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Sugar Wiki: Most Wonderful Sound

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"Oh, I love that sound. [It's] the sound of us getting out of here in one piece."
— Darman, Hard Contact

The complete polar opposite of the Most Annoying Sound, this is for a sound/visual cue/etc - usually in a video game (but not always), that may or may not come up often, but is so satisfying to hear that sometimes you just want to reset the game/rewind the video and hear it again. Whereas Most Annoying Sound is universally caused by the sound itself, the Most Wonderful Sound can either be caused by the sound itself (perhaps it's a particularly catchy jingle, is an iconic sound, or is a quote that's just that Badass), or because hearing means that something really good just happened or is about to happen.

The most wonderful part of these wonderful sounds, of course, is figuring out how to spell them.

Compare Awesome Music. Contrast Hell Is That Noise.

    open/close all folders 

    Anime 
  • The steady, humming cadence of the Super Saiyan battle aura in Dragon Ball Z.
  • Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha has the chambering of cartridges into the Intelligent Devices, especially those of the two leads. Carried to its logical conclusion here. Yeah.
    • More Intelligent Devicey goodness.
    • Every time Bardiche talks. That voice is just awesome. Here.
    • Raising Heart too, particularly when she says "All right". She sounds so reassuring.
    • The distinctive "shing" sound whenever a mage casts a spell. Made even more epic by some characters whenever they feel it's time to kick ass. Examples are when Fate or Erio casts a big spell, the sound is immediately followed by the crackle of lightning and as shown in the video above, Nanoha's casting sound is immediately followed by the hum of a Wave Motion Gun being charged.
  • GunBuster's Buster Machine March. The sequel even had a scene especially made to subvert this.
  • The Newtype flash.
  • A certain sound effect occasionally used for energy weapon by Artmic. It can be found near the climax of Bubblegum Crisis episode 3 (when Priss destroys that last Boomer), or all over the anime-style training videos for Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future (Occurs a few seconds in here)
  • Gundam 00 has several unique themes as part of its soundtrack, but the most notable of late has been Season 2 deploying a specific and highly recognizable music track whenever the protagonists are about to really pull something impressive off. Audible around the 3 minute mark here, as the Ptolemaios II enters the atmosphere.
    • Not sure if it's the same song, but this is the song that usually gets played right when the protagonists are about to kick some serious ass.
    • There's nothing quite like the sound of the Gundams's eyes flashing in the middle of a heavy action sequence, or right after one.
    • The Braves piloted by Graham Aker's squad in A Wakening of the Trailblazer have a particle rifle that fires with a highly pleasing sound effect.
  • The sound of the original Mobile Suit Gundam's beam rifle is so awesome that the Unicorn's beam magnum fires with the same sound.
  • The plink-plink-plink sound of the Freedom Gundam's targeting scope picking up ZAFT/Earth Alliance mobile suits, preparatory to unleashing a load of Beam Spam.
  • 'Here I go! THIS HAND OF MINE IS BURNING RED! IT'S LOUD ROAR TELLS ME TO GRASP VICTORY! ERUPTING! BURNING! FINGEEEER!
  • Code Geass:
    • VrrrEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Ah, the sound of Mind Rape...
    • "Lelouch vi Britannia commands you!"
      • Now, all of you ... DIE!
  • Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Drills. Spiral Gauges from that series as well.
  • The Mach 5 from Speed Racer had three specially distinctive and loved sounds: the starting, the engine and the "chuck-chuck-chuck" from the Auto Jack.
  • Bleach:
  • Fist of the North Star:
    • "Omae wa mou shinde iru." / "You're already dead."
    • ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA...WA-TAA!!
    • Kokuoh galloping.
    • Lightning strikes that sometimes occur in the background.
    • BLA-BLOMSH! In the Viz manga, this is the sweet, sweet sound of Kenshiro popping Mr. Heart's head and stomach like grapes.
  • Audible Sharpness. Specifically, the kind that was prevalent in 70s and 80s anime, whenever a sword was drawn and light curves up the blade. Shows up occasionally in Samurai Jack.
  • The "twinkling" sound effect that you hear whenever Lum flies.
  • Higurashi no Naku Koro ni:
    • "Mii~" "Nipaa!"
    • OMOCHIKAERI~!!
    • That sound the original version uses for the "higurashi zoom" effect.
      • And a perfect crossover between Most Wonderful Sound and Hell Is That Noise with the beautiful, dreadful, suspenseful sound of screaming cicadas.
  • Azumanga Daioh: Sata Andagi!
    • Nekokoneko: Nyaa~!
    • Heeeee~
      • In other words, Osaka's reaction to splitting chopsticks cleanly, a couple of years before Chiyo reveals the trick to it.
    • Osaka's Japanese voice alone is a Most Wonderful Sound.
    • Sakaki giggling on the English track as she rolls around with Mayaa.
  • Hellsing's English dub: anything said by Alucard. Anything.
  • Death Note:
  • Kara no Kyoukai: Overlapping with Leitmotif (yet belonging here because it's not one single track), is the choral segment of Shiki Ryougi's asskicking music. Someone or something is going to get cut.
  • Admit it, when you hear the sound of the G-Stone sliding into place, follwed by the loud whine of Genesic GaoGaiGar's eyes lighting up, and concluded with a chorus letting off one loud note as the hair pops out, you know things are going to be BADASS
  • The Big Os foot steps.
    • From the same clip, "Sure Promise" means it's time for an ass-whuppin', and Big O is the one doing the giving.
  • Similarly to the Big O example above, 'Vweee-VWOO Mm!' and 'Chk-CHUK' sounds Armored Troopers (and Scopedogs in particular) make when maneuvering. Virtually all the stock sound effects used in the show are equally satisfying.
  • GUN×SWORD: Haaaaaaaaaaoooooooooo... ohhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaa! When Dann of Thursday starts playing, shit gets real.
    • When Van turns his hat sideways, you hear the ring attached to it make a very distinctive jingle. Awesomeness ensues.
  • Cowboy Bebop: 3...2...1...let's jam! DUN-DUN DUN-DUN DUN-DUN DUN-DUN DAH-DAH!
  • Heat Guy J's steam release sound, often accompanied by bagpipes.
  • A lot of the sound effects on Sailor Moon. The best ones are the sounds being played before and during transformations and attacks.
    • That little bell noise made when Sailor Moon first appears in an episode is great.
    • Codename: Sailor V: Se! Ra! V!
  • Poyo!
  • The KCHA-doooOOOOO...sound that Poké Balls make in the Pokémon anime.
    • Not to mention the sound they make when the Pokémon is recalled: PSHHHEEEEWWW-dooooOOoo.
    • Or the sound they make when a Pokémon is successfully caught. Toh.
    • "Piiii...kaaaa... CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
  • Naruto has many: the sounds made by many attacks (the bird-cry finish of a striking Chidori, the whirling of a Rasengan, and when one first sees the Rasenshuriken and hears that ringing sound, you just know it's gonna cause a shitload of damage if/when it hits), the sound of a Sharingan or Mangekyo Sharingan activating, and Killer-B's "WHEEEEEE!!!!!!."
    • Lariattoo!
    • WHEEEEEE!!!!!! may be found here.
    • Naruto's new form gives off a sound similar to a calm, soothing flame.
    • Also, the sound of a compressed bijuudama before being swallowed.
    • The sound of anyone concentrating chakra. You know SOMETHING cool is about to happen.
  • That little motif that plays at the beginning of the Ideon Gun music. Buuuumbaaaabababaaaaa.
  • The sounds the Transformers make while walking around in Transformers Victory, as well as Star Saber shouting "SABER BLAAAAADE!"
  • In the English dub of Digimon Adventure, there is that high pitched screech noise whenever a digimon digivolves. Like this.
    • In the Japanese original and most other foreign dubs, evolution sequences start with a loud guitar riff, the opening of the Theme Song Powerup Brave Heart. The riff is played regardless of whether Brave Heart follows, but it (and the evolution sequences) in an interesting twist comes across as downright eerie without Brave Heart following it; sometimes (notably in Our War Game) to the point of coming across as Hell Is That Noise instead. It may be a matter of recognition; if an evolution is happening and Brave Heart isn't playing, it's probably not going to end well...
    • Hell, any time an insert song comes on in any Digimon series.
  • English-dub Sana Kurata or Tohru Honda making that exasperated squeal. It makes their characters in my opinion.
  • Belldandy's singing voice is absolutely beautiful, especially in some of her drama albums and the movie. this song.
  • One very specific line in the English dub of FLCL: In episode 4, at some point after Naota and Kamon's epic airsoft battle, Mamimi says to Kitsurabami, "Actually, confusing cyborgs and robots is a common mistake." The way she slightly pauses after "actually" and "robots", and in general the fact that she's Stephanie Sheh is just... asssaldjfhjgaljshdflovelovelove ;~;.
    • From the final episode, whe have the Spanish guitar riff at the opening and close of I Think I Can.
    • Not to mention the sound Haruko's guitar makes when she hits things.
  • When Kimblee in episode 61 of Brotherhood appeared from Pride's soul and started talking to him, therefore distracting Pride and making Ed win. The voice actor must have had something to do with it, though.
    Kimblee: Oh, this won't do. This just won't do, homunculus Pride.
    Pride: Kimblee? There's no way! How could you maintain your own self-awareness in this tempest of souls...?!
    Kimblee: Tempest? You make me laugh. Howls of anguish are like are like lullabies to my ears!
    • Also the sound that any alchemical reaction (that isn't about to backfire horrifically) makes. Combine that with the blue light = epic.
  • One Piece has loads of wonderful sounds. Aside from the general awesome sounds most devil fruit transformations create, and the Audible Sharpness every sword has, there's some very good ones associated with individual characters' attacks. Let's see...
    • Whenever Bartholomew Kuma uses his power.
    • A lot of the Evil Laughs can qualify. Wost notably, Crocodile's "Kua ha ha ha" and to a lesser extent, Fukurou's "Chapapa"
    • Luffy: "Gear: Second." *Sssshhh.* "Gomu gomu no... *stretch* Jet Pistol!" *zuu thwack*
    • Zoro: "Santōryū Ougi: Sanzen Sekai! *Slash, slash, slash*
    • Sanji: *Zuu zuu zuu zuu zuu* Diable Jambe. *Whoosh*
    • Whitebeard's power's sound definitely qualifies.
    • Also, of course, that WONDERFUL crack when Spandam's back breaks.
  • T.K.'s Gratuitous English lines. "GET CHANCE AND LUCK!"
  • The sound that swords make when the wielder shifts grips. Sth-CHICK!
  • The first words the Pharaoh says after arriving on the scene. Same goes for Yami Bakura. Bonus points for usually being a pun, or something like "I don't think you know who you're talking to." Both of them have voices about three octaves lower than their hosts, and when you hear them speak it only means one thing; shit's going down.
    • The Japanese Yami Bakura's evil cackle is addicting.
    • The lifepoint beeping sound. Now much clearer.
    • The Japanese dub has all the stock phrases the characters yell while dueling, which somehow always manage to sound incredibly awesome:
      • TURN! DRAW!
      • REVERSE CARD OPEN!
      • PLAYER DIRECT ATTACK!
      • TURN END!
  • *flapflapflapflapflapflapflapflap*
    • *splooosh* *splash* *drain*
  • ZETSUBOUSHITA! MY DESPAIR BEING A WONDERFUL SOUND HAS LEFT ME IN DESPAIR!
  • The guitar riff signalling the end of an episode of Ouran High School Host Club.
  • FLY AWAY NOW! FLY AWAY NOW!FLYYYY AWAYYYYY~!!
  • The sound that Touma's Imagine Breaker hand makes when it destroys any kind of supernatural spell. It's impossible to describe, but for some reason it's a perfect fit.
    • The sound of Accelerator's powers activating
  • Sayuri's Verbal Tic "Ahaha." So cutesy and somewhat soothing.
  • Every time in a super robot show someone screams the name of the attack they're using, you know this is gonna be awesome. Prime example: ROCKET PUNCH!!!
  • The roar Shogoki/EVA-01 makes in bousou/berserk state Hear it for yourself
    A.T. Field Senkai!
  • The sound of Medabee's rusty joints creaking to life in episode 1.
  • OH HON HON HON HON HON HON HON HON OH HON
    • ve~
    • From Paint It White: "Wa, wa, waaaldo!" D'aaaww.
  • BARRIER! BARRIER! BARRIER!
  • OPEN DEAL
    • YOU HAVE CONTROL
  • The sound the Unicorn Gundam makes when NT-D Mode is activated.
  • Tuturu~ Mayushii desu!
  • "TETSUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" "KANEDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
  • "LET'S GO! SOUL RESONANCE!/TAMASHI NO KYOUMEI!
    • SHINIGAMI CHOP!
  • "Watashi Kirinarimasu!"
  • "Zura ja nai, Katsura da!"
    • "DONDAKKE!"
  • DIGIVOLUTION. OH. GOD. YES!
    • In the English dub, the Biomerge Digivolution music! The harp that kicks in when the tamer holds their Digivice up to their heart to kick things off really tells you that a miracle is about to happen.
    • Also in the English dub, the Digi-Modify music. "D-D-DIGI-MODIFY!"
  • The sound of the runaway spirit detector from The World God Only Knows is quite nice to the ears. DORODORODORODORO!!!
  • From Nichijou: "Helvetica Staaaandard!"
  • If there's one thing a lot of people agree on the anime version of High School DXD, it's Ddraig saying "BOOST!"
  • Every tiny little sound coming from Merumeru Otonashi's mouth. That is, unless you take away her cellphone connection!
  • Eren Yeager + Ridiculous amounts of anger = THIS.
  • DON'T LOSE YOUR WAAAAAAY!!!
    • SEN'I SOUSHITSU! That is, unless it doesn't work. Which happens at least twice.
    • Any time you hear "HALLELUJAH", it means Mako is about to say something important and awesome.
    • Life Fiber Synchronize/Override KAMUI SENKETSU/JUNKETSU
    • Gamagoori's Evil Laugh. He tends to do it when ever he jumps off tall buildings.
  • The way Fushimi Saruhiko says the name of Yata Misaki, his unwilling (and oblivious) object of affection, has developed into this for the Yaoi Fangirls of the K Fandom.
  • Jojos Bizarre Adventure has its signature sound effect, "ORAORAORAORAORA." In the anime, it's made million times better..

