I remember the first time I truly connected with rock music. Cameron Crowe’s soundtrack for his film “Singles” (clip below) came out and it featured songs from Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains and more. It became my bible and the very next day I formed my band Stage. I was 13 or 14 at the time and from that early age I saw the power of film and music. Having songs go hand and hand with a visual had me so inspired.
Now, years later, I am humbled by having my songs appear in so many various worlds. My song “Brand New Day” is the theme song to one of the coolest TV shows out there called “Lie To Me” on FOX and other songs of mine have already started to appear in films, sports and promos. To me, it is a perfect marriage of the arts.
To this day, when I am asked who my influences are, I somehow assume they are talking about film and not music. I guess my wires got a little crossed the day I found rock and roll in a movie soundtrack. Realizing this, I often bring a notebook to the theatre and take notes when I watch. I don’t steal the dialogue but I like to note the emotion and colors the films create. The way a film pulls us in over two hours, a song has to do in 3 minutes. Just call me a lazy filmmaker.
My Best Soundtracks of the Decade
Vanilla Sky
Into The Wild (Eddie Vedder)
Moulin Rouge
Garden State
Oh Brother Where art Thou
Kill Bill
The Squid and the Whale
Lord of The Rings (score)
Big Fish (score)
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I completely agree with you about the way music in a film can really make the film even better if it’s the right fit. Brand New Day really is the perfect theme song for Lie to Me. Into the Wild is an amazing movie, and Eddie Vedder’s music is so fitting.
Comment by Stephanie ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 07:12 am
great movie soundtrack list !!
garden state soundtrack is amazing.
your song “brand new day” is perfect for the fox show lie to me.
Comment by thisrocks ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 07:12 am
You’ve chosen some pretty amazing soundtracks to highlight here, Ryan. One of my favorites that is not on your list is the Great Expectations soundtrack. I’m loving your blogs, keep them coming!
Comment by hiedi ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 07:12 am
Completely agree with you about film and music. As an aspiring director/producer I’ve seen what can happen when you put the right song to the right show/movie. Pictures and dialogue can only go so far, the music you place behind it acts like a support or emphasis, making the colors come out.Brand New Day is perfect for Lie to Me and I love hearing it every Monday night! Kepp up the great work! I know we won’t be hearing the last of you on TV
Comment by Meg ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 07:12 am
love the blog. I love hearing the stories on what gave you inspiration….
Comment by Mandy ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 07:12 am
You are talking my language, now, Ryan! With experience in video and film production, I can tell you that the soundtrack is such a vital role in a movie- it emphasizes the emotion and action of the moment in the film. Try watching a movie (or tv show) without sound… you get the idea of what is going on, especially if your actors are good. But add music to it, and bam! You have taken it to a whole other level…it brings those characters, their emotion, and the mood of the scene to life. I am so excited to hear that your songs are finding their way into these shows and pray that more opportunities arise for you! (BTW, I love your choices…I have a few more of my own favs, maybe I will post later.) Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!!!
Comment by Lori in CT ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 07:12 am
You forgot the PS I love you soundtrack
I love the garden state soundtrack, I listen to it all the time.
Cameron Crowe is one of my favorite directors, he has such an amazing talent to create real, honest movies. Almost Famous is incredible – the scene when the band is all singing ‘Tiny Dancer’ on the bus? Awesome.
Love these blogs! Thanks for taking the time to do them!
Comment by Brooke ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
I love reading your blog, and though not musically talented I can relate to your words. Sports & music, music & life, and the power of music in film. Singles is one of my all-time favorite soundtracks (though the Wizard of Oz is up there too!) Your music has been an unexpected gift this past year. Breathe is somewhat calming, Last Train Home makes me laugh (sorry, I’m from NJ), Brand New Day reminds me to just let it go, but Right Now may be my favorite “there’s nothing anyone can do or say to bring me down”…thanks for being you and I can’t wait for more of your music in my life
Comment by traceymc ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
Great post Ryan. I love the soundtrack of Into the wild. And now, your music is part of the soundtracks too.
You are a great artist.
Comment by Solange ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
Ryan, I love these daily blogs and getting to know you more and your influences and thoughts and meanings of your music! Thank you for sharing with us! It is amazing how much musical taste we have in common-I completely agree with your soundtrack list and own almost all of that music. I would of course add another to it & it would be Last Train Home from P.S. I Love You. I realize we are the same age from your Singles reference! I loved that movie & music and am a huge Pearl Jam fan as well. Music is movies had always had a profound effect on me as well. I must say that this past week with your concert on my birthday and my snowed in trip to NYC has felt like a movie and your music was the soundtrack for it. Your line from Breathe about, “She likes NY at night. She dreams if running away,” was stuck in my head as I walked the city streets. I have had such a magical time! I’ll never forget it! Happy Christmas Eve!
