideoGame/SoulBlazer'', there is a dog who, when talked to, will tell you that "today's special is...you!" accompanied by an abrupt end to the BackgroundMusic. The dog will then proceed to explain that he was only joking, and the BackgroundMusic starts up again.
* In ''VideoGame/ShiningInTheDarkness'', despite the fact that the fight against TheDragon had a special boss theme, the final boss uses the normal combat theme you've heard all game. That is, until he [[OneWingedAngel gets serious]]...
* Every plot-required boss battle in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' has a theme that can play for a random battle. The only exception is the final boss, of course, who gets his own unique remix of Twister.
* The first ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' game uses the same battle music for every fight. Common enemies and bosses have the same tune. The sole exception is the final boss, who has its own theme.
* ''VideoGame/{{Scratches}}'' subverts it near the beginning, on the first time you [[spoiler: go down to the [[CreepyBasement basement]], creepy ''Film/{{Psycho}}''-like strings start playing giving you the feeling ''something'' is gonna jump at you from the shadows at any moment, this effect makes you want to leave that place as soon as possible.]] Later it's played straight when [[spoiler: for looking for Catherine Blackwood's corpse on the yard the music changes when you happen to dig on the right spot]], also on ''Last Visit'' after solving all puzzles [[spoiler:the music changes to the same creepy strings heard on the basement hinting of the scare lurking nearby.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesTheManhattanProject'', a first-time player will probably think that they're fighting the final BossBattle when they fight Shredder for the first time, and when they fight Krang. (The final BossBattle is a rematch between the Turtles and Shredder.) Both of these bosses have a special BossBattle music of their own to help give the player this illusion.
* ''VideoGame/MushihimeSama Futari'''s FinalBoss gets its own theme, but on Ultra difficulty, the TrueFinalBoss uses the regular boss battle music. That is, unless you're playing Black Label (which replaces Ultra mode with God mode), in which case the TFB gets some...[[SoundtrackDissonance rather unfitting music for a climatic boss battle]].
* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', the battle against [[BigBad Saturos and Menardi]] has its own unique theme (if you didn't fight [[{{Superboss}} Deadbeard]]) and one might think they're the FinalBoss. Then they turn into [[OneWingedAngel A GIANT TWO-HEADED DRAGON]] that dwarfs the party (and all other enemies up to this point) and actually ''[[CameraAbuse shatters the screen]]'' as the combat intro.
* ''VideoGame/{{Amagon}}'''s fourth stage keeps the same [[NightmareFuel creepy music]] all the way through, even when in SuperMode or fighting the boss.
* In ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'', the FinalBoss reuses the Stage 7 music.
* In the arcade version of ''Super Contra'', the penultimate boss gets its own theme, but the final boss just uses the main stage music.
* In ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'', the final boss against the alien [[spoiler: hologram]] has the same music as ''every other boss.''
* ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' Command Mission pulls a nice trick coupled with DiscOneFinalDungeon in [[spoiler: Chapter 9]] with [[spoiler: Epsilon]]. He gets his own battle theme--two, in fact--and his fight is insanely tough. One may think that since his music was so different he was the FinalBoss...[[spoiler: until you notice that the game hasn't ended, and you haven't gone through the series' trademark BossRush yet.]]
* In ''VideoGame/SlimeRancher'', if you encounter a [[TheDreaded Tarr]] (or, more likely, a swarm of them), an ominous theme starts playing -but it only plays when you've actually ''spotted'' the Tarr, averting this trope. However, their theme ends on a slow violin note when you've killed or run away from all of the Tarr, meaning that if the theme continues even though you think you've killed them all, then you haven't.
[[/folder]]

!!Examples:

[[folder:Film - Animated]]

[[folder:Film - Live Action]]

* ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'': In ''Days of Ruin'', if Admiral Greyfield/Sigismundo's unsettling behaviour (or the very title of the mission in the North American version) didn't clue you into the fact that he's a villain, there's also that a negative jingle plays when he builds a temporary port when he's nominally working alongside you in Mission 13: Greyfield Strikes/Rearguard Action.
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'': In ''Xrd -SIGN-'' Ky Kiske and his theme ''[[{{Leitmotif}} Magnolia Éclair]]'' (meaning [[MeaningfulName Lightning Magnolia]]), is very similar to Music/JudasPriest's ''Electric Eye''. [[spoiler:Close to the end of the story mode of ''Xrd -SIGN-'' it's heavily implied that Ky became part gear, with the side effect of that not only [[EmpoweredBadassNormal he's stronger now]], but also that his [[MarkOfTheSupernatural left eye can]] [[RedEyesTakeWarning now turn red]], with an [[PowerGlows electric flow of energy]]. Literally, an [[ElectronicEyes Electric Eye]]]].
* If the music in ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' makes you think "How did they MAKE those sounds?!" then load your shotgun and bare your Energy Sword, you're about to be [[IncrediblyLamePun Flooded]].
* In ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', you know when Lucca, Frog, Robo, or Ayla is about to do something cool because their {{Leitmotif}} starts playing.
** Although in his first appearance (a BigDamnHeroes moment), Frog uses Lucca's {{Leitmotif}}.
*** Poor Lucca's theme is so awesome that the developers simply stole it from her. It serves as a general victory or something-awesome theme, especially in ''VideoGame/ChronoCross''.
** If you listen to Schala's theme the first few notes [[spoiler:are the same as those from Magus's battle music.]]
** How do you know that the Undersea Palace is important to the plot? Plenty of Mook battles, [[BGMOverride but no battle music.]] The Palace's background theme plays throughout.
* In ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'', after the incident at Opassa Beach where you first travel between the dimensions, the first clue that you're not in your own world anymore is that the overworld music has changed from "Fields of Time" to "Dream of the Shore Near Another World".
* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight'', you know you've walked into a boss room (it doesn't have [[ForebodingArchitecture special doors]] like later installments) when the music stops. It doesn't happen for the boss in the Long Library, though.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', the intro to the "FairyBattle" theme is meant to sound just like the intro for a standard battle, probably to avoid the Musical Spoiler -- but the instruments are different enough that if you're paying even a bit of attention, you can tell the difference.
** It's fairly obvious that Seymor is a villain in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX''. If you don't get it by his looks you will surely get by his creepy leitmotif.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', if you have the Chocobo Lure materia on, you will know ''right away'' whether there's a chocobo in the encounter or not, even while the battle transition is still happening.
** In ''XIII-2'', a slightly different victory theme plays if you achieved a 5-star ranking on a battle. Since the victory music starts up the moment the lat enemy has been killed, you know how well you did long before getting to see your actual rank.
* Akitoshi Kawazu has a lot of fun playing with this trope in his work for Creator/{{Square|Enix}}:
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyLegendII'', the heroes are spying on a secret meeting between several villains. As soon as the villains spill the beans on their nefarious underworld dealings and the Heroic Tune fires up. The villains all start looking around, asking "Where's that music coming from?!", then you bust in on them.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesEchoesOfTime'', the party reaches the end of a library-themed dungeon and runs into a spacious arena-style gallery as the boss fight music strikes up, then peters out as the heroes look around and no boss monster is evident. [[spoiler:Then one of the bookcases grows teeth and claws, and the boss battle music kicks in for real as it attacks.]]
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'', during the mission "The Bounty," Marche meets with Clan Ox to discuss information on a wanted criminal... only to find out that ''he himself'' is the criminal. The surprise is somewhat spoiled by the fact that the battle music plays during the entire pre-mission dialogue scene, along with the fact that Clan Ox are the only enemies you'll face.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'', there are exactly three battle themes. Most bosses don't get their own... but... [[spoiler:Baramos, the DiscOneFinalBoss]], gets a special theme.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'', Chapter 3, Taloon will sometimes run into traveling merchants. Since these traveling merchants are accompanied by the town theme instead of the standard battle theme, you can tell [[FairyBattle you're OK]] as soon as the music starts.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'', if you successfully flee from a battle, your first indication is that the music stops.
* Lampshaded in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest''. Every time Tristam is about to make an appearance, his {{Leitmotif}} plays, and the main character reacts in surprise and starts looking around for him.
* At one point in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', your comrades actually advise you to listen to the volume of the BackgroundMusic in order to judge whether a helicopter is near you or not.
** Plus Snake actually wonders aloud "What happened to the music?" shortly before the battle against Psycho Mantis.
*** Given that Psycho Mantis' entire schtick is that he has NoFourthWall (you beat him by ''[[spoiler:switching which port the controller's plugged into]]'') this is unsurprising.
** In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' [[spoiler:Olga]]'s theme plays whenever she is in the scene ''and only when she is in the scene'', from her very first appearance. This particular theme of hers plays when [[spoiler:Raiden is about to be shot by Revolver Ocelot and then the ninja shows up to save him, nearly cutting off Ocelot's hand ala the first game]] and at the end when [[spoiler:the ninja jumps in to knock Raiden out on Snake's command, revealing it to be Olga decked out as the ninja]]. Anyone who listened to the game's OST will recognize the theme.
** And then, as the voice actor credits roll at the end of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' you may be wondering "Why is [[spoiler:Big Boss]]'s {{Leitmotif}} playing?", then, "Why does [[spoiler:Big Boss]] have a voice actor credit?", and then, "[[spoiler:How can Big Boss possibly still be alive?!]]"
* In ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'', an ominous theme (aptly named "There Comes Trouble...") always starts playing when the duo is about to face a BossBattle. Eventually, upon entering a curiously empty room, Kazooie [[LampshadeHanging points this out]] by declaring: "[[MediumAwareness The music's changed]]. Every time that happens we always end up in a fight," before, oddly enough, fighting Klungo for the third time.
** Subverted in the same game, in Terrydactyland. Considering the number of massive dinosaurs about, it helps add to the grandeur of the area, but it's still bizarre. An area obstacle (to be fair, an irritatingly difficult one) gets [[BossSubtitles the ominous theme and boss description]] ('''Triassic Steamroller'''). A minigame gets the ominous theme and boss description ('''Stomach-Cramped Carnivore'''). A completely harmless NPC gets the ominous th... no, no theme, but he still gets a description ('''Seeker of Beverages'''). Even the actual boss of the area becomes a friendly NPC after his defeat.
* JustForFun/{{Egregious}} in ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', where both the music and enemy chatter can alert you to the fact that there are enemies nearby. In fact, this can [[spoiler:easily tip players off that something's up with Maggie Chow before you've even had a conversation with her.]]
* Also ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'', the best way to know if you've been seen is if the music suddenly starts. Being a stealth game, the music is usually off. Also - not sure if you've killed everyone after being seen? Listen to the music. Especially in the first game, it'll start winding down the moment you're in the clear.
* In the 2nd and 3rd versions of ''VideoGame/TheAmazonTrail'', the normally peaceful jungle music when you're rowing down the river switches to a series of frantic themes if you go down the wrong fork of the river.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Painkiller}}'', you know when enemies are about to attack because the heavy metal soundtrack will kick on, and you know you've defeated all the enemies in the current area when the music [[FadeOut fades away]].
** Same goes to music in ''VideoGame/SeriousSam''.
* Similarly, in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', the music changes when you get within a certain distance of Heartless -- whether you can see them or not.
** Ventus' Theme has bits of both [[spoiler:Roxas]] and [[spoiler:Sora]]'s music in it.
** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded'', [[spoiler:Roxas's]] theme starts a few seconds before he pulls out his signature weapons.
* The music in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'' changes constantly to indicate the presence of different enemies, enemy vulnerability windows, combos, combo breaks and boss-damaging flurries.
* In ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheTwoThrones'', the music changes whenever you're close to an enemy, even when you can't see them. This is actually rather helpful, but pushes the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief just a bit further than usual.
* The 3D ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' games all replace the normal music with a combat theme when an enemy is near. In addition, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' also had a special remix of the Hyrule Field overworld theme that plays whenever you've exposed an enemy weakpoint, and is generally your cue to commence button mashing (or Wii Remote waggling) to get in as many sword-hits as possible before the boss recovers.
** In addition, in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'', the easy way to tell if you're being chased by the Phantoms in Temple of the Ocean King (other than the giant "I HAVE YOU NOW" or whatever across the bottom of the screen) is by listening to the music changes. When the ominous music goes away, you know they've stopped chasing you.
** Boss battle themes don't usually spoil since they only start after the enemy has been "introduced" to you. However, the music ''stops'' when you first enter a boss room, and the series isn't known to throw you into unexpected boss battles. Also, the boss music itself usually stops once you've landed the final hit on the boss, signifying that you've beaten it (though the fact that the game also switches to a cutscene of the boss dying can be a spoiler before even that).
*** Even the very first ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'', which didn't use boss music, warned you when you were approaching boss territory. If any of the adjacent rooms held the Dungeons boss there would be "roaring" sounds every few seconds. Though some boss like monsters would make those sounds while onscreen anyway.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', the melody of the Goddess' Song, the game's main theme, is Zelda's Lullaby played backwards, foreshadowing the fact that [[spoiler:Zelda ''is'' the Goddess]].
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', the piano theme that plays whenever you meet the Old Man on the Great Plateau sounds suspiciously similar to the opening fanfare of the traditional Hyrule Castle theme. [[spoiler:Because the Old Man is actually Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, the last King of Hyrule before his demise because of the Calamity Ganon.]]
* There's a severe difference in style between the normal BackgroundMusic and the fight music in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''. Thus, if you enter an area and the music abruptly shifts gears, get your sword out. This is especially true for the [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening third game]], where the fight music has ''vocals''.
* Occasionally, when you kill an enemy in ''VideoGame/GodHand'', their soul becomes a demon and attacks you. You'll know it when it happens, even if the enemy is offscreen, because the music suddenly switches to a distinctive guitar sequence (or, if one of the horribly powerful Four-Armed Demons arrives, an orchestra).
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', if it wasn't obvious that the thing you went to the Latheon Gorge to get has a boss guarding it by genre alone, the music stops when the enter the room.
** Another example: whenever you fight a boss, the theme that plays will depend on who or what you're fighting. For example, 'Fighting of the Spirit' will play when fighting a summon spirit and 'Fatalize' will play when fighting a human unaffiliated with one of the major antagonistic groups. [[spoiler: 'The Law of the Battle' plays when the boss is a Desian. However, a different boss theme plays when you battle Vidarr and Botta(and later, Botta and Yuan). This is one of several hints that they and their associates are not Desians, despite looking like them.]]
** If you are underleveled enough when facing an enemy, the normal battle music is replaced with the aptly named ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJVCuBnTZJU The Struggle to Survive]]'', which is the game's regular boss theme.
* In ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', [[spoiler:it is immediately obvious when the fight with PerfectRunFinalBoss Ballos begins that the form you start out fighting won't be the only form, as the music then playing is the miniboss or minor boss theme.]]
** Even before that, you can be certain that [[spoiler:the Doctor isn't the final boss]] because of the music.
** An earlier boss battle subverts it. The player activates a robot which attempts to destroy him, and in the robot's dialogue the standard boss music starts playing. Then the music is suddenly cut off as [[BaitAndSwitchBoss Balrog steps on the robot.]]
* In the second half of the combined ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'', touching a Giant Ring teleports the player to Hidden Palace Zone, where a Super Emerald can be obtained. Later, Lava Reef Zone Act 2 having the same theme as Hidden Palace Zone indicates in no uncertain terms that the latter is physically near/within the same volcano as the former, and the next Zone.
* The ''VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy'' has the "Boss Pinch". When a boss hits critical HP, the music suddenly changes to reflect it. The first games featured a total different tune for the Boss Pinch but in the third game, it's actually an [[SongsInTheKeyOfPanic awesomely frantic remix]] of the regular boss theme.
** The same thing happens in ''VideoGame/{{Bomberman}} Generation''. The music switches to a variation of the Standard (Multiplayer) Battle theme when a boss is in critical condition.
* ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', if you know your Sonic music. While standing outside a stage / boss, a medley will play. If you can correctly guess where the medley comes from, then you have an idea of what to expect.
** Averted for the last two bosses. The sixth boss plays a remix of E.G.G.M.A.N. from Sonic Adventure 2 [[spoiler: it's actually the Egg Dragoon from Sonic Unleashed]], and the final boss plays no music at all.
* ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' uses this occasionally, especially in TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon. A few seconds into the area's music [[spoiler: Deionarra's theme can be heard, and sure enough walking a few steps you meet her again]].
* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'':