    Comic Books 
  • X-Men has the sound effects we know and love: Nightcrawler's "Bamf," Wolverine's "Snikt," and the "Zakt/Zapt" of Cyclops' Eye Beams.
    • "Snikt" has a dozen different versions: Unsheathing is "snikt", re-sheathing is "snakt", when X-23 does it it's "shikt" and "shakt", and when he had the bone claws, it was "schlikt" (sp?) and "schlakt". Some writers forget and use "snikt"/"snakt" for all versions, though.
    • When Storm gets mad...really mad...the sound effect "Skara-KOOM!" (or some variant thereof) shows up. Raw elemental awesome will usually ensue.
    • Blink, of Age of Apocalypse and Exiles fame, has her own sound effect when teleporting: A loud "BLOINK", usually drawn out over several syllables.
  • Dreamwave Comics' Transformers series had "SPOOM!" It was a wonderfully Narmy sound for the explosion of someone getting a hole blasted in his gut, and fans loved it. Simon Furman, not so much, and he didn't use it for very long despite - or perhaps because of - delighted fans begging him to use it more.
    • On the flipside, "SHEAAAAGGGGH!" and variations tend to be poked at.
  • Don Martin of "MAD" was the master of wonderful onomatapoeia.
  • In Howard Chaykin's American Flagg, the Sonambutol guns (which shot tranquilizers at rioting crowds) went "Papapapapapa" when the trigger was pulled back, "OOOOO" as they shot and "mow mow" when the Sonambutol capsules burst and released the drug.
  • Thor and Hercules tend to have wonderful sound effects: "Ska-crack!" "DOOM!" and so forth.
  • There's something to be said for Spider-Man's "Thwipp". Though it takes three more steps towards Crazy Awesome with Marvel 1602where the sound effect is changed to... wait for it... "Thwippe".
  • "Hurm"
    • Ronch ronch ronch
    • RRRRRAAAARRRLL
  • "Snicker-Snack!"
  • For fans of a certain maniacal Monster Clown, "AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!". Spells doom for his victims, but spells awesome for his fans.
  • The old Captain Mar-Vell from, well, Marvel comics, when he switched places with Rick Jones to become the Cap: K-TANG!
  • AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! Bonus points if it's Captain America who gets to call that out.
  • The oh-so-satisfying (and surprisingly accurate) sound of Iron Man's fist hitting, well, anything: FTANG!
  • IDW's Godzilla comics have a very consistent 'SKREEOOONKK' for the big guy's signature roar. It makes for great entrances.

