History Main / StockTrailerMusic

So you're leaning back in your comfy theater chair, next to your significant other, munching on overpriced lobby snacks, when the [[ComingAttractions previews]] come on. The first opens with some dramatic InAWorld narration about the EarthThatWas...but wait a minute. That music sure sounds familiar. "[[RequiemForADream Requiem for]] [[LordOfTheRings a Tower]]", again? The next trailer is for some run-of-the-mill PG-rated EddieMurphy ToiletHumor kiddy comedy. It's "I Feel Good" by James Brown! [[SeenItAMillionTimes Again!]]

* Imagine Dragons' song "Radioactive" has started showing up in a great deal of advertisements, such as things for ''{{Defiance}}'', ''{{Graceland}}'', and other media.

* Blink-182's "All the Small Things" is a popular choice for [[DawsonCasting teen comedies starring actors in their late 20s]]. Also, any comedy where something is small (e.g., ''AlvinAndTheChipmunks'').

* "Firework" by KatyPerry has been used in the trailers for both ''{{Prom}}'' and ''Soul Surfer''.
* When it first came out, "Tik Tok" by {{Kesha}} was popular in trailers for kids movies.
* At least three movies have used the DavidBowie / {{Queen}} collaboration "Under Pressure" in their trailers -- ''{{Stepmom}}'' (also used in the film's opening sequence), ''The Girl Next Door'', and the ''[[Film/{{Arthur}} Arthur]]'' remake (that trailer also used Bowie's "Rebel Rebel"). Never mind that the pressure the song is discussing is that of dealing with a world gone mad, rather than raising stepkids or romantic travails.
* "Solsbury Hill" by PeterGabriel seems to be the go-to song for "feel good movie" trailers. Odd, since it's a rather bitter song about Gabriel leaving Music/{{Genesis}}.

* Films with a comedic existential theme to them seem to favor "Once in a Lifetime" by TalkingHeads.
* It seems now of days if you want some Epic, thematic music to go along with your Action / Sci-Fi trailer, just use a track from "[[NineInchNails The Fragile]]". Most notably, the track ''Just Like You Imagined'' was used for the Trailer to Film/ThreeHundred

* As mentioned above, JamesBrown's "I Feel Good" is the go-to song for inane kids' comedies based around ToiletHumor and EddieMurphy [[ActingForTwo playing all the characters]]. In fact, its status as a cliché was [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in ''TropicThunder''.

** Wait, [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids what?]]

* "What's This!?" from ANightmareBeforeChristmas has made DannyElfman enough royalties for him to live on all by itself.

* It seems now of days if you want some Epic, thematic music to go along with your Action / Sci-Fi film, just use a track from "[[NineInchNails The Fragile]]". Most notably, the track ''Just Like You Imagined'' was used for the Trailer to Film/ThreeHundred

* It seems now of days if you want some Epic, thematic music to go along with your Action / Sci-Fi film, just use a track from {{NineInchNails}}' "The Fragile". Most notably, the track ''Just Like You Imagined'' was used for the Trailer to Film/ThreeHundred

----

* Want music for the trailer of your TV show? Is this week's episode particularly dramatic? [[FlorenceAndTheMachine "You've Got the Love".]] Done.

* At least three movies have used the DavidBowie / {{Queen}} collaboration "Under Pressure" in their trailers -- ''{{Stepmom}}'' (in fact, it was used in that film's opening sequence too), ''The Girl Next Door'', and the ''[[Film/{{Arthur}} Arthur]]'' remake (its trailer also used another Bowie number -- "Rebel Rebel"), so we can rest assured the protagonists are under pressure. Never mind that the pressure the song is discussing is that of dealing with a world gone mad, rather than raising stepkids or romantic travails.

* For films with a comedic existential theme to them seem to favor "Once in a Lifetime" by TalkingHeads.
----

* From 1999 until a few years into the TurnOfTheMillennium, "All Star" by Smashmouth was in ''every'' ad for ''everything'' ever. Those ads included the trailers for the ''{{Digimon}}'' movie, the ''InspectorGadget'' movie, and ''{{Shrek}}''.

* KT Tunstall's "Suddenly I See" was used in ''TheDevilWearsPrada'', and ever since has been used in various trailers for movies, TV, and commercials, usually in scenes where women are empowered. It was even parodied by ''Best Week Ever'' in 2008, which played it with scenes of women working in sweatshops.

** Yeah, because that's such a kids' song.

* From 1999 until a few years into TheTurnOfTheMillennium, "All Star" by Smashmouth was in ''every'' ad for ''everything'' ever. Those ads included the trailers for the ''{{Digimon}}'' movie, the ''InspectorGadget'' movie, and ''{{Shrek}}''.

* Back in the 1990s, "All Star" by Smashmouth was in ''every'' ad for ''everything'' ever. Those ads include the ''{{Digimon}}'' movie, the ''InspectorGadget'' movie and ''{{Shrek}}''.

* "Solsbury Hill" by PeterGabriel seems to be the go-to song for "feel good movie" trailers. Odd, since it's a rather bitter song about Gabriel leaving {{Genesis}}.
----

* [[Music/{{Blur}} "Song 2"]]. 'Nuff said.