Comment by Lia ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
The original favorite soundtrack for me is Grease, LOL! I was just a little kid and had no idea how raunchy Greased Lightning was!
Comment by aheadofstraight ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
I’m glad this is another thing I can identify with – I work on animation/3D media (I’m still a student, though), so of course we know the importance of having sound effects, which is pretty similar to what you’re getting at. A friend of mine is a comic artist, and he draws amazingly well, but with every page of the comic he puts out, he’ll let us know what song inspired that particular page/scene, and with the song playing you kind of get the feel of the whole scene… and it’s just really damn cool.
Anyways, Merry Xmas Ryan! ‘Tis already midnight, here; I beat all of you to Christmas, time-zone wise. Bwahaha.
Comment by Nurul. ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
Wonderful choices Ryan! I would have added The Commitments & Dirty Dancing though, simply for the nostalgia factor
… In the last few years, music/songs have become much more evident in television programs and I hope it continues! It is such a treat to say “HEY – listen to what they are playing!” … all the best for the Holidays & come back to Montreal real soon – I still think I was the oldest person in the room! 
:):)
Comment by Kalan ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
Ryan I love hearing the stories of what inspires you to write your music. I believe that music is the soundtrac to life. Your music fits so well into mine. Thank you for what you do.
Comment by Emily ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
You’re right, of course. Great choice of soundtracks too. Particularly, loved seeing ‘Singles’ where it was. That was an important movie and soundtrack for me also.
Comment by Anodyne ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 08:12 am
I have long been interested in how music affects the overall power of films and television. Your list here makes me regret not watching movies. Rectification may be necessary! I’m loving the daily blogs! Thank you!
Comment by Carol Burnett ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 09:12 am
The choices here are pretty much spot on – particularly Kill Bill. I remember watching it at the time and being quite taken with the way the sound and music was used. I’ve got to agree with others on “Brand New Day” as well – the perfect theme for Lie to Me.
Comment by Sayer ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 09:12 am
a very interesting read…one of my favourite soundtracks is to a beautiful mind. This movie was amazing and so was the music throughout the movie. It all was so perfect. Btw…brand new day is a top tune
Comment by NAFISA14 ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 10:12 am
I’ve always considered music and film as a marriage made in heaven. Music has such an ability to engage our emotions even more when it is artfully used in film. Your great soundtracks list some beautiful music. When I was younger I habitually asked for movie soundtrack CDs because I was so entranced with the scores. Sometimes a line from a movie will pop into my head at just the right time. Sometimes a piece of music will do the same. It’s amazing how inspiring both are together.
As always – great blog, Ryan.
Comment by Nicole ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 11:12 am
Ryan, I need you to start being less awesome. Your list is perfection. Garden State? Moulin Rouge? Into the Wild? Yes. Yes. Yes.
Some Kind of Wonderful was it for me, but probably before your time. It was my daily soundtrack in college for those long walks to class.
Comment by MagazineFreak ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 11:12 am
Great blog Ryan! There are times when the perfect song is put to a moving scene in a film and I get chills. Some of those scenes stay with me always.
You music is like that, the first time I heard your songs ~moved me and will stay with me.
Comment by Julie B. ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
that’s so cool:)
i love “Brand New day.”
it’s good to read these blogs and get to know you better:)
Comment by Alexis ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 01:12 pm
The Fountain soundtrack by Clint Mansell. Arnofsky was not the only one that made a masterpiece.
Comment by Gambit ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 02:12 pm
Ryan,
I’m kind a film addict, and now I’m getting addicted to your blogs too. It’s dangerous…
Comment by shaniah3 ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 03:12 pm
Your taste in movies = my taste in movies. Into the Wild and Garden State are two of my favourites. They’re so powerful, and they’re so close to me. I listen to the GS soundtrack all the time. And I see so much of myself in Into the Wild. It’s just incredible, and Eddie Vedder’s music just takes the movie to another level. And of course LOTR. Eternal Sunshine is also one of my very favourites, which might have more to do with the artistry/creativity of the movie than the music. You should check out the movie Across the Universe, if you haven’t, for the musical component and how seamlessly it blends into the film. And you NEED to watch the movie “Once”. Trust me. I’m gonna post again to remind you. And I’m gonna watch Singles.
