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4[[quoteright:348:[[ComicBook/TheFlash https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fiddlers_fiddle.png]]]]
5[[caption-width-right:348:[[WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie2TheSecondPart Just listen to the music and let your mind go...]]]]
6
7->''"Using music to control people. Why does that sound so familiar?"''
8-->-- '''Tucker''', ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'', "Pirate Radio"
9
10Music has great power. It can [[MusicSoothesTheSavageBeast soothe the savage beast]], [[MusicForCourage inspire courage in the hearts of men]] with a [[MusicToInvadePolandTo stirring march]], or bring tears to your eyes with a eulogy of loss and longing. Is it really such a stretch to assume that, with the right resonance, the right voice, the right instrument, it can fully control the very hearts of man?
11
12Quite often, however, the enchantment lasts only as long as the song does... but depending on the particulars, it may do anything from simply putting everyone who hears it into a paralytic trance, to inflicting a specific, overpowering compulsion ([[EmotionBomb such as homicidal rage or suicidal despair]]) to putting them under full and permanent MoreThanMindControl.
13
14This is the [[OurSirensAreDifferent Sirens']] preferred hunting method and indeed pops up a lot in mythology. The EvilDiva also has a good chance of utilizing her music to enslave her fans. A SnakeCharmer often uses this kind of music as well. May involve SubliminalSeduction. Subtrope of MagicMusic. Inverted by TheMusicMeister who uses MindControl to make music (although the TropeNamer did both). Compare InvoluntaryDance.
15
16----
17!!Examples:
18
19[[foldercontrol]]
20
21[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22* The second season of ''Manga/BlackButler'' featured an Armonica (also known as a Glass Harmonica or a Hydrocrystalophone) being used to control a ballroom filled with noble guests, turning them into savage killers. Amusingly enough, it was countered by Sebastian playing a Glass Harp, also known as an Angelic Organ - an instrument that uses a similar principle.
23* The Parapara brothers from ''Anime/DragonballGT'' use a stereo to cause their opponents to uncontrollably mimic their dancing, leaving them open to attack.
24* ''Anime/KiddyGrade'' features one instance where a song is used to broadcast a mind-control signal.
25* Used in episode 79 of ''Anime/LupinIIIPartII'' by Kyoransky, an eccentric musician and the episode's villain. Whoever hears Kyoransky's music sets out to attack Lupin in a violent rage.
26* ''Anime/{{Macross}}'':
27** ''Anime/MacrossPlus'' has [[AIIsACrapShoot Virtual Idol]] Sharon Apple paralyze an entire world with her hit single, 'Information High'. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMczRJh_OeI Listening to it]], you can kinda' feel how it might work. It's strangely hypnotic, especially when combined with her light show.
28** In ''Anime/MacrossDelta'', it's revealed that those infected by [[HatePlague Var Syndrome]] are [[spoiler:susceptible to being mind-controlled by the songs of Windermere's Wind Singer; in fact, Windermere is deliberately spreading Var for this very reason]].
29* ''Manga/MyBrideIsAMermaid'': Lunar Edomae's Song of War turns those who hear it into bloodthirsty berserkers under her command.
30* Brook from ''Manga/OnePiece'' plays music that can influence the actions of others by "reaching to their very souls". This is seen when he causes an entire stadium to riot against the Marines.
31* The original ''Anime/ReadOrDie'' OVA was centered around a group of villains trying to put together a particular, lost symphony by Mozart, which had the power to make anyone who heard it so utterly depressed that they would instantly commit suicide by whatever means was closest at hand. Dubbed 'The Suicide Symphony', for obvious reasons.
32* ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'': One episode has the wind-up Taiko No. 3 use the drum on its stomach to force a crowd out to the Shogun's temple, in an attempt to cause a riot and force the Shogun's resignation.
33[[/folder]]
34
35[[folder:Asian Animation]]
36* ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': The hypnotizing monster in Season 2 episode 16 hypnotizes people by playing a violin.
37[[/folder]]
38
39[[folder:Comic Books]]
40* ''ComicBook/ArakSonOfThunder'': Satyricus can use his pan flute to elicit emotions in his listeners that vary from lust to terror.
