You're watching a movie and abruptly you hear a familiar song. From the cue you know that shit is going to go down and it is going to go down ''hard''. This trope is humbly dedicated to any song that has been used in so many movies that playing it in a new movie tells the audience exactly what's going to happen in the scene (and often draws groans of [[PetPeeveTrope "Not]] ''[[PetPeeveTrope that]]'' [[PetPeeveTrope one again!"]]).

Similar in spirit to OminousLatinChanting, but using modern songs. Can overlap with StandardSnippet. Compare SuspiciouslyAproposMusic. May also sometimes involve OrchestralBombing.

Not to be confused with BadWithTheBone.
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!!Examples:

* The {{Trope Namer|s}} is George Thorogood's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlwRNCnsbUg "Bad to the Bone"]], a traditional badass blues-rock song commonly used to underscore [[CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority a "cool" outlaw character]]. The best-known instance of this is as the Franchise/{{Terminator}} emerges HellBentForLeather in ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay''.
** A movie reviewer for ''Entertainment Weekly'' once quipped in his review of ''Film/ThreeThousandMilesToGraceland'' (which, yes, once again has "Bad to the Bone" on its soundtrack, while boasting a conspicuous paucity of Music/{{Elvis|Presley}}) that Thorogood must be fabulously rich from the royalties from that song alone.
** "Bad to the Bone" is used amusingly in ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'', whenever Al's about to do something badass. For example: [[ItMakesSenseInContext eating a bunch of burritos in order to do horrible things to Peg's decorated bathroom]], [[MundaneMadeAwesome preparing himself for the Labor Day backyard grilling]], or [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext preparing to fight a medieval knight in his Polk High football uniform.]]
** It's also the BootstrappedTheme for Monster Jam's truck Grave Digger.
** It's also more or less Junior's leitmotif in ''Film/ProblemChild''.
** Used at the beginning of ''Film/MajorPayne''. Take a guess at what the titular Major's personality is like.
** It was also used at [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9VpVQ1sMfk the very top]] of the film version of ''Film/{{Christine}}''. It's the only non-[[TheFifties '50s]] song on the soundtrack record.
** Also played in ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}''.
** Occurs in the remake of ''Film/{{The Parent Trap|1998}}'', when one of the girls challenges the other at cards.
** Invoked in the 1988 Oliver Stone film ''Film/TalkRadio'', where the show's host uses it as his theme music. This inspired at least one RealLife host to do the same thing.
** Rare literary example -- ''[[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Cold Days]]'' mentions it twice -- once, the FirstPersonSmartass narrator imagines it playing, then later on [[TheApprentice his apprentice]] hums the opening bars.
** Briefly used in ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' when Tristan shows up on a motorbike--[[Anime/YuGiOh5Ds because in the future, card games will be played on motorbikes]].
** The great irony of all this is that "Bad to the Bone" has become so cliched as a leitmotif that it's now very hard to consider it all that "{{bad|butt}}", which may be why Music/MichaelJackson's "Music/{{Bad}}" is starting to replace it as the "badass" theme tune on [=YouTube=] videos.
* Many Music/{{ACDC}} songs are used for this.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAgnJDJN4VA "Back in Black"]], as seen in most action movies. Bonus points if it is [[Film/IronMan1 at the beginning of the movie]]. [[Series/{{Supernatural}} Or in the first episode of a TV show]].
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw7w2b_FTC8 "Shoot to Thrill"]] has become Iron Man's signature arrival song.
** ''Film/{{Battleship}}'' uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d7OBluielc "Thunderstruck"]] during [[spoiler:the old ''USS Missouri'' veterans']] LetsGetDangerous scene.
** "Thunderstruck" is used in ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'', of all things, when everyone gets ready to bring karts to a raid on the Dark Lands.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR6pxe8jaMs TNT]]" and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onE43h_TUUY Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap]]" also show up here and there.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr8-E8may2Y "Welcome to the Jungle"]] by Music/GunsNRoses has a slow but distinctive buildup to an epic opening. Expect a cool entrance.
** Cinematic use of the song made its first appearance in ''Film/LeanOnMe'' (in 1988, just one year after its original release) in the opening sequence, to show how Eastside High School has gone to hell.
** It was used for the climax fight of ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}''; notably Megamind ''himself'' deploying the song [[InvokedTrope in order to make a proper entrance]].
** Accompanies the first action scene in ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'', while "Sweet Child of Mine" comes later in the film.
