Music For and Inspirational to the Ciem webcomic series

Music For and Inspirational to Ciem is a digital playlist that functions as an unofficial soundtrack for Ciem. It parodies the album Music From and and Inspired by Spider-Man, and also spoofs the idea of motion picture soundtracks in general by reversing the relationship between the production and the music.

Instead of the music being made for the the production, the production is made independently of most of the music and music is merely grabbed for association with the production as an afterthought. This was followed with two digital playlists for Ciem 2 and Ciem 3.

For the book and its new universe, a newer playlist was compiled and dubbed Soundtrack to Ciem: Vigilante Centipede.

Ciem track listing

 * 1) "I Believe" by Abra Moore
 * 2) "Falling" by Staind
 * 3) "Sleep" by Story of the Year
 * 4) "Truly Madly Deeply" by Cascada
 * 5) "Strange Condition" by Pete Yorn
 * 6) "Picture" by Mute Math
 * 7) "My December" by Linkin Park
 * 8) "Yesterdays" by Junkie XL
 * 9) "Thinking About You" by Norah Jones
 * 10) "The Fire" by Papa Roach
 * 11) "Victorious" by The Perishers

Ciem 2 track listing

 * 1) "Screaming Infidelities" by Joanna
 * 2) "Light Up the Sky" by Yellowcard
 * 3) "When She Cries" by Restless Heart
 * 4) "We Close Our Eyes" by Allister
 * 5) "The Misbegotten" by The Charlatans
 * 6) "Only You" by Joshua Radin
 * 7) "Crashed" by Daughtry
 * 8) "Chariots on Fire" by Rocket from the Crypt
 * 9) "Tennessee" by The Wreckers
 * 10) "Nearly Lost You" by Screaming Trees
 * 11) "Another Perfect Day" by American Hi-Fi
 * 12) "Dead and Gone" by T.I. and Justin Timberlake

Ciem 3 track listing

 * 1) "Who Am I" by Casting Crowns
 * 2) "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon
 * 3) "Time After Time" by Quietdrive
 * 4) "Rescued" by Jack's Mannequin
 * 5) "Click Click Boom" by Saliva
 * 6) "Headstrong" by Trapt
 * 7) " Sleep With Your Soul In " by Alive in Wild Paint
 * 8) " Hey Now You " by The Cloud Room
 * 9) "I Want to Be Buried in Your Backyard" by Nightmare of You
 * 10)  Clocks and Time Pieces " by Search the City

Rationale of song selections
The song "Falling" from the Staind album Chapter V was decided as a song for the credits page back in 2006 when that version of Ciem was being worked on. "Hero" by Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott inspired the choice of the similar post-grunge sound by Staind. Another motivation of the Staind song is the line "become the problem." Candi takes this line to mean: "become their problem," namely, her desire to turn the tide on the Hebbleskins their loyalists by letting them see what it feels like to be hunted.

Music by Abra Moore opens up the credits soothingly. This was deemed appropriate because of how the story ends: namely, with Candi's renewed inner resolve and assurance that she has a purpose even after the loss of Denny in her life. Choosing the Abra Moore song is also because of this line: "Don't let these monsters make up my mind," treated as a reference to Candi's inner turmoil. Abra's song "Big Sky" was modified into the Simlish language for The Sims 2: University. This game expansion is one of three that was installed for creation of Ciem. The expansion was also one of two used for the 2006 attempt, and was used for the 2005 version of Ciem 2. "Sleep" by Story of the Year was originally going to be one of the songs in the 2006 version of Ciem, so it seemed appropriate due to its dark tone, especially when Candi gives birth to Angie.

Cascada's adaptation of Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply" added a feminine and 2000's touch to a song that had been perceived to be ideal for a "pseudo-film" that featured a female protagonist. The song also chronicles Candi's romantic wishes with both her lovers. Including "Strange Condition" by Pete Yorn was a deliberate reference to the fact that the same artist's song "Undercover" was used for the first Spider-Man film. Candi was having a strange condition in being part-centipede. It was only later learned that this song also features on the soundtracks to the films Me, Myself &amp; Irene, 40 Days and 40 Nights, and The Sweetest Thing. "Picture" by Mute Math was included since, like the singer's memories in the song, Candi's only secure place for Denny is in her heart - and in their family album.

"My December" by Linkin Park was included for tonal reference to Candi's regret; and referencing December is consistent with Candi's wishing she could take back getting pregnant right when the city most needed her not to be. "Yesterdays" by Junkie XL is included due to Junkie XL's work for the soundtrack of The Sims 2: Nightlife. "Thinking About You" by Norah Jones is on here because of its smooth melodies, romantic insecurity theme, and because its jazzy sound adds some variety to the otherwise sterile compilation of mostly pop, rock, post-grunge, and post-hardcore rock.

"The Fire" by Papa Roach also caters to the theme of romantic desperation that defines Candi's character throughout Ciem. "Victorious" by The Perishers is included as a celebration of Candi and Donte finally fulfilling their destiny of fighting crime together. Use of The Perishers is also a reference to the game engine used to gather screenshots, where they recorded a Simlish version of their song "Sway."

Song selection was murkier for the Ciem 2 tie-in album than with its predecessor. Its mood attempts to alternate between slow songs that can have a romantic context to them, and songs that indicate the excitement and drama that Candi and Miriam would have felt as they were fleeing Dirbine during the terrorist attack in Ciem 2. Joanna's version of "Screaming Infidelities" was chosen because it seemed an appropriate foil to Dashboard Confessional's song "Vindicated." Yellowcard's "Light Up the Sky" was seen as a foil to Train's "Ordinary," thus parodying the music choices for Music from and Inspired By Spider-Man 2.

The only other song that was entirely deliberate for selection was "When She Cries" by Restless Heart. This song roughly describes the feelings both Steve and Donte feel for their respective girlfriends. Song selections became murkier yet for "Music For and Inspirational to Ciem 3."