According to composers Hirokazu Tanaka and Keiichi Suzuki, the eclectic soundtracks for both EarthBound Beginnings and EarthBound were influenced by a large catalog of popular music, including the following albums:

• The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile (and the infamous long-unfinished original version Smile) (1967)
• Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle (1967)
• John Lennon - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
• Return to Forever - No Mystery (1975)
• Stackridge - Mr. Mick (1976)
• Yabby U - King Tubby's Prophesy of Dub (1976)
• Randy Newman - Little Criminals (1977)
• Godley & Creme - Consequences (1977)
• Machito Orchestra & Lalo Rodríguez - Fireworks (1977)
• Weather Report - 8:30 (1979)
• Andy Partridge - Take Away / The Lure of Salvage (1980)
• Prince and the Revolution - Around the World in a Day (1985)
• Prince - Sign o' the Times (1987)
• Brian Wilson - Brian Wilson (1988)
• Randy Newman - Land of Dreams (1988)
• Hal Willner & Various Artists - Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films (1988)
• Lalo Rodríguez - Un Nuevo Despertar (1988)
• A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990)
• Frank Zappa - Make a Jazz Noise Here (1991)
• My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)

They also cited as influences the works of Irish producer David Cunningham, and English composer Michael Nyman, who created an arrangement of "Eight Melodies" for the 1989 Mother soundtrack album. Tanaka also cited the 1973 album Sentimental Street by the band Hachimitsu-Pie, which Suzuki was a member of.