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[[quoteright:350:[[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/haruhi_suzumiya_vol_2_yuki_nagato_cd.png]]]]

A song specific in content and tone to a character from an anime, often sung by the character's voice actor—usually on a soundtrack CD.

The animation houses which produce anime are nothing if not masters of cross-marketing and cross-promotion. One means by which a series is promoted and supported in the Japanese media marketplace is (as is sometimes the case in the United States) the original soundtrack CD. In the early days of this practice, such [=CDs=] usually contained nothing more than the program's opening and closing themes, as well as most or all of the incidental music heard in the show. Eventually, though, the producers of such discs began to take advantage of the fact that most Japanese voice performers are also professional singers, often of the "{{idol|Singer}}" variety which drives the Japanese pop music market. They began to write songs that typified—and sometimes explored more deeply—the characters.

Thus was born the "image song", a uniquely Japanese variety of AllThereInTheManual. While a viewer can enjoy and understand a series without ever hearing the soundtrack, those that do listen to the music often receive a "bonus" in the form of a deeper understanding of the nature of the characters. Occasionally the image song makes its way back to the series, where it may appear as a character's theme music, or to punctuate a sequence which features them, or as the song for a SpecialEditionTitle sequence. As time has gone on, this has become more frequent, to the point where in some shows the image songs almost (but not quite) supplant the traditional soundtrack releases entirely. And in some cases, the show's [[AnimeThemeSong theme song]] is treated as an image song -- usually sung by [[DoItYourselfThemeTune the most important female member of the cast]], but also remade any number of times by other voice performers from the show.

Since the 2010s, image songs have fallen out of favor with seasonal anime, but are still common with franchise-driven series, especially IdolGenre shows. This is because seasonal anime may not last long enough or have the dedicated resources to produce singles on a consistent basis, in contrast to ongoing franchises. Additionally, idol-based shows are already dedicated to music and have a built-in audience thanks to idol fan culture. As a result, most of the resources are invested there instead.

The image song differs from the {{leitmotif}} in that it primarily exists outside of the show, whereas a leitmotif is created specifically for use in the show to represent a character or idea. In Western musicals, the CutSong has a similar function. IAmSong and IWantSong are similar but occur in the show.

----
!!Examples:

[[index]]
* [[ImageSong.AnimeAndManga Anime and Manga]]
[[/index]]

[[foldercontrol]]


%%[[folder:Comic Books]]
%%* All the main characters from Brazilian comic ''ComicBook/MonicasGang''.
%%[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* [[https://www.youtube.com/c/Blixemi Blixemi]] is a [=YouTuber=] whose channel mainly focuses on ''Literature/WarriorCats'' songs, some of which are from the perspective of one character. For example, "Walk Without the Stars" is about Ivypool feeling jealous of her sister, and "I'll Be Complete" is about Briarlight's depression after she becomes paralysed.
* Music/MegaRan's album "Black Materia" is a collection of raps about ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', of which most are done from Cloud's perspective. "[[http://megaranmusic.com/track/cloud-strife Cloud Strife]]" in particular is Mega Ran, in character as Cloud, rapping about Cloud's life story.
-->''framerate's mad spotty like a [=PS1=]\\
the story's still cloudy, sorta like my namesake\\
so wait-- it turns out that what was in my mind\\
was a memory, a dream, that wasn't even mine''
* Music/MiracleOfSound creates songs based on video games. When he did one for ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'', he decided to create ''[[http://miracleofsound.bandcamp.com/track/wheatleys-song Wheatley's Song]]'', and it fits [[CloudCuckoolander Whea]][[BewareTheNiceOnes tley]] just perfectly. ([[BerserkButton "So don't call me a moron]] / I'm super astute / There is no conundrum that / My core cannot compute.")
** Another very good example of this is the metal-tastic ''[[https://miracleofsound.bandcamp.com/track/hell-to-pay-2 Hell to Pay]]'' for ''VideoGame/Doom2016'', which is all about Doomguy and his rage against the demons.
--->''Wake up, I’m a bullet loosed / Into the heart of a wretched age / I breathe just to beat and bruise / An evolution of the burnin’ rage / Gonna get mine / Get outta my way / There's gonna be (Gonna be) / Gonna be Hell to pay!''
* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' fandom is filled with these, using a character's respective {{leitmotif}} to create appropriate songs for them.
** Japanese fandom make an enormous amount of original music based on the games' music. A lot don't have much to do with the character, but some fit them almost perfectly, including [[MessianicArchetype Byakuren's]] ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WtDBojw868 White Lotus... ~ Piano,]]'' [[{{Ojou}} Remilia's]] ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYc-eJOhWYQ Serenade to Red Rose,]]'' [[NinjaMaid Sakuya's]] ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn3p5xZOM2E XXI]]'' ([[WordOfGod Quoth ZUN]]: "You can't have a maid without hard rock."), [[CreepyChild Flandre's]] ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMI5YaInHdU Who Killed U.N. Owen?]]'' and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CejLvYyGYkw Sweets Time Midnight,]]'' [[PersonOfMassDestruction Utsuho's]] ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0lgUvE8ICE Flames Within These Black Feathers,]]'' [[BadassNormal Marisa's]] ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEJ_VRfI26g Magus Knight,]]'' and many, '''many''' more.
** Meanwhile, in the western fandom, [[http://asa-turney.tumblr.com asa]] uses the leitmotif itself and dubs it with an original song for the character. For example, [[http://asa-turney.tumblr.com/post/84959364067 Yuuka's]] is about [[TimeAbyss the transience of lesser beings]] using [[GreenThumb flower metaphors]], [[http://asa-turney.tumblr.com/post/120649953692 Mamizou's]] is about how much fun it is to be a [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shapeshifting]] [[TheTrickster trickster]], [[http://asa-turney.tumblr.com/post/89210929032 Seija's]] is about her impending revolution, often [[PaintingTheMedium inverting and reversing itself]], and [[http://asa-turney.tumblr.com/post/92454072692 Yukari's]] is about the thin barriers that define existence and [[RealityWarper how easy it is to twist them]]. The full songs can be found on Youtube at Music/LyricaLive.
