Ever wonder what an author listens to while writing? Ever want to explore new music but don’t know where to start?

Try checking out these songs that help me with my writing and let the music take you on a magical adventure!

When I’m writing those intense Action scenes I always find that the right kind of music helps keep the pacing and emotions flowing through your writing and in turn through the reader’s thoughts and mind.

Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Danny Cocke, Two Steps From Hell, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, and John Murphy are all excellent composers that create stunning movie soundtracks that lend a lot of inspiration to the writing journey. I will mention these composers and other artists a lot in this post because of their captivating musical cues.

Here are some of my favorite songs, artists, and albums to listen to while writing (and reading) :

Action Scenes: For action scenes you need a building rhytmn of tension that finally comes to a major climax. A lot of great music from soundtracks and filmscores do this such as;

“Mombasa” and “Dream is Collapsing”, from Inception.
“Motorcycle Chase”, “Six Weeks Ago”, “Bim Bam Smash”, and “Escape from Embassy” from Jason Bourne by John Powell.
“Drive It Like You Stole It” and “Can’t Kill Us” by The Glitch Mob.
“The Red Flower” from The Jungle Book.
“Barge Apolycapse”, “Eight Floors Down”, “Taser Puppet”, and “I’m Going Home” from Salt.
“Lazarus” from Sherlock Season 3, “Hail to the King” by Avenged Sevenfold, The Verge of Total Chaos album by Danny Cocke, “Arena” from Tron:Legacy, “For God and For Country” from The Lone Ranger.
“The Causeway”, “The Winter Soldier”, and “Fury” from Captain America The Winter Soldier, “Th3 Awak3n1ng” by Ivan Torrent, “Drums of War”, “Take You Down”, and “Fists” from The Man From UNCLE, “The Way” by Zack Hemsey, “Gender” by Really Slow Motion, and “Shark Attack” and “Paddle Battle” from Soul Surfer.

Sad Scenes: These songs really play on your emotions which is what you want in your writing.
As multiple famous authors have quoted, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader”.

“Together” from Eragon, “True Love’s Kiss” from Maleficient, “Loosing Your Memory” by Ryan Star, “Funeral Pyre” from The Bourne Supremacy, “Memories” by Within Temptation, “Circles” by Ludovico Einaudi, “Hurts Like Hell” by Fluerie, “Sound The Bugle” from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, “Save You” by The Moxy, “Lost It All” by Jill Andrews , “Illusion” by VNV Nation, “Tears of an Angel” by RyanDan, “Sleeping Sun” by Nightwish, and “Addicted to a Certain Lifestyle” from Sherlock Season 3.

Happy/Celebratory Scenes: Some songs just make you want to dance and throw a party!

“Under A Violet Moon” by Blackmore’s Night (perfect for those elves who love to dance long after midnight has come and gone).
“Blackheart” by Two Steps From Hell, “Lone Ranger” by Rachel Platten, “Moondance” and “Elan” by Nightwish, “Mood India” from Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall, “Gotta Be Tonight” by Lifehouse, “Flying” from Peter Pan 2003, “Icarus” by Ivan Torrent, “Two Hornpipes” from Pirates of the Caribbean, and “Only the beginning of the Adventure” from Narnia.

Love Songs: Do your characters or OTP need a little help in the romance department? Try these songs out.

“Never Let Me Go” by Florence + The Machine, “Fairy Dance” from Peter Pan 2003, “I’d Come For You” by Nickelback, “Never Knew I Had A Heart Till It Beat For You” by Karliene, “Running Up That Hill” by Placebo, “Can You Hold Me” by NF, “Broken” by Seether, “Don’t Let Me Go” by RAIGN, “Apologize” by OneRepublic, “Broken” by Leona Lewis, and “So Close” from Enchanted.