I write this today, March 19th, 2026, after being conscious for 26 hours straight and at the end of a 10 hour continuous drive that began at 1am CST with my band GILT. We all know that background music is a helpful tool to create additional immersion or buy-in for characters, but sometimes the Spotify playlists just DON’T get it right. I have decided to showcase 5 songs that you can use in your Fantasy TTRPG sessions to create distinctive vibes and scenarios for your players to enjoy! Pop in your earbuds and come along on this beautiful music journey with me. (There will be no refunds.)
From the minute the main synth riff is introduced in the intro build up, you can imagine your adventurers gearing up for another day on the arduous road to glory. This is also the perfect song to play as you read your previous session recap, while your friends head nod along and the sick beat drops in at full volume. Is there any instrument that is more perfect for old school fantasy than a synthesizer keyboard? Check out the rest of the album that is “Kingdom II” by Arcade High!
Reach For The Skies by Thomas Bergersen and Two Steps From Hell
Looking for that Herculean feel but without all the Disney silliness? This song was my main inspiration for writing during my Theros DND 5E online-only COVID campaign. (Lord, what a sentence.) There’s something about the swell of trumpets and violins in the background that give you that “big sky” feeling. How will your adventurers fare in the coliseum? Is your party ready to leave their home city for the first time and experience the chaotic realms outside it? This song will have them walking with their chests out and heads held high.
The Lonely Tower by flashygoodness
Every fantasy session needs a good conclusion song, and “The Lonely Tower” will have your players screaming “NOOOO!!” by the second session you’ve used it as your curtain call. The melody and build up of this song is the equivalent of having “Continue?” pop up on your arcade game screen with the evil, conniving, and pixelated face of your GM pondering an orb that’s trapping your characters within it. While your players protest with your cliff hanger ending, you can get a quick lil boogie in with the song’s quick fifty two second run time. Finally hit them with a Dragon Ball Z narrator question while it plays. “How will Woodbit defeat the Owlbear Hydra Monster? Find Out Next Time on Motherboard.”
Le château magique by Guilhem Desq
While we’ve mentioned good songs to start or end your session with, “Le château magique” is the perfect “wait a minute…” brain thinker tune to get your players to question what is going on around them. The song’s minor key and driving rhythm can get any player to narrow their eyes and do their best Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes impression. The strong run time of four minutes will allow you to loop a few times before your players realize you just love jamming this brain scratching tune. Also, the album artwork for this song will inspire you to create a new location for your players to visit and interact with. I mean, WHAT IS THIS BOAT CASTLE CREATURE THING?!
Bay of Fires by Strawberry Girls
Ah man…. something is about to GO DOWN. This song is the ultimate fuse lighter before a big reveal or chain of events that goes off. The pounding drums and fast paced guitar leads start showcasing and highlighting the tension of that street brawl you were foreshadowing to your unruly players. Don’t let them big time you too much; remind them that the hero’s journey is filled with a few received black eyes. I can also see this song as the start of a getaway chase scene where your characters are run down by the city guard.
Queue that track and get rollin baby!
Got any go-to tracks you use for fantasy TTRPG sessions? Let us know on Instagram and link us to the Spotify playlist you’ve made if you already have one. Sometimes, sounds just get the vibes across more clearly than you detailing what type of sconce is being used inside this dungeon hallway. Use music to inspire your session writing, light a fire under your characters, or just to make them sweat a lil bit while you fumble through your new gameplan because they bypassed 90% of your dungeon with that teleportation blade you forgot you gave them. I’ll see you on the next quest!
We Took The Quest 