41* ''Literature/DominoLady'': In the Eros Comix miniseries, the villains learn that the flute the natives use to control the dinosaurs can also be used to control the natives, and use it to take control of the tribe and set themselves up as kings.
42* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'':
43** The villainous Fiddler is a master hypnotist who can focus his abilities through his violin. His successors are Virtuoso of the ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' and ''ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}'' enemy Thrasher (who uses an electric guitar).
44** An ex-villain and ally, the Pied Piper. He can control people with his music from his sophisticated flute capable of hypnotizing anyone within range of its sound.
45* ''ComicBook/HouseOfMystery'': On [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/monkeys/1244_4_152.jpg the cover of issue #152]], an organ grinder's music causes people to give his monkey money.
46* ''ComicStrip/ThePhantom'': In one story, the titular hero is rummaging through the various old treasures found within the skull cave and comes across a small flute. Out of plain curiosity, he starts playing it only for him to after a while hear people shouting behind him causing him to turn around and realize that all of the children from a nearby outdoor school are following him. Some quick research later he finds that the flute is the very same as the one that belonged to ''Literature/ThePiedPiperOfHamelin''. The rest of the story then shifts to the past telling the story of how the flute came into the family's possession and all the mind-controlling chaos the flute caused.
47* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': In ''[[ComicBook/TheSpectacularSpiderMan Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'' #24, Spider-Man encounters Antoine Delsoin, who uses a guitar that produces hypnotic sound waves to rob people as the Hypno-Hustler.
48* ''ComicBook/{{Superlopez}}'': A rock band allied with the mob uses this.
49* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': In "[[http://glenweldon.tumblr.com/post/53601829035/clark-kent-goes-to-woodstock-part-the-first The Pied Piper of Steel]]" (''ComicBook/ActionComics'' 398, March 1971), Clark's first television assignment is to cover a Woodstock-like rock concert, where he observes that "the kids" mindlessly obey whatever the lyrics say. The "hypnotic power of rock" was an actual concern of MoralGuardians at the time. In the story, it turns out to be a MadScientist with a MindControlDevice.
50* ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'': In ''ComicBook/BillyBatsonAndTheMagicOfShazam'', a villain named Axe has a guitar that can hypnotize people. He gets a whole crowd of adults and [[{{Sidekick}} Mary]] under his spell, forcing [[KidHero Billy]], who temporarily has to avoid [[HenshinHero turning into]] [[SuperPoweredAlterEgo Captain Marvel]], to figure out how to stop him alone.
51[[/folder]]
52
53[[folder:Fan Works]]
54* "The Smurphony of the Night" from the ''Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf'' story of the same name was used by Lord Vladimir Smurfula to control Smurfette's mind to draw her closer to him. Near the end of the story, Empath is able to disrupt its effect on Smurfette by whistling [[DiegeticSoundtrackUsage the Smurfs theme song]].
55* [[SpoiledBrat Lullaby]] from ''Fanfic/UltimateSleepwalker'' uses her singing to brainwash people into being her personal thugs (or, in Rick's case, her boy toys). Sleepwalker is immune to her singing, being an alien, and Lullaby's control is usually broken when she is silenced.
56* ''Fanfic/TheLifeAndTimesOfAWinningPony'': The [[Myth/SlavicMythology rusalka’s]] song in the side story “The Incredibly Thrilling Investigation of Storm Kicker”, which hypnotizes ponies and turns them into thralls under the rusalka’s control.
57* ''Fanfic/RainbowDoubleDashsLunaverse:'' A side-story has Octavia facing a musician who uses an enchanted guitar to control people, mainly into listening to and buying his albums, though there are hints it could do more. Octavia is able to resist his music because the guy's a talentless hack.
58[[/folder]]
59
60[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
61* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'': The Dazzlings naturally employ this, as the three of them are both [[OurSirensAreDifferent sirens]] and {{Evil Diva}}s. They mostly use it as a HatePlague, but the influence they exert on Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna heavily implies that they're capable of more traditional mind control as well. One of their songs, "[[VillainSong Under Our Spell]]," is ''about'' this in addition to ''being'' it. Of course, they don't perform it until it's already too late to resist.
62* ''WesternAnimation/HomeOnTheRange'': Cattle rustler Alameda Slim uses mind-control ''yodeling'' to put all the cows under his control. Luckily, tone-deaf Grace is immune to it and manages to snap Maggie and Calloway back to their senses.