** Also appeared in one of the trailers for ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas''.
** Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E6MargeOnTheLam Marge on the Lam]]" in which Marge and her feminist neighbor go on a rebellious spree down the highway in a stolen Ford Thunderbird (obvious ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise'' parody) and the neighbor goes to put in a tape of this song but mistakenly puts on Music/LesleyGore's "Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows" instead. (Made doubly funny later on when Chief Wiggum and Homer make the same mistake, but end up enjoying the Lesley Gore song.) Also used in the episode "Eight Mishbehavin'" when Apu's octuplets are sold to a freak show and this is used as their introduction song.
* An [[TheEighties '80s]] HairMetal tune of some sort is popular whenever a HeadTurningBeauty character shows up, and almost obligatory if she's a performer in a strip club. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw_Lf-JhdSU "Rock You Like a Hurricane"]] by Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}, Music/DefLeppard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNo4jGKvDzY "Here I Go Again"]] by Music/{{Whitesnake}} seem to be common. Warrant's "Cherry Pie" is often used instead if it's a rural setting.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JZ9djZa180 "Bodies"]] by Music/DrowningPool, with its chorus of "Let the bodies hit the floor!", often crops up when a scene is about to get violent.
** Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s ''ECW on [=SciFi=]'' had this as their theme song for an entire year, until the untimely deaths of Wrestling/ChrisBenoit and his wife and son forced them to [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents switch to something that didn't feature the word "bodies" on it]].
** The short-lived ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' comic published by Creator/{{Image|Comics}} used it for its opening scene with Bruce Irvin singing it as all the other fighters lie defeated at Kazuya's feet. He was more-or-less amused.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq3QmtV8vT0 "Down with the Sickness"]] by Music/{{Disturbed}} is also popular as fight music (''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' did it). Amusingly subverted in ''Film/DawnOfTheDead2004'', which uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBOpk33VlSg a lounge cover]] by Music/RichardCheese... [[spoiler:and then {{double subver|sion}}ted in TheStinger, which uses the original version as the survivors get overrun by zombies]].
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abJYXY3mPjs "Welcome Home"]] by Music/CoheedAndCambria. When ''that'' theme starts playing, watch out.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPhPbTbjYM0 "Breaking the Law"]] by Music/JudasPriest, which Westernanimation/BeavisAndButthead love to sing after doing outlandish things.
** Otto plays it while releasing the boy students from the school bus in the "Girls Just Want to Have Sums" episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBTSG_Tryhc "Cobrastyle"]] by Teddybears is used in a lot of movies with a suave protagonist, and [[SubvertedTrope also]] in ''Series/{{Chuck}}''.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEjgPh4SEmU "Eye of the Tiger"]] by Music/{{Survivor|Band}} is used is many, ''many'' fight sequences and {{Training Montage}}s. It is [[https://movieweb.com/commonly-used-songs-movies/ second]] only to "Happy Birthday" in the number of movies it appears in. Considering it comes from ''Film/RockyIII'', not surprising.
** Another favorite is "Gonna Fly Now" from the original ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' TrainingMontage.
* Music/JoeCocker and Music/TheWho will surely live out their days comfortably on the royalties from "Feelin' Alright" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" on [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Every. Single. Movie. Trailer.]]
* "Fortunate Son" by Music/CreedenceClearwaterRevival from ''Music/WillyAndThePoorBoys'' in any [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar Vietnam]] movie or [[VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps game]].
** Hell, it even showed up in the Vietnam segment of ''Film/ForrestGump''.
** Spoofed in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98k2DlQ9PMY this bit]] from ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''.
** Pretty much all their well-known songs are associated with that the era or the war specifically. If you hear CCR in a movie, it's probably 'Nam.
*** Ironically, "The Midnight Special," another famous song associated with CCR, was [[OlderThanTheyThink first recorded in the 1930s]].
** Similarly, "All Along the Watchtower" from Music/JimiHendrix' ''Music/ElectricLadyland'' will probably both be in any given 'Nam movie.
* Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" usually plays as background to protests, but the intro to ''Film/LordOfWar'' made good use of the lyrics.
* Music/JacquesOffenbach's "Gallope" from ''Orpheus in the Underworld'' (more commonly known as the can can music) being used for comedy movies when the wacky hijinks start getting out of control. Think overflowing washing machine, tangled electrical wires and stray parrots.
* Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}} have many songs ripe for this. Creator/MartinScorsese in particular likes using [[Music/LetItBleed "Gimme Shelter"]].
** "19th Nervous Breakdown" has shown up in ''way'' too many comedy trailers...
* Music/{{Filter}}'s "Hey Man Nice Shot" in movie trailers. See, for instance, the first ''Film/IronMan1'' trailer... Likewise, "Hell Above Water" by Music/{{Curve}}, which was used in ''Film/IronMan1'', ''Film/SpiderMan1'' and about a bazillion other trailers.