** As you enter the roof of the Temple of the Ancients, [[spoiler: Bastila]]'s theme music plays. It's not very long before you meet the person in question.
** Darth Revan's theme music plays [[spoiler:[[ItWasHisSled at character creation]]. The first time through, players are of course unaware of its significance, but may start wondering why the character creation music keeps playing every time the topic of Darth Revan comes up...]]
* ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'' does this fairly often; when a boss is in the next room or a major event has happened, the music will stop. Also occurs during the BonusDungeon when you arrive in a very large room where a boss would be.
* Hostile {{NPC}}s (and animals) in ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' tend to chase the player if he tries to flee from a fight. It's possible to tell when they've given up the chase without having to turn and look, because the dramatic music stops playing.
* You can tell how close you are to winning or losing a boss fight (on foot) in ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'' by how panicked or triumphant the music sounds.
* Same thing in ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' and ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', which are also by Bethesda. Players should especially take notice when the danger music starts up here, because a [[DemonicSpiders Deathclaw]] could be bearing down on you. Another caveat is that the Pip-Boy radio overrides the BackgroundMusic. The latter game also has creepy music when enemies are nearby but haven't detected the player yet, which [[VariableMix transitions]] to the full-on battle music when they spot and attack you.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series:
** ''[[Videogame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', ''[[Videogame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'', and ''[[Videogame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' all switch to battle music whenever you aggro an enemy -- regardless of whether you've actually ''spotted'' said enemy.
** The [[TyphoidMary disease carrying]], AirborneMook, [[HitboxDissonance hard-to-hit]], ''[[GodDamnBats plentiful]]'' [[TheScrappy Cliff Racers]] in ''Morrowind'' also have their own special leitmotif battlemusic for when they detect the player.
** The dragons of ''Skyrim'' are practically the spiritual successors to the Cliff Racers in that regard. And come with convenient [[ConLang Dovahzul]] [[OminousLatinChanting chanting]], often in the form of TriumphantReprise of the game's main theme, to let you know annoyance-from-above is on its way.
* In ''VideoGame/TheEndTimesVermintide'', the sound of a war horn indicates a wave of [[{{Mooks}} Clanrats and Skavenslaves]] is on the way. In ''VideoGame/VermintideII'', a wave of enemies is heralded by the ringing of bells.
* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' has musical cues for a lot of things. Zombie hordes attacking, special events, atmosphere cues, etc. Most prominent of all would be the leitmotif that kicks in when certain special zombies are nearby. And yes, people have already figured out how to replace said music with renditions of Yakety Sax.
** Here are the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow1uKuTxpnA Witch]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhiGnj7QX2A Tank]] themes. If you hear them in gameplay, you know that you're in for a near-death experience.
* The freeware PC game ''Survival Crisis Z'' varies the number of instruments used for its BackgroundMusic based on the number and type of enemies near the player, ranging from a simple bass beat to an almost-overwhelming cacophony of industrial, glass, and synthetic noise. Given that zombies can randomly appear ''en masse'' just by entering and leaving buildings, it's not at all uncommon to walk through a door and instantly know you're in trouble by virtue of several additional instruments kicking in.
* ''VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterWorld'' was an exception to the boss rule: even the second stage of the final boss used one of the stock boss tracks, with original music only coming in for the end credits.
* ''VideoGame/UnchartedDrakesFortune'' plays scarier action music when you go into fights. Since bad guys come in waves and sometimes hide in weird places, you can occasionally lose track of one or two enemies. Thankfully the music doesn't change back to the ambient sound effects until you've killed them all, so you know to use caution going around corners and such.
* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' has an example heard in a few cases, there's a certain ominous theme appropriately titled "A Tense Moment" in the small section of the level before a boss battle, as can be seen when on the UFO before fighting Topmaniac, the small section of level before Tarantox and before the first King Kaliente battle (although really, it's kinda ironic the only bosses this happens for are those that don't need the warning because they're generally easy). Similarly, there's a kind of dead obvious giveaway of the boss battle about to start in Bowser Jr's reactor levels, in that his theme tune starts just before the boss starts attacking (and Bowser Jr himself will fly in and taunt you.)
** VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy and its sequel also use a method similar to [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]], in that during the fights with Bowser, OminousLatinChanting will be added to the music when he's vulnerable to attack.
** ''Galaxy'' subverts this with Bowser Jr's appearance in the final level, where at first it looks like you're going to fight him before actually fighting Bowser for the last time, [[BaitandSwitchBoss but it turns out that you actually fight Bowser directly instead.]] Although he does rain meteors down on the stairway.
** "A Tense Moment" was remixed in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'', but it only played for the Daredevil Comet on Bowser Jr's Boom Bunker--which is a pretty ominous level in itself, featuring the wreckage of [[HumongousMecha Mega]][[DropTheHammer hammer]], a castle with prison-style spotlights, a planet consisting of little more than a slew of spinning platforms and a [[UnrealisticBlackHole black hole]], a subspace swamp, and the sun as a massive fireball looming in the background.
* The presence of enemies in ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R.]]'' and its sequel can often be given away by changes in the music and the occasional [[ScareChord dramatic sting]]. Especially helpful for revealing [[InvisibleMonsters Replica Assassins]] before they kill your face.
* In ''VideoGame/LaMulana'', if you enter a boss room before unlocking the boss, the area music keeps playing. Once you unlock the boss, entering the room replaces the area music with the pre-boss music.
* In ''VideoGame/AceCombat6FiresOfLiberation'', if the music stops without "Mission Accomplished" flashing on the screen, it is guaranteed that Strigon Team, cruise missiles, or both are going to show up in the next few seconds.
* In the ''VideoGame/TetrisTheGrandMaster'' series, if the music cuts out, the next section is going to have a DifficultySpike. In [=TGM1=] and [=TGM2=]'s Master mode, this famously first happens at halfway through the game--once you get to the next section, pieces will start dropping ''instantly''. In [=TGM3=], this can happen as early as three-tenths into the game if you're fast enough
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' generally started up an easily memorizable musical cue that comes in about two seconds before either TheCavalry arrives or [[OhCrap you're about to get swarmed by a dozen new units right as you'd gotten by the last wave through the skin of your teeth.]]
** Plus many Original Generation characters have their own musical theme that plays when they take a turn in battle. Original enemies also have this, and it usually overrides the heroes theme. Take a good listen. If the music is inspiring or heroic, then they'll be pulling a HeelFaceTurn before the end. There's no way that "Trombe" or "I am Baran Doban" could belong to total villains after all. And Shura General Alion's joining of you would have come right the hell out of nowhere, since he didn't do this in the original game, were it not for his very non villainous music playing every time you fight him before hand. There are only two exceptions. Shu's sinister and epic "Dark Prison" is blaring whether he's shooting at you or saving your hide, and Alpha 3's Hazal Gozzo has the oddly cheerful "Clown Master" as his theme, despite being evil and never even has a chance to join you.
** Most prominent example comes from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsW''. The first Database member that appeared is Aria Advance, and her leitmotif, if listened closely, is a rearrangements of Kazuma's leitmotif.[[spoiler:She is his clone.]]
* In ''VideoGame/AlienVsPredator 2'', xenomorph encounters would be accompanied by the orchestral soundtrack...of ''[=AvP=] 1''. For some reason the original installment, though packaged with a soundtrack, never utilized it in-game, which is why it is [[NightmareFuel much, much scarier]] than the sequel.
** This is also the reason that the actual film ''Film/{{Alien}}'' cut back on its original bombastic musical score, replacing it with mostly silence.
*** The original score ''was'' cut back... but most of the film is actually scored. It's just so subtle and nuanced that it contributes to the atmosphere without you realising. It's still an aversion of the trope, just an aversion born of ridiculous amounts of compositional skill.
** ''Aliens vs. Predator'' (2010) followed the example of its 1999 predecessor, leaving the score mostly unaltered except for certain scripted events. Arguably less effective, however, as the 1999 game used silence to emulate the score of ''Alien'' as described above, making it one of the ''creepiest games to date'', matching the likes of ''Franchise/SilentHill''.
* Averted in ''Dual Orb II''... for the simple reason that the developers didn't bother to make more than one battle theme for the entire game. Even the final battle uses the standard music.
* In ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}'', the music is your first warning that the shadow-wraiths are approaching, or that some are still lurking nearby even if you can't see them.
* In ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'', you know a visit to the Threed Sunset Hotel is about to go very, very wrong when the usual hotel theme is distorted into an eerie parody of itself.
* The music in ''VideoGame/{{Syndicate}}'' shifts to a much more tense and fast-paced theme when an enemy cyborg is nearby. The manual advises the player to use the music as an early warning system for imminent combat.
* In ''Call of Duty: VideoGame/ModernWarfare2'', a deep note followed by ominous music means a Juggernaut is after you. Be ''very'' afraid.
* Because ''Franchise/TombRaider'' games tend to have ambient soundtracks for levels, musical cues become key means of distinguishing when a trap, puzzle, or hazard is nearby. And the more dramatic the cue, the more imminent the danger is (sometimes you will only have seconds to live unless you react quickly).
* ''Franchise/DeadSpace'':
** It's not over until the music goes away. This makes it [[NothingIsScarier rather disorienting]] to fight in a vacuum, where the battle music is typically absent.
** Made even worse by the fact that the music seems to be stemming from the Necromorphs themselves. If you run away from a group of Necromorphs, you can hear the music slowly [[FadeOut fade away]] as the distance between you grows larger and hear it slowly [[FadeIn fade back]] in as the distance grows smaller, meaning that if you lose track of a Necromorph in a large area, you simply have to listen to the volume of the music to help clue you in as to whether or not you're getting closer.
* In ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' you can often tell that you're nearing a boss battle when a certain piece of ominous music plays. The soundtrack is non-apologetic about this, calling itself "Tension Before a Confrontation".
** The game's BigBad, the SA-X, has its own (very, very chilling) theme as well, rendered more terrifying by the fact that the thing is stalking you through the station and can show up just about anywhere, with no warning. If you enter a room and suddenly the music turns to a quiet, ominous piece, you know it's nearby.
* In ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton and the Curious Village'', the professor's theme has a subtle ticking as punctuation. This foreshadows the revelation that [[spoiler: the villagers are all robots.]]
** When Layton's about to reveal something about the mystery, the music stops.
* ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'' has one that, if you're paying attention to it, hints at the twist that [[spoiler:Fassad is really Locria, the seventh and final Magypsy. When he confronts your party as '[=New/Miracle=] Fassad,' the musical horns he now has fitted to him play an even further distorted version of the saxophone line in the Magypsys' leitmotif.]]
** Additionally, all player characters and enemies have a certain instrument or sound (electric guitars, horns, animal noises, etc.) that plays when they attack, incorporated into the [[RhythmGame "sound battle" system.]] Because of this system, the player characters' combo instruments tend to stand out a bit more than the enemies', so it's easy to miss [[spoiler:one of the first giveaways to the Masked Man's identity. When you first fight him, his combo instrument is the same as Claus's when he fought alongside you at the beginning of the game.]] In a similar fashion, knowing that [[spoiler:Duster's combo instrument is a bass]] helps to remove any lingering doubt you might conceivably have as to Lucky's true identity, though this isn't as strong (or, indeed, as obscure) as the former example.
* In ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'', the room before (or with, in many cases) the boss always has the same ominous BackgroundMusic playing to indicate a battle will start. Comes with a long corridor for build up.
* Both the ''VideoGame/{{Penumbra}}'' series and its spiritual successor ''Videogame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent'' play this trope straight. Hide or run until the caution/danger music stops playing and the enemies are guaranteed to have left the area.
* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'':
** One of the very last boss fights is accompanied by a song named [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFPVWv7X0c4 You May Call Me Father]]. [[LukeIAmYourFather Yes, that kind.]]]] Needless to say, a single look at the game's soundtrack blows that particular [[TheReveal reveal]] right out the window.
** ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'': [[spoiler:"Lumen Sage and Temperantia" samples and rearranges parts of "You May Call Me Father", hinting at the true identity of the Masked Lumen. Once it's revealed, the original song gets used once again.]]
* In certain ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' games (such as Nightmare in Dreamland), the music completely stops before a boss room. That and there's usually [[SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity a few recovery items and free copy abilities]]. For the most part though, this series averts this- the [[BossBattle Boss Battles]] you'd expect to be the FinalBoss have unique music to them, even when there's a second [[OneWingedAngel form]] or even [[TrueFinalBoss another battle]] afterwards. It also often [[AvertedTrope averts]] the other forms of Musical Spoiler, for example, the fight music will often pause after you've beaten the first form of a boss, only to come back for the ''real'' battle.
** Played straight in Kirby's Adventure, where Dedede's battle uses the normal boss theme.
* Used in many ways in the ''Franchise/SilentHill'' games. If you hear particularly ominous ambient noise/music, it usually means enemies are nearby or something big such as a BossBattle or transition to the DarkWorld is about to happen. However, sometimes it's just a [[NothingIsScarier false scare]].