Comment by Sarah ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 03:12 pm
Another great blog! You know, I loved Brand New Day even before I knew who sang it. And when I heard that the artist in question was the opener for my favorite band in the world this year, I couldn’t wait to see you! Your music is so great and this is just the beginning! We’ll be hearing your songs not just on TV but on movie soundtracks too before long – I can’t wait!
Comment by Beth ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 05:12 pm
Thanks for sharing your soundtrack thoughts with us… Your songs need to be in more movies. Lie to me couldn’t have a better theme song. congrats! Can’t wait for the next blog…
Comment by juliana ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 05:12 pm
Ryan, you are so on the money with this. I totally agree. As a diehard fan of yours, I actually get a bit of a thrill everytime I hear your music used on TV or in a movie – esp. Last Train Home in “P.S. I Love You,” which HBO recently ran a gazillion times in that marathon way they have. Music and film are my passions and so this blog entry really hit home for me.
Comment by Scott ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 05:12 pm
Given his backstory, I love hearing that a Cameron Crowe work drew you into the business. Music often pulls the emotional strings within the story, but Almost Famous made me think about it as a component of life… how it has influenced who we are as members of various generations, how we respond to the range of musical genres and how music is, in itself, a part of our individual makeup. I love how it spins within the stories of our own lives (with a nod to some lyrics from To Have Heroes) And I love how you have managed to weave your music not only into film and television, but also into the personal stories of the people in your music video for Breathe. Great blog, Ryan. Looking forward to more.
Comment by Sharon ///// Thursday, December 24th, 2009 @ 06:12 pm
I totally agree with you. I think it’s great that you understand this concept so much. Most people don’t realize how much of a rile music has in the films they watch. The emotions we feel would be so much weaker if the music wasn’t there. I always tell my friends to imagine watching that same scene without music. Music is such an emotional art form. I think it’s fantastic that you have the ability to convey such emotion in your songs. I can’t begin to explain the emotions I feel when listening to your music, along with some other fantastic musicians. Keep up the fantastic work and I hope you have a fantastic holiday season.
Comment by Brittany ///// Friday, December 25th, 2009 @ 07:12 am
The music says it all. A movie just woulnd’t be the same without the music. I love “O, Brother Where Art Thou” – both the movie and the soundtrack.. It’s great that you include it here.
Comment by pattieann (ph246) ///// Saturday, December 26th, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
Just saw a screening of “Up In the Air” and I thought of “Breathe” immediately. The movie tackles unemployment in a very innovative (and entertaining) way. At CBS News, we did a story about the song “Up In the Air” that ended up on the movie’s soundtrack. Unemployed songwriter Kevin Renick had just written it as the movie was being filmed – it was a coincidence that it had the same title. Renick peddled it to director Jason Reitman in person. Here’s a link:
http://bit.ly/6iIcOX
Comment by Scott ///// Saturday, December 26th, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
Absolutely dead on with the “Singles” soundtrack. “Chloe dancer/Crown of Thorns” was my shit! and I would sing
“And this is my kind of love
It’s the kind that moves on
It’s the kind that leaves me alone, yes it does”
Simply one fantastic, ” you got me going” song.
Comment by Michelle ///// Saturday, December 26th, 2009 @ 09:12 pm
Ryan -
Film and music definitely go hand in hand. I can not say how much I agree with you on that. I often times see myself wishing the daily life was like a movie or even a TV show. I wish their was music playing the background of dramatic scenes or just an overall mood changing score that can take you from one extreme to another. I loved the soundtracks you picked, although there were a couple that I never really thought about really looking into. “Singles” soundtrack is probably one of the best I’ve heard, but it just seems like now days the movies get lost in other stuff, instead of the music like they used to. Sorry that was long. Thanks again for the blogs Ryan!
Comment by Andrea Angel ///// Sunday, December 27th, 2009 @ 07:12 pm
Thanks for this one, Ryan…I never paid much attention to film and music combinations until I became a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The creators of that show had such an ear for what song could completely make a scene. Scores never did much for me, but the right song set to the right scene can make all the difference in the world. From that point on, I was constantly noticing song choices in movies and TV. Your choices are brilliant…I would add The Crow and Almost Famous to that list!
Comment by Jo ///// Monday, December 28th, 2009 @ 06:12 am