    Film 
  • Film examples don't start without THE sound to end all sounds. Let's hear it in THX.
  • Similarly, the Universal Logo. There's just something about that fanfare...
  • And, to complete the Holy Trinity, the Roar.
  • To many a Batman fan who'd been skeptical of Heath Ledger as The Joker and really wanted to be proven wrong, his Evil Laugh at the end of the first The Dark Knight teaser filled their hearts with warmth as a chill traveled down their spine.
  • A lightsaber igniting is a movie sound Star Wars fans love.
    • No, every sound a lightsaber makes.
    • Similarly, Darth Vader's breath mask. Even the prequels and the worst Big "NO!" in the series couldn't take away from the chill when Darth Vader takes his first tech-assisted breath.
    • That "powering up" sound when Han pulls on the levers and makes the Falcon jump to lightspeed never fails to send a thrill down my spine.
    • If you're playing the Empire in Empire at War FoC. "Death Star ready to fire" means an enemy capital ship, or their planet is about to die.
    • The unique roar of TIE fighter engines.
      • Which is the reversed sound of any giant lizard in a sixties 'Lost World' movie.
      • According to the source, it's traffic on a rain-slick highway mixed with the trumpeting of an elephant.
    • Lasers from TIE and Rebel ships.
    • "Seismic Charge... Standby!... Standby!..." -------- "TWAAAAAANGGGGGG!!!!!!!"
    • BO SHUDA!
      • Ben Burtt makes Most Wonderful Sounds for a living. And he is really good at his job.
    • The low descending note, BWOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo if you will, just prior to the Death Star's main laser firing.
    • "Roger roger."
    • R2-D2's beeping.
    • The opening fanfare. The first few notes especially. There's something about the blasting trumpets coupled with the giant STAR WARS logo that has the tendency to make one squee with delight. There's a reason that the first track on any Star Wars soundtrack CD is the 20th Century Fox fanfare..
    • The noises Chewbacca makes.
    • The sounds of the giant turbolasers mounted to the capital ships.
    • WHRRRRRRRRRR thunkCLANK - sound of AT-ATs walking.
    • The seismic charges dropped by the Slave I.
    • If you grew up in the mid-'90s, and you were first introduced to Star Wars via the 1995 VHS releases, you got treated to an awesome introductory trailer—narrated by the legendary Jim Cummings—every time you popped the movies in. Cummings' whole speech is incredible—but when he says "The Force...is forever!"? Those four words can give any Star Wars fan the chills.
  • You know that foghorn sound in Pacific Rim that heralds Gipsy Danger's arrival? That loud BWOOOOM that sounds like Hans Zimmer's wet dream? That's not part of the soundtrack. That's Gipsy's rescue horn, and it has the double effect of distracting/intimidating Kaijus, and letting humans know that a Jaeger is on its way to kick ass.
  • Nearly every sound effect in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, given that they originated in classic video games.
  • In The Lord of the Rings films,, the Ringwraith scream is one of the most chilling, coolest sounds ever. It's actually a slightly pitched-up recording of a shriek delivered by Peter Jackson's LOTR co-writer/co-producer and wife, Fran Walsh. As PJ tells it, he asked her if she'd like to try, and when she did, the sound guy almost fell out of his chair.
    • Alternately, the car-stalling glub noise the Nazgûl-steed makes in its death throes.
      • The very voice of the Ringwraiths, especially when interrogating that farmer: "Ssshhhhiiiiire...Baaaaaggginnnnssss...."
    • Pretty much all the horns, but first prize goes to the horn of the Rohirrim.
    And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.
  • The roar of Godzilla.
    • The first sound recorded for the Big G was a bird-like chirping; used later for other monsters. Gojira's original roar is a double-bass's strings being rubbed with a leather glove covered in rosin. Slowed down and re-recorded. It has been modified to sound like speech, notably in Son of Godzilla.
    • The sound it makes when "charging up" its energy breath.
  • Honk honk.
  • That metallic clang Cap's shield makes whenever he hits somebody is the harbinger of righteous, AMERICAN, asswhupping.
  • The Wilhelm Scream.
    • And the YEEAAAARRGGGHHH scream.
  • The raptors and the T-Rex roars in Jurassic Park.
  • That horrible (yet awesome) mechanical "GROOOOAAAAN" noise that plays when a Terminator is doing something... Terminator-y.
  • The sound of the Ghost Busters' proton packs charging.
    Peter Venkman: "Doeeeee..."
    Ray Stanz: "Rayyyyyyy..."
    Egon Spengler: "Egonnnnn!" The Take. Fascinating Eyebrow.
    • And by extension, any time this effect is used on other instruments of doom powering up.
      • Ecto One's siren.
      • MRAOOOOW! MRAOOOOOW!!! MRAOWWWWWWW!!!
  • Everything Doug Bradley says as Pinhead.
  • That sort of shriek that happens in Highlander...and the occasional bits of vocalisation from Freddie Mercury in the background. I can't really write them down, but they really add to the atmosphere.
  • The gun sounds in Blade Runner: The Final Cut are just amazing.
  • While THE SOUND can never really be matched, the more complex transformation sounds in the Transformers movies are a wonderful symphony of mechanisms, with special mention being given to the "whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRR" of Optimus Prime's wheels spinning into place in robot mode.
  • THIS! IS! SPARTA!!
    • *HWOMPHF*
      • GWAAAAH!
  • The lightcycles from TRON
  • The title character in Black Dynamite is accompanied by a funky musical sting whenever he appears or does something cool: "DY-NO-MITE! DY-NO-MITE!" was practically made to become a ringtone.
  • The sound of the Alien Mothership starting up towards the end of District 9.
  • The dude with glasses getting hit with the hammer on the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).
  • DAH-DAH! DAAAAAHHHH! DAH-DAH! DAAAAAHHHH! DAH-DAH DA DAH DAH!!
  • The roar of the tripods from War of the Worlds.
  • That wonderful swishing whoosh noise that accompanies each rush of the credits toward you at the beginning of Superman: The Movie.
  • Its not even done being shown in theaters, but the BWONG! sound from Inception is already becoming both a Most Wonderful Sound and an Ear Worm for audience members, if the Youtube comments are anything to go by.
  • Oo-ee-oo-ee-oo!
    • Dew, dew, DEWW.
  • In the first Tomb Raider movie, the first time Lara lights a flare, it makes the EXACT noise it makes in the game.
  • The Click/Blip sound of the motion tracker in Aliens is both this and the scariest thing imaginable.
  • The Morse code beeping during the RKO logo.
  • The War of the Worlds. The sounds made by the Martian war machines' weapons: the Skeleton Beam's firing and the Heat Ray's warm-up sequence and firing.
  • The little machine that goes "BING!" in Monty Pythons The Meaning Of Life.
  • AAAAA-AOA-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OAO-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
  • The sound The Iron Giant makes when he's rebuilding himself, especially after the ending.
  • *silence* . . . . . scrrrreeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE - "NIGHT FURY!" "GET DOWN!" - EEEEEEEEE fhwoooaph BOOM!
  • BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
  • The 20th Century Fox fanfare. Need I say more?
  • Predator chirring.
  • Every time a pump-action shotgun is cocked in a movie.
    • Hell, every time any weapon is cocked in a movie. And when a minigun is spinning up.
  • In the new Red Tails movie, the roar of the Rolls-Royce and Allison engines used by the American fighters, or the Daimler-Benz engines used in the German Me-109s. Rather than being the lawnmower buzz you might normally associate with a propeller plane, the sound of these engines is more like a shrieking roar.
  • The Disney logo. The little bit of music...brings back memories.
  • Groovy.
  • Pretty much all the sounds the robots in WALL•E make are like this.
  • ''Gamera's roar.
  • The four twinkly, etherial music box-esque notes that effectively constitute "Pure Imagination"'s "riff" have a surprisingly otherworldly feel to them.
  • Godzilla (2014):
  • The paper-flipping of the Marvel Studios logo's comic pages.
    • On the subject of Marvel, the click-BWEEEEE of the repulsors in Iron Man charging up.