* Similarly, the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fandom create many songs sung from the perspective of one character or another. Merely some of the more popular ones include ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4tyvJJzSDk Lullaby for a Princess]]'' (a TearJerker about [[MyGreatestFailure Celestia's greatest failure]]), ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDdL4z5qfr4 Picture Perfect Pony]]'' (complete with show-quality animation), ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvWxZ0Apclg Knights of Time and Space]]'' (a duet between [[EnsembleDarkhorse Derpy and Doctor Hooves]]), and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4dWMxTWTXE Anthropology]]'' ([[MemeticBystander Lyra]] singing about humans). And the parody series ''WebVideo/FriendshipIsWitchcraft'' gave its version of Pinkie Pie, the [[LyricalDissonance tragically cheerful]] ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LohgzBKXLY Gypsy Bard.]]''
* The album [[http://jimmywallace.bandcamp.com/album/working-for-peanuts Working for Peanuts]] by Jimmy Wallace contains image songs for eight ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' characters. Some of them are really catchy.
* Music/KenAshcorp:
** As a tribute to ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm7bTvTtXJg Supernatural]]''[[http://kenashcorp.bandcamp.com/track/supernatural is]] a slower and more melodic song, in which Dipper expresses his feelings about the paranormal activity surrounding him.
** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F1Stpj7jWc Ryder or Riot!!]]'' is one for Wrestling/ZackRyder, in which he [[BoastfulRap boastfully raps]] about himself.
* The show ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbanZP9gqOA Queen of Future Industries]] by [[https://twitter.com/finerband Finer]] which is a song describing the character Asami.
* ''Fanfic/PokemonXNimjaPlayTheGame'' ''used'' to have an original image song for all four of its main characters, but out of all of them only "Ballad: WMYD?", Nimja's theme, took on a life of its own as a {{Leitmotif}} for the whole series. Eventually, image cover songs were selected for all four main characters, along with ''two'' cover songs for [=HyPN0se=] and one cover song for each member of the Spoken. In order, they are:
** Nimja: [[Music/OwlCity "Fireflies,"]] which represents his creativity. Not to mention all those lines about dreams and sleeping...
** [=OGiNiM=]: [[Music/{{ABBA}} "Waterloo,"]] in which he expresses his loyalty to Nimja.
** [=HyDrO=]: [[Music/DemiLovato "Confident,"]] which is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.
** Slang: [[Music/OwlCity "Wolf Bite,"]] in which he asks Nimja for his help in overcoming his fears.
** [=HyPN0se=] ([[spoiler: controlled]]): A Dutch cover of "[[Franchise/DragonBall Ultimate Battle.]]" For obvious reasons.
** [=HyPN0se=] ([[spoiler: uncontrolled]]): [[Music/MatchboxTwenty "Unwell"]], [[spoiler: which mentions how he's a completely different person when not under his [[AbusiveParents mother's]] influence.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* Disney's ''Bayou Boogie'' album includes one for nearly every major character in ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''. Including Evangeline (by proxy, anyway), but, oddly enough, excluding Naveen.
* ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'' has "The Bing Bong Song", which is a song by Bing Bong about himself.
* Creator/{{Pixar}} put out cassette tapes with corresponding songbooks including songs "sung" by the characters in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' and the first ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1''.
* Around when ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'' was being released in theaters, an entire album of original songs titled "Fievel and Friends" was produced. Only Fievel was voiced by his original actor, however, with more professional singers hired to play other characters. He did a solo version of "Somewhere Out There" among the more original tracks.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'''s Ariel has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suoqDGNMX2g "One Dance"]] (contrary to popular belief, not a CutSong composed for the film), written by Chris Martin (not the Music/{{Coldplay}} singer) and released on the compilation ''The Little Mermaid and Friends''.
* The ''WesternAnimation/UglyDolls'' soundtrack has a song on the soundtrack that's sung by Blake Shelton called "Wallflowers and Weeds" that seems to serve this purpose for his character Ox, since it doesn't appear in the film.
* ''WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge'' has the Music/{{Ben Folds}} original "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Icv0CKh3k Family of Me]]", the song that plays over the opening credits and acts for the protagonist [[LovableRogue RJ]]. It's a song with somewhat of an upbeat and hopeful energy but a desperate sense of loneliness undercutting both its melody and lyrics, ''embodying'' RJ's nature as a SadClown living day-to-day [[ConMan conning others to get by]] and putting on the mask of a smooth talker while he's clearly both unhappy and struggling to survive alone.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/BatmanForever'' has "The Riddler" by [[Music/WuTangClan Method Man]].
* For ''Film/TheFly1986'', [[Music/RoxyMusic Bryan Ferry]]'s "Help Me" was originally commissioned for the end credits, but since Music/HowardShore's lush orchestral score was so powerful it was clear to writer-director Creator/DavidCronenberg that a rock song wouldn't work as a playout, though he did like it. Instead, it serves as background music in the first half of the bar scene. Out of context, it comes off as a simple SanitySlippageSong in which the singer appeals to his lover for help. Knowing the plot of the movie specifies it as the film's DoomedProtagonist metaphorically pondering his SlowTransformation into a monster.
* ''Franchise/JamesBond'':
** For the film that eventually became ''Film/{{Thunderball}}'', a theme tune was written for its previous title, ''Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang''. While the title was changed, necessitating a new theme, "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" typifies Bond's character so well that it served as Bond's Image Song. Though the replacement theme, Tom Jones' "Thunderball", still fits the trope.
** For ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', Chris Cornell wrote "You Know My Name" to serve as an Image Song for the inexperienced Bond (as the {{Leitmotif}} is only used at the final scene).
* "Gollum's Song" (Gollum) and "Into the West" (Galadriel) from ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' films seem to fit.
* Music/{{REM}}'s "The Great Beyond", written for ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'' as a SequelSong to their song about Creator/AndyKaufman that the {{Biopic}} is named after, is an IWantSong told from Kaufman's viewpoint.
* Six years after ''Film/MyCousinVinny'', Creator/JoePesci revived his character for the album ''Vincent [=LaGuardia=] Gambini Sings Just for You''. Many who heard it wished that he hadn't.
* ''Film/SpiderMan1'' had "Hero" by [[Music/{{Nickelback}} Chad Kroeger]] and [[Music/{{Saliva}} Josey Scott]].
* Creator/WillSmith, who started his career as [[Music/DJJazzyJeffAndTheFreshPrince a rapper]] before he started acting, contributed a number of image songs to his movies in the late '90s and early '00s.
** "Men in Black", the theme tune to [[Film/MenInBlack the film of the same name]], has him rapping about being a slick, suave [[TheMenInBlack G-man]] who fights alien bad guys and saves the world while keeping the public in the dark about the truth. It became the film's BreakawayPopHit and inspired further examples from him.
** "Wild Wild West" from [[Film/WildWildWest the film of the same name]] recycles the formula of "Men in Black", this time rapped from the perspective of the film's protagonist Jim West as he saves the day from the villain Loveless.
