10 awesome songs from the Ready Player One soundtrack

When reading Ready Player One you could tell that Ernest Cline had the biggest crush on all things 80s.  Jam-packed with 80s nostalgia from movies to vintage video games, a large portion of the book is also dedicated to 80s music.  Here are some of the most notable songs mentioned in Ready Player One along with their book excerpt:

Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo
When the lyrics kicked in, Halliday begins to lip-synch along, still gyrating: “All dressed up with nowhere to go.  Walking with a dead man over my shoulder. Don’t run away, it’s only me…”

The Wild Boys – Duran Duran
I saw a few dozen other gunters milling around, with avatars that varied wildly in appearance.  There were humans, cyborgs, demons, dark elves, Vulcans, and vampires.  Most of them were gathered around the row of old arcade games against the wall.  A few others stood by the ancient stereo (currently blasting “The Wild Boys” by Duran Duran), browsing through Aech’s giant rack of vintage cassette tapes.

Beds Are Burning – Midnight Oil
I kept at it.  I burned the midnight oil.  Did you know that Midnight Oil was an Australian band, with a 1987 hit titled “Beds are Burning”?  I was obsessed.  I wouldn’t quit.  My grades suffered.  I didn’t care.

2112 Overture/ The Temples of Syrinx

The Solar Federation was controlled by a group of “priests,” who are described in Part II of the song, titled “The Temples of Syrinx.” Its lyrics told me exactly where the Crystal Key was hidden:

We are the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx

Our great computers fill the hallowed halls.

We are the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx

All the gifts of life are held within our walls.

Union of the Snake – Duran Duran
When I reached the bar, I ordered a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster from the female Klingon bartender and downed half of it.  Then I grinned as R2 cued up another classic ’80s tune, “‘Union of the Snake,’” I recited, mostly out of habit.  “Duran Duran.  Nineteen eighty-three.”

Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper

When the song ended, Og took a bow, then queued up a slow song. “Time

After Time” by Cyndi Lauper. All around us, avatars began to pair up.

I gave Art3mis a courtly bow and stretched out my hand. She smiled and took it.

Atomic – Blondie

Og flew back into the DJ booth, which closed up around him like a transparent cocoon. “Let’s get this party going again, shall we?” he said, dropping a needle on a techno remix of “Atomic” by Blondie. It took a moment for the shock to wear off, but then everyone started to dance again.

Wake Me Up Before You Go Go – Wham

So I’d disabled my alarm’s snooze feature and instructed the computer to blast “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham! I loathed that song with every fiber of my being, and getting up was the only way to silence it. It wasn’t the most pleasant way to start my day, but it got me moving.

A Million Miles Away – The Plimsouls

As I began to run, Max fired up my ’80s music playlist. As the first song began, I quickly rattled off its title, artist, album, and year of release from memory: “ ‘A Million Miles Away,’ the Plimsouls, Everywhere at Once, 1983.” Then I began to sing along, reciting the lyrics. Having the right ’80s song lyric memorized might save my avatar’s life someday.

In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel

Once, in a supreme act of desperation, I stood outside her palace gates for two solid hours, with a boom box over my head, blasting “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel at full volume.  She didn’t come out. I don’t even know if she was home.