    Live Action TV 
  • Hearing the TARDIS on Doctor Who arrive has made most characters who understand the significance flip out with joy. (And it probably would do the same for most people familiar with the sound, were it to happen in Real Life.) The sound in question (the "rrrnt!—rrrnt!—rrrnt!") — official onomatopoeia for the TARDIS is VWORP-VWORP — is one of the BBC recording techs taking a house key and scraping it down the bass string of a piano at varying speeds. This almost 50-year old sound effect is still being used in the current series. Why mess with perfection?
    • In the episode "Love & Monsters", Elton describes the 'vworp' as "the most beautiful sound in the universe."
    • The Doctor himself obviously loves it: In "The Time of Angels", River Song claims that the TARDIS makes that sound because he keeps leaving the brakes on. The Doctor's response?
      Doctor: Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise.
      • So do the other renegade Time Lords — in the classic series, the Master's TARDIS and the Rani's TARDIS both have the "vworp" sound.
      • Maybe you're supposed to leave the brakes on?
    • Terrance Dicks would habitually refer to it as a "wheezing, groaning sound" in his numerous novelizations, where the phrase itself becomes a textual equivalent. (It finally makes it onto the show itself in The Day of the Doctor, with Clara explaining that it brings hope to everyone who hears it.)
    • Captain Jack Harkness' eyes spoke for us all at the end of Series 1 of Torchwood.
    • When the good Doctor throws the switch to start the TARDIS, there's a deep clunnnggg! sound that starts the whole dematerialisation sequence. Depending on how the episode has gone, this can sound like the end of the world, notably in 'Fires of Pompeii'.
    • Highlighted in The Day of the Doctor when, The Moment/Bad Wolf!Rose asks The War Doctor about that noise the TARDIS makes, commenting that it brings hope and joy to any who hear it, no matter how lost, even to the Doctor himself. And so, breaking every rule of time, The Moment allows both the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor's TARDIS' through the time lock and into the Time War, the camera focusing on the War Doctor's ear just as the Moment says 'to any who hear it' before the sound kicks in, and it truly brings him the hope he needed. It really is a beautiful moment.
      The Moment: Well, I do try my best....
    • The TARDIS also has its cloister bell alarm, the sound of which indicates something has gone very wrong with the fabric of time and space. Hearing it usually means something truly epic is about to go down.
      • A recording. Apparently it was achieved by striking a gong under water, and the result is hauntingly beautiful.
    • The squeak of the TARDIS doors opening and closing.
    • "EX-TER-MI-NATE!" Awesome for viewers. For characters? Not so much.
    • The Master's drumbeat is also pretty sweet. That sound sends shivers down every spine in hearing range.
    • The sound of the sonic screwdriver (when it's not hooked up to an amp to do something ear-splitting, that is)
    • Any of the Doctor's themes from the new series, whether it's 9 and 10's slower theme or 11's more upbeat one—when that music starts playing, Sh*t. Will. Go. Down.
    • The cliffhanger stinger used from 1970 to 1980; so much so, they brought it back for the new series.
  • The Reichenbach Ballad from Sherlock. Tears will fall.
  • Similarly, the CTU ringtone (bip-bip, BEEP boop) works the same way with 24 fans.
  • "Boop-bipbip, boop-bipbip"...
  • In Babylon 5, the human security forces were armed with a space age version of the Walther PPK that had to charge a capacitor before firing. That faint 'Buhwaaaah' meant 'action scene next'.
    • The sound of the Hyperspace Gate powering up.
    • The Shadow ships.
  • K.I.T.T. had its unique engine sound and of course the scanner SFX.
  • Airwolf and its famous roar/howling of superacceleration jets.
  • Many a classic Monty Python's Flying Circus skit, when performed for an audience, will provoke a mild ovation just with the first line.
    • "Good evening ladies and gentlemen; here's a little number I tossed off recently in the Caribbean."
    • Then, of course, there's the old guy at the start of most of the shows: "IT'S...."
    • Well, by that extent, it'd be the foot stomping shit with that classic farting sound.
    • "And now for something completely different."
    • What? All this and no mention of the opening theme?
      • In all fairness, John Philip Sousa's "Liberty Bell March" long predated the show (just like the "Colonel Bogey March" long predated Bridge on the River Kwai), and so it's not really a theme and isn't automatically connected to Monty Python.
      • Says you.
  • In a similar vein, in SNL's first season, the sound of crashing as Chevy Chase falls over and then breaks character: "Live from New York! It's Saturday Night!"
  • Every Kamen Rider has a specific sound associated with their pose. Many an older fan would like the ability to produce this sound on-cue, as it tends to work as an Let's Get Dangerous cue. Example: The Shocker Monster of the Week is winning! Tokyo is doomed! Nothing can save us n- *Rider Sound*.
    Kamen Rider: "Ridaa~...Henshin!"
  • Go-o-o-kaiger!
  • Everyone knows who Ultraman is, right? The sounds made as they transform signal the main battle scene, as well as the horrible situation everyone is in on-screen? It's gonna get better, starting right now. *henshin sound* *Ultraman appears* *victory is basically assured*
  • Stargate Verse
    • "Kawoosh", anyone?
    • All the noises in a Milky Way dialing sequence: The "bwa-AWAH" as it starts up, the low rumble as the ring turns and the "Clunk-shunk" noise of the symbols locking give even the Trope Namer for Engaging Chevrons a sense of awesome power, building up to the final "Whirrr-Kawoosh" and the awesome vortex effect.
    • Any sound the Stargate makes. ALL of them. The Pegasus gates, the SGU gates, the Supergate, all of them. Except for that one sound that sounds like static that means the wormhole is unstable. That just means nothing but bad news. And even the Destiny powering it's FTL engines just before it enters FTL, or drops out. Hard not to love 'em!
    • The *thud* sound made when an unwelcome someone tries to come through the Gate when the Iris is closed. Especially if they had just been chasing our heroes. One does feel sorry for which ever airman gets to clean the back of that thing with a squeegee.
    • The "Dong-Zing" noise of an Asgard transport. Especially in the early seasons where it was still limited to Thor's calling card.
    • The satisfyingly deep tone of Ronon's blaster charging and firing.
    • The sound a Zat gun makes when opening up, firing, and after it's hit something.
    • The staff weapon/cannon as it is fired.
    • The sound effect of the Goa'uld Glowing Eyes of Doom.
    • The undulating sound the ribbon device makes.
    • Every time when Ori mothership's main cannon and Asgard's plasma beam weapons are used.
  • "Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise..." Best Opening Narration ever.
    • "Pwsht-pwsht" of the Enterprise's automatic doors, the "eee-whrr-eee" of the transporter, and the "rrr-rrr-whoosh!" of warp drive.
    • The highly distinctive door opening sound of the original series (the "pwsht-pwsht" made by crossing a flare gun with a shoe squeaking against the ground) would be continued in later series.
    • The iconic ambient bridge sounds. To how many people — perhaps young children at the time the show first aired — is this still the music of space exploration and adventure?
    • The Red Alert siren. Let the Enterprise-grade ass-kicking commence.
    • Star Trek: The Next Generation. The warp engine powering up and "Engaging". Comfort food for the ears.
      • Incomplete without a ridiculous onomatopoeia: rrrrooooOOOOO—zzeeewwBOOOM!
      • So iconic, they used it not just once, but TWICE during the opening credits.
    • And the doors of the holodeck in TNG (also cargo bays in Voyager.) Drrrrrrrr-kachoong!
    • The deep, pulsing rumble of the Warp Core in Engineering. It just sounds like power.
    • The sound effects on the bridge (any incarnation, but TOS is probably the most distinctive). It's like a wonderful symphony of technology.
      • Recall the scene in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Relics" when Scotty goes to the holodeck. At first, there is Next Gen's own familiar, ever present, low-pitched thrum while he's out in the corridor. The door opens and that thrum actually mixes briefly with the aforementioned Original Series bridge sounds, and then the holodeck door closes behind Scotty and it's purely the original bridge sounds. If there can be a Crowning Moment of Awesome for simple ambient sounds, this would have to be one.
