The meaning behind Fallout’s famous theme music

Three musical notes have come to define Fallout: C, E flat and E. Together they form a motif so powerful that it is one of the Fallout The most impactful moments from TV shows.

That’s important, because when I say “Fallout music,” you’re probably just as likely to think of an upbeat tune from the Ink Spots as a lush orchestral theme. But the latter is the emotional basis of the Fallout world. It evolves to fit the story of each subsequent Fallout game, and it gave fans goosebumps when it finally appeared in the game. Fallout TV program. And it exists thanks to Inon Zur.

Zur has since composed the soundtracks for the series Fallout 3as well as a whole host of other beloved games from Everquest Unpleasant Dragon Age 2.

I spoke to him about his process of composing and recomposing the Fallout theme to fit each new entry in the franchise – and what he thinks about its appearance in Prime Videos Fallout series, which debuted in 2024 to critical acclaim.