What kind of music do you listen to when creating your game?

We all have something that inspires us to create. Music is an easy sort of muse because you can listen to something familiar and it doesn't tax your attention span too much. In many cases, it can even help get those creative juices flowing.

So, I am interested in learning what kind of music people listen to, and how it inspires them. This is sort of a game as well, as I will ask that the next poster try and guess what kind of game/story their game is/includes. I know that's vague, but I'm not looking for definite answers. Basically, I just want to know what these things call to mind in another person. I am not sure if I or we could learn anything from that, but the idea struck me and I thought I'd try this little game.

So, without further ado, I'll start:

I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan. I've annoyed plenty of roommates at college with Dylan's, admittedly, sub-par singing voice (I still contend that his voice can be quite pleasant on older records, even if it isn't great). I'm especially fond of listening to these:
-When the Ship Comes in
-Desolation Row
-Knocking on Heaven's Door (also GNR version)
-It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (also Hole version--I had it in my mind to do a commercial game, so, if I wasn't, this song and this version would be in the game.)
-Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
-Like A Rolling Stone
-The Gates of Eden
-Subterranean Homesick Blues
-Maggie's Farm (also Rage Against the Machine version)
-It's All Right Ma
-With God on Our Side

I also love Johnny Cash. The man has a voice of a preacher--a preacher I'd actually like to listen to and not the pinheads I grew up listening to (who totally turned me away from organized religion).

The Who's "We Don't Get Fooled Again" comes up a lot.

The Beatles. The entire discography. There's a mix of positive and what I perceive as pessimistic sensibility that appeals to me.

TV on the Radio. "Ambulance" and other songs. For some of the character and relationship drama, these are inspiring.

Pearl Jam. Lot's of Pearl Jam.

The Civil Wars -- I love Folk Americana. It's nice to hear Country music that doesn't sound insincere.

I'm not a huge rap fan, but I do listen to Tupac and Eminem--sometimes. I like Eminem's stuff that is raw and honest, even if it is just angry.

The Doors "When You're Strange" and "Break on Through"

Arcade Fire. I'm actually still on the fence as to whether or not I really like them. The subjects are appealing, the music isn't always. But I do have the Suburban War album and I do listen to it. It may be aimed at someone slightly younger than myself, though. I'm not sure if I connect with all of it.

Billy Joel. I feel like I'm going to get flak for that one. I usually do. To me, though, the man was a genius. I like his storytelling in his music. "Captain Jack" is my favorite.

Pink Floyd. Mainly The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon. And Wish You Were Here. I grew up on them. My dad played them a lot. They probably had more of a profound effect on my development than any classic rock band should on a kid born in '89.

Nat King Cole.

Billy Holiday -- I don't know why. One of my gay friends turned me on to her, and my straight friends won't let me live it down. I guess I like the pain in her voice. I like the sense of destitution.

I actually like Green Day. Pre-American Idiot. And by all logic I should like American Idiot. It pertains to my experiences in my culture, but I just don't like it.

Roy Orbison - "In Dreams" It made it into my playlist after watching "Blue Velvet". And for some reason I keep getting drawn to it when writing.

I prefer more thoughtful music than just music that rages against this or that social paradigm. For that reason, punk rock never completely appealed to me. I'd rather examine an idea or issue than bitch about it. Still, the grunge-rock era of music appeals to me, and Nirvana and Soundgarden are inspirational mainstays.

Patsy Cline. I prefer my love songs sweet, pathetic, and tragic.

Alice in Chains - Quite possibly my favorite band. It's between that, Pearl Jam, and (at the risk of making a faux pas) The Beatles.  More thoughtful and atmospheric than other bands of the era of their heyday, they certainly broke free of the "grunge" label they got stuck with early on.

The Gorrilaz -- They have a really good mix of artists and styles. Most music today feels like such an annoying jumble of sounds and things, but Gorrilaz blends their elements perfectly. I just find their music mostly fun, and the fact that it's mostly done in the context of the lives of their fake cartoon band, it's so fun to listen to and just let your imagination write a situation in for the song that is different.

Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Jopilin, and The Rolling Stones (the R&B stuff only--whenever they tried to follow trends, well, they were less successful than the Beatles were at it) round out my playlist. I also have the score for Pan's Labyrinth for listening, and some videogame music from Final Fantasy and Bioshock.

And, really, one of my favorite things to do is listen to the radio and see what kind of scenes pop up in my head. Increasingly, those scenes relate to my project. If I can't get a scene in my head from the music, then I have a hard time being interested. A lot of the top 40 stuff right now just isn't doing it for me, but hey, the top 40 in any era tends to be full of crap.

That was a long list. Anyways, I'm interested in seeing what other people listen to, and also what that calls to the minds of others.

EDIT: I forgot Radiohead. At first, I didn't think much of them. I actually didn't like O.K. Computer at first, but, I guess it just grew on me the more I thought about it.

We all have different taste in music... And to be honest, your taste sort of sickens me (no offense). I don't respect you any less >.<. I listen to ATTOJ, and VoM.