    • The "blip-blip-blip-blip blip-blip-blip" of a communicator.
    • The two opening notes to the TNG theme. It just screams "Star Trek is on!" (And of course, it leads into the totally awesome main theme.)
    • The transporter sound effect, especially in TOS and TNG.
    • The sounds of phasers and photon torpedoes firing.
  • Battlestar Galactica has the ominous clanking of the Cylon Centurions and the soft whirring of their red laser eyes.
    • You forgot the taiko drums. The many, many taiko drums.
      • Sadly, the most badass and promising Taiko Drum sequence (1:11) comes immediately after the BSG logo during the first minutes of the pilot/mini-series, and never appears again. Still gives one hell of a rush when you start watching it again from the beginning though.
    • Also: the grinding whine when Cylons appear on-screen, and the "shhh-WHOOSH-whine" of an FTL jump.
  • The gun-powering-up sounds from Firefly. You know asses are going to be kicked.
    • And of course, the sound of Serenity herself, especially when she's the final shot of the episode.
    • The twangy little western riffs as well.
  • The QI klaxon. Yes, a klaxon. Everyone except for the person who triggers it does the arm-raising cheer us Brits normally do when a waitress drops a plate. Yes, even the viewers. Heck, sometimes the panellist that triggers the klaxon will cheer if they think it was Worth It.
  • In a juvenile way, the explosion a monster makes when it's defeated in Power Rangers is very cool and satisfying.
  • Somehow, the hatch's lockdown chime from LOST is just kind of satisfying. Mostly because it doesn't appear often but, when it does, something exciting and suspenseful is about to happen.
    • The sound of "SYSTEM FAILURE" and the subsequent sound of the electromagnet starting up, for the same reason as above: cool things are going to be happening, and they're going to be happening soon.
    • The siren of the monster is always exciting to hear. You can hear them all at this link.
  • Two Words: Bomp-bom.
    • Word of God is that it's supposed to evoke a jail door slamming ("CHA-CHUNK").
    • If you isolate the surround channels of the 5.1 audio, you will also hear a gunshot mixed into the sound.
    • The Something Awful L&O icon is "DOINK-DOINK".
    • For the UK version my (American) closed-captions render it as "cell door slamming shut (two musical notes)". Interstingly, this is the only time "CHUNG-CHUNG" is acknowledged by the closed-captions.
  • MythBusters asks us: What is the sound of one cement truck exploding? The answer: AWESOME.
  • The "plonk-plonk-plonk" sound of the clock ticking down in most Bob Stewart-created game shows (most notably Pyramid), which intensifies the situation rather nicely. Of course, it's Nightmare Fuel for some (like the contestants themselves).
    • Same with the "Illegal-Clue" cuckoo.
  • The slight smooth sound of a chair sliding out in the Swedish improv comedy show Parlamentet. This is because most of the time, the competitors sit behind their desks as they make people fold double with laughter — so whenever they get up, something hilariously awesome is generally about to happen.
  • Vyo wei oh, hum va rey...
  • The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"... (puts on sunglasses) ...makes any one-liner awesome.
    • YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHH!
  • To fans of Heroes, the sound of two or more clocks ticking at different pitches in imperfect unison means that Sylar is about to do something EVIL and AWESOME.
  • Boom-deyada boom-deyada boom-deyada boom-deyada...
  • The Langley Productions Vanity Plate: complete with accompanying blues-rock riff
  • The One, the Only, the Classic, Star Trek: The Next Generation Theme Tune. Ba-ruppumpumpum, puppuppumpum, buppumpumppum-pum-pum-pum... Arguably even more classic and evocative than its predecessor. Doesn't it just scream Awesome Adventure?
  • In the not-too-distant future...
    • ...for Mystery Science Thea-TER, Three Thou-SAND! *twang*
    • "We've got movie sign!" *ERN ERN ERN ERN*
    • The sound of the hallway of doors, signaling either a merciful break from whatever film they're watching or a return to the hilarity.
      • *chk* *whir whir whir* *clunk* *whirwhirwhirwhirwhirwhir* *zip* *screech* *wuh wuh wuh* *CH*
    • And, of course, the so-called "MST3K Love Theme", heralding the end of an episode. And for that matter...
    Dr. Forrester: Push the button, Frank.
    Button: Chk-WAAAAH...
  • Another klaxon example: DING-DING-DING-WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOOOOOP! The "jackpot" sound on The Price Is Right, whenever someone wins the top cash prize in a pricing game, in the Showcase Showdown, or wins both showcases in the Showcase Round.
  • "Answer there: the Daily Double." Bweedoo-bweedoo-bweedoo-bow-bow-bow!
    • And that whooshing sound before Johnny Gilbert says THIS... IS... Jeopardy!
    • The board fill sound, either the original 25-tone sound, or the modern 6-tone sound, it's surprisingly uplifting, letting you know that you are about to take part in a nice, stimulating round of trivia.
  • A more recent example from The Colbert Report is the Hilarious Arabic Chanting that made it's first appearance in Mysteries of the Ancient Unknown, and has become the stock sound for Arabian, Egyptian or Muslim-based skits.
  • "Our category for this next round is Phrase." (ding ding DING ding!) Especially if you hear the second, higher-pitched set of dings afterward, indicating that whoever solves the puzzle wins a trip.
  • The theme tune of Castle (which interestingly is alarmingly similar to the theme tune of Sherlock). And then there's the part where Castle and Beckett walk into a bar and the piano player starts playing the theme song.
  • The old Hockey Night in Canada theme (now the NHL on TSN theme), aka, the other Canadian national anthem.
    • "Hello, Canada, and hockey fans in the United States and Newfoundland."
  • Grr. Arrgh.
  • *PING!* *Sparkle*
  • THE CHAAAAMPIOOOONS! The full song verges on narmy, but the refrain is chillworthy-in-a-good-way in the context of the game.
  • During the theme song of Chuck, the noise when the stick figure puts it's head back on is... wonderful.
    • The entire theme song itself, particularly the trumpets that play throughout it. It's just a reminder that the viewer's in for an awesome time after the theme.
  • The Countdown timer, the ending especially. Do-do-doily-do-DO!
  • Whenever Arthur says Guinevere's name on Merlin. He pronounces it as though it's the most beautiful word he's ever heard, with emphasis on the vere, and there are plenty of YouTube compliations of all the times he's said her name during the course of the series. In fact, their very first Ship Tease moment was a scene in which he lies in bed, extends his hand, and says "Guinevere" as though he's inviting her to join him. Watch it here.
  • "In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles Underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help...and if you can find them...maybe you can hire... The A-Team" Cue gunfire and the theme song.
  • The assorted sounds from Shawn's Sherlock Scan on Psych.
  • The "green light" bell of the Omni in Voyagers!
  • Robert Stack saying "UPDATE!" in that deep voice of his. Nine times out of ten, it means a mystery is about to be solved.
  • Season 1 of The Mole ended with a beautiful, lingering, major fifth (classically tuned) on a piano when the winner was revealed, interrupting/ending the usual Execution theme- the only time it stopped with anything other than the semi-discordant bass chord indicating that another person had lost.
  • The BBC DVD ribbon logo sound, every time you hear it.
  • You Can't Do That on Television has many, but few are as satisfying as the sirens that kick off the theme song and the scream that punctuates the title card. Of course, the sound of any kid being stupid enough to utter "I don't know" comes pretty damn close.
  • "FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND A SPIN!"
  • Cas' wings fluttering, the rev of the Impala's engine— hell, even "So get this..."!
    • The unique squeaks and clunks of the Impala's doors, too.
  • Arrested Development: The Letimotif that plays whenever the Running Gag between Oscar and Buster comes up.
  • "aauuuuUUUUGGHHH?!?!". So nice, they give it twice in the intro.
  • Friends: Janice's laugh somehow manages to be both this and Most Annoying Sound at the same time. It's ridiculously grating, yet so silly and over the top you can't help but look forward to hearing it.
  • The leap-in/leap-out sound from Quantum Leap.

