Certain film soundtracks may place an emphasis on or songs or artists with a connection to where the film is set. Using material connected to a film's Real Life setting can help build a sense of atmosphere or appeal to audiences in the area. This could take the form of using pre-existing songs as a form of Regional Riff, getting artists associated with the area to record a cover or produce some new material, or bringing on a composer with a local connection to do the score.
Examples:
Films — Animated
- Lilo & Stitch: Set in Hawaii, the soundtrack features original songs written by Hawaiian artist Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu, which he also performs with the local Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus.
- Moana: The film is set at the end of the long pause, a thousand-year period without voyaging in Polynesian history. Te Vaka, a Polynesian band, produces the film's soundtrack alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Films — Live-Action
- Dancin' Thru the Dark: The film is set in Liverpool and written by local playwright, Willy Russell. He also wrote the original songs used in the soundtrack. "Shoeshine" is specifically about working as a shoeshine boy for one of the shipping companies whose vessels would dock in the city.
- Local Hero: Pop-Star Composer of the film's score, Mark Knopfler was born in Scotland. (He also spent most of his childhood in Newcastle. "Going Home" from the film's soundtrack is pretty much tied with "The Blaydon Races" for the title of Geordie National Anthem.)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe: Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home use the songs "Blitzkreig Bop", "I Wanna Be Sedated" and "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" by The Ramones in parts of their soundtracks, since The Ramones were a band from Queens, New York - where Peter Parker lives.
- My Old School: The film features new material from Scottish artists such as Lulu, HYYTS and Blue Rose Code, as well as "Rip It Up" by Orange Juice, who were founded in Bearsden where the film is set.
- Our Ladies (2019): Set in Fort William and Edinburgh, Scottish songs and artists feature prominently in the non-diegetic parts of the soundtrack, with tracks from Martyn Bennett, Christine Bovill and Eddi Reader.
- Priest (1994) is set in Liverpool. "You'll Never Walk Alone", Liverpool FC's anthem, is sung by the church choir. An instrumental version plays on the soundtrack at the end of the film.
- The Slab Boys: The soundtrack is based largely around covers of classic Rock 'n' Roll songs from The '50s covered by Scottish artists.
- Young Adam (2003) is set in Scotland, and had a soundtrack composed by Scottish-American David Byrne, collaborating with members of Scottish bands Mogwai and Belle and Sebastian.
Western Animation
- Phineas and Ferb: In "Meapless in Seattle," a Suspiciously Similar Song equivalent of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana is used during the first scene in Seattle, where Nirvana originated.