63* The titular magic flute in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfsAndTheMagicFlute'' makes people dance when they hear it.
64[[/folder]]
65
66[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
67* ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'': [[spoiler:The Talocans utilize "sonic hypnosis", vocalizing in such a way to place humans in their control and forcing them to commit suicide by jumping into the sea.]]
68* ''Film/DangerDiva'': Devi is able to both energize and soothe the masses with her voice, letting them power the corporate machines with brainwaves.
69* ''Film/{{Help}}'': In a scene dropped from the final movie, Music/TheBeatles, at an acting school, are put into a trance by droning music played by Clang and his thugs. A scene that was used has them trying again, all crammed in a phone booth calling the band up while they're in Scotland Yard. Clang intones "Go... to... the... ''window!''... Go... to... the... ''window!''"
70* ''Film/HocusPocus'': The witches keep the adults from stopping them using the song "I Put A Spell On You". The youngest later uses her own siren-like singing to lure children to the witches' house.
71* ''Film/JosieAndThePussycats2001'' features a plot to build subliminal messages into the music of manufactured pop bands.
72* ''The Kovak Box'': The song "Gloomy Sunday" is used as a suicide trigger.
73* ''Film/PrettyCoolToo'': [[MindControlDevice The Genie]] works by emitting a special noise that forces anyone who hears it to obey any command they hear, but it can also contain commands in itself.
74* ''Film/Siren2010'': Silka is a siren, and her song has magical properties. Sung softly, it can hypnotise. Sung loudly, it can deafen and drive mad.
75* ''[[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312843/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 Suicide Circle]]'': It's implied a popular music group may be subliminally responsible for all the suicides.
76* ''Film/TheyClonedTyrone'': [[spoiler:One of the conspiracy’s methods of mind control is music that can alter moods or hypnotize people into doing their bidding.]]
77* ''Film/{{Zoolander}}'': The MusicalTrigger for Derick's brainwashing to kick in and have him assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia was a remix of the song "Relax" by Music/FrankieGoesToHollywood (the justification being that the villain was ThePeteBest of the group), which they also played while brainwashing him.
78[[/folder]]
79
80[[folder:Literature]]
81* Creator/SusanCooper's novel ''Literature/TheDarkIsRising''. Will is about to experience the power of the Dark.
82-->''And the singing began.\
83It was wordless; it came in the wind; it was a thin, high, cold whine with no definable tune or pattern. It came from a long way off, and it was not pleasant to hear. But it held him transfixed, turning his thoughts away from their proper direction, turning them away from everything except contemplation of whatever happened to be closest at hand. [snip] As he listened to the singing, he saw a twig on a low branch of the beech close to his head that seemed for no reason so totally enthralling that he could do nothing but gaze at it, as if it contained the whole world. He stared for so long, his eyes moving very gradually along the tiny twig and back again, that he felt as if several months had passed, while the high, strange singing went on and on in the sky from its distant beginnings. And then suddenly it stopped, and he was left standing dazed with his nose almost touching a very ordinary beech twig.\
84He knew then that the Dark had its own way of putting even an Old One outside Time for a space, if they needed a space for their own magic.''
85* The sirens in ''Literature/OurBloodyPearl'' have this ability.
86* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
87** In ''The Fellowship of the Ring'' both Tom Bombadil and Old Man Willow can affect other creatures' minds by singing.
88** In ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' Lúthien Tinúviel gains control over Morgoth himself by singing to him.
89* This trope is the focus of ''Trill'', a short [[http://www.amazon.com/Lure-Dangerous-Women-Shanna-Germain-ebook/dp/B008P1228O story]] by Shanna Germain. The protagonist is something of a Pied Piper analogue.
90* ''Literature/Coda2013'' has this with the Corp's music being equivalent to a drug. It can control what you see, think, and feel, and can even [[spoiler:kill you]].
91* [[HotWitch The Lady of the Green Kirtle]] in ''Literature/TheSilverChair'' used a monotonous melody played on a mandolin-like instrument (combined with a sweet-smelling powder) to make her victims receptive to her suggestions. The effect can be resisted, but doing so takes '''phenomenal''' willpower.
