Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The 10 Best Soundtrack Songs From The Movie

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World brought an awesome blend of comic book references, video game animations, and an epic love story – all unfolding over an amazing soundtrack. Scott Pilgrim’s exciting fight scenes against his girlfriend’s evil exes and romantic moments with Ramona Flowers would not have been as impressive without the perfect music accompanying them.

Music is a central part of the story, with Scott himself being a bass player in the band Sex Bob-Omb. The film’s soundtrack is a mix of both original songs and music by other artists that were used in the movie. The best among these songs aren’t just great to listen to on their own but are also ingeniously used in the film itself.

10 “We Are Sex Bob-Omb” By Sex Bob-Omb

“We Are Sex Bob-Omb,” or as Scott likes to call it, “Launchpad McQuack,” plays over the opening titles of the film during the band’s rehearsal. Fans also hear Kim Pine say the iconic line, “We Are Sex Bob-Omb, 1 2, 3 4!” for the first time.

What makes the first-ever song in the film so perfect is that it captures the spirit of the band and sets the tone for the entire movie. The chaotic rhythm and erratic riffs somehow work together to create a rock song that is representative of the band itself: chaotic, imperfect, but always appealing.

9 “By Your Side” By Beachwood Sparks

This bittersweet romantic song plays in the background of Scott and Ramona’s first date, specifically towards the end when the two almost have sex. The entire song sounds deceptively simple, but listening to the lyrics that are punctuated by the band’s generous use of the harmonica reveals its angrier, more desperate message. For some, Ramona Flowers is the best character in the film, but others may see her as a problematic protagonist – these two clashing sides and Scott’s own conflicts are perfectly encapsulated in this romantic but angsty song.

8 “O Katrina!” By The Black Lips

“O Katrina!” is not prominently featured in the film, as it’s only used as the background song during the party scene before Scott starts stalking Ramona about Pac-Man. It is, however, a standout tune that’s upbeat and angry at the same time.

The song’s catchy chorus and impressive guitar riffs perfectly capture the rock and roll side of Ramona, which is what viewers first see through Scott’s eyes in the party scene. In addition, the song is a reflection of how Scott is feeling as he tries to get his dream girl to notice him.

7 “Teenage Dream” By T.Rex

“Teenage Dream” comes in at just the right moment in the film after Scott dumps the 17-year-old Knives Chau. It’s a painfully awkward moment for the viewer, and just plain painful for the young Knives, who had just declared her love for Scott a few minutes before.

The melodramatic song by T.Rex captures what it’s like to be seventeen and heartbroken. With its grand instrumentals and overly romantic lyrics, it’s an accurate portrayal of Knives’ feelings in that scene. Knives isn’t a prolific musician like Scott or the other characters in the film, but she gets her musical moment through this song that lets viewers hear and feel her pain over the breakup.

6 “We Hate You Please Die” By Crash And The Boys

In one of the best moments in Scott Pilgrim, Sex Bob-Omb enters the Battle of the Bands competition facing their first opponent, who plays this short, blunt song as a direct message to all their opponents. The song is clearly enough to intimidate Sex Bob-Omb’s lead singer Stephen Stills as he almost faints when he says “We have to follow that?!”

The extreme aggression in the lyrics, fast-paced drum beats, and almost lazy riffs throughout the song are reminiscent of the peak of 80s thrash metal music. It contrasts significantly with Sex Bob-Omb, who are still growing as a band and are struggling to define their sound. Crash and the Boys play this song so confidently, completely forgetting that they even have an opponent at all.

5 “Garbage Truck” By Sex Bob-Omb

Sex Bob-Omb decides to follow Crash and the Boys’ thrash metal music with a fuzzy laidback number about a romantic garbage truck ride. At one point, the lead singer literally says “I’ll be your garbage man, I’ll take out your junk and crush it down.”

The ridiculous concept is part of what makes the song so appealing, as the garbage truck angle is totally random but also surprisingly endearing. Sex Bob-Omb seemingly pulls their punches in the best way possible throughout the entire track. The song is somewhat symbolic of Scott himself, whose relaxed romanticism is one of the qualities Ramona likes when she meets him.

4 “Threshold” By Sex Bob-Omb

What is arguably Sex Bob-Omb’s best original song is played during their amp versus amp battle against two of Ramona’s most evil exes, the Katayanagi Twins. It’s one of the best epic battles in the film, thanks in large part to the band’s performance of “Threshold.”

The unpolished electric riffs and ingenious use of distortion and sound effects turn the messy punk rock song into a visceral listening experience. Its raw sound is perfect for Sex Bob-Omb, who just want to make listeners “think about death and get sad and stuff.”

3 “I Heard Ramona Sing” By Frank Black

This charming song starts to play when Scott stalks Ramona around the party, hypnotized by the (literal) girl of his dreams. It’s the ideal backdrop to this somewhat creepy scene that really highlights Scott’s obsession with this girl he’s never even met.

Frank Black’s 1993 song seems like it was made specifically for this movie, especially with Ramona’s name prominently featured in its lyrics. In the film, it tells the audience that Scott is falling fast and hard for Ramona, making the scene sound like a budding romance – it’s hopelessly naive, enchanting, and sweet all at once.

2 “Black Sheep” By Metric

This song is, without a doubt, one of the most memorable tunes from the movie. Envy Adams performs it with her band, Clash at Demonhead, during a secret show. Her unblinking stare (which was intentional) during her performance of this sultry song still has the same hypnotic effect on fans more than a decade later.

Something fans may not know about Brie Larson’s portrayal of Envy Adams is that she based her performance of this song on Metric’s lead singer, Emily Haines. She does a great job of staying true to the artist while also influencing the sound and style of the song with Envy Adams’ jealousy and rage. Through this song, Envy wants Scott to know that she’s better than Ramona. She’s singing directly about their twisted past relationship when she says “You crack the whip, shape-shift, and trick, the past again.”

1 “It’s Getting Boring By The Sea” By Blood Red Shoes

This song plays after an awkward confrontation between Knives and Ramona in the bathroom. The two walk out with their matching blue hair in slow motion, with Knives mirroring Ramona’s every step. The entire scene is horrific for Scott, who then finds out that his ex is dating Young Neil in an attempt to make him jealous.

The Brighton-based band showcases the best of spunky British post-punk music through this track. “It’s Getting Boring by the Sea” is a jarring, angry, and fast-paced song with sharp riffs and impossibly high energy all throughout. It’s the ideal reflection of how angry Knives is about Scott and Ramona’s relationship. The sharp riffs seem to get louder as Knives wraps her arms around Young Neil, as she knows it’s her best shot at getting revenge

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