Villain Song

A "Villain Song" is a musical number in a film or play that is sung by and/or about a major villain, typically the main antagonist. Usually, the song is about the villain's plans, personality, abilities and overall character, and often serves as an introduction to the villain; Villain Songs usually appear fairly early in the story, as opposed to, say, the climax. It is rare for a film to contain more than one Villain Song, but it is indeed very possible, especially if there is more than one antagonist. Villain Songs are most common in animated films, where they are often quite dark and frightening compared to the rest of the movie; many of the most famous Villain Songs are found in the films of the Disney Animated Canon, especially from the 1980's and onward. They are much less common in live-action movies, which rarely have musical numbers, but also appear frequently in stage musicals. A variant is known as "The Villain Sucks Song", which is sung by another character (usually a hero, naturally) insulting the villain in question.

Another rarer variant is The Villain's Lament, which is sung by the villain, usually regretting his or her actions. An example of this is Reviewing the Situation.