** Interestingly, starting in the second game, the presence of an obvious "combat theme" renders the radio item redundant. The radio is ostensibly there to alert the player to the presence of monsters, but almost every encounter features a clanging music score, making the radio somewhat moot.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'': When "Feel The Tense" starts up, Nemesis has entered the area. In ''RE 2'' and others, if the music is replaced by silence, it means something such as a Licker is going to jump out at you. In fact, more or less all the ''RE'' games use this trope in some way.
* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'':
** At one point in the BonusDungeon, [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]] will hunt the Demifiend through a series of tunnels. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngUfhhoRh84 If his theme replaces the background music,]] it means he's close to finding you.
** The Demifiend himself [[PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo appears]] as a {{Superboss}} in ''VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga'', but the theme playing when you fight him is just the usual RandomEncounter theme. '''''Nocturne's''''' RandomEncounter theme, that is, signifying that he is so powerful that your party is just another RandomEncounter to him.
* In ''Iron Tank'', the music changes to static noise, or sometimes the boss music itself, shortly before a boss fight.
* In ''VideoGame/SyphonFilter'', the music intensifies when the enemy is targeting you, and calms down when they lose sight of you. The later games such as ''Omega Strain'' have special music themes for high-ranking terrorists or TimedMission objectives.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'': It's not much of a spoiler, per se (talking to anyone suggests basically the same thing), but when the time comes to have it out with Wrex on Virmire, even ''walking towards him'' turns on the Ominous Drumroll.
* ''VideoGame/HauntingGround'' uses this specifically as a game mechanic: Belli castle has its ambient music, and it has the chase music for each of Fiona's pursuers. However, because those pursuers are actively ''searching'' for Fiona, they're running around the castle the same as she is. Whenever one of them is in a room adjacent to the one Fiona's in, the music slowly [[FadeOut fades out into complete ''silence'']], leading to one of the best uses of "[[ItsQuietTooQuiet Wait, it's too quiet]]" ever to be visited on a player.
* [[GoodBadBug Appears accidentally]] in VideoGame/DungeonsOfDredmor. If the normal BackgroundMusic stops when you open the door to a room, instead of changing quickly when you walk through the door, it just means the game is having trouble loading both the massive amounts of enemies in the room and the awesome 'Monster Zoo!' theme.
* In [[spoiler:Hanako]]'s bad ending of ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'', the ominous "Cold Iron" theme starts playing as the last scene begins, before things start going wrong.
** Wrong for Hisao at least. Nothing could prepare the player for [[BreakTheCutie the awakening of]] [[spoiler:Rage-Hanako]].
* The music in ''VideoGame/BattlestarGalacticaOnline'' picks up when you engage in behaviour that triggers the Threat indicator. Unfortunately, it's easy to trigger the indicator by accident.
* Along with [[spoiler:Wheatley's [[EvilLaugh innocent-turned-sinister laugh]], the ambient lighting turning red, and THE F**KING PANELS BOUNCING WHILE HE LAUGHS]], the music suddenly becoming a lot more dramatic makes us realize that maybe it wasn't such a great idea to [[spoiler:install him into [=GLaDOS=]'s body]] in ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}''.
** Similarly, [[spoiler:Wheatley's boss theme, Bombs For Throwing At You, is labeled as a "Five Part Plan". But he only goes through four parts at the start of the fight. Eventually, he reveals the fifth part- rig the stalemate button with bombs in the event someone tries to push it.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}''. For just one or two seconds at a time in the BGM during the fight with [[spoiler: the first brain tank,]] the BGM from [[spoiler: Oleander]]'s mind will suddenly play quietly, and then shut off again, cluing you in that he's behind it all. Although, you [[ObviouslyEvil may have known already]], and [[FiveSecondForeshadowing the full revelation does hit you in the face a few moments after the boss fight]].
* The music in ''VideoGame/{{Receiver}}'' changes and crescendos as you approach enemies.
* Who could possibly forget [[spoiler: [[BigBad Lumine]]'s]] theme in the eighth installment of ''Videogame/MegaManX''? The tune is just so ominous when he first appears that [[spoiler:it's almost a dead giveaway that he's the true villain... [[HardModePerks even if you don't get to fight him if you play on Easy]]]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSc59wy4aT4 Light From the Netherword]] plays in the opening sequence, where a ship's systems mysteriously go out of control and result in its destruction. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvUPvGzIwLY Omen, a remix of it,]] plays in Babel Tower [[spoiler:when humans mutate into Wels, and other areas and events related to Deus and the Eldridge]].
* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' subtly foreshadows that [[spoiler:all the chapter bosses are one single demonic entity]] in the boss theme [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Nmc84Noos "Megalomania"]]. The last 15 seconds of the theme before it loops are accompanied by an OminousPipeOrgan, which seems out of place when fighting Wild West bandits and martial arts masters until TheReveal.
* ''VideoGame/SlenderTheArrival'' does this twice. Once you get the third page, more ominous music starts playing and it increases as you continue to collect more pages. Later, after you activate two generators, strings start playing sinisterly and [[spoiler:Kate the proxy]] starts chasing you.
* ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'' only has a single boss battle theme used for every boss. As such, this trope might appear to be played straight if you've only got as far as the first battle with BigBad Mizar and are expecting the TrueFinalBoss to have a unique theme, but since said final boss uses the same theme as all the others, it's technically a subversion. Even the final portion of gameplay that comes after the final boss reuses a common gameplay theme used in several previous areas too.
* If you ever hear the 'Boss Intro' theme from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', then you can pretty sure trouble isn't far away. It works kind of like 'There Comes Trouble' from Banjo Tooie, and plays in many of the same areas (as well as the cutscene before the boss appears).
* Lampshaded in ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'', as the Haybot [[InfernalRetaliation rises from the flames]]:
-->'''Conker''': I don't think I like the sound of that music!\\
'''Frankie''': I don't think I like the sound of that music either!
* Very subtle example in ''VideoGame/BravelyDefault''. The normal boss theme seems to be a standard looping track... but if you listen closely you'll notice that the second loop of the song has notably different backing, particularly the guitar riffs. This foreshadows [[spoiler: the GroundhogDayLoop nature of the game, where the same events repeat with subtle differences each time.]]
* This was averted with ''VideoGame/FreedomPlanet''[='=]s collectible cards. To prevent players from playing a track out of level they've never played, the game requires the player to finish the game at least once to play the tracks.
* In ''VideoGame/TheForest'', an eerie chime indicates when you've been spotted by a cannibal, and action music plays out when they become aggressive and start running towards you. Since visibility in the titular forest island is usually low [[TheAllSeeingAI for the player]], this is very helpful.
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', it's not hard to tell that something tragic is going to happen to Pelleas when [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCJ7FDAkUXw his theme]] is one of the bleakest, most depressing sounding songs in the series.
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'':
** The track "Puppet's Feast" is normally reserved for [[spoiler:Vallite]] bosses. So when it's suddenly used as the battle theme for [[spoiler:Takumi]] in [[spoiler:Chapter 13 and 23]] of ''Conquest'', you know there's more going on than meets the eye.
** Outside of major bosses, the game has two different boss themes for each nation: one for those who are playable on at least one route, and one for those that are never playable. This can sometimes spoil whether or not someone will join. For example, on ''Birthright'', Silas uses the playable Nohrian boss theme when fought in Chapter 7, and sure enough he joins your army afterwards. Later on, [[spoiler: Zola]] seems to make a HeelFaceTurn, but he used the non-playable Nohrian boss theme when fought. [[spoiler: Sure enough, he's a FakeDefector.]] Then there's Shura, who not only uses a Hoshidan boss theme despite claiming to be a Nohrian bandit, but it's the ''playable'' Hoshidan boss theme. There's also Fuga who, despite not being playable in either ''Birthright'' or ''Conquest'', uses the playable Hoshidan boss theme as well, as a result of him being playable only in ''Revelation''.
* ''VideoGame/AoOni'': [[spoiler: No chase music plays at all during the final chase, cluing you in that it's a never-ending pursuit.]]
* In ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'', the theme of Team Rocket's Hideout is a DarkReprise of the already creepy theme of the Viridian Forest. The boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni, can be encountered in the hideout; the Viridian Forest is next to Viridian City with the abandoned Gym. The Gym Leader of Viridian City is actually Giovanni.
* In ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', Team Skull boss Guzma's battle theme [[spoiler:contains a snippet of the Aether Foundation's {{Leitmotif}}]], hinting that [[spoiler:Team Skull is working with the Aether Foundation]].
* In many ''Pokémon'' games, legendary encounters have different battle music than normal wild encounter music. If the legendary Pokémon in question is encountered randomly (instead of as part of a scripted battle), this music (along with, in many but not all games, the unique [[FadeIn fade-in]] animations) can clue a player in that they're about to face something special.
* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'':
** The majority of the boss battle themes are about two to three minutes long, but Mettaton NEO's theme only plays for thirty seconds before looping. He's a guaranteed one-shot and never actually attacks the player. [[ExactWords Subverted]] with "Song That Might Play When You Fight Sans". You ''can'' fight Sans on a Genocide route, but the song never plays. The title only said it '''might''' play, after all. Instead, you get "Megalovania".
** In "Finale," played during the final boss of the Neutral Route, you might hear some faint bells in the background. [[spoiler:This is Asriel's leitmotif ("Memory"/"His Theme"), foreshadowing the reveal of Flowey's original identity in the True Pacifist Ending.]]
* In a ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' hunt, if the "you've been spotted by a monster" ScareChord suddenly [[BackgroundMusicOverride overrides]] the current battle theme before kicking off a new one, you instantly know something bigger and nastier has just shown up. The culprit is usually [[TheDreaded Deviljho]], but it can be anything with its own {{Leitmotif}} that takes priority over the current theme.
* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'': While you encounter mid-bosses at different points in the game, as well as rooms that are locked and need to be cleared of spawning enemies before you can move on, the sign that you're about to fight a major boss is the subtle yet intense BackgroundMusic before entering the boss area. When about to face the FinalBoss, there is no music in that area at all. This indicates that you're gonna be fighting the TrueFinalBoss here if you meet certain criteria. Also, the FinalBoss's {{Leitmotif}} will change into a sad orchestra halfway through the fight, indicating its formerly-friendly state but is now corrupted and forced to fight you.
* Normally in ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Gaiden''[='=]s eighth stage, there are 6 bosses, with bosses 1-3 having one theme, bosses 4 and 5 having another, and the last boss having the standard boss theme. However, if you're playing on the second loop or above, the second of these tracks continues to play for the sixth boss, tipping you off that something is very different about this stage this time. Sure enough, there's a ''seventh'' boss, and only then does the normal boss theme finally play.
* ''VideoGame/ShantaeHalfGenieHero'': The epic final showdown with [[spoiler:Risky Boots]] is set to the regular boss music. Sure enough, she's not the final boss, and after her, you fight [[spoiler: The Tinkerbrain]], the real final boss, whih has a unique music for both its forms.
* ''VideoGame/MarioParty2'': Each board ends with Bowser showing up to cause trouble, accompanied by his ominous theme song, followed by the Super Star (the winning player) showing up to do a BigDamnHeroes moment with a triumphant and heroic theme song. [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers In the last board]], Bowser's theme continues when the Super Star makes an appearance, and the Super Star is unable to defeat Bowser alone. When Toad, the other players and the Koopa Troopa, who give the Super Star a star, the aforementioned heroic theme plays, and the Super Star manages to turn the tide and win.
* ''VideoGame/{{IMGCM}}'': At the beginning of the scene at Chapter 4 Episode 5 in the main story, when eerie music plays in the background, you know something [[NightmareFuel extremely]] [[CerebusSyndrome bad]] [[WhamEpisode will]] [[SurpriseCreepy happen]]. [[spoiler:Kaori, one of magical heroines, [[KillTheCutie screams in pain and dies from fatal injuries after being ambushed by a demon.]] The next scene is even worse: [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie She's subsequently corrupted into a demon.]]]] SpoilerTitle is also involved in that episode as the title of it is [[spoiler:"The End of Daily Life".]]
* A meta one for the reveal of the eighth DLC fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''. Shortly after Galeem gets [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe cut in half and the halves fall]] out of the sky and [[KeystoneArmy the Fake Master Hands start vanishing]], the song "Advent: One-Winged Angel" (yes, ''[[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren that]]'' one) starts playing and zooms onto a black speck in the sky that was behind Galeem, immediately giving away the identity of the star of Challenger Pack 8, revealing it to be none other than the TropeNamer for OneWingedAngel himself, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Sephiroth.]]
* ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'', the game about a group of survivors trying to escape the killer, has tendency of playing its [[https://youtu.be/Gt89Zl4XTIo chase music]] long before Killer player closes in enough on the target, cluing Survivor players on the fact that they're about to be attacked. To an extent, it also works for Killer players - who may accidentally detect hiding survivors by chase music kicking in.
* ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'':
** The disciple trials bosses in ''VideoGame/YsIVTheDawnOfYs'' use "A Great Ordeal" for their battle theme, as opposed to "Battle 58".
** In ''VideoGame/YsVITheArkOfNapishtim'', the music is silenced before the first boss appears.
* ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami'' does this very subtly; the M|O|O|N track "Hydrogen" only plays in the background of levels which have a boss fight at the end.
* In the final mission of ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}'' the initial wave of Taiidan warships and the following reinforcements coming out of hyperspace are scored with the Imperial Battle Music. When one wave comes out of hyperspace right over the Mothership, however, the music changes to ''Agnus Dei'', the theme that played when the Mothership was launched and in a number of key moments, hinting that [[TheCavalry these ships are in fact the Taiidan rebels coming to the rescue]].