* "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by Music/JamesBrown is used in many scenes with really happy people. It also appeared in a lot of comedy trailers, which was parodied in a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' skit where people suffer through an onslaught of previews, and all of the ones for comedies use this song.
** It's been used as the in-arena victory theme for the New York Knicks.
** Garfield sings and dances to it at the end of his movie.
* Music/VillagePeople songs and "I Will Survive" will show up in every comedy involving homosexuals. Also "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. And "Gonna Make You Sweat" by C+C Music Factory. The latter was used in a ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode when Homer and Bart visit a gay steel mill.
* "Iron Man" by Music/BlackSabbath is also used by badasses (including [[ComicBook/IronMan the Marvel Comics hero]], of course). [[IsntItIronic Irony moment]]: the song is about a time-traveler who attempts to save mankind but ends up destroying it. Which are not [[EpilepticTrees necessarily]] motives and superpowers associated with Tony Stark.
* "I Won't Back Down", by Music/TomPetty, means that our hero, believe it or not, isn't going to back down.
** Notably used in ''WesternAnimation/{{Barnyard}}'' when Ben plays it on the guitar and sings it while fighting off coyotes (just before his death)
* "Let's Get it On" by Music/MarvinGaye. The title [[IntercourseWithYou explains it all]]. Helps that it has a distinctive opening wah-wah guitar lick that [[BowChickaWowWow sounds a bit porn-ish.]]
* "Magic Moments" by Music/PerryComo, specifically the whistling at the beginning.
* Music/DickDale's version of "Miserlou" from ''Music/SurfersChoice'', especially after ''Film/PulpFiction''.
* "Psycho Killer" from ''Music/TalkingHeads77'' by Music/TalkingHeads, for any tongue-in-cheek movie about a serial killer. Also, "Take Me to the River", "Music/OnceInALifetime", and "Burning Down the House".
* "Right Here, Right Now" By Music/FatboySlim has also been used in actions movies for [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Awesome Moments]].
* Gary Glitter's "Rock And Roll Part Two" (the one with the instantly recognizable "shouting-groan" chorus) is ridiculously common in sports movies. It's somewhat justified by the fact that both marching bands and loudspeakers often ''do'' play that song at games, but in the movies the song will just as likely be heard during moments when the crowd is supposed to be remaining silent. Humorously, it's even used in ''Film/HappyGilmore'' for golf, hardly a macho sport.
* Creator/SethMacFarlane deliberately chose Music/DelAmitri's "Roll to Me" for a spoof RomanticComedy trailer in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', because he believes that song is ''always'' used in rom com trailers. He's at least 85% right.
* "Sabotage" by Music/BeastieBoys.
* Music/AliceCooper's "School's Out" is the go-to song whenever schoolkid characters go wild.
** To the extent that Creator/RichardLinklater was a little hesitant to use it for the final bell scene in ''Film/DazedAndConfused'' because it seemed way too obvious (he did anyway).
* "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum for movies about astronauts and space travel.
* "Sweet Home Alabama" by Music/LynyrdSkynyrd.
* Music/ThinLizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town" for, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin scenes in which there are some boys, and they are back. In a town.]] Was also used as a pun in early trailers of ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': "The toys are back in town."
* Expect cool stuff to happen when "The Name of the Game" by Music/CrystalMethod starts playing.
* Music/{{Snap}}'s "The Power" used for characters [[MundaneUtility using a superpower in a generally non-serious way]]. Case in point: ''Film/BruceAlmighty''.
* Music/NatashaBedingfield's "Unwritten" is another, being played for pretty much any product marketed to women for pretty much all of 2007.
* "Walking On Sunshine" by Music/KatrinaAndTheWaves was used in pretty much every trailer for family comedies in the 1990s and 00s. It's also a popular choice for a GoodTimesMontage.
** This was used in Fisher Price toy commercials in the early 2000s.
* "We Are the Champions" from ''Music/NewsOfTheWorldQueen'' by Music/{{Queen}}, used to herald in really dramatic moments. Also, sports victories.
** "We Will Rock You", the [[SiameseTwinSongs companion song to "Champions"]], for sports-related badassery.
** "Another One Bites the Dust". Suits the {{determinator}}, a suiting-up scene, or displays of badassery. Used in ''Film/SmallSoldiers''.
