A great fight scene is all about believable performances and well-choreographed stunts. However, music can also play an important role in achieving an outstanding scene.
Selecting the right song for your soundtrack can take your fight scene to the next level, as Led Zeppelin’s "Immigrant Song" did for the big battle in Thor Ragnarok.
Even during your shoot, music can be used in rehearsals to set up the pace of the fight and to envision how the fight might be put together in the editing room. For action scenes without dialogue, you can play fighting songs during a few of your takes while filming, creating an atmosphere that inspires your actors to get in the right headspace and give powerful performances.
It is always a good idea to try different songs while setting the choreography for the scene to see what works best. Start with a slower-paced piece of music to see if the fight should move slow, and work your way up to music with faster beats to see how the scene would look if everything happened faster.
To get your “fight scene” playlist started, we’ve selected five punch-packing tracks that will be sure to put anyone in the mood for an awesome fight.
This track has it all: intensity, volume, and lyrics that inspire you to challenge your opponent. We can also picture this song in the background of highly stylized fight scenes from movies like The Matrix or 300.
What’s one thing all fight scenes have in common? Violence. And if there is one thing exuding from this song is just that. However, the “violence” is only present in the rawness of the music. Pay attention to the lyrics and you’ll find some pretty poetic verses.
You might remember this song from the Sucker Punch movie soundtrack, but it is worth resurfacing because of its energy. Plus, it also offers a pretty good combination of slow and fast riffs which are perfect for choreographing fights with dramatic face-offs.
Most people know Evanescence from their radio hits “Bring Me to Life” and “My Immortal,” but there are plenty of other power-charged hits from this epic Arkansas band. This track in particular is proof that female voices can carry as much punch as their male counterparts.
This classic protest song is sure to arouse feelings of animosity and even vengefulness in anyone who listens to it, which makes it the perfect track to play when you need to get pumped up for a kick-ass fight scene.
Even if you’re not filming any fight scenes at the moment, go add this music to your Spotify playlist for future shoots – you never know when you might need them. Or just add the fight songs to your gym playlist to get pumped during your next workout. And if you’re looking for more musical inspiration, check out our playlist below, curated by Tongaler Sthefanie Delgado. This playlist includes classic songs about fighting such as Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and Fight the Power by Public Enemy, as well as some unexpected gems.
Do you know other songs that would be a good addition to this list? Please share them in the comments.
Want to put your on-set playlist to use?
Filmmakers are working with the world's biggest brands on Tongal.