    New Media 

    Literature 
  • *open book* *turn page* *turn page* *turn page* (several hours later) *turn page* *turn last page* *close book* *happy sigh*
    • If you are lucky enough to own a copy of Grant's Scottish National Dictionary Volume 6, go and fetch it, and then find a nice quiet room, open it at about the middle, prepare yourself, and then close the book.
    • And if you need a little more drama in your life, slam your books shut. Better than chocolate.
  • Semi-literature, semi-Real Life example: When J. R. R. Tolkien was constructing the fictional Elven language, he composed it of all the sounds he felt were most pleasing to the ear.
    • Well, this comes from a guy who said that, ignoring the actual meaning of the words, "cellar door" sounds more beautiful than "beautiful". He had his own private theories about why certain words sounded beautiful or ugly.
    • And on the flip side of the coin, he tried to make the Black Speech as ugly as possible — lots of harsh consonant clusters, excessive use of guttural vowels, and so forth.
      • Which, for this lover of consonant-full languages (and harsh beauty in general - we need a word for that...), backfired.
  • Not exactly a sound, because...well, obvious reasons, but whenever the small caps appear in Discworld books, for the dialogue of Death and Death of Rats. squeak.

    Music 
  • Rogue Wave's Nourishment Nation.
  • The Funky Drummer Break
    • We can't include Funky Drummer without mentioning the equally awesome Amen Break.
  • The beginning of Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train": AAAALLLLL AABBOOOOOOAAARRD!! HA HA HA HA HA HAA! DU-DUM (AI AI AI) DI-DUM DO-DUN DU-DUM...
    • I. Am. Iron Man. Thud Clank! Thud Clank!
  • The wailing clarinet that kicks off a performance of Rhapsody In Blue.
  • "Tangram Set 1" by Tangerine Dream is pretty much just one long, twenty-minute collection of Most Wonderful Sounds arranged into a progressive melody. Best of all is probably that ethereal windchime noise that plays from 3:26 to 3:34.
  • The snazzy trumpet sound just after the most (in)famous part of "The Pink Panther Theme"... I love that better than the beginning, which is also good.
  • When you hear the opening bass riff of "Under Pressure" (which is epic on its own), there are two ways it can go. One is to segue into "Ice Ice Baby". The other starts with a fantastic guitar riff which assures you that you're about to listen to Queen and David Bowie, not Vanilla Ice.
  • The opening drumbeat to Coldplay's "In My Place". Few things have been recorded as perfectly.
  • The epic chord at the start of A Hard Day's Night.
    • The trumpets at the beginning of All You Need Is Love.
    • The even-epic-er chord at the end of "A Day In The Life", which sounds like a piano being played with another piano.
    • The opening drum roll of "Glass Onion".
  • Mariah Carey hitting her signature high note.
  • "You're boned like a saint, with the consciousness of a snake."
  • For a U2 fan, the intro to Where The Streets Have No Name.
  • The shattering glass sound in Artillery's "Terror Squad".
    Terror squaaaad! *crash crash*
  • Hellion's shriek in Judas Priest's "Screaming for Vengeance".
    Screaming, (aaaugh!) screaming for vengeance
    The world is defiled in disgrace!
  • The mad laughter at the end of Twilightning's "Rolling Heads".
  • The revving chainsaw's (five of them!) at the start of WASP's "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)".
  • The piano from The Rolling Stones' She's A Rainbow sounds like heaven in musical form.
  • Bruce Springsteen
    • The harmonica, then piano a split second later, that opens "Thunder Road" on Born To Run.
    • The drum fill that opens "Born to Run" itself, followed by the horns and guitars and pretty much every instrument in existence playing at once. Hell yes.
  • The beginning of The National's Fake Empire.
  • The drum at the beginning of Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone.
  • "In The Air Tonight". THAT drum break. BA-DUM BA-DAM BA-DUM BA-DUM BUM BUM.
  • Iron Maiden have made a career out of this trope:
    • The looped bassline that starts "Satellite 15".
    • The opening riff to "Number of the Beast" and the subsequent scream from Bruce.
    • Every single second of "Hallowed Be Thy Name".
    • "Aces High". All of it.
    • The intro to "Caught Somewhere in Time".
    • Literally every single riff in "Fear of the Dark". That song is an Audience Participation Song for a reason!
      • And on that note, when it's performed live, the sound of the audience singing along to the guitar riffs.
    • "Where Eagles Dare"'s drum fill.
    • the openings to pretty much every song on A Matter of Life and Death.
    • IIIIIII'M ON MY WAY! OOOOOUT ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!
    • That extremely sexual bassline on Revelations.
    • "The Alchemist". Best opening riff ever.
    • Dave Murray's guitar solo in "The Man Who Would Be King".
    • The entire middle section of Sign of the Cross. BEST. INSTRUMENTAL. BREAK. EVER.
    • On that note, pretty much their whole discography.
  • The drum machine sound from the Stop Making Sense version of Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer".
  • From the Vocaloid song "PoPiPo": WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
  • The main guitar riff from Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog". Greatest guitar riff ever.
  • Djent djent. Djent djent djent. Djeeeeeeent-djent djent. Djent djent djent. Djeeeeeent...
  • The opening to "Running the World" by Jarvis Cocker ranks up with "Where the Streets Have No Name". It makes you feel as though you were gently lifted into a pillar of light. Hear it here.
  • The opening to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd.
  • The opening riff to Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" Best. Riff. Ever.
  • The intro to "Welcome To The Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance.
  • Anything Mark Tremonti does with a guitar.
  • "Ground control to Major Tom..." The entire song is pretty awesome, but that first line is so amazing!
  • "PON PON WAYWAYWAY PONPONWAYPONWAYPONPON"
  • This tropette loves listening to the chords at the beginning of Katy B's "Lights On".
  • I want my, I want my, I want my MTV...
  • The guitar solo in "Agony of Defeet" by Parliament. It starts at 3:37.
    • The last couple minutes or so of this Parliament song. The combination of the strings and horns is nothing short of beautiful.
  • The massively harmonized A Capella opening of "Some Nights" by fun.
    Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck,
    Some nights I call it a draw,
    Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle,
    Some nights I wish they'd just fall off
  • Hearing the opening notes of your favorite song, no matter which one it is, on the radio.
  • The keyboard solo in "Jump" by Van Halen.
  • It's the music that we choose, It's the music that we choose, It's the music that we choose, It's the music that we choose, oh yes! The music that we choose...
    • Up on melancholy hill, there's a plastic tree...
    • 2D's singing voice in general.
  • The opening guitar riff to "Back In Black" by AC/DC.
  • The horns at the beginning of Metallica's "The Unforgiven" and "Unforgiven II" leading into a mournful acoustic guitar in the original and something harder but no less awesome in II.
  • The bassline to "Head Like A Hole" by Nine Inch Nails or the beat to "Closer" is so awesome, it makes my ears weep with joy and pleasure.
  • The opening guitars on John Mayer's "Bigger Than My Body".
  • Mbube (known to Western audiences as "Lion Sleeps Tonight"). Sing it with me people: A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh...
    • "Mbube" wasn't the most remarkable tune, but there was something terribly compelling about the underlying chant, a dense meshing of low male voices above which Solomon yodelled and howled for two exhilarating minutes, occasionally making it up as he went along. The third take was the great one, but it achieved immortality only in its dying seconds, when Solly [Solomon Linda] took a deep breath, opened his mouth and improvised the melody that the world now associates with these words: In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight.
  • Fans of Neil Young need only hear the words "Old Black". Neil's uniquely personal style, plus his various modifications and the use of extra-heavy strings, give the instrument an almost human voice. More here...
  • The harmonized sections of Neil's 1970 ballad After the Gold Rush as recorded by Prelude. The whole song's beautiful, but the harmonized sections are especially so.
  • The intro of Fireflies by Owl City. The simple repeating sequence of notes just begs to be sung along too.
  • Fans of French progressive rock report being blissed out by the warm sound of the 1973 band Présence, especially the coda to their signature tune "Pleure le Monde" ("the world is raining" or "the world is weeping" or "everyone is weeping", depending on your perspective).
  • Matthew Healy's voice. Sure, it's high-pitched and usually squeaky, but it's also very pretty and especially great when stripped down to acoustics.
  • Queen
    • BOOM BOOM CLAP!
    • "Be-elzebub, has a devil put aside for me, for me, for MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" (guitar solo)
  • It's not as famous as some other examples on this list, but "Full Circle" by Half Moon Run is a bunch of wonderful sounds stacked on top of each other for three minutes.
  • The beginning of Lorde's Ribs is a very wonderful sound.
    • Another group that worked with Lorde's producer Joel Little, Broods, has their own wonderful sound in the chorus of Bridges.
  • And now, it's gonna be me and you-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh (cue the most epic synth-voice-breakdowny thing ever)
    • Similarly, Ellie Goulding's Anything Could Happen has a "eh-eh-eh eh-eh" thing at the beginning that is adorable and catchy.
  • Just listening to an orchestra tune up is a beautiful and chilling sound, with all of the instruments creeping towards and then hitting the same note (save for octave differences). The larger the orchestra, the better.
  • TIIIIIIIIIIIME FLIIIIIIIIIIIES!
  • The majority of noises produced by Ian Anderson's flute.
  • Many, many, many, of the riffs and motifs that can be found in Mike Oldfield's music qualify as this. But the thing that qualifies the most is probably the "Finale" section Tubular Bells. It is beautiful. Especially that repeated bass riff.
  • Sometimes it's the tone of the guitar, you know when the right combination of guitars, pickups, amps, and other gear come together and the end result is a guitar that's just perfect.
    • "Headlong" by Queen is a good example.
  • The epic and distinctive drums at the beginning of "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen.
  • The intro and outro of Running Wild's "Under Jolly Roger".
    "Man the cannons! FIREEEEEE!" *full broadside*
    "Ready boardiiing!" "YAAAAAGHH!"
  • The middle instrumental section of Nightwish's "Ghost Love Score," which is so over-the-top awesome that using it as the soundtrack to relatively mundane things to render them EPIC became a meme.
  • The opening bass line of the Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of "Higher Ground".