92* Implied in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''. One of the magical items found in the Order's headquarters is a music box that, when played, makes the listeners feel drowsy and sluggish. Snapping it shut ends the enchantment, which allows them to throw the music box out.
93* In ''Literature/CaptainUnderpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants'', the professor plays Music/{{Cher}}'s greatest hits to the gerbils in order to make them turn evil.
94* Creator/IsaacAsimov's "Literature/TheMule": Magnifico the jester uses a special [[BizarreInstrument musical instrument/holographic projector]] called a Visi-Sonor [[spoiler:which [[AmplifierArtifact amplifies]] his own PsychicPowers]] to influence people's emotions and, in at least one case, to actually kill someone.
95* ''Literature/BlackBadge'': In ''Cold as Hell'', a goat-like {{Nephilim}} has a bone harmonica that it plays to control and to speak through others. For others, playing a few notes on the harmonica hypnotizes beings into obeying the wielder's commands.
96* In ''Literature/TheMermaidSummer'', the mermaid's song can control anyone into doing anything. She punishes Eric for his scepticism by [[ScepticismFailure forcing him to crash his fishing boat, almost drowning him and his crew]]. Later, when Anna won't give the mermaid her comb, she forces Anna to walk to the shore and almost drown herself as a threat. [[spoiler:In the end, she uses her voice to make Eric come home to his family.]]
97* The plot of ''Literature/GenocidalOrgan'' involves the hunt for a linguistics expert who's discovered a [[LanguageEqualsThought language of genocide]] and is using it as a HatePlague. It's implied at one point that this can be spread via music, and the protagonist has to kill a fellow soldier when he's affected.
98[[/folder]]
99
100[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
101* ''Series/AdamAdamantLives'': The villains in "Sing a Song of Danger" plan to use a subliminal message embedded in records to cause fans to rob banks and deliver the money to them through fan clubs. They use another album to try to compel Adam to murder Georgina.
102* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': In season 7, the First Evil brainwashes [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire reformed vampire]] Spike into killing humans again; the [[MusicalTrigger trigger]] is the folk song "Early One Morning".
103* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
104** One (lost) episode of the First Doctor serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E7TheCelestialToymaker The Celestial Toymaker]]" has Dodo and Steven come to a dance floor, with the supposed prize of the TARDIS and possible escape waiting on the other side of the room. However, as soon as they come into contact with the dance floor, music starts to play, and they find their feet magically compelled to dance. Steven and Dodo must find a way to overcome the magic power of the music long enough to make it to the other side of the floor and their chance at escape.
105** [[PresidentEvil Harold Saxon]]/TheMaster uses a downplayed example in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E12TheSoundOfDrums The Sound of Drums]]". He uses a worldwide network of satellites to project the four-tick drumbeat he hears onto the population, with their subconscious absorbing the rhythm and the messages that come with it, telling them to "Vote Saxon", and "Believe in Me". The Doctor explains that anything more powerful would be questioned, but something so subtle would go unnoticed by most.
106* The villain Glitter Rock uses mind-control music in one episode of ''Series/ElectraWomanAndDynaGirl''.
107* An episode of ''Series/GetSmart'' has Max and 99 fighting "The Groovy Guru" (played by [[Series/FTroop Larry Storch]]), who is producing music with subliminal messages aimed to get kids to overthrow the government and authorities. While the kids are supposed to be affected by subliminal mind control signals, the lyrics aren't too subtle, either.
108-->''Thrill, thrill, thrill!\
109Kill, kill, kill!\
110Make a scene,\
111Knock off the Dean.\
112Yea yea yea,\
113Bump off a square,\
114That's what it's about\
115Hate is in.\
116Love is out.''
117* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' has a downplayed example with Emma, a deaf woman whose main power of "enhanced synesthesia" allows her to see sound waves as bright, flowing colors. A secondary power, though, gives her the ability to naturally draw others to her while she plays her cello. It's not exactly mind control, in that people aren't being robbed of their free will -- they simply gather around to listen. Regardless, it's still [[LethalHarmlessPowers incredibly dangerous]] when combined with the villainous Samuel Sullivan's [[DishingOutDirt terrakinesis]] -- he grows stronger as more individuals with enhanced abilities gather around him, so his EvilPlan in Season Five is to use Emma's "siren song" to bring thousands of people to the carnival he runs, which would supercharge his power to unstoppable levels.