** "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)" from ''Film/MenInBlackII'' is a follow-up to the titular song from the first film.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Creator/MercedesLackey's talents as lyricist as well as a fantasy writer allowed her to create image songs for several of the characters from her novels, most notably Tarma, Kethry, Idra and Vanyel in the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' novels.
* Creator/SeananMcGuire has used her songwriting talents to create two image songs for her UrbanFantasy character [[Literature/GhostRoads Rose Marshall]]: "Pretty Little Dead Girl" tells the urban legend (or as [=McGuire=] puts it, the "filthy libel") version of Rose's story as a hitchhiking ghost, while "Graveyard Rose" tells the flipside of Rose's legend as the "Lady in the Diner" truck driver's psychopomp.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' releases yearly Image Album songs by the heroes ever since ''Abaranger'', with variable degrees of singing. ''Gekiranger'' had villains Rio and Mele be such major characters that they too got to sing.
** Even before that, there were Sentai image songs-not usually sung by the characters, usually done by anime singers such as [=MoJo=] or Isao Sasaki. The villain songs were usually done up until the 90s by vocal trio Koorogi '73.
** Some Sentai characters did perform their own image songs, including [[Series/DaiSentaiGoggleFive Goggle Pink]], [[Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman Blue Dolphin]] and [[Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman Black Condor]]. There was also an album named ''Sentai Heroine'' that included most of the female rangers' and villainesses' (including [[Creator/MachikoSoga Bandora]]) songs sung by their actors from 90 to ''Gaoranger''.
** In ''Abaranger'', the song "Evolien's Hymn" sung by Lije (Kasumi Suzuki) made it into episode 29 of the show.
** On ''Go-onger'', along with the three female leads (Saki, Miu and Kegalesia), Hiroto also got not one, but two Image Song(s), which is not so surprising since actor Hidenori Tokuyama has an established music career (he sang the opening themes for ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'').
* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' occasionally does this as well, but how many of the actors sing on the album depends entirely on whether their characters would be the ''type'' to sing. Additionally, most songs are used in lieu of ending credit themes and instead play over climactic fight scenes for the episode.
** ''Series/KamenRiderRyuki'' has one for each of its four main riders (for any measure of 'main' given in the setting). "Lonely Soldier" for Ren, "Kienai Niji" for Kitaoka and "Spinnin Around" for Asakura.
** ''Series/KamenRiderDenO'' really started the trend in later series when there was an edition of "Double-Action" for each of Ryotaro's Imagin partners as a duet, including Sieg which only ended up used in the finale and the director's cut of TheMovie. Yuto and Deneb also had "Action-ZERO", while "Double-Action" duets were made for Naomi & Airi and Teddy & Kotaro, while Kamen Rider Gaoh has a solo rendition of the same song. The second half of the series even used a new version of the opening theme sung by Ryotaro's four Imagin partners!
** ''Series/KamenRiderKiva'' gives it a twist in that the primary Riders (and Kiva's [[MultiformBalance alternate forms]]) all have Image Songs, but these are all sung by TETRA-FANG, a "limited band" formed for this express purpose, with Kiva star Koji Seto providing the vocals. An alternate version of one of the songs is sung by Keisuke Kato as his character Keisuke Nago, and later albums released for the series feature an entire image album for every character who was ever Kamen Rider Ixa on screen and an album where the actors cover other songs in the series in character.
** ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'' has "Ride the Wind" for Tsukasa Kadoya and "Treasure Sniper" for Daiki Kaito.
** ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'' had twist not unlike ''Kiva'' in that there were image songs for each of Kamen Rider Double's "main" forms and for Kamen Rider Accel, and each song was performed by a band made for the series, but the bands were all different and were incorporated into the fiction of the show as popular bands in the city of Futo (all [[ThemeNaming named after major Atlantic and Indian Ocean hurricanes]]): Labor Day's [[https://youtu.be/6ejbsgUiDJE "Cyclone Effect"]] for [=CycloneJoker=] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FFShwzoQQA "Extreme Dream"]] for [=CycloneJokerXtreme=], Galveston 19's [[https://youtu.be/UmVLkDctnRk "Free your Heat"]] for [=HeatMetal=], Florida Keys' [[https://youtu.be/cmV9lho9CtA "Finger on the Trigger"]] for [=LunaTrigger=], and Wilma-Sidr's [[https://youtu.be/MbdRVle3_js "Leave all Behind"]] for Accel. Wakana Sonozaki has her own radio show in universe, and she sings its theme song [[https://youtu.be/HaC9CDypIpY "Naturally"]], and Shotaro's confidantes Queen and Elizabeth (themselves played by now former Music/AKB48 members Tomomi Itano and Tomomi Kasai) participated in an in-universe music talent show with their song [[https://youtu.be/FFHNUy5Qwoo "Love♡Wars"]].
** ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'' follows suit with each of Kamen Rider OOO's Combo forms getting their own theme song sung by Shu Watanabe as Eiji Hino: Tatoba Combo's [[https://youtu.be/n-fcfmS5Jyw "Regret nothing ~Tighten Up~"]], Gatakiriba Combo's [[https://youtu.be/yidIvPzWMkc "Got to keep it real"]], Latoratah Combo's [[https://youtu.be/7mugFMcL0sk "Ride on Right time"]], Sagohzo Combo's [[https://youtu.be/TXbT1IemrQQ "Sun goes up"]], and Shauta Combo's [[https://youtu.be/ausbsYj13CE "Shout out"]]. He gets duets with Ryosuke Miura as Ankh on Tajador Combo's [[https://youtu.be/ebwl1M6G5Yw "Time judged all"]] and Akira Kushida (anison royalty and voice of the OOO Driver) on Putotyra Combo's [[https://youtu.be/ELyORdgoc34 "POWER to TEARER"]]. The two bearers of the Kamen Rider Birth belt also get a duet in the song [[https://youtu.be/ZJQsVAhEHvU "Reverse/Re:birth"]].
** ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' pares back the per-form image songs and doesn't have the cast performing them; while established band everset and a few for-the-show singing duos of Astronauts ([[Music/MayNakabayashi May'n]] and Yoshiharu Shiina) and [=SoutherN=] (Creator/MinamiKuribayashi and Yosuke Yamashita), the only cast-sung songs are JK's "Love is Overdrive" and Yuki Jojima's "Ganbare Hayabusa-kun", which featured in episodes. Its follow up ''Series/KamenRiderWizard'' doesn't bother having anyone on cast sing at all, and instead relies on the franchise-wide official bands RIDER CHIPS and Music/KamenRiderGirls for all its theme music for Wizard's and Beast's many forms.