    Pinball 

    Professional Wrestling 

    Radio 

    Theme Parks 

    Theater 
  • "DUUUUNNNNNNNNNNN... DUNDUNDUNDUNDUUUUUUUUUUNNN... DUNDUNDUNDUNDUUUUUUUUUUUNNN..."
    • The five-chord progression that closes "Music of the Night" is made of awesome and gorgeous and sex. As is the song that precedes it, for that matter—especially when sung by Michael Crawford.
  • The opening of No One Mourns the Wicked, at the beginning of the production of Wicked.
  • The opening line and musical vamp of each act of Sondheim's Into the Woods: "Once upon a time! *BA-dit, dit, dit, dit, dit...*" Try playing that vamp in a room full of theatre people. See how many pipe up with "I wish..."
  • And while we're on the subject of Sondheim, the eerie organ music and piercing steam whistle that open Sweeney Todd are scary as Hell, but they also bring a giddy thrill of anticipation when you know they herald the awesome opening number of one of the greatest music theater scores ever composed.
  • Highly conditional, but — for the actors, the sound of one lone person reacting to something onstage is SWEEEEET.
  • The "drrrrrrrrr-brum-brum-brum" before the beginning of "Der Holle Rache" from Mozart's The Magic Flute sends chills down the spine if one knows what fury and high notes are coming.
  • The ending to Les Misérables is a reprise of "Do You Hear the People Sing" and it is the very definition of a crescendo. Goosebumps every single time.
    • John Owen-Jones as Jean Valjean.
    • The opening trumpets of both the Overture and "Red and Black."
  • Ba-da, da-da-da-da! AGAIN! Step-kick-kick-leap-kick-touch...
  • "This is Control! This is Control!"
  • From Heathers, the original Veronica, Barret Wilbert Weed, gave Veronica a very Adorkable, very distinctive, and very infectious laugh. It's hard not to smile every time you hear it.
    • "September 1st, 1989. Dear Diary..."
    • The harmonies in "Seventeen."
  • For a tech person, the sound of the music cue or sound effects hitting at just the right moment and getting that perfect scene is not only an incredible relief (as it's part timing on the techie's part, part praying to God the actors hit their cues, and half sheer luck), but a major "Hell Yes" Moment.

