Summary
Music has always played a prominent role in the post-apocalypticFalloutseries, even all the way to the hit TV show. Its focus on classics from around the ’40s and ’50s (and occasionally beyond) really cements the ‘retro’ part of its distinct retrofuturistic vibe, to the point where blasting super mutants without listening to The Ink Spots almost feels sacrilegious.
Over the years, the series has amassed a huge collection of legendary hits from way back when. But even after all this time, a few continue to stand out. So here are just some of Fallout’s most notable tracks.
10Main Theme - Inon Zur
This might be cheating, but we had to include this one. It’s the only original piece on the list, but it’s earned its stripes. Ever since composer Inon Zur included it as the first thing you hear when you boot up Fallout 3, various arrangements of it have remained a staple of the series.
Not to spoil anything if you haven’t seen it yet, but this simple yet haunting melody even shows up later on in the Fallout TV show with perfect emotional timing. If you’ve seen it, you get it. If you haven’t, well, we have a homework assignment for you.
9Maybe - The Ink Spots
Maybe you’ll think of me when you are all alone.
Popular vocal group The Ink Spots made waves way back in the 1930s and ’40s, not only for their enchantingly beautiful songs, but for breaking down barriers in a time when Black artists were generally often from mainstream music.
They also made waves in the Fallout series, having been featured in nearly every mainline game going back to 1997’s original release. This track, which appears in the game’s introduction, also enjoys regular play on the radio stations in Fallout 3, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76. If you’ve played Fallout, you’ve heard Maybe.
Give me a kiss to build a dream on
And my imagination will thrive upon that kiss
While not permanently imprinted in the squishy brains of Fallout players like other songs are, this track from gravelly-voiced trumpet legend Louis Armstrong deserves a spot for backing up the introduction of Fallout 2.
This sequel is considered by many to be the best in the series before Bethesda took over (even after to some), and Armstrong’s wistful and characteristically turbulent crooning perfectly sets the stage for the upcoming story. Well, maybe until you install a bunch of super weirdmods in Fallout 2.
But I don’t want to see tomorrow
Unless I see it with you
Here’s one that found its groove outside the games. You might have heard the ultra smooth Nat King Cole’s I Don’t Want To See Tomorrow in one of the teaser trailers for the Fallout TV show, and its inclusion there might have been enough to earn it some points.
But where it really shines is in the final episode of season 1. It chimes in during a particularly climactic battle, providing that perfect tonal dissonance that practically defines Fallout at this point.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new
And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through
This one feels like a bit of a departure compared to the other songs you might be used to. But it weirdly fits both in the Fallout 76 trailer it was used and as one of the many tracks you may hear in the game’s Appalachia Radio station.
The Beach Boys' timeless piece introduces a new vibe with a familiar theme, settling comfortably into Fallout’s recurring motif of wishing for something more in a devastated world. You might be surprised when it comes on the radio, but you also may find yourself hunkering downin your Fallout 76 campto listen for a bit.
Oh, I got spurs that jingle, jangle, jingle
As I go ridin' merrily along
Speaking of themes, Fallout: New Vegas is one game that knows how to play into it. The game’s western setting just begs you to set out on your own drifter-style adventure. Just maybe ensure your moseying doesn’t lead intoNew Vegas' Deathclaw Quarry.
But even if it does, you’ll be happily singing along to cowboy tunes on Radio New Vegas like Jingle, Jangle, Jingle as you’re torn limb from limb. It’s a song that instantly gets stuck in your head, which is helpful, since that’ll probably be all that’s left.
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma
Take me home, country roads
How about a healthy dose of controversy? Many fans were probably disappointed, to say the least, when Fallout 76 elected to include a cover of Take Me Home, Country Roads by Spank rather than John Denver’s beloved original.
But here’s the thing: it’s shockingly good. Bethesda commissioned this cover of the song for the game, and the band didn’t skimp. It even starts with a riff clearly inspired by Fallout institution The Ink Spots. You may miss Denver’s version, but you definitely think of this song when you play 76.
How lucky can one guy be?
I kissed her and she kissed me
Like the fella once said,
“Ain’t that a kick in the head?”
Another Fallout: New Vegas entry, Ain’t That A Kick In The Head’s energy practically defines the game’s titular town of debauchery. While the wasteland benefits from all the yee haw bang bang cowboy music, when you get to New Vegas proper, you get the hankering for some slots and a jazzy backdrop.
This song is a regular on the Radio New Vegas station and its upbeat vibe plays up the high roller fantasy that so many must envision when they come to the city. When you hear it, you can’t help but feel that same pull.
2The Wanderer - Dion DiMucci
Oh yeah, I’m the type of guy that likes to roam around
I’m never in one place; I roam from town to town
The Wanderer might as well be the unofficial theme song for Fallout 4. Having played in the game’s trailers and TV ads, the track was already part of its identity even before release, where it got plenty of repeat plays on the in-game Diamond City Radio station.
DiMucci himself was displeased with his song’s inclusion and even tried to get it removed. While that’s certainly understandable, it’s a shame, since The Wanderer matches the Fallout series' focus on exploration surprisingly well.
I don’t want to set the world on fire
I just want to start
A flame in your heart
I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire is the first thing you hear whenthe opening for Fallout 3begins, plus it appears on the radio like the rest. But there’s more to it, even aside from being another flawlessly chill entry from The Ink Spots.
Fallout 3 was many people’s first exposure to the series, to a similar degree that the TV show has now solidified it even more in the mainstream. Having that experience marked with this song truly means something. Some might consider it more of a theme than the main theme itself, and it’s hard to disagree.
