After long thoughts on the matter, and this being one of those eternity discussions for most, I just wanted to share what I found works very well in my games (I actually have players complain when I don't use background ambient music).

I use a portable bluetooth speaker and play a mix of dark ambient music from my phone, allowing me to use it to build up eeriness.

Bands/Albums I use:

• Lustmord
• Inade
• Sleep Research Facilty
• NIN - Ghosts
• Wychdoktor
• iVardensphere (very sparingly)
• Yen pox
• Visions
• Svartsinn
• SM
• Proton Kinoun
• Phobium

Rules I have:

• No strong melody
• No singing
• Ambient sounds

For the intro to the Dark Heresy 2E podcast I am currently playing in (I edit the videos), I used Death Note's "Kyrie" for the intro. It's suitably grim dark and brings that gothic atmosphere but yet also implies and epic scale.

Song:

The intro in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_gaILiLMOM

The Black Mesa Source Soundtrack

The Forward Unto Dawn Soundtrack

The Doctor Who Soundtracks

Velocity by Nathan Lanier

The Old Republic Soundtrack

Knights of the Old Republic Soundtrack

Fallout 3 Soundtrack

Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Soundtrack

Diablo 2 Soundtrack

Diablo 3 Soundtrack

Spec Ops: The Line Soundtrack

Deadspace Soundtrack

Snowpiercers Soundtrack

28 days later Soundtrack

The problem with iconic soundtracks, is that they are iconic and will cause people to be less immersed than with non-inconic music.

That is why Dr Who, Star Wars, Star Trek are not great, unless you;re running games with that theme.

I obviously disagree. =P

There are tons of tracks on these albums that aren't as iconic - those are the ones that are great to use. I'm not saying use the main theme everyone can vaguely recall, but use the other ones - the ambient tones of 'Trenzalore' is great, as it was seldom used in Doctor Who's last season, or 'The Axe Gang' from Snowpiercer as it's a movie with little renown.

I use alot of these tracks on my soundcloud account for my roll20 based games online, and very rarely will my players even register the fact that they are from x movie or y game.

Edit:

And hell, i've used '28 days later' music for zombie/mutant uprisings, and the association with the movie lends well to developing the 'oh we are boned' feeling instantly.

I have my game tomorrow.

I'll see about mixing in some, and see what my dear players say