118* A first-season episode of ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' features Gnasty Gnome, whose evil accordion playing hypnotizes anyone who hears it. He uses it to ensnare some teenage girls at the Rec Center and lure them into a cave as his prisoners. Thankfully, a Deaf girl named Melissa is immune to the spell because she [[DisabilityImmunity can't hear the music]] and serves as a HeroicBystander by running to get help, allowing the Rangers to save the day.
119* A story arc of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' involves the BigBad using music to brainwash children into becoming ChildSoldiers. [[spoiler:One of them shoots Gibbs.]]
120* The first episode of the short-lived Fox show ''Series/TheNewAdventuresOfBeansBaxter'' had the villain using a singer's music to control the minds of teenagers.
121* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': {{Subverted|Trope}} in "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1995S3E14MusicOfTheSpheres Music of the Spheres]]". Teenagers hear a radio transmission from outer space as "perfect music" that puts them into a blissful trance, unable to stop listening. When the music starts changing their physiology, adults think it's an alien attack -- but the ending reveals that the transformation was designed to protect Earthlings during an upcoming solar flare. The pleasurable sound was simply a way to keep the listeners happily engaged.
122* ''Series/WarOfTheWorlds1988'': This is the EvilPlan in "Choir of Angels", though only one person is the specific target -- a scientist working on the serum that will make the Martians immune to Earth's bacteria. Harrison inadvertently listens to the music and becomes affected, [[FantasticDrug leading to a painful withdrawal]].
123* One episode of ''Series/WonderWoman1975'' features a flute-playing rock star who can control his female fans with his music.
124[[/folder]]
125
126[[folder:Music]]
127* Music/TheLonelyIsland:
128** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yvEYKRF5IA "Boombox."]] The eponymous box causes people to lose control when they hear music coming from it.
129--->''A boombox can change the world\
130But you've gotta know your limits with a boombox\
131This was a cautionary tale\
132A boombox is not a toy''
133** The song in "Go Kindergarten" convinces the audience to do all sorts of weird things, including things that shouldn't even be possible, like making their butts drink helium and speak in a high-pitched voice.
134* The music video for Music/FatboySlim's "Ya Mama" shows people losing control of their limbs whenever they hear the tune. HilarityEnsues.
135* ''Music/HypnosisMic: Division Rap Battle'' takes place in a future that prohibits physical violence. In the absence of that, what do the violent turn to? Hypnosis Microphones, dangerous weapons that make their opponents compelled to do what they say as long as they sing or rap into them. That's right, weaponized rapping is the name of the game here.
136* Music/PeterSchilling's "Lifetime Guarantee" has this verse:
137-->''Harmonious melodies that sound familiar,''
138-->''Specialized in mind control;''
139-->''From computers they offer''
140-->''Less obvious merchandise for the believers.''
141[[/folder]]
142
143[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
144* The title character of ''Literature/ThePiedPiperOfHamelin''. Initially, it seems like he's limited to controlling rats, but when the town stiffs him on his bill, he reveals similar hypnotic power over children. (This is, of course, where the old saying "Time to pay the piper" originated, meaning that going back on a deal can have consequences.)
145* Myth/ClassicalMythology: [[OurSirensAreDifferent Sirens]]. Listening to their song causes sailors to wish to dash their ships on the rocks just to get closer.
146* There is a Swedish folktale about the village of Hårga where TheDevil is disguised as a musician appears and plays a song on his fiddle that is so captivating that everyone just keeps on dancing to its tune. The dancing crowd is then led out by the fiddler to the top of Mount Hårga where they keep on dancing until everyone drops dead and the peak of the mountain is flattened.
147[[/folder]]
148
149[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
150* ''Series/FraggleRock'': The trail leading up Wonder Mountain has the [[CactusPerson Singing Cactus]], who like to perform their mind-controlling doo-wop song: "Do the Sashay." They sing it to ensnare anyone who gets too close to them into singing and dancing along for all eternity.
151[[/folder]]
152
153[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
154* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
155** The singing and music of bards can [[CharmPerson charm]] other creatures.
156** Some magical musical instruments can do this even if played by someone other than a bard.
157* ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu''. The spell Soul Singing requires the caster to play a bone whistle. It allows the caster to control the target's mind, leading them in a trance-like state to their doom.
158* ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' supplement ''C.L.O.W.N.'' has two of these.
159** One of Merry Andrew's gadgets is a crank organ that plays "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" tune. Anyone who hears it starts to act like a monkey.
160** Beuford the Bard has a magical mandolin that controls the minds of people who listen to its music.
161* ''TabletopGame/TheUnofficialHollowKnightRPG'': The Enrapture spell typically works through [[HypnoticEyes eye contact]], but spending a point of Essence allows the spell to be cast through song instead. This allows the spell to affect creatures who use senses other than vision, increases the spell's range, and (if the caster is actually good at singing) makes the effect harder to resist.
162[[/folder]]
163
164[[folder:Theater]]
165* ''Theatre/{{Elisabeth}}'': Some productions play Death's attempt at coaxing Sisi to kiss him in "Elisabeth, mach auf" as this. Both characters lean in close for a kiss, then Sisi breaks the spell at the very last moment and snap at Death to GetOut because she's still too young to die. The Toho production goes a step further and gives Death this ability outright; in multiple scenes, Sisi and Rudolf resist the CompellingVoice, with varying levels of success.
166* ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'': The Phantom hypnotises Christine in the [[DarkReprise reprise]] of "Angel of Music" (also known as "Wandering Child"). Some actors choose to play "Music of the Night" as this, too.
167[[/folder]]
168
169[[folder:Video Games]]
170* In ''VideoGame/FarCry5'' the herald of the Whitetail Mountains, Jacob Seed, has a music box that plays 'Only You' by The Platters, which puts you in a dreamscape, where you 'Cull the Herd/Weak'. [[spoiler:The last time he catches you, you end up killing Eli Palmer, the leader of the Whitetail Militia.]]
171* ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'' has Discordia, the Sixth Lord of Chaos from the Mythsong saga, whose music has the power to control people. [[spoiler:It turns out that he himself is being controlled by Kimberly of One Eyed Doll, the true Chaos Lord]].
172* Shiho of ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'', a 'songmistress' whose singing instills her countrymen with burning fury and bloodlust, turning them into unstoppable berserkers in combat. She's wrought with guilt, however, since her song doesn't make them invulnerable, just fearless, leading most of the soldiers to their death.
173* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'': The Tikis use hypnotic music to make the animals of DK Isle steal the Kongs' banana hoard for them. However, when one of them tries it on Donkey Kong, [[NoSell he just sends his would-be hypnotist flying.]] Once he and Diddy set out to reclaim the hoard, the same music is used to make every boss the Kongs encounter [[spoiler: (expect for [[FinalBoss Tiki Tong]])]] attack them.
174* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Psycho Mantis uses a distinctive 'hymn' based on Russian choral music to control people's minds, referred to by Naomi as "mind control music" and supposedly a favourite song of his childhood. It is first played in-game as apparently ordinary in-game music, but when it stops, Snake and Meryl both comment on it and get justifiably worried (when it begins again, it is Mantis attempting to possess Meryl). Spoofed in ''Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFoxhound'' where Mantis accidentally discovers he can do this by whistling.
175* Before she escaped him, this is how [[EnslavedElves Sebille's]] master controlled her in ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'', in combination with her SlaveBrand. He would sing a song that would control her thoughts and make her do his bidding (specifically assassinating other elves). When she meets him again on The Nameless Isle, the first thing she does, after their rather tense "chat" in which he demonstrates his power over her, is stab him in the throat with her needle to keep him from singing.
176%%* The Satomi Tadashi pharmacy store jingle in ''VideoGame/Persona1'' and ''[[VideoGame/Persona2 2]]'' is an {{Earworm}} designer to brainwash the customers. In some cases, it's working.
177* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'': [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]. The Calamari Inkantation can break those who hear it out of mind control.
178* In ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage 4'', Mr. X's children, Mr. and Ms. Y, plan to use mind-control music in their plot to TakeOverTheCity.