** ''Series/KamenRiderGaim'' decribes its insanely twisted character dynamics with two songs - "Ranbu Escalation", the duet of Kouta and Kaito and Mitsuzane's "Point of No Return".
** ''Series/KamenRiderDrive'' has "Spinning Wheel", sung by of the series' rider trio - Shinnosuke, Gou and Chase.
** ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'' has "Real Game" for Parado, "Wish In The Dark" for Kuroto Dan, "JUSTICE" for Masamune Dan, and "PEOPLE GAME" for Poppy Pipopapo, which was sung by the character herself and used in-universe in commercials for Kamen Rider Chronicle. Also the inexplicable "Jingle Bells" cover "Pinple Pells"
** ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'' has "Zi-O, Toki no Ouja", for the title character Sougo, and "Future Guardian" for TheLancer Geiz. Tsukuyomi also has "Tsuki no Ochiru Toki", Woz gets "Black & White", and the three Timejackers get "Revolutionize".
* ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' has "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL6sZIJXHrc I Can't Wait]]", a Brooke [=McClymont=] that Hilary Duff covered, singing "as" her character. The song is on both of the Lizzie [=McGuire=] albums and caught a lot of airplay on Radio Disney back in the day, and was actually released as a single in Happy Meals in 2004 (along with another CD that had "Lizzie" narrating a few episodes, although the voice actress was not really Hilary).
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** Creator/JonPertwee released a spoken-word single titled "Who is the Doctor?" after his character in ''Series/DoctorWho''. (Sometimes called "I am the Doctor" after its "chorus.")
** John Barrowman did a song called "The Doctor and I" which can be read as in-character as Jack Harkness, although it can also be read as a fantasy about John Barrowman being the Doctor's companion. [[PerverseSexualLust In a rather physical sense]].
* A ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' spinoff single had Lady Penelope singing "Parker, Well Done!" as part of a short dramatization featuring the original voice actors for Parker, Lady Penelope and Jeff Tracy.
* ''{{Series/Dinosaurs}}'' has the famous ''I'm the Baby (Gotta Love Me)'' song and music video, as well as the 1992 album ''Dinosaurs: Big Songs'', which included songs made for the regular characters, all sung by their respective voice actors. A version in Spanish was also released, but it didn't feature the voice actors from the dub (at least not the Mexican dub).
* Edd Byrnes recorded the hit song "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb" (with Connie Stevens), which was based on his character in the ABC DetectiveDrama ''Series/SeventySevenSunsetStrip''.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'':
** "The Inner Light" is based on the episode of the same name, synonymous with Picard and the character development he goes through in that episode. There's the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5EluFlra2A original flavor]], the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6su9jVj_pXY flute and piano duet]], or the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=606Vk2iSFNk complete orchestral version]].
** Creator/LeonardNimoy recorded a song entitled [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C70QRbawN8 Highly Illogical]] which, while it never mentions [[TheSpock Spock]] by name, is pretty obviously sung in-character as him.
* ''Series/{{Glee}}'' has "Get It Right" for Rachel.
* Bill Mumy sings [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8a6TtuN9WE The Ballad of William Robinson]], from the perspective of his character at age 42, having been ''Series/LostInSpace'' with his family for 30 years. He also did [[http://www.billmumy.com/mumy/lyrics/in_current/10.mp3 Stronger Than Gravity]], an image song for his character Lennier from ''Series/BabylonFive''.
* Walter White from ''Series/BreakingBad'' has "Negro Y Azul : The Ballad Of Heisenberg"
* ''Series/Batman1966'' had a SoBadItsGood one for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAlfr7wsqcM The Riddler]], released as a 45 and with a song by Frank Gorshin as himself as the BSide.
* For the {{Creator/Studio100}} series Series/KabouterPlop. Some of the characters have a song dedicated to one characters.
** Kwebbel (Jij Praat Teveel)
** Klaus (Klus Wil Vligen and Klus Heeft Her Gedaan)
** Luis (Ich Word Daar Zo Moe Van)
** Small (Ik Been Small and Snuffeltje)
** Smul (Hoipiepeloi)
* The soundtrack for season 3 of ''Series/{{Succession}}'' includes a cover of Music/BillyJoel's "Honesty" sung by Jeremy Strong, in-character as Kendall Roy.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* Music/DosGringos, a band comprising [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks United States Air Force]] fighter pilots, has a song called "Last of the Breed" that (aside from being written in a future where they're all {{Retired Badass}}es) describes what modern USAF fighter pilots are like. "I'm A Pilot" is more satirical and SelfDeprecation (it's written from the perspective of crew chiefs and their perceptions of fighter pilots).
* Music/{{Sting}}'s "Englishman In New York" is one of these for FlamboyantGay British expat Quentin Crisp.
* Music/{{Gloryhammer}} has a few songs about the characters on their albums: "Angus [=McFife=]" for Angus, "Hollywood Hootsman" for Hootsman and "Keeper of the Celestial Flame of Abernethy" for Zargothrax.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* ''Series/TheNoddyShop'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4ZYGCsgKrQ had one for Johnny Crawfish]] called "Special", which was made for an investor in the series.
* The Japanese version of ''Series/SesameStreet'' had two [=CDs=] decicated to these: [[https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Ha-Ha-Ha_Sesame_Street "Ha Ha Ha"]] and [[https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Sesame_Street_Character_Song_Album "Atsumare! Sesame Street"]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1978'': Marvin, the Paranoid Android had four such songs sung by Stephen Moore, his actor from the original incarnations. The soundtrack of [[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005 the movie]] included as bonus tracks one of the aforementioned Marvin songs and the hilarious campaign song "Vote Beeblebrox."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* Wrestling/{{WWE}}:
** Several albums of songs sung by their wrestlers were put out that are supposed to provide more insight on the characters, including ''The Wrestling Album'', ''Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II'', ''Wrestlemania: The Album'', and ''WWE Originals''.
** Both of Wrestling/JohnCena's best-known and longest-lasting entrance themes ("Basic Thugonomics" and "The Time is Now") were written and performed by him.
** The second and most familiar version of Wrestling/ShawnMichaels' entrance theme, "Sexy Boy", was performed by him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Angelique|KoeiTecmo}}'' has multiple image songs for all of the datable guys, including plenty of duet and group songs. The third set of {{OVA}}s even includes ''music videos'' for the Cherry Blossom/Sunflower set of image songs.
* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' includes one for almost every female member of the cast...[[AndZoidberg and Bang]]. Kanako Kondō, Noel's VA sings the vocal version of her theme, Love so Blue, during one of ''Calamity Trigger''[='=]s final battles, as well as singing in duo with Asami Imai for the vocal version of the Noel vs Tsubaki theme and ''Continuum Shift''[='=]s credits. Other entries include the VA for Rachel, Tsubaki, Litchi, Makoto and Bang singing each character's theme. ''Chronophantasma'' adds up the new characters' vocals... but Amane has none, in conjunction with how his VA (Creator/AkiraIshida) has an aversion of singing Image Songs.
* ''VideoGame/ChildOfEden'' has Lumi's "Heavenly Star", originally from Q Entertainment's previous game ''VideoGame/{{Lumines}} II'', during the final stage.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA0Ul-y-gD8 Star Salzman]] from ''Music/OverClockedRemix'' turns "Robo's Theme" into this with the addition of lyrics, recounting several incidents from ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' that focused on Robo, using first person language.
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'':
** [[EvilOverlord Laharl]], [[TheLancer Etna]], [[UnknownRival Mid-Boss]] and [[Creator/NobuyukiHiyama Axel]] each have one ("Lord Laharl's Hymn", "Etna Boogie", "Ah, My Magnificent Life" and "White Tiger", respectively), featured in the characters' respective endings.
** ''VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice'' has ones for Mao ("Go Mao!"), Almaz ("Unlucky Hero"), and Raspberyl ("Love Combination").
** In ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten'', Valvatorez's Image Song, "Arcadian Vampire", is even brought up within the story - Some of the [[PlayerMooks Prinnies]] write it in the first half of the game to use as a HubLevel theme. Meanwhile, Fuka gets a humorous remix of Flonne's {{Leitmotif}} WithLyrics (or ''one'' lyric, rather), and the song "Naked Requiem" appears to serve as one for Fenrich and Val in Tyrant Valvatorez Mode (which ups their occasionally lampshaded HomoeroticSubtext even further).
* The three leads of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' all got their own [=CDs=].
* "Edge of Dawn" from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' serves as one for Edelgard, as its Japanese title "Young Lady of Hresvelg" makes clear. [[spoiler: On three out of four of the game's routes, it also doubles as a VillainSong.]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalZone II'' has the title theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qCP4hMlcZI "Bowie's Chance"]]; and Momoko Ring's theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm79-nK7wig "Don't Stop"]]; both sung by the respective characters' voice actors.
* Epic Games' original ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' characters sometimes have accompanying songs which can be used as lobby music once unlocked, usually in pop or hip-hop styles.
* ''VideoGame/FZeroGX'' featured image songs for all of the characters, some with lyrics. Yes, including [[MemeticBadass Captain Falcon]].
* ''[[Anime/GalaxyAngel Galaxy]] [[VideoGame/GalaxyAngel Angel]]'' has a massive amount of image songs across its various seasons and games, and throws in a few duets for good measure.
* Young Maylay, the voice of Carl 'C.J.' Johnson in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' and accomplished rap musician, used the game's theme song as a backing track for the first song on his LP, ''San Andreas: The Original Mixtape'', where he raps about the game in character.
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is full of these, but ''Guilty Gear -STRIVE-'' takes the cake. With no fewer than 25 playable characters, Creator/DaisukeIshiwatari gets to crank out hit after hit, to the point where in ''-STRIVE-'' not only does every character in the roster have one, but there's even one for ''the series itself!''
* The ''VideoGame/HarukanaruTokiNoNakaDe'' franchise got quite a bit of these; in fact, the ''Hachiyou Shou'' anime TV series makes a point of using the ten associated character songs -- eight for [[CastFullOfPrettyBoys the main team]] plus two for the villains -- for the [[ADayInTheLimelight character-centered episodes]]: either within the episode itself, often as a ThemeMusicPowerUp, or replacing the regular EndingTheme. Even [[ArtificialHuman Yasuaki]], who is voiced by Creator/AkiraIshida, wasn't spared (one episode has a remake version of his Image Song as the ending).
* The ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'' reboot has TJ Combo's theme [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JapDyUwAu8 "I'm Back (To Rise)"]] - a hard-hitting rap number with lyrics detailing his attempts to recapture his pride and glory after his fall from grace, and prove that he can still fight at the top of his game.
* Certain guests in ''VideoGame/LibraryOfRuina'' have special battle themes with lyrics provided by Music/{{Mili}}.
** Tomerry, the boss of Love Town, has the song "From A Place of Love", a song about [[spoiler: how Tommy and Merry [[TragicMonster regret accepting Elena and Jae-hon's deal, outright wishing they were dead instead.]]]]
** Xiao's battle theme "Iron Lotus" is about her grief over losing her husband and how she tries to turn that pain into strength to fight on and avenge his death.
** [[spoiler:Distorted Yan's]] battle theme is "Children of the City", a song about [[spoiler:how Yan desired to break free of the Prescripts, only to realize his attempts at rebellion were a pointless SelfFulfillingProphecy.]]
* ''VideoGame/LimbusCompany'': During the final boss of a Canto (aside from Cantos I and II), a song by Music/{{Mili}} plays during the fight that is sung from the perspective of the character whom the chapter focuses on. In addition, each of the Sinners sings their own version of the song "Fade Away" at the end of their Cantos.
** "Between Two Worlds" from Canto III is sung from the perspective of Sinclair, and is divided between an angelic-sounding "light half" and a dramatic, frantic "dark half". The former half has Sinclair lament the loss of his family, wishing he had never met Kromer and set the tragic events of his life into motion. The latter half is about Sinclair's desire to break free of his shell and finally kill Kromer once and for all.
** "Fly, My Wings" from Canto IV is sung from Yi Sang's perspective during the battle with [[spoiler:Dongrang]], about his desire to do what he loves and be happy in the wake of the League of Nine's collapse.
** "Compass" from Canto V is sung from Ishmael's perspective during the final battle with Ahab. The song is about how her time with Ahab caused her to lose her way and fall to obsessive madness, but now she's breaking free and charting a new path without Ahab.
* ''VideoGame/MaxPayne3'' had "Tears", performed by HEALTH and specially made for the game, which would later catapult the band into success. The song is about Max's constant hanging onto the past and how he needs to let go of the death of his wife and daughter. It's a very gritty song which fits specially well with Max's depressed character.