** "Another One Bites the Dust" also plays in ''Film/IronMan2'' during the fight scene between Tony and Rhodey.
** The entire soundtrack of ''Film/{{Highlander}}'' and ''Film/FlashGordon1980''.
** "Somebody To Love" is also pretty popular for when a romantic song is needed.
* Music/TwistedSister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" has become semi-obligatory for acts of rebellion (usually of [[CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority the juvenile variety]]). At least justified in ''Theatre/RockOfAges'', where the "good guys" are all diehard fans of '80s pop/rock music.
* Music/KidRock's "Bawitdaba" for less sympathetic and nastier acts of rebellion, or just [[LowerClassLout general proletarian violence]].
* [[Music/SurrealisticPillow "White Rabbit"]] by Music/JeffersonAirplane whenever someone is under the influence of a mind-altering substance and/or hallucinating. Alternatives include "Incense and Peppermints" by Music/StrawberryAlarmClock and "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Music/{{Iron Butterfly|Band}} from ''Music/InAGaddaDaVida''.
* "Who Let The Dogs Out" by the Baha Men ''will'' be used in any children's movie featuring talking dogs, and it ''will'' be used in a scene where the aforementioned canines escape from a [[PoundsAreAnimalPrisons pet pound]]/locked room/generally do something cool that involves knocking down something or someone. It's also been used in NBA/WNBA arenas to liven up younger crowds.
* Music/GioachinoRossini's "Wilhelm Tell Overture" is always the sign of someone being extremely busy, or just moving comically fast. Used for ironic effect for a sex scene in Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Film/AClockworkOrange''.
* Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", which is used multiple times in ''A Clockwork Orange'', has become fashionable as SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic for epic action scenes.
* "Wipe Out" by TheSurfaris is pretty popular for {{chase scene}}s.
* ''Series/TheBennyHillShow'''s "Yakety Sax" as well, with an added comedic effect. [[FastForwardGag Bonus points if the film is sped up during the duration of the song]].
* Music/TheMonkees' "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUYKlQ7UvDQ Pleasant Valley Sunday]]" gets used in this way a lot, as lampshaded by WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob.
* ''Film/DerSchuhDesManitu'' gives us "Straight to Hell" as the BigBad's theme. You ''know'' what's going to happen.
* If shit goes down in SlowMotion, there's always "Chariots of Fire" ''Vangelis.'' Or his theme from ''Film/FourteenNinetyTwoConquestOfParadise''.
* If shit goes down and there's a large army or BigDamnHeroes moment involved, you might hear Europe's "The Final Countdown" if the work in question is a comedy or [[JustForFun/RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]]
* "Get Ready for This", by 2 Unlimited, is used for just about every competition or comedy trailer.
* Technotronic's "Pump Up the Jam" for either preparation or party sequences.
* "Le Freak" by Music/{{Chic}}, in a scene involving fashion montages.
* "La Grange" by Music/ZZTop is used in pretty much any bar fight scene.
* "Sharp Dressed Man," whenever a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin male character gets dressed up sharply]] (or, if its a comedy, [[SubvertedTrope not so sharply]]). Or in ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'', when Al has to get glasses.
* "Tom Sawyer" by Music/RushBand. Lampshaded in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Anthology of Interest 2" when Fry mentions his "all-Rush mixtape."
* After its use in ''Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheMovie'', the Music/RedHotChiliPeppers' cover of "[[Music/StevieWonder Higher Ground]]" became linked with high-intensity action, and it's been used several times since (such as in the climax of ''Film/TheKarateKid2010''). It was even used on ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'' before that.
* Is something big about to blow up? (Usually with multiple explosions?) Then the music absolutely must be the finale of "The 1812 Overture". It helps that [[StuffBlowingUp cannon fire]] ''[[EverythingIsAnInstrument is part of the composition]]''.
* You can always count on Music/LouisArmstrong's "What A Wonderful World" for a [[SoundtrackDissonance/WhatAWonderfulWorld bitterly ironic counterpoint to horrific destruction]].
* "Dueling Banjos" will often play to imply hillbillies or male rape, a ShoutOut to ''Film/{{Deliverance}}'' (If you're a character in a film or show and you start hearing those banjos, [[OhCrap it's time to start worrying]].) Though it's also used in a more lighthearted tone when there's a tit-for-tat contest between two characters. The most appropriate use may have been the drywall taping contest between Tim and Al on ''Series/HomeImprovement'', in which they used dispensers actually known as "banjos".
* Music/{{Steppenwolf}}:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMbATaj7Il8 "Born To Be Wild"]] is often used to show the seemingly-sweet character (usually female) has a rougher, edgier side that only comes out during a moment of crisis, or any time characters drive off in a vehicle to go save the day. ''Herbie, Fully Loaded'' comes to mind.