What the fuck is ATTOJ and VoM?

Veil of Maya and some other shitty scenecore band

Makes sense.

Veil of Maya and some other shitty scenecore band

It depends really. Sometimes I just can't have music on at all because... Well, I just can't. But when I am listening to music, it differs from Nobuo Uematsu's Final Fantasy tracks, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Iron Maiden... I love music, but I have the unfortunate habit of listening to the same stuff again and again, haha!

Well, I'll try to keep the OP. I would guess that with the music you listen Cloudfall you'll tend to do Steampunk sort of games (A mix of middleage and futurist lineart). Am I near?

I'll share with you the common music I listen to:
http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/Sin+Fronteras/39396963

I try to be open minded in music but avoiding comercial cliches, I mean, I've got no problem in listenning Metallica, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Supertramp, Dire Straits, etc, etc, etc, and the rest of old glories; but I try not to listen easy/commercial music like Lady Gaga, Alejandro Sanz, all the Disney Channel "Music School" and that sort of music...

So, in general, I listen almost everithing, mainly rock and it's substyles (Metallica, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, Scorpion...); but also love Michael Jackson, some rap like Chojin (spanish), folk from all around the world (From USA with Country music with Johny Cash, to East Europe folk like Emir Kusturika, going trough Irish folk mixed with rock like Flogging Molly and spanish Flamenco...)

Also have a place for "Classical Music" being somehow in love with Tchaikovsky, Wagner or Bach... and some "Indie" bands like Vetusta Morla, Artic Monkeys or Love of Lesbian or Grunge with Pearl Jam or Nirvana. Also love Elvis... and Jazz (but don't know too much about it).

I think I listen almost everything that I consider "good music", I'm just not interested in what it's called Techno/Industrial music.

For more understanding just check the playlist above.

That is not what steampunk is.

Usually some king of movie or game OST. Right now I'm listening to a lot of Dragon Age music.

Whatever music I currently like, usually shitty scenecore bands like DrSword, lots of La Dispute

i just listen to music that was used in some other non-rm rpg games.

Old school European Trance/Techno/Jumpstyle. It keeps me energetic, I guess.

Well, I'll try to keep the OP. I would guess that with the music you listen Cloudfall you'll tend to do Steampunk sort of games (A mix of middleage and futurist lineart). Am I near?

I just do whatever good idea hits me Steampunk has never been a good idea though, can't stand the style really, haha!

That is not what steampunk is.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFCuE5rHbPA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFCuE5rHbPA</a>

dubstep...all of it hundreds repeat after repeat. mainly scatta by skrillex.

Jeez. When I had XP, I would listen to one song endlessly. One-Winged Angel from Final Fantasy: Advent Children. >w< I dunno why, but I swear, I probably listened to that one song for an hour.

Um, aside from that, there's also my mild collection of various video game and classical music. o3o

I'm listening to Hands Up and Techno
Mostly, Empyre One

NONE O_O It'd probably be better if I did though...

Oh man, how to answer in just one post. I'll say generally Classic Rock, but not limited to that.

Elmore James
Bob Marley
John Lee Hooker
Gordon Lightfoot - got to put a ghost in a wishing well in one of my games
Sam Cooke
Willie Dixon
Professor Longhair
Taj Mahal
The Clash

Then all your usual Classic Rock suspects: Led Zepellin, Billy Joel, The Kinks, Dr. Hook, Bob Seger, Joan Jett, AC/DC, The Grateful Dead, Stevie Ray Vaughan, ...

Keeps my 'monkey mind' occupied listening so that the creative ideas can come through.

Pingu songs!
P.S. I killed Ganon because he said I am childish.(My older(and deleted)game:Fa[e]ces of Evil)

I genuinely believe this topic is worth reviving; I find it quite interesting. I actually listen to the music that goes with the map I'm working on in RM; helps me get the vibe right. I generally choose the music before making the map and base the map around that.
If I'm scripting etc I'll put iTunes on shuffle; it's just full of all the dance music I download (generally techno, house) and a few folk bands. I don't think that helps though, lyrics are quite distracting when you've got variables and classes coming out of your ears

Wow, theres alot of music I listen to when I am working on my project. I have found out though that listening to different kind of music sets me into moods for different parts of my game haha! Like if Im making something grand and violent in a cutscene for example, I tend to listen to Metal..

Another song that I listen to alot when trying to make something emotinal is Radiohead - Creep, It really sets me into the right mindset, and it keeps poping up when Im trying to make something touchy 

Actually I usually listen to the game soundtrack when I create it (the game), that way I can create the maps based on feel of the music itself, instead of relying on complicated map creation thoughts (what to put where), which is important yes, but music for me helps create the feel of the game.

Actually I usually listen to the game soundtrack when I create it (the game), that way I can create the maps based on feel of the music itself, instead of relying on complicated map creation thoughts (what to put where), which is important yes, but music for me helps create the feel of the game.

This is what I do too.
For me it helps to listen to whatever music I use in the scene I'm creating. I find it easier to get my dialogue for characters right that way.