179[[/folder]]
180
181[[folder:Visual Novels]]
182* In ''VisualNovel/ChaosHead'', the band Phantasm - or perhaps just their enigmatic lead singer, FES - can reduce a whole roomful of rowdy concertgoers to hypnotized zombies with their strange, prophetic goth-punk-rock. Or maybe [[ThroughTheEyesOfMadness you just imagined it]]...
183[[/folder]]
184
185[[folder:Webcomics]]
186* In the ''Webcomic/FreeSpirit2014'' comic "[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/freespirit/index.php?issue=4&page=0 Song of the Siren]]", Winnie accidentally discovers that her singing can hypnotize mortals into performing such activities as giving her nice things or breaking into SpontaneousChoreography.
187[[/folder]]
188
189[[folder:Web Original]]
190* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': This is Stephanie's specialty, and it gets stronger the more people join in.
191[[/folder]]
192
193[[folder:Western Animation]]
194* The ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'' episode "Music Hath Charms" had Duke Igthorn use a set of magical bagpipes to hypnotize anyone who heard its music (with the exception of the ogres}, especially the Gummis.
195* One Pinky & the Brain short on ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' titled "Bubba Bo-Bob Brain" featured Brain creating subliminal messages that would brainwash anyone who heard them. He drew inspiration from Pinky's latest obsession--a Music/BillyRayCyrus parody called "Empty Empty Head"--to disguise himself as "Bubba Bo-Bob Brain," a six-foot-five country music star, and hid the messages in his song "King of the World" (like some other examples on this list, the lyrics also explicitly stated that "Bubba" was actually a lab rat trying to dominate the planet). Interestingly, this was [[NearVillainVictory among the most successful attempts Brain made]]--the hypnotized citizens listened to the song non-stop, and he was one performance away from permanent mental control...only for him to grow frustrated with Pinky's constant mangling of "Bubba Bo-Bob Brain" and shout "FORGET YOU EVER HEARD OF ME!" The populace promptly did just that.
196* ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'' features a villain named MC Pee Pants who releases rap songs laced with subliminal messages in an attempt to rope people into his utterly insane schemes. For example, in his first appearance, he releases a song titled "I Want Candy" that causes anyone who hears it to crave sweets non-stop. It turns out that this is a ploy to raise people's blood sugar to insanely high levels, allowing MC Pee Pants to use it to power a drill and release demons from Hell, who would in turn run a global diet pill pyramid scheme. And all of this is ''expressly spelled out in the lyrics.''
197* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' has a CanonForeigner named TheMusicMeister, whose singing hits a certain frequency to mind control anyone who hears it. Another effect: those who fall under his spell [[MusicalEpisode burst into song themselves]]. Franchise/{{Batman}} is able to create a device that dampens its power, though.
198* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Centurions}}'' episode "Whalesong", Doc Terror hires frustrated composer Madame Arpeggio to create a phony whalesong that hypnotizes the peaceful creatures, then commands them to destroy all humans.
199* In the ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' episode "Risky Beesness", MadScientist Irwina Allen controls a swarm of bees via ([[StylisticSuck awful]]) rock music.
200* As the page quote indicates, ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' features recurring villain Ember [=McLain=], a ghostly punk rocker with the ability to control people's emotions via a spectral guitar; she also [[SayMyName draws power from people chanting her name]], and so brainwashed teenagers into a frenzy in her first appearance. In this case, Sam was the only person unaffected as she was wearing Fenton Phones (noise-cancelling, ghost-repelling earplugs) throughout the episode. Later, she used a more traditional method--backmasked messages in records--to hypnotize the adults of Amity Park into abandoning their children and powering a fleet of ships for Youngblood the Pirate, another ghost.
201* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Detentionaire}}'', there is a song called the Prank Song that puts most people into a highly suggestible state. Some people are naturally immune to the effects, though.
202* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'': A one-shot villain named "Organ Grindor" used his titular instrument to hypnotize the heroic Monkey into becoming a thief for him.
203* The Magical Mandolin from the ''WesternAnimation/DorothyAndTheWizardOfOz'' episode of the same name works this way. When played during the day, it causes people to dance merrily, but when played at night, it puts anyone who hears it in an obedient trance.
204* In ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'', terrorist leader [[BigBad Cobra Commander]] hires Zartan and the Dreadknocks (a group of mercenaries) to form a band called "Cold Slither" so that [[SubliminalAdvertising subliminal messages]] can be put into their recording.
205* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' involves a Tyrannosaurus Rex who, after awakening from being sealed in a cave, attempts to take over the world by hosting a children's television program as "Sidney the Pink Dinosaur" and singing an insipid song titled "Good is Better Than Bad." Anyone who hears it (and looks into the dinosaur's HypnoticEyes) becomes a blithering moron who agrees with everything Sidney says. Garfield avoids the hypnosis (a combination of not looking at the screen and realizing how stupid the idea is) and ends up having to save the world...again.
206* Used by Robbie in the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "Boyz Crazy".
207* Used by Dr. Wily in ''WesternAnimation/MegaManRubySpears''.
208* Happens a couple times in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''.
209** This trope was also parodied in "Bubble Boys." The tone-deaf Dr. Doofenshmirtz invents a hat that makes him a great country singer, and plans to brainwash the tri-state area with his song "Yodel-Odel Obey Me." The parody comes into play when the song's lyrics explicitly state that the listeners are being hypnotized: "You'll be my obedient mindless slaves, and nobody will blame me..." Despite the blatant mentions of mind control, it still works:
210--->'''Country Music Fan One:''' I like him!\
211'''Country Music Fan Two:''' YEAH! LET'S DO WHATEVER HE SAYS!
212** In "Mind Share", aliens take over the bodies of Phineas, Ferb, and the gang and they cause mayhem; the instant they hear the "hypnotic quadrilateral voice commands" of the Danville Square Dance, this hypnotizes the horde into being forced to do whatever is called out without fighting it. Candace uses this to trick the aliens into switching back with the kids.
213* Mandarin Orange of ''WesternAnimation/RainbowRangers'', who has Music Power, possesses a Hypno-Flute which can charm anyone or anything and allow them to obey her commands. However, it can only be used once per living thing.
214* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' has an episode called "Jack and the Rave", in which an evil DJ who works for [[BigBad Aku]] plays rave music that hypnotizes teenagers into becoming violent hoodlums.
215* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretShow'' had this as the plot of one episode, where [[FunWithAcronyms T.H.E.M.]] enters a music contest with the goal of hypnotizing the world through their music.
216* The main premise of the episode "New Kids on the Blecch" of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. Bart joins the boy band "The Party Posse", a project by the Navy to use subliminal messages in music to get more recruits. Their first song contains the lyrics "Yvan eht nioj" ("Join the Navy" backwards).
217* Madame Trilby's magic flute (no relation to [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfsAndTheMagicFlute the other magic flute]]) that Gargamel used on the Smurfs to make them sleepwalk in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Sleepwalking Smurfs". Also the Ghoulliope from the cartoon special "Smurfily Ever After".
218* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSnorks'' episode "A Hard Day's Snork", the Snorks are eaten alive by a piperfish, whose hypnotic tune lures his victims into his belly, and the Snorks have to work together to give the fish a bellyache in order to free themselves, though in order to do so, they need Tooter to distract him.
219* In the ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' episode "Battle of the Boy Bands", [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Justin Beaver's]] music can hypnotize females.
220* The Sebastian Saga's MO from ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies''. In "A Thing For Musicians", he tried to take over the world using a budding pop star's music. In "Stark Raving Mad", he used a rage-inducing song to make rave-goers destroy the spies' favorite hangouts, including Beverly Hills High School.
221* The first episode of ''WesternAnimation/MightyOrbots'' pits the heroes against a band using mind-controlling music.
222--> '''Dia''': "SHADOW's using Rock and Roll. Is nothing sacred?"
223* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}'' episode that served as a PoorlyDisguisedPilot for the never-produced ''Sherlock Holmes In the 23rd Century'' [[note]]Not to be confused with Creator/DIC's ''WesternAnimation/SherlockHolmesInTheTwentySecondCentury''[[/note]] involved Moriarty using a kidnapped alien child with hypnotic singing powers to try to take over the world with a rock concert.
224* The ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' short "Johann Mouse" isn't so much about mind-controlling music as it is about the title rodent (Jerry) simply moved to dance whenever he hears Strauss play his piano. Tom uses this to his advantage and quickly learns how to play the piano so he can lure Johann out to catch him, only they've both attracted an audience.
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