** Also, any BadassBiker (due to ''Film/EasyRider'').
** This is parodied in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', where "Born to be Wild" plays as Grandpa (along with Bart) takes Homer's car to go to Vegas… [[LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn only to shut it off the radio]].
** ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'', when Al and Steve buy the classic Mustang.
** Also shows up in some trailers of movies that star animal characters, for example ''WesternAnimation/AlphaAndOmega'' and ''WesternAnimation/BrotherBear''.
** "Magic Carpet Ride" is associated with something totally different -- namely, ''Franchise/StarTrek'', as it was used in the climactic moment in ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' where the ''Phoenix'' takes off. Funny enough, this holds true in-universe, as ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' had it playing as part of a historical re-enactment ride.
* "Going Up the Country" by Music/CannedHeat is pretty common for road trips (particularly if there are any {{New Age Retro Hippie}}s on board).
* When a character in a comedy (usually male) swaggers down the street, you might hear Music/TheBeeGees' "Stayin' Alive" (a tribute to Creator/JohnTravolta's similar scene in ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'').
* "Hot Blooded" by Music/{{Foreigner|Band}} is always good for male characters with a womanizing streak.
* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic has for moments like this [[http://tgwtg.bandcamp.com/track/the-t-rex-song "The T-Rex Song"]] (warning: [[ClusterFBomb innapropriate language]]), originally made for the one in ''Film/JurassicPark''.
* Richard Strauss' ''Music/AlsoSprachZarathustra'' can signify a great breakthrough or discovery, as it did most famously in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' in the monolith scenes.
* Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz", also used in ''2001: A Space Odyssey'' during the intricate docking scene, is used to signify a smooth, graceful clockwork motion or choreography.
* Music/RichardWagner's "Flight of the Valkyries" is almost certain to signify imminent badassery, often from above -- as in the ''Film/ApocalypseNow'' surfing beach helicopter scene.
* "Saber Dance" by Aram Khachaturian is a popular shenanigans song, and thanks to ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure'', is almost synonymous with the phrase "Breakfast machine", though it often extends to any other kind of RubeGoldbergDevice as well.
* "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg is similarly loved, mostly for its slow-build up to an absolutely bombastic finish.
* Music/TheHeavy's popularity is practically ''built'' on this trope. They see near-zero airplay for their music, and their album sales are dismal. Yet, they're all over advertisements, movie credits, and video game soundtracks. The two particular songs that see the most use are "How You Like Me Now?" and "Short Change Hero." To list them all would take up the whole page, but just look [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heavy_(band)#In_media here]] to give you an idea.
* In a similar case to The Heavy, the song "High" by Young Rising Sons has been used in countless commercials (for Hulu, Pepsi, a special Snapchat story, the list goes on and on) that have a fun and carefree nature, and is getting close to 1 million views on Website/YouTube, yet has received pretty much zero-to-none airplay on radio.
* Music/JoanJett's "Bad Reputation" for any rebellious and\or grumpy person (specially {{Tsundere}}s).
* Music/TaylorSwift's "Bad Blood" has become one for when relationships turn sour, with the audience often getting to see the exact moment it turns into a vendetta before the music rolls.
* When a comedy demands a romantic scene, expect [[Music/FrankieValliandtheFourSeasons Frankie Valli]]'s"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" to commence, often through a cover by the protagonist (usually male) to confess his love.
* Creator/TobyFox's "Megalovania" is one of his most renowned piece. If you hear it play during a boss battle, know that you are going [[ThatOneBoss to have a very bad time.]]
* ''Film/KillBill'' introduced Western audiences to Japanese musician Tomoyasu Hotei's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjUi-P4gm6k&ab_channel=ThatOneGuy Battle Without Honor or Humanity]]" as [[LadyOfWar O-Ren Ishii]] and [[{{Mooks}} the Crazy 88]] do a TeamPowerWalk into the House of the Blue Leaves before the climactic showdown at the end of Volume I. Ever since, the song has been used to indicate that the [[EvilIsCool Badass Bad Guys]] have arrived, or to underscore how utterly un-badass a character appears.
* Music/TheZombies' "Time of the Season" for any late-60s flashback.
* If someone female is about to be badass, you can expect to hear Music/NoDoubt's "Just A Girl".
* Music/AndraDay's "Rise Up" is often used for a HeroicResolve or overcoming a hardship.
* From Carl Douglas to Cee Lo Green, plenty of artists know that there's one tune ''guaranteed'' to pop up in a movie in which everybody is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VNnO7yLACg Kung Fu Fighting]].
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