** If you make a correct "Objection!" (when cross-examining), "Take that!" (when using Phoenix's magatama), "Gotcha!" (when using Apollo's bracelet), or "Got it!" (when using Athena's Mood Matrix and Rayfa's Divination Séance), the music stops. If the music continues, you know you messed up and have to try again. [[spoiler:There is one notable subversion in the third game that can catch players off guard who expect the music to stop when they present the correct evidence]].
** Near the end of one case in the first game, [[spoiler:Edgeworth senses the witness on the stand is the guilty party, prompting him to take the first steps toward his HeelFaceTurn. He shouts, "[[CatchPhrase OBJECTION!]]" and the epic music starts playing. The Judge questions him on his objection, and the epic music dies, as Edgey responds [[ThatWasObjectionable he didn't have a reason.]] After a beat, OBJECTION! *cue epic music* Edgeworth asks the witness to testify again. Judge asks why, and Edgeworth is drawing a blank. The music dies AGAIN, then after a beat, Edgeworth has something now.]]
** In ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'', when "Confrontation: Presto" plays, you know whoever you're cross-examining is the killer, and you're within a few cross-examinations of getting them to confess. There are subversions, though.
** In general, any character with a {{Leitmotif}} is important somehow. If a case involves some characters who have Leitmotifs and others who don't, the killer is ''usually'' among those who do have them. Special mention goes to Damon Gant, whose leitmotif is so ObviouslyEvil that anyone would suspect this jolly man of being full to bursting with dark secrets the instant they first hear it - which is the first time he comes on screen... [[spoiler:yep, he did it. And the SL-9 incident too.]][[note]]This trend started with the second game; Gant is the only culprit of the first game to have one because the case he was in was included in the UpdatedRerelease after all three games.[[/note]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In the Webcomic/MSPaintAdventures series ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', in order to warn the viewer that the next update will have sound in it, every flash update with sound will start with an [S] in the link to the page.
** The flashes are often made with music that has been public for a long time. Most of the time this isn't spoilery, as the music is straightforward - dramatic, sad, awesome, etc. However, in one case it was. The flash [[spoiler: Jade: Wake Up begins with happy, joyful music reminiscent of the Squiddles and appropriate visuals. People who listened to the ''Squiddles!'' album before that, however, will know immediately that this won't last as the song later breaks down and turns into full-on NightmareFuel.]]
*** And then there's Intermission 2 which uses a previously released song entitled [[spoiler:"English"]].
[[/folder]]