* As a game that uses StoryBreadcrumbs to tell an overarching narrative, one of ''VideoGame/MementoMoriAFKRPG'''s major selling points is this, giving every playable [[MageSpecies witch]] (even the ComMons) their own song — "Lament" — that each tell their personal stories and feelings from before and/or after meeting [[PlayerCharacter the Successor]], sung by famous Japanese singers. Bonus points to the Witches of Qlipha and a select few normal witches for having their Laments sung by their own voice actresses.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'' has plot-important image songs for Paz and Peace Walker that play in game, and an image song for Big Boss and Kaz each that came on a supplemental drama CD.
** In ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' every distinct boss has their own song, which plays in instrumental during their fight, [[SongsInTheKeyOfPanic then turns to play in full glory with spoken lyrics when their health drops past a certain point]]. The FinalBoss song "It Has To Be This Way" mixes it up a bit, as it isn't clear whether the song refers to Raiden or [[spoiler:Armstrong]], working equally well for both of them.
--->''I've [[ReluctantPsycho carved my own path]] / you've [[BloodKnight followed your wrath]] / but maybe [[NotSoDifferentRemark we're both the same.]]''
*** One could argue that both "Rules of Nature" is a shared song for both the [=UGs=] RAY and Grad and Raiden. One interpretation is the song has the idea that the "strong" (i.e. the two [=UGs=]) can be overpowered by "the agile prey" (Raiden) through quick thinking. Another is that all 3 are "a predator on the verge of death"; due to how quickly cybernetics advanced between ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' and ''Rising: Revengence'' Unmanned Gears, with the slight exception of Gekkos and other [=UGs=], have become obsolete as [[{{Cyborg}} cyborgs]] can quickly handle them as well as Raiden's own cybernetics have become outdated, letting Sam beat him with little effort [[spoiler: despite only having a artificial arm.]]
** In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidV'', licensed 80s music with double meanings for the characters is included, as well as several original UsefulNotes/{{Synthwave}} songs which are more clearly about the characters (particularly the song "The Phantom Pain").
* ''VideoGame/MystIIIExile'''s ending theme seems to have the sole purpose of fleshing out its narrator (Tamra, the BigBad's wife), a minor character who never appeared in the game.
* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'':
** "Ai No Uta" (Love Song), the image song for the eponymous creature first appeared in a Japanese commercial for the original Gamecube game. It later became a phenomenon over there, actually outselling the game it was about. The most popular demographic was [[{{Salaryman}} middle-aged working men]], who strongly identified with the themes of loyalty despite abuse which the Pikmin expressed:
-->''Uprooted, we'll follow you alone.''
-->''Today once again we'll carry, fight, multiply, and then be eaten.''
-->''Dug up, we'll meet again and be thrown around.''
-->''But we'll follow you forever.''
** There's also Ai no Uta's B side ''Namida ga Afureta'' (The Tears are Overflowing) which is sung from the perspective of Captain Olimar. Who is crying because after everything [[TearJerker he forgot to tell the Pikmin he loved them before leaving.]] It makes a great contrast. The Pikmin loved Olimar without any need for reciprication, and Olimar loved the Pikmin but never got to tell them.
** In comparison, "Tane no Uta" (Seed Song), the commercial song for ''VideoGame/Pikmin2'', is rather tame; it merely describes the five types of Pikmin in the game and their varying colors and abilities.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi7g9LbBv8A "Mimikyu's Song"]].
* ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'''s Creator/AdultSwim-themed radio station includes a song by Music/UnknownHinson sung in-character as [[WesternAnimation/{{Squidbillies}} Early Cuyler]] titled "Save Me From Myself".
* ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' might be one of the most extreme cases. There are literally dozens of versions of the original theme song, recorded by every possible cast member or combination of cast members. In addition, there are straight Image Songs for each of the main cast, which sometimes find their way into the actual games as individual themes.
* Creator/{{SNK}}:
** The "Psycho Soldier Theme" is likely the UrExample for video games, created for the ''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'' arcade game in 1986. It's essentially a BraggingThemeTune for [[PintSizedPowerhouse Athena Asamiya]] and her PsychicPowers. A full cut of the song was sold on cassette, but the game itself had a shorter version that played in the first stage and during the credits -- vocals included! It also occasionally shows up in Athena's crossover appearances; for a while, ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' made a new version of the song every year.
** Speaking of ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'', it has a few image songs on every arranged sound track from '94 to '98. Most of them are usually sung by Athena's VA, but '95 has a song where the entire cast gets in on the action, and '97 has a Kyo/Iori duet. Hell, even Choi gets to sing! The tail end of it is the short song that's played in his intro during ''KOF '98'' if he's the first character out on the team or if it's a 1v1 match, "Choi Bounge Ondo."
** Mai Shiranui from the ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' games has gotten 2 image songs, based on her background music themes: "Kachou Fuugetsu Otome Mai" (not by her voice actress, but Reiko Chiba) and "Dear MAI Boy" (by her actual voice actress, Akoya Sogi). Blue Mary also has an image song, "Blue Mary's Blues" which has a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khbd5Pcj9g4 sprite-based video.]]
** Some image songs for ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' exist, at least for Nakoruru and Rimururu (like ''Egao de Iru'' for the latter). A couple of albums made of them were once released by SNK: ''SNK Gals Vocals Collection'' and ''SNK Guys Vocals Collection''; the former included one for [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Yuri Sakazaki]].
** A couple of albums made of them were once released by SNK: ''SNK Gals Vocals Collection'' and ''SNK Guys Vocals Collection''; the former included one for [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Yuri Sakazaki]].
* ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' and ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' have character songs for all the playable characters plus the game's theme tune. ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' replaced individual character themes with team themes (fitting the game's gimmick). The trend varyingly continues with the most recent games (different songs for different endings in ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', only one theme song for ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'', etc). Sonic's theme song ''It Doesn't Matter'' is particularly noteworthy since the ''Adventure'' games only bring up that aspect of his character on a surface level, but the ''VideoGame/SonicStorybookSeries'' expands on what he means by those lyrics.
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' combined this with ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics to create ''Super Mario Compact Disco''. Oddly enough, Peach is only mentioned ''once'' throughout the soundtrack (specifically during the "Super Mario USA" song), as the rest of it is spent playing up Daisy as Mario's LoveInterest.
* The Masou Kishin/Elemental Lords in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' mostly had their {{Leitmotif}}s turned into Image Song. Other than Masaki's, they're usually sung by their own seiyuus (Masaki's Image Song is sung by [[Music/JAMProject Ichiro Mizuki and Hironobu Kageyama]].) There's also image songs by Music/JAMProject about the SRX Team's {{Leitmotif}}.
