The Ultimate San Diego Comic-Con Playlist

SDCC may be a time of great excitement highlighted by the revelation of all manner of news stories that set the hearts of geeks a-fluttering, but the dirty little secret about conventions is just how much downtime there is. Ask anyone who has ever waited to get into a panel at Hall H and they’ll be quick to reference Tom Petty and tell you that the waiting is the hardest part.

We here at Den of Geek feel your pain, so we’ve put together a Spotify playlist crammed with tracks both familiar and obscure that will musically enhance your con-going experience. Whether you listen to this while idling away the hours until you hear what the future holds for your favorite genre show or simply want to enjoy some great tunes while walking the convention floor, the Den of Geek SDCC Playlist has got you covered.

Here’s a rundown of the track-listing:

1 – The Rebel Force Band, “Living in These Star Wars”

What better way than to get into the nerdy mood than by kicking back with this borderline copyright infringing jam from an obscure 1970s disco act whose sole existence was predicated on wanting to cash in on Star Wars? Real talk though: It’s actually a great song.

2 – Kitty Terry, “ET Phone Home”

Think Neil Diamond’s “Heartlight” was the only song ever written about E.T.? Then you obviously haven’t heard this new wave obscurity that will have you both dancing and shaking your head at the insanity of the universe.

3 – David Bowie, “Space Oddity”

It’s not yet law that this hugely influential pop epic be played at every sci-fi gatherings in the same way that “The National Anthem” is at sporting events, but in light of Bowie’s untimely passing early this year it should be.

4 – Dewey Cox, “Starman”

From the Walk Hard soundtrack comes John C. Reilly’s take on another Bowie classic. Is it blasphemy for us to say that we have grown to prefer this over the original?

5 – Neon Neon, “I Told Her on Alderaan”

Princess Leia’s doomed planet is the setting for this rocking number about how betrayal can blow apart a romance with more finality than a Death Star is capable of.

6 – The Space Angels, “It’s Love, Love, Love”

Remember that creepy alien band from the original Battlestar Galactica pilot? This is them, with all their disco swagger intact.

7 – Tina Turner, “We Don’t Need Another Hero”

Point to ponder: Could an Aunt Entity cameo have made Mad Max: Fury Road even cooler?

8 – Theatre of Hate, “Do You Believe in the Westworld?”

Now that it finally has a premiere date, HBO’s Westworld is more than likely going to be smash hit. Might we suggest this banger from UK post-punk act Theatre of Hate as the series’ opening theme?

9 – B.O.S.E., “Robo Cop (Who-R-U)”

Not only is RoboCop the future of law enforcement, this song would have you believe he’s a techno pioneer as well.

10 – Kraftwerk, “Computer Love”

Feeling lonely at comic con? Then hop on Tinder, Grindr, Growlr, and the countless other apps that will help you land a “data date,” as predicted by Kraftwerk all the way back in 1981.

11 – The Timelords, “Doctorin’ the Tardis”

Because songs that feature Dalek interludes never, ever get tired.

12 – Alice Cooper, “Clones (We’re All)”

Proving again that we live in the best of all possible worlds is the existence of this Alice Cooper song from his ill-advised new wave period that chronicles what goes wrong when a clone has individuality issues.

13 – SpizzEnergi, “Where’s Captain Kirk?”

A bit of British punk bombast inspired by Star Trek and with a unexpected lyrical twist at the end worthy of M. Night Shyamalan in his glory days.

14 – Frank Black, “Men in Black”

The Pixies’ frontman’s ode to mysterious government forces deserves a second listen after this year’s X-Files revival reminded us all that the truth is still out there.

15 – Crash Test Dummies, “Superman’s Song”

This haunting tribute to the secret pain that Superman carries around somehow wasn’t featured in Batman v Superman, which strikes us as rather tragic really.

16 – A Flock of Seagulls, “Space Age Love Song”

For anyone out there thinking of getting hitched at Comic Con we humbly suggest making this 1980s gem your wedding song.

17 – John Palumbo, “Doctor Octopus Part 2”

From the classic album Spider-Man: Rock Reflections of a Superhero comes this amazing song told from Doc Ock’s perspective in which he details how he plans to destroy the Marvel universe.

18 – Laura Veirs, “Galaxies”

This underrated folk-pop song examines how each of us possesses a galaxy inside ourselves, and when that collides with another who shares similar interests the possibilities are as infinite as the universe.

19 – Meco, “The Empire Strikes Back Medley”

Meco Monardo made a living crafting disco versions out of John Williams’ themes from the original Star Wars trilogy. It’s no surprise then that just as Empire is the best of the movies this track remains Meco’s crowning achievement.

20 – Messiah, “Temple of Dreams”

Mix some samples from The Running Man with a key moment from This Mortal Coil’s “Song of the Siren” and you’ve got a recipe for a high-energy song that will rejuvenate you when con life has seemingly depleted you of the ability to move.

21 – Sheila, “Spacer”

An ode to being in love with a spaceman. As one does. Astronaut Mike Dexter could not be reached for comment.

22 – Flight of the Conchords, “Robots”

Trust us from experience, by day three of the convention you’ll be desperate for a robotic overthrow of society just to give yourself a break from all the chaos.

23 – The Muppets, “Moving Right Along”

Taking a road trip while in town for SDCC? Here’s the perfect companion.

24 – Vangelis, “Blade Runner (End Titles)”

We recommend listening to this one as you try to navigate the crowds on the convention floor. It may not make maneuvering your way around any easier, but it will definitely make your trek for aurally stylish.

25 – The Eagles, “Journey of the Sorceror”

You may not know this song’s name, but we guarantee you are familiar with the melody. This banjo-heavy cosmic journey from The Eagles’ One of These Nights album found a second life as the theme to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Sub-etha thumb technology doesn’t exist yet, damnit, so just listen to this one as you head back home, reflecting on another great con come and gone.

A version of this article appears in our print edition. You can read the entire magazine right here…

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