* The ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' episode "[[Franchise/StreetFighter Balrog]] VS [[VideoGame/KillerInstinct T.J. Combo]]" has the fight accompanied by the song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JapDyUwAu8 I'm Back (To Rise)]]", T.J. Combo's ImageSong. Anyone familiar with the song should be able to quickly clue in as to whose going to end up winning this fight.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In ''WebAnimation/ClearSkies 3'', the Scottish funeral dirge "Flowers of the Forest" begins playing when [[spoiler:the ''Magellan'' launches an attack against the enemy fleet. Sure enough, the ship does not survive.]]
* At the beginning of ''[[LetsPlay/{{Dream}} Dream's]]'' Minecraft Manhunt videos, he goes off without the hunters, and there's an absence of music. Once they start realizing he's gone, the music starts up. Therefore, the absence of music is this trope.
[[/folder]]

* Partial version in ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Batman: Mask of the Phantasm]]'': an [[{{Leitmotif}} unusually distinct]] bit of music plays when we see [[ChekhovsGunman what appears to be an unimportant mob henchman]]. Sure enough [[spoiler:turns out that was the Joker, whose theme music was playing (though slightly modified).]]
** Perchance to Dream uses a modified version of [[spoiler: The Mad Hatter]]'s Leitmotif as a musical hint towards [[spoiler: his usage of a dream machine on Batman]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'': In "Listen Up!" as the Greens and Remy are playing One-O, right after Tilly quips how ironic the game ended up with Bill's danger toys and the game is "as safe as can be", an ominous orchestral cue suddenly sounds out, which gives a foreshadowing toward how destructive the game is.
* ''WesternAnimation/FollowTheSun'': Combined with OhCrap and FiveSecondForeshadowing when the green gumdrop drummer faces the demonic snow cones eye-to-eye. No sooner does he see them and receives their message of "EAT!" then his pupils disappear from his eyes and he resumes playing his drum-one beat at a time and in a much darker and more somber tone. The implication is obvious: the gumdrop drummer has just realized before anyone else that something unspeakably horrific is about to erupt, but keeps quiet for fear of being personally targeted for additional punishment.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': In "Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation", right before Perry's Sal Tuscany CD destroys Doofenshmirtz's Naughty-inator, Sal Tuscany sings: "Christmas cannot be destroyed/Not even by a Naughty-inaaaaTOOOOORRRRRRRRRR!!!!!"
* ''WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst'': In the PilotMovie, the orchestra plays soft and calming music to set the stage for Sofia's waltzing lesson, but when it all goes downhill thanks to Amber tricking her into using Cedric's trick shoes, the orchestra becomes frightening and urgent.
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': "[[LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn Can't you hear the music?]] That's a 4/4 string ostinato in D minor! Every sailor knows that means death!"
* From the ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' episode "The Ricklantis Mixup", Candidate Morty spends the entire episode building up support for his party, attempting to unite the Ricks and Mortys and improve conditions on the Citadel. [[spoiler:Against overwhelming odds, he wins the election, becoming President Morty...at which point he has all the Ricks who threaten to make him into a PuppetKing killed and their bodies thrown out the airlock. As he looks out over the bodies of the Ricks and Mortys who have died over the course of the episode, [[WhamShot the soundtrack begins playing]] ''For the Damaged Coda''- otherwise known as '''[[TheBusCameBack Evil Morty's]] {{Leitmotif}}'''- letting the audience know that one of the series' greatest {{Magnificent Bastard}}s has finally returned.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'', when Stevonnie is having bizarre dream involving Yellow Diamond, a variation of the Diamond Theme plays. [[spoiler: It's Pink Diamond's theme, hinting that Stevonnie was acting out Pink Diamond's role in a memory.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "A Canterlot Wedding", the reprise of "BBBFF" ends on a deceptive cadence, foreshadowing Cadance's ([[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis in disguise]]) true nature.