* ''VideoGame/TheIdolmaster'' has it ''in spades'', even down to ''character cover songs''. Doesn't help that this game is all about {{Idol Singer}}s...
* Two were released along with ''VideoGame/UmJammerLammy'' - one a fairly straightforward extended version album with Katy Kat singing to the game's songs along with the tutors (with occasional [[AWildRapperAppears rap guest verses]] from Parappa), and a more interesting hip-hop remix album by Parappa, whose voice actor was presumably given carte blanche to rap about whatever he wanted and so did a kid-friendly 70s ConsciousHipHop throwback that [[DarkerAndEdgier darkens up the character]]. The implication of the album is that while Parappa is a [[NiceGuy good, diligent kid]] who stayed well away from [[GangstaRap gangs, drugs, underage drinking, institutional police violence and so on]], he grew up in an environment where he had to ''work'' to avoid it, instead of being in a situation where he never had to face that at all. (These topics are not even mentioned in [[SugarBowl the games]].)
* ''VideoGame/XenoSaga Episode II'' contains a track called "The Image Song of VideoGame/XenoSaga Episode II" (a portion of it is played while fighting Margulis). However, it doesn't appear to be from the point of view of any particular character.
* In ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'', every party member gets their own song for the karaoke minigame, some re-purposed from earlier games (e.g Nanba sings "Baka Mitai"). Ichiban's song, however, is original and ''very'' clearly about himself, singing about his desire to "level up" and become a hero.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'':
** One that stands out the most has to be Keiichi and Ooishi's duet from the first season set of songs featuring GratuitousEnglish rapping. Following true ''Higurashi'' fashion, it's a funny song to listen to. [[spoiler:Until Keiichi claws out his throat at the end.]]
--->''"Do you know Oyashiro-sama?"\\
"Yes, Hinamizawa."\\
"I kill you, you kill me."\\
"No, Hinamizawa."''
** The song for Shion and Mion called "Birthday of Two". The difference is, however, that it sounds happy and upbeat...if you don't speak Japanese. Insert Mion begging, [[spoiler:probably for her life]], and Shion's creepy laugh right before the final chorus and you have something that will does a thorough job of creeping the hell out of random passerby. Shion then got her own image song, called "Sora No Mukou".
** Everyone's various renditions of "Dear You".
** Several of the characters have image songs. Rika has two different ones, [[spoiler:because she's the main protagonist]], called "Mugen Kairou" and "S-A-G-A ~Rinne no Hate ni~".
* ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'':
** During the airing of the anime, we had Jessica's "Dokkyun Heart" and Maria'a absolutely ''adorable'' "Happy Halloween MARIA", as well as Beatrice's "Chain" and George's "Love Declaration".
** The album Rokkenjima in Love (released alongside [=EP6=]) contains Image Songs for Battler, Maria, Bernkastel, Kumasawa[[spoiler:/Virgilia]], Kyrie, Beatrice, The Seven Sisters of Purgatory, Ange, and one for the [=EP3=] myth battle between Beatrice and Virgilia. Beatrice's second Image Song deserves mention, though, for being instrumentalized and used as epic BGM in [=EP7=].
** Rokkenjima Yakai, which gives Battler and Beatrice a new song each, and also one for Kanon, Clair, Dlanor, Erika, Ronove, and Chiester 556. Will and Lion share a song, as well as Kinzo and Genji.
** 'La Tragedia Divina' is considered one for Kinzo despite the fact that it's not sung by his actor.
* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' has one of these for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf1KL1b4VCY Saber,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKnOFRLs9hU Shirou,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHrpj8ihSuM Rin]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cSKxSBKxpE Archer,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvwK3rHd9p0 Illya,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kEdIvEVZYM Sakura,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcN-kFvlSyg Rider,]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pujmjt_Pi6w Caster,]] respectively. They come with a remix and an instrumental version. There's also the image song for both Taiga ''and'' Illya, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSV8WMc_Yq0 We Are Tora Buru,]] which is FunPersonified and hilarious insanity condensed into a single song.
* ''VisualNovel/HatePlus'' has "It's Not Ero!" for *Hyun-ae. It assumes the listener completed both games with *Hyun-ae as a lover and is about her desire to be with the investigator who [[spoiler:salvaged her from the ''Mugunghwa'']], while--as the title suggests--making a TakeThatAudience at the parts of the {{eroge}} fanbase who views characters purely from a sexual standpoint and nothing else.
--> ''This is no ero story \\
Won't show you smutty [=CGs=] \\
Those things aren't romantic to me''
* The ''VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial'' series has had loads of [=CDs=] released. The first game in particular had MANY image songs and that was just for the lead character, Shiori.
* ''VisualNovel/ObeyMeOneMasterToRuleThemAll''
** The seven brothers each have individual character songs sung by their voice actors, with Lucifer's "Arcadia", Mammon's "Are You Ready?", Leviathan's "My Chance!", Satan's "Read My Heart", Asmodeus's "Pomade", Beelzebub's "Hungry Six-Pack", and Belphegor's "Dreamscape".
*** Each of them also participate in a unit song, with Lucifer and Satan singing "Passion", Mammon, Leviathan, and Asmodeus singing "Choose Me", and Beelzebub and Belphegor singing "Telepathy".
** The side characters (sans Raphael, Mephistopheles and Thirteen) also have songs sung by their Voice Actors as well, with Diavolo's "No. 1", Barbatos's "Crazy About You", Luke's "My Wish", Simeon's "Question Love", and Solomon's "Our Destiny".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In 2003, the creators of ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' released an album called ''Music/StrongBadSingsAndOtherTypeHits'', mostly featuring new versions of songs from the site.
* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' is fond of doing this as extras on the season soundtracks. So far Sarge, Donut, Caboose, Church, Tucker, and York have all had one.
* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', fitting its anime inspirations, has Image Songs for almost every primary character, and for some, more than one. Some of these songs also appear in the show itself as battle songs, though the lyrics can be out of context to the action onscreen. Others are used as {{leitmotif}}s, most prominently seen with the songs from the original trailers.
* The ''{{WebAnimation/TOME}}'' 5-year anniversary soundtrack has a lyrical version of Survive the Drama, which features [[spoiler: Zetto]] singing about how he wants to destroy the Forbidden Power. Also, the theme songs ''Battle On'' and ''Heroes Don't Ask Questions'' are sung by the voice actors for Alpha and Kirbopher (with the latter being exclusively sung by Alpha's actor), while the song ''100,000,001'' is sung by the voice actress for [=BaileySmith13=] (although it doesn't seem to be from her perspective).