    Western Animation 

    Other 
  • A purring feline is possibly nature's most soothing white noise.
    • It's actually evolved to be that way so as to invoke a continuation of the stimulus that prompted the purring. That's right. The Most Wonderful Sound is self-sustaining.
  • The sound of your baby's first cry immidiately after it's born.
    • The woosh-woosh sound of its heartbeat in the womb. The first time he/she says 'mama' or 'dada' or 'I love you'.
    • Heck, a baby's laughter, period.
  • Train whistles in the distance. Pure music.
  • That noise an old kettle makes when the water inside it starts to boil.
  • Adobe After Effects plays a very easily distinguished and very pleasing "Twingg!" sound when it reaches the end of a Render Queue, meaning the videos are finished being edited and are ready for viewing.
  • Click your mouse...YEAH! Now do it a couple more times, best sound ever.
  • The startup sound of Windows 3.1. Holy nostalgia.
    • How about Windows 95? Oh, it's musical heroin.
    • There's a sweet moment in the film Outsourced where the workers take their computers from the flooded office up to the roof and connect through a jerry-rigged set of electrical outlets to a street lamp. Thirty computers power up and play the Windows XP startup sound simultaneously.
  • The Mac startup noise.
    • Made somewhat disturbing by Don Jon
    • Another beautiful sound from the Mac is the 3-note lick that plays to announce that iTunes has finished importing/converting audio data to MP3 or AAC.
  • The little jingle that sounds when you start a Samsung smartphone. Especially if you just purchased it.
  • Orgasmic.
  • The "Boooommm!" noise at the end of the Dolby Digital Countdown advertisment.
  • Clack-clockle... NATURAL 20!
  • In Girl Genius, the twisty musical notes emitted by Agatha when she's in full-on Spark mode. You can almost hear them.
  • The noise in a football stadium - or a packed bar - when your team scores. Less wonderful if it's the other team scoring.
    • The silence in a packed bar when your team scores, if everyone else in the bar is supporting the other team.
  • The sound of a golf ball falling in the hole.
    • And the following golf clap.
  • A tennis ball's little pa-thmp as it bounces off the court.
    • The big pa-thmp it makes when connecting with the racket is even better.
  • A nothing-but-net swish in basketball.
  • The crack of a bat hitting a baseball on the sweet spot.
    • "GRAND SLAM! GRAND SLAM!"
  • For rowers, the rhythm of all eight (or four, or two, or however many)oarlocks in time. Actually, all noise from rowing - the water, the boat, the oars, the oarlocks - it's beautiful.
  • The sound of metal (or plastic) cleats on concrete as the team leaves the locker room. It's like a pre-game anthem for those lucky enough to hear it.
    • Hockey skates make a similar noise.
  • Goal Horns followed by your team's choice of celebratory song.
    • Same goes for the final siren. Especially in a Grand Final, and ESPECIALLY especially if it's your favourite team that's just won the Premiership.
    • Hearing your favourite player/team/etc cheer after winning is always wonderful, especially since they've worked so hard on it. A particular nod towards Formula One drivers who love screaming in their helmets.
      • Speaking of Formula One and motors in general: the revving of an engine. So soothing.
  • Speaking of sports and goals, the hammy way football announcers tend to shout "GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAL!!"
  • Your National Anthem is usually wonderful anytime, anywhere, but especially associated with sports. Hearing that song played at the Olympic Games as your nation's flag is raised to salute your country's winning a medal is like a religious experience. In American baseball, "The Star Spangled Banner" is always played right before the game and can evoke a similar reaction, especially from older fans for whom "PLAY BALL!" are the last two words of the anthem.
  • The drone of a large box fan. I can't sleep without switching one on its highest speed. "Whurrrrrrrrrr....."
  • The sound of a passenger jet taking off. That is, if you're inside the plane or standing sufficiently far enough from it to avoid ear damage.
    • In a like vein, the sound of a jet engine spooling up.
      • Piston engines get this, too. Just listen to the sound an old piston fighter makes as it starts up. Even a relatively new plane like a Thunder Mustang (to-scale replica of a P-51 using a smaller 12-cylinder engine) has a glorious startup.
      • The Rolls-Royce Merlin. The whine, the splutter, the cough, then the roooaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrr........
    • Or the sound of an entire group of fighter jets doing afterburner takeoffs, one after the other, each jet following right after the one before it.
      • The utterly visceral sound of a sonic boom.
  • The clicking sound of a switchblade.
  • The sound of serious gunfire. I'm not talking about the little fire cracks of an AR-15. I am referring to the mighty blast of a gun such as a Mosin-Nagant M44
    • Or the even more mighty USN 16"/cal 50 Mk 7. 'BWOOOMFFF!' "That was just one barrel!"
    • In a different direction, the sound of a minigun firing off thousands of rounds a minute is pretty awesome: [1] [2]
    • Or the sound of a grenade being inserted in a grenade launcher
      • Or the "pumhp" noise of a grenade launcher shooting a grenade.
    • The "ka-ching" noise of the M1 Garand's eighth round being fired.
    • The sound a 12-gauge shotgun makes firing buckshot.
    • The thunderclap of anything chambered in .50BMG.
    • Artillery fire fire from 100 meters behind the firing line.
    • The chaotic rattle/roar of a machine gun range.
    • In general, the sounds of gunplay. These include gun assembly, gun disassembly and reloading. Modern FPS games are great to listen to as a spectator for this.
  • Pump-action shotguns being cocked.
  • The four clicks of a Colt Single Action Army being cocked.
  • The sound of a well-maintained electric engine. For a layman, a barely audible hum. For an engineer? Basically a purring cat.
    • The sound of any properly adjusted, properly tuned, well maintained engine especially under a heavy load.
    • The sound of pretty much any properly adjusted, well maintained machine just doing its thing.
  • White noise can be a very relaxing sound.
  • Any Vanity Plate that is not Nightmare Fuel tends to induce nostalgia and ends up as this.
    • Especially this [3] and this [4]
  • The sound of a coffee grinder at 7 in the morning (or earlier) - any time of the day if you're a writer.
  • The various sounds of water. Rain, a trickling stream, a waterfall, the sea...
  • The sound of bubble wrap...bubbles popping.
  • The K5LA train horn (the ones you hear on Amtrak trains). Especially with the Doppler Effect.
  • Typing on the keyboard. Very soothing.
  • The chip shuffling poker players do. Also very soothing.
    • "Washing the tiles" in mahjongg.
  • Huge crowds of people singing.
    • The sound of black choirs.
  • To some, the hauntingly beautiful call of a loon.
    • In a related vein, the "woo-OOO-ooo-ooo" call of the mourning dove.
  • The Kaching! of a sale and money going into your pocket.
    • Or finally paying for that thing you've been saving for.
  • The sound of the school bell after a long, hard day.
  • This is usually compared to the booing and jeering of opposition supporters: The jubilant cheering of a player/the team and his/her/their supporters after they beat the odds.
  • The sound a time clock makes after you punch out after a hard days work.
    • "Congratulations, you're hired. When can you start?"
  • The cheerful piping of Cabin Pressure's theme music. You just know that funny, heartwarming, and awesome are about to ensue in roughly equal measure, provided by the dulcet tones of Roger Allam and Benedict Cumberbatch. Actually, the voices of Allam and Cumberbatch, period!
  • This quotation:
    Strolling across Regent's Park in London today, the sun was shining, the groundsman's mower was thrumming - all that was missing was the sound of leather on willow. But it was a weekday, and come Saturday, I know that the players in their whites will be scattered across the lush grass, playing out the ritual that is so much part of an English summer.
    Much might change, but not cricket.
  • The sound of a WW2 fighter plane passing overhead.
  • For a fencer, the little "ka-chunk" of the spring-loaded weapon tip registering a hit.
    • Or the meaty wooden "clack" that two bokken make, if you're a kenjutsuka. Or the "whoosh" that a good kirioroshi makes for iaijutsuka.
  • The sound of an important bus approaching, though it can easy lapse into Hell Is That Noise if you have only just missed it.
  • A Porsche flat-six engine
  • A-10 Thunderbolt strafing run. BHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRR
  • Steam locomotives, especially the big ones.
    • On the other side of the technological spectrum: modern electric trains. From the cutting edge hum of a high speed train, to even mundane stuff like the multi-staged buzz of a commuter train leaving the station.
  • For people in engineering or manufacturing, the sound of a big three-phase induction motor starting up. CHWOOOOOAAAAAAH
  • The gooey, squishy sound of stirring up a big bowl of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, just after you add the butter. If you grew up in Canada or the United States, that sound probably conjures up a whole range of childhood memories. (Or memories of being a poor college student.)
  • In a medical setting a kid and/or baby crying can be this sound. Because it means that they are well enough to cry. Epsically when the baby is delivered through an emergency c-section and is premature.
  • The buzzing of Cicadas on a summer night can be quite wonderful.
  • Every single sound a guinea pig makes. Wheeeek!

    Voice Acting 
Some of the best Japanese anime, Western Animation, animated film, and more recently, video games are praised not only for their plot, animation and characters, but also for the people who voice the characters. They give the animated characters life, depth, and personality. Here are some of the most specific examples.

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Most Triumphant Example SugarWiki/Sweet Exists Video Game

Most Annoying Sound Sound FX Tropes Nails on a Blackboard

Most Annoying Sound Videogame Culture Most Gamers Are Male

Most Annoying Sound YMMV Narm Charm

Most Annoying Sound YMMV/Home Page Narm Charm

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