!!Subversions

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In certain games on ''Series/DasshutsuGameDERO'', just before a contestant fails the game, the soundtrack will usually culminate with an ascending "woosh" sound, followed by about a second of silence before the player's elimination. Except every so often, the show will also do this when a player has a close call but pulls through in the end.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AxiomVerge'': "Apocalypse", which was used previously in the game as a variant boss music plays during the battle against [[spoiler: Athetos]], who turns out not to have a second form or unique FinalBoss music at all.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' has a funny pair of subversions involving Ozzie. The first time you meet him, he brings up a series of monsters with a crank, and they drop onto a conveyor belt. The battle music starts, and your characters even get into their battle poses... then the enemies fall into a pit at the other end of the conveyor belt. Insert "record winding down" sound here. Then, the second time you meet him, the boss theme starts playing, and then [[spoiler:a small cat comes in and trips a lever, and the boss theme [[FadeOut fades out]] as Ozzie drops into the BottomlessPit.]]
** And who can forget Dalton? When he epically turns the Epoch into the "Aero-Dalton Imperial", Crono's "fanfare" theme starts up, prompting Dalton to yell, [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall "No, no, no, no...! Stop the music!"]] The music then changes into "A Spot of Crisis", a tense theme, and he says, "Ha! There we go! Ready for takeoff!"
* The final boss of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' is an [[InvertedTrope inversion]]: it had special music for its first forms, but used the ''mini-boss'' music for its final form. This was changed in the Switch remake.
** Also, in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]],'' in Hyrule Castle, the final dungeon, aside from the mini-boss songs that play when fighting a Darknut and [[spoiler:King Bulblin for the last time]], no danger music plays while fighting enemies, [[NothingIsScarier adding to the mounting climactic suspense.]]
** Both the Ganondorf and Ganon battles in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' have their own unique theme, making the first form (Ganondorf) seem like the final battle.
* In the Greenwood area of ''VideoGame/SoulBlazer'', there is a dog who, when talked to, will tell you that "today's special is...you!" accompanied by an abrupt end to the BackgroundMusic. The dog will then proceed to explain that he was only joking, and the BackgroundMusic starts up again.
* In ''VideoGame/ShiningInTheDarkness'', despite the fact that the fight against TheDragon had a special boss theme, the final boss uses the normal combat theme you've heard all game. That is, until he [[OneWingedAngel gets serious]]...
* Every plot-required boss battle in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' has a theme that can play for a random battle. The only exception is the final boss, of course, who gets his own unique remix of Twister.
* The first ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' game uses the same battle music for every fight. Common enemies and bosses have the same tune. The sole exception is the final boss, who has its own theme.
* ''VideoGame/{{Scratches}}'' subverts it near the beginning, on the first time you [[spoiler: go down to the [[CreepyBasement basement]], creepy ''Film/{{Psycho}}''-like strings start playing giving you the feeling ''something'' is gonna jump at you from the shadows at any moment, this effect makes you want to leave that place as soon as possible.]] Later it's played straight when [[spoiler: for looking for Catherine Blackwood's corpse on the yard the music changes when you happen to dig on the right spot]], also on ''Last Visit'' after solving all puzzles [[spoiler:the music changes to the same creepy strings heard on the basement hinting of the scare lurking nearby.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesTheManhattanProject'', a first-time player will probably think that they're fighting the final BossBattle when they fight Shredder for the first time, and when they fight Krang. (The final BossBattle is a rematch between the Turtles and Shredder.) Both of these bosses have a special BossBattle music of their own to help give the player this illusion.
* ''VideoGame/MushihimeSama Futari'''s FinalBoss gets its own theme, but on Ultra difficulty, the TrueFinalBoss uses the regular boss battle music. That is, unless you're playing Black Label (which replaces Ultra mode with God mode), in which case the TFB gets some...[[SoundtrackDissonance rather unfitting music for a climatic boss battle]].
* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', the battle against [[BigBad Saturos and Menardi]] has its own unique theme (if you didn't fight [[{{Superboss}} Deadbeard]]) and one might think they're the FinalBoss. Then they turn into [[OneWingedAngel A GIANT TWO-HEADED DRAGON]] that dwarfs the party (and all other enemies up to this point) and actually ''[[CameraAbuse shatters the screen]]'' as the combat intro.
* ''VideoGame/{{Amagon}}'''s fourth stage keeps the same [[NightmareFuel creepy music]] all the way through, even when in SuperMode or fighting the boss.
* In ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'', the FinalBoss reuses the Stage 7 music.
* In the arcade version of ''Super Contra'', the penultimate boss gets its own theme, but the final boss just uses the main stage music.
* In ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'', the final boss against the alien [[spoiler: hologram]] has the same music as ''every other boss.''
* ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' Command Mission pulls a nice trick coupled with DiscOneFinalDungeon in [[spoiler: Chapter 9]] with [[spoiler: Epsilon]]. He gets his own battle theme--two, in fact--and his fight is insanely tough. One may think that since his music was so different he was the FinalBoss...[[spoiler: until you notice that the game hasn't ended, and you haven't gone through the series' trademark BossRush yet.]]
* In ''VideoGame/SlimeRancher'', if you encounter a [[TheDreaded Tarr]] (or, more likely, a swarm of them), an ominous theme starts playing -but it only plays when you've actually ''spotted'' the Tarr, averting this trope. However, their theme ends on a slow violin note when you've killed or run away from all of the Tarr, meaning that if the theme continues even though you think you've killed them all, then you haven't.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
** The killer usually having their own {{Leitmotif}} is sometimes played with: sometimes the killer's unique theme music doesn't start playing until the player directly accuses them of the murder, and they use generic themes beforehand. (essentially, a musical OneWingedAngel) This is often the case for {{Big Bad}}s as their {{Leitmotif}}s are generally ObviouslyEvil sounding, but it can happen for "minor" villains too, such as [[spoiler: Roger Retinz]] in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice Spirit of Justice]]''.
** Subverted for the GrandFinale in ''Trials & Tribulations''. Even if you pick the right selection to implicate the final case's killer, the music continues to trick you. The perp's initial response is the same for success or failure; either way, he'll respond by accusing Phoenix of [[spoiler:not being half the lawyer that Mia was... ''but'', if you picked the right choice, the music will stop after ''that'' so Mia's ghost can appear to guilt-trip Godot so Wright can make his point. If you pick the wrong choice, Phoenix starts stammering like an idiot and you get a Guilty verdict]].
** In both ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'' games, "Confrontation: Presto" sometimes plays to throw you off about the killer's identity, or just to represent the tension of the moment. It plays when Edgeworth is cross-examining [[spoiler:Shih-na a.k.a. Calisto Yew in disguise]], but [[spoiler:Shih-na/Calisto Yew ''isn't'' the killer (of the final case, anyway; she ''did'' kill two people several years ago and got away with it); she's just an accomplice and is instead guilty of ''arson'', and the real killer is Quercus Alba, who's cross-examined later on]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In Season 11 of ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', someone fires a gun into the air to disrupt a standoff between the Reds and Blues. Everyone turns to look and Tex's {{Leitmotif}} is played. [[spoiler:It's Donut.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' had it in the episode "The Springfield Files" (FakeCrossover with ''Series/TheXFiles'') when a mysterious music cue is revealed to be coming from a passing bus in which an orchestra is playing.
[[/folder]]

* At one point in the BonusDungeon in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'', [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]] will hunt the Demifiend through a series of tunnels. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngUfhhoRh84 If his theme replaces the background music,]] it means he's close to finding you.
** The Demifiend himself [[PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo appears as a]] BonusBoss in ''VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga'', but the theme playing when you fight him is just the usual RandomEncounter theme. '''''Nocturne's''''' RandomEncounter theme, that is, signifying that he is so powerful that your party is just another RandomEncounter to him.

* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', the battle against [[BigBad Saturos and Menardi]] has its own unique theme (if you didn't fight [[BonusBoss Deadbeard]]) and one might think they're the FinalBoss. Then they turn into a [[OneWingedAngel A GIANT TWO-HEADED DRAGON]] that dwarfs the party (and all other enemies up to this point) and actually ''[[CameraAbuse shatters the screen]]'' as the combat intro.

* Inversion in the BBC adaptation of the Literature/MissMarple story "They Do It With Mirrors", where it's the ''lack'' of soundtrack that's significant. As Sergeant Lake reads out the letter the first victim was typing, the victim's {{leitmotif}} plays. But it's faded out by the time he reaches the last two sentences, which are false information added by the murderer.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Painkiller}}'', you know when enemies are about to attack because the heavy metal soundtrack will kick on, and you know you've defeated all the enemies in the current area when the music fades away.

* ''Franchise/DeadSpace.'' It's not over until the music goes away. This makes it [[NothingIsScarier rather disorienting]] to fight in a vacuum, where the battle music is typically absent.
** Made even worse by the fact that the music seems to be stemming from the Necromorphs themselves. If you run away from a group of Necromorphs, you can hear the music slowly fade away as the distance between you grows larger and hear it slowly fade back in as the distance grows smaller, meaning that if you lose track of a Necromorph in a large area, you simply have to listen to the volume of the music to help clue you in as to whether or not you're getting closer.

* ''VideoGame/HauntingGround'' uses this specifically as a game mechanic: Belli castle has its ambient music, and it has the chase music for each of Fiona's pursuers. However, because those pursuers are actively ''searching'' for Fiona, they're running around the castle the same as she is. Whenever one of them is in a room adjacent to the one Fiona's in, the music slowly fades out into complete ''silence'', leading to one of the best uses of "[[ItsQuietTooQuiet Wait, it's too quiet]]" ever to be visited on a player.

* In many ''Pokémon'' games, legendary encounters have different battle music than normal wild encounter music. If the legendary Pokémon in question is encountered randomly (instead of as part of a scripted battle), this music (along with, in many but not all games, the unique fade-in animations) can clue a player in that they're about to face something special.

* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' has a funny pair of subversions involving Ozzie. The first time you meet him, he brings up a series of monsters with a crank, and they drop onto a conveyor belt. The battle music starts, and your characters even get into their battle poses... then the enemies fall into a pit at the other end of the conveyor belt. Insert "record winding down" sound here. Then, the second time you meet him, the boss theme starts playing, and then [[spoiler:a small cat comes in and trips a lever, and the boss theme fades out as Ozzie drops into the BottomlessPit.]]

* ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' contains a subtle one. Near the end of the series, when Lyra is leading Rose to a church, Dante's motif begins to play. [[spoiler:This is because Dante has already taken over Lyra's body. This is revealed in the dialog not too long afterward, but this hint helps piece it together earlier.]]

** If you are underleveled enough when facing an enemy, the normal battle music is replaced with the aptly named ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJVCuBnTZJU The Struggle to Survive]], which is the game's regular boss theme.''

** If you are underleveled enough when facing an enemy, the normal battle music is replaced with the aptly named ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJVCuBnTZJU The Struggle to Survive.]]''

** Outside of major bosses, the game has two different boss themes for each nation: one for those who are playable on at least one route, and one for those that are never playable. This can sometimes spoil whether or not someone will join. For example, on ''Birthright'', Silas uses the playable Nohrian boss theme when fought in Chapter 7, and sure enough he joins your army afterwards. Later on, [[spoiler: Zola]] seems to make a HeelFaceTurn, but he used the non-playable Nohrian boss theme when fought. [[spoiler: Sure enough, he's a HeelFaceMole.]] Then there's Shura, who not only uses a Hoshidan boss theme despite claiming to be a Nohrian bandit, but it's the ''playable'' Hoshidan boss theme. There's also Fuga who, despite not being playable in either ''Birthright'' or ''Conquest'', uses the playable Hoshidan boss theme as well, as a result of him being playable only in ''Revelation''.

* In the second ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' game, each board ends with Bowser showing up to cause trouble, accompanied by his ominous theme song, followed by the Super Star(the winning player) showing up to do a BigDamnHeroes moment with a triumphant and heroic theme song. [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers In the last board]], Bowser's theme continues when the Super Star makes an appearance, and the Super Star is unable to defeat Bowser alone. When Toad, the other players and the Koopa Troopa, who give the Super Star a star, the aforementioned heroic theme plays, and the Super Star manages to turn the tide and win.

* The majority of the boss battle themes in ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' are about two to three minutes long, but Mettaton NEO's theme only plays for thirty seconds before looping. He's a guaranteed one-shot and never actually attacks the player.
** [[ExactWords Subverted]] with "Song That Might Play When You Fight Sans". You ''can'' fight Sans on a Genocide route, but the song never plays. The title only said it '''might''' play, after all. Instead, you get "Megalovania".

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In Season 11 of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', someone fires a gun into the air to disrupt a standoff between the Reds and Blues. Everyone turns to look and Tex's {{Leitmotif}} is played. [[spoiler:It's Donut.]]

** In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'' [[spoiler:Olga]]'s theme plays whenever she is in the scene ''and only when she is in the scene'', from her very first appearance. This particular theme of hers plays when [[spoiler:Raiden is about to be shot by Revolver Ocelot and then the ninja shows up to save him, nearly cutting off Ocelot's hand ala ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'']] and at the end when [[spoiler:the ninja jumps in to knock Raiden out on Snake's command, revealing it to be Olga decked out as the ninja]]. Anyone who listened to the game`s OST will recognize the theme.
** And then, as the voice actor credits roll at the end of [=MGS4=] you may be wondering "Why is [[spoiler:Big Boss]]'s {{Leitmotif}} playing?", then, "Why does [[spoiler:Big Boss]] have a voice actor credit?", and then, "[[spoiler:How can Big Boss possibly still be alive?!]]"

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''Machinima/ClearSkies 3'', the Scottish funeral dirge "Flowers of the Forest" begins playing when [[spoiler:the ''Magellan'' launches an attack against the enemy fleet. Sure enough, the ship does not survive.]]
[[/folder]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' example: One of the very last boss fights is accompanied by a song named [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFPVWv7X0c4 You May Call Me Father]]. [[LukeIAmYourFather Yes, that kind.]]]] Needless to say, a single look at the game's soundtrack blows that particular [[TheReveal reveal]] right out the window.

* For ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', "[[WesternAnimation/ToyStory You've Got a Friend in Me]]" has been used as a theme, only ending on the line: "Our friendship will never die...", setting the scene for the film.

* There is an extraordinarily subtle one in Friendship is Magic. In "A Canterlot Wedding", the reprise of "BBBFF" ends on a deceptive cadence, foreshadowing Cadance's ([[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis in disguise]]) true nature.