** Of special note here is the song "Starlight Road" by Rocket Ship Resort, which only appears in the credits for Episode 7. Although Starlight Road was a pre-existing song prior to its use in TOME, the version heard in the show is a [[CoveredUp cover]] by Blake Swift (Alpha's voice actor) and [[NonSingingVoice another singer (who is meant to represent Flamegirl) ]], turning it into an ImageSong for the two of them.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Fans}}'' actually had an entire chapter about a musical vampire that included Image Songs for most of the main characters.
* ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'' has "Quest for the Arkentools", sung by the comic writer, from Warlord Stanely's POV.
* The songs in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' don't normally have lyrics, though a handful of album exclusive ones do, a few of them acting as Image Songs for the characters. The first is the original (Scrapped) version of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqKvmyPhUf8 The Ballad of Jack Noir,]] which serves as an image song for, well, Jack Noir. The second is Eridan's Walkabout which, while not having a vocal track, was released with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBB7nP6m5OA a set of lyrics]] that serve as this for Eridan... or at least, for his pirate persona. Interestingly, the lyrics seem to indicate that Eridan is not, in fact, the one singing. The third is [[http://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/temporal-shenanigans Temporal Shenanigans,]] which acts as a theme for Aradia, illustrating her character development through the comic. "[=G4m3=] Grl" serves as one of these for Latula, although perhaps not with Latula singing.
* ''Webcomic/TheLittleTrashmaid'': Tidy has two of them - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckEqHuE3XhE "Fun in the Ocean"]] and [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgivp5k-tfw "Just Wonderin'"]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ShimmerAndShine'' gives us "Make a Wish" from the show's OriginsEpisode "The First Wish". It describes Shimmer and Shine word-per-word as well as their wishing ability and how they embrace it.
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'':
** The ''Best Day Ever'' album contains several original songs about and performed by the main characters: "Employee of the Month" for [=SpongeBob=], "Under My Rock" for Patrick, "Superior" for Squidward, "You Will Obey" for Plankton, "Who Wants to Race Me?" for Sandy, and "Fishin' For Money" for Mr. Krabs.
** In Germany, there are multiple German [=SpongeBob=] albums that contain original/cover songs sung by the characters, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4thxGmdDl4 Bargeldlos (Mr. Krabs)]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPyWT1wN478 Tief im Ozean (SpongeBob and Patrick)]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDsdwCzG1wc Witzig, Witzig (Sandy)]],[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzOp0JIZGUs Weil ich ein Burgerbrater bin (Spongebob)]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3i5Le87KH8 Lecker Lecker (Spongebob)]]. As of 2022, there are a total of 14 albums with some contaning original storylines.
* The two-part episode of ''WesternAnimation/KappaMikey'' had a karaoke theme and each character had his or her own song included. Being a parody of anime, this is appropriate, although the voice actors' singing abilities are far from ''Series/AmericanIdol'' quality.
* "I Don't Need No Instructions (To Know How to Rock)" from ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce [[TheMovie Colon Movie Film For Theaters]]'' would fit this trope for Carl down to a T if it weren't for the fact that Carl's voice actor never actually sings this in any known media.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' had "Do the Bartman" and "Deep Deep Trouble" (among others; the cast recorded an album called ''Music/TheSimpsonsSingTheBlues'' which was about half these and half blues songs sung in character, which was followed up by ''Music/TheYellowAlbum'', but those two are the best known). The former gets referenced in later episodes occasionally in order to poke fun at the show's initial reception; in one episode, Bart sings a bit of it only to be dismissed by Ralph Wiggum --
--> '''Ralph:''' That is ''so'' 1991!
* The ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' did this in the early 1990s with the ''Coming Out Of Their Shells'', an album featuring the eponymous characters as a rock band, singing character building and motiviational songs about their lives. One song from the album - "Pizza Power" - was featured in the arcade/SNES title ''Turtles in Time''. This album also gave birth to a live stage tour, which Shredder temporarily takes over to sing an image song of his own, in which he sings about how much he hates music.
* The ''WesternAnimation/AroundTheWorldWithWillyFog'' soundtrack CD features image songs for Romy, Rigodón (joined by Tico), and Dix and Transfer (as antagonists with different goals, they share a DistantDuet).
* June had her own image song in ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'', titled "I'm Flying", which she (most likely) wrote herself. However, she got a neck injury and never finished. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQq2snhu4Vg#t=1m3s As well as]] "I Love to [=KaBlam=][[TradeSnark ™]]"
* ''WesternAnimation/ActionLeagueNow'': "THUNDERGIRL, FLYING LIKE THUNDER, WHILE OTHERS MUST WONDER, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
* Creator/ChristyCarlsonRomano, WesternAnimation/KimPossible's voice actress, sings "Say The Word" ''as'' Kim, which is a braggy song about her released on the soundtrack CD. She later sang a remixed version in the "Hidden Talent" episode.
* Toad in ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' has one.
* Each of the ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' girls has one of these released as part of the ''Winx Club In Concert'' CD. (However, this excludes Roxy, as the album was released before season 4.)
* While not sung by any voice actors from the cartoon adaption, there were a few songs back in ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' G1 that described some ponies. The CD was based off the toy line and was European, so it makes sense they wouldn't use anyone from the American cartoons.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E18AFriendInDeed "A Friend In Deed"]] gives us Pinkie Pie's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNrXMOSkBas "Smile Song,"]] which perfectly describes her personality. It bears noting that back when it was leaked onto the Internet (as an audio track with no sound effects), many fans speculated that it was meant to be a soundtrack CD exclusive.
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'' has Rainbow Dash's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V46wBBd5CM "Awesome As I Wanna Be,"]] whose chorus calls back to her part of "At The Gala", which inspired many fan music pieces. The OST-exclusive second verse even includes her [[MemeticMutation memetic]] catchphrase [[TwentyPercentMoreAwesome "20 percent cooler."]] There's also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOEKu8L5UqQ "Tricks Up My Sleeve"]] for Trixie, and Hasbro later released [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eTef5Iqe0Y "My Past is Not Today"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl88FPaxwEQ "Life is A Runway,"]] for Sunset Shimmer and Rarity respectively.
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[[folder:Real Life]]
* The Dutch national anthem ''Het Wilhelmus'' is a song written from the point of view of William of Orange, and why he's fighting for the Dutch.
** Folklore in many countries takes a similar approach, with folk songs singing the praise or perspective of historic people. For example, in the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates the radical abolitionist John Brown was immortalized in the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSSn3NddwFQ John Brown's Body,]] which explains John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry to free its slaves & his subsequent execution.
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