# Recommend some ridiculously epic music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954 "2009-05-28T18:56:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/1 "2009-05-28T18:56:59Z")
Millions, A friend of mine works at this corporate team building event company and is working on a list of songs for when their clients make phony Gladiator/Braveheart-esque movies. She asked for help soliciting music that is, well, really epic. I pointed her towards “Promentory” from the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack, which is my personal gold standard, and she loved it. We’ve found plenty of others, but that’s basically spot on what she’s looking for. Care to share a few of your favorites? Can be from soundtracks, with lyrics, without, even a little tongue in cheek. Thanks, as usual. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/2 "2009-05-28T19:01:53Z")
_Ride of the Valkyries_. Perfect for coming in low over the beach to machine gun the locals…er…uh…show groups of people working together and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/3 "2009-05-28T19:03:31Z")
Try the soundtrack from _The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly_. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/4 "2009-05-28T19:04:28Z")
_Pompeii_ by **E.S. Posthumous** [COLOR=black][www.youtube.com/watch?v=GusLypfx7OQ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GusLypfx7OQ) [URL=“[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/www.youtube.com/watch?v=GusLypfx7OQ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/www.youtube.com/watch?v=GusLypfx7OQ)”][/COLOR] ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/5 "2009-05-28T19:09:17Z")
The more “march”-like music from Conan the Barbarian, and to a lesser degree Lord of the Rings\*. Both influenced by O Fortuna from Carmina Burana, which would come to think of it be a good choice itself. \*Because while it’s epic, it isn’t really over the top epic like the faster bits of the Conan music. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/6 "2009-05-28T19:09:36Z")
My personal go-to epic music is either _Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)_ or _Knights of Cydonia_ from Muse (sounds like Ennio Morricone composed a Queen song). And I agree with **Oakminster** - you can never go wrong with Wagner for flat out epic-osity. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/7 "2009-05-28T19:13:46Z")
The theme from _2001_…has another name that I can’t quite remember or spell, something like _Also Spach Zarrustra_. Used by Ric Flair as his entrance music, good for introducing big wigs/award winners/new products… ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/8 "2009-05-28T19:15:15Z")
_Also sprach Zarathustra._ ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/9 "2009-05-28T19:16:56Z")
Also, in the word of rock, well, I don’t know any power metal so I can’t make the _perfect_ recommendation :), but some stuff by Coheed and Cambria works. For what it looks like you are looking for, _The Final Cut_ by Co+Ca has some instrumental parts that sound like a mixture of Pink Floyd and a cheesy 80s film guitar soundtrack (IOW perfect for pomposity) ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/10 "2009-05-28T19:18:43Z")
_Dance of the Knights_ by Prokofiev _Dies Irae_ from Verdi’s Requiem _In the Hall of the Mountain King_ from _Peer Gynt_ by Edvard Grieg Also take a look at the soundtrack for Kenneth Branagh’s _Othello_. The intro theme is epic in a romantic way (you can pretty much hear Laurence Fishburne swooping by in tight pants) ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/11 "2009-05-28T19:19:19Z")
The Empire theme from Star Wars is pretty epic. I’m also a fan of Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” and Holst’s “Mars, Bringer of War.” I’d avoid Fucik’s “Entry of the Gladiators,” though. Despite the epic-sounding name, it’s not epic. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/12 "2009-05-28T19:23:25Z")
[Spongebob “Sweet Victory”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0eKnhZufow) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/13 "2009-05-28T19:41:17Z")
Vangelis - “Conquest of Paradise” from the 1492 soundtrack ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/14 "2009-05-28T20:20:27Z")
Ridiculously epic? Swedish Power Metal is the way to go: Stratovarius [Infinite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFYK3rQc8Tk) (song starts ~20 seconds in) ---
**Author:** ![ProfessorX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@ProfessorX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProfessorX)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/15 "2009-05-28T20:31:53Z")
Money for Nothing ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/16 "2009-05-28T20:36:12Z")
> [@PetW](#): > > Ridiculously epic? Swedish Power Metal is the way to go: > Stratovarius [Infinite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFYK3rQc8Tk) (song starts ~20 seconds in) Stratovarious! Haven’t thought about then in probably 8 years. Nice call. Actually, these are all fantastic. “The Final Countdown,” by the way, is worth putting in the discussion. Hammy but epic. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/17 "2009-05-28T20:39:05Z")
NFL Films has commissioned a ton of music for use in various football highlight films; you hear quite a bit of it on TV commercials, as well. There’s at least one album of it available on iTunes, called something like “Autumn Thunder”. Some of the tracks (particularly “Heroes of War”) may have that over-the-top epic feel you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/18 "2009-05-28T20:43:51Z")
I will second Holst’s “Mars, Bringer of War”. When I read the title at first I thought the OP was asking for ridiculously _long_ epic music, like Rush or Yes. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/19 "2009-05-28T20:48:11Z")
Dark Magus - by Hallucinogen ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954/20 "2009-05-28T20:52:26Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I will second Holst’s “Mars, Bringer of War”. > > When I read the title at first I thought the OP was asking for ridiculously _long_ epic music, like Rush or Yes. That made me think, one form of Epic Rock Song that has thankfully fallen out of favor is sort of over the top pompostic enough to nominate in this thread: the type that start off with a verse and/or theme, then have up to 10 minutes or more of musical noodling, then a reprise of the theme. Rush has two I can think of, YYZ and the Trees. Led Zeppelins Moby Dick counts. As does the Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive and Echoes. (And who can forget, like I almost did, Innagaddadavita?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-ridiculously-epic-music/497954.md?page=2)