Off the Shelf Media

Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds. As soon as you hear that melody, regardless of age, a vision of a young Judd Nelson with a raised fist in a classic ’80s punk fit will probably flash into your mind.d 

Or how about the classic, “dunn, dun, duuuunnn, dun, dundundundundudun…” If you’re in a swimming pool, the slightest note of that score from John Williams will have you rushing for dry land. 

The right song or the right score, when paired together, can place a scene into the annals of entertainment history. Oftentimes, the right song is one that perfectly encapsulates the tone and emotion a scene is trying to convey. 

But sometimes, the opposite is true. Sometimes, what takes a scene from great to spectacular is when the music is entirely outside what’s expected. When that is accomplished, the perfect marriage between song and scene occurs, placing a new icon into the pop culture zeitgeist. 

Before we jump into our list of favorites, here are some honorable mentions: 

• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) x “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone
• Fallout (2024- ) x “Uranium Fever” by Elton Britt
• Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) x “Bye Bye Bye” by *NSYNC
• Twilight (2008) x “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse
• X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) x “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce
• Wednesday (2022- ) x “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps
• Shrek 2 (2004) x “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler
• Sinners (2025) x “Rocky Road to Dublin” by Geeshie Wiley
• American Psycho (2000) x “Hip to Be Square” by Huey Lewis and the News

Without further ado, here is our top list of eight unconventional songs that turned simple scenes into absolute icons. 

Stranger Things S4E4 x “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush

I have to start with the obvious. In the summer of 2022, Stranger Things (2016-2025) reigned supreme. It was all anyone could talk about, and after “Dear Billy,” Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” hit 1 billion streams on Spotify, according to Billboard. 

One song, one scene, got me back into running after a long hiatus. But it’s not a “running song,” and it isn’t an absolute hype-up song either. It’s classic 80s pop, so it fits the show, but it was a bold move to put it into one of the climaxes of the season as one of the serie’s most beloved characters raced to escape utter doom. Arguably, I can’t think of another song that could’ve also given that scene the same amount of energy or created nearly as much of a moment in pop culture. 

Reservoir Dogs (1992) x “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel

If you haven’t seen Reservoir Dogs, it should be noted that this scene isn’t so family-friendly. But it is a classic and Quentin Tarantino’s directorial debut. 

The happy-go-lucky tune comes laced with an irresistible beat, which is an extreme contrast to the events that are about to unfold in the robbers’ safehouse. The up-tempo carries a joyful melody as the suspense on the screen mounts in, right before unprecedented violence. 

It is nothing short of thrilling and also builds the wicked character of Mr. Blonde, played by Michael Madsen, as his depraved acts give him joy, matching the emotions of the two while the action strays. 

The Umbrella Academy S1E1 x “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany

It seemed to me that The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024) came both silently in and out of the pop culture sphere. Yet, as soon as I saw this scene for the first time, I could never again hear this song without picturing the Hargreeves siblings busting a move throughout the house. 

Even though this song was also used in Stranger Things Season 5, it had nothing on this classic montage, featuring a house full of fighting, dysfunctional siblings who don’t have an ounce of rhythm between them. It isn’t action-backed; it isn’t a villain’s looming moment of realization for how to achieve absolute takeover. It has no business being in a superhero-focused show, which is what makes it so perfect. 

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) x “Twisted Nerve”

Speaking entirely for myself, I can’t say that Quentin Tarantino’s preference and style for gore is one of my favorites, but the man can make a good movie. And he excels at putting together a soundtrack, which is why this is his second title on the list.  

What makes this scene even more iconic is that it essentially put this whistle onto the map. Years before I had even seen this movie, I had heard that whistle, reimagined into new songs, scenes, and more. 

It was simple, eerie, and perfectly delivered. 

Superman (2025) x “5 Years Time” by Noah And The Whale

If you asked any casual superhero fan who Mr. Terrific was, they probably wouldn’t know. If you asked most mainstream movie fans who Edi Gathegi was, they might not know either. Thanks to this scene, everyone knows. That seems pretty iconic to me. 

But perhaps this pick from James Gunn’s Superman (2025) is too recent to be considered iconic, but it has that clear Gunn flair that I’ve come to expect from his work. Ergo, the next pick is essentially the same scene, different superhero universe. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) x “Come A Little Bit Closer” by Jay & The Americans

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy was bound to have at least one scene on this list. 

While most will probably think first of the opening scene of Guardians of the Galaxy, where Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord opens up with a dance number to Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” I would argue that Vol. 2’s action sequence with Michael Rooker’s Yondu plowing through the Ravengers to escape with Groot and Rocket is even better. 

Beetlejuice (1988) x “Banana Boat (Day-O)” by Harry Belafonte

In honor of the late and great Catherine O’Hara, who can forget one of the most iconic scenes that helped place Beetlejuice into the cult-classic status it has today. Again, Tim Burton isn’t one of my favorite directors, but when my dad finally let me watch this movie for the first time as a child, I was immediately entranced by this scene. 

It isn’t the only iconic scene from the film. Belefonte’s “Jump in the Line,” which plays at the conclusion where Winona Ryder’s Lydia dances along with a deceased football team, is a close second. 

The Suicide Squad (2021) x “Just a Gigolo / I Ain’t got Nobody” by Louis Prima

Clearly, I have a favorite genre, if you didn’t gather that from any of my other reviews. 

I debated where this one should’ve made the list, but in writing this article and watching it again, I couldn’t help but add it. 

Hearing this playful tune as Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn mercilessly eviscerates the guards in her escape, with cartoonish animations used to mask the mayhem, it was all too perfect. Though it may be the arguably weakest addition to pop culture on this list, there’s no denying that it’s a great scene. 

Though I could probably fill this entire list with most of Tarantino’s or Gunn’s cinematography, we’ll constrain it to the handful of scenes above. Not to mention, I intentionally left out scenes from Prime Video’s Fallout (2024- ), given that it’s still producing new seasons and we won’t yet know which of its scenes become its most iconic, though most of those would have fit the bill nicely as well. 

What do you think? What scenes did we miss, and what else should’ve been on our list? Let us know in the comments below!