diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini b/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
index c69b70781b..43f4def672 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
@@ -2403,6 +2403,8 @@ UnderlayOnCommand=
 UnderlayOffCommand=
 CodeNames=
 FirstUpdateCommand=
+PlayMusic=1
+StopMusicOnBack=1
 
 [MenuTimer]
 WarningStart=6
@@ -3163,6 +3165,8 @@ TimerSeconds=0
 [ScreenAttract]
 StartScreen=@ScreenTitleBranch()
 Fallback=ScreenWithMenuElementsBlank
+#TRICKY: ScreenAttract plays its own music according to an attract music counter
+PlayMusic=0
 
 [ScreenWithMenuElementsBlank]
 Fallback=ScreenWithMenuElements
@@ -3763,6 +3767,7 @@ Line5=list,AssistTick
 Line6=list,Rate
 Line7=list,AutoAdjust
 Line8=list,SaveScores
+StopMusicOnBack=0
 
 [ScreenCredits]
 Class=ScreenCredits
@@ -3847,7 +3852,6 @@ HelperY=SCREEN_CENTER_Y+80
 
 [ScreenOptionsMaster]
 Fallback=ScreenOptions
-PlayMusic=1
 
 # Player options
 Speed=12
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.cpp
index 2191e7172e..2fd3554050 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.cpp
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@
 
 REGISTER_SCREEN_CLASS( ScreenOptionsMaster );
 ScreenOptionsMaster::ScreenOptionsMaster( CString sClassName ):
-	ScreenOptions( sClassName ),
-	PLAY_MUSIC( sClassName, "PlayMusic" )
+	ScreenOptions( sClassName )
 {
 	LOG->Trace("ScreenOptionsMaster::ScreenOptionsMaster(%s)", m_sName.c_str() );
 }
@@ -106,22 +105,6 @@ ScreenOptionsMaster::~ScreenOptionsMaster()
 	OptionRowHandlers.clear();
 }
 
-void ScreenOptionsMaster::Update( float fDelta )
-{
-	if( m_bFirstUpdate )
-	{
-		/*
-		 * Don't play sounds during the ctor, since derived classes havn't loaded yet.
-		 * Leave the music alone (eg. ScreenPlayerOptions music sample
-		 * left over from ScreenSelectMusic).
-		 */
-		if( PLAY_MUSIC )
-			SOUND->PlayMusic( THEME->GetPathS( m_sName, "music" ) );
-	}
-
-	ScreenOptions::Update( fDelta );
-}
-
 void ScreenOptionsMaster::ImportOptions( int r, PlayerNumber pn )
 {
 	ASSERT( GAMESTATE->IsHumanPlayer(pn) );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.h b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.h
index 2866504c14..10b3c7da73 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMaster.h
@@ -11,10 +11,8 @@ public:
 	ScreenOptionsMaster( CString sName );
 	virtual void Init();
 	virtual ~ScreenOptionsMaster();
-	void Update( float fDelta );
 
 protected:
-
 	int m_iChangeMask;
 	CString m_sNextScreen;
 
@@ -31,8 +29,6 @@ protected:
 	virtual void GoToPrevScreen();
 
 	virtual void RefreshIcons( int row, PlayerNumber pn );
-
-	ThemeMetric<bool> PLAY_MUSIC;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.cpp
index fdddbdd42f..a5b94cd9aa 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.cpp
@@ -109,13 +109,6 @@ ScreenSelect::~ScreenSelect()
 
 void ScreenSelect::Update( float fDelta )
 {
-	if(m_bFirstUpdate)
-	{
-		/* Don't play sounds during the ctor, since derived classes havn't loaded yet. */
-		SOUND->PlayOnceFromDir( ANNOUNCER->GetPathTo(m_sName+" intro") );
-		SOUND->PlayMusic( THEME->GetPathS(m_sName,"music") );
-	}
-
 	if( !IsTransitioning() )
 	{
 		if( IDLE_COMMENT_SECONDS > 0 && m_timerIdleComment.PeekDeltaTime() >= IDLE_COMMENT_SECONDS )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.h b/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.h
index 716ae6463f..e346c4edc8 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenSelect.h
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ public:
 	virtual void Input( const DeviceInput& DeviceI, const InputEventType type, const GameInput &GameI, const MenuInput &MenuI, const StyleInput &StyleI );
 	virtual void HandleScreenMessage( const ScreenMessage SM );
 	virtual void HandleMessage( const CString &sMessage );
-
-	virtual void MenuBack( PlayerNumber pn );
 	
+	virtual void MenuBack( PlayerNumber pn );
+
 protected:
 	virtual int GetSelectionIndex( PlayerNumber pn ) = 0;
 	virtual void UpdateSelectableChoices() = 0;		// derived screens must handle this
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
index 54b60c16c1..3636e97bb9 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@
 #define TIMER_STEALTH			THEME->GetMetricB(m_sName,"TimerStealth")
 #define STYLE_ICON				THEME->GetMetricB(m_sName,"StyleIcon")
 #define MEMORY_CARD_ICONS		THEME->GetMetricB(m_sName,"MemoryCardIcons")
-#define FORCE_TIMER			THEME->GetMetricB(m_sName,"ForceTimer")
+#define FORCE_TIMER				THEME->GetMetricB(m_sName,"ForceTimer")
+#define PLAY_MUSIC				THEME->GetMetricB(m_sName,"PlayMusic")
+#define STOP_MUSIC_ON_BACK		THEME->GetMetricB(m_sName,"StopMusicOnBack")
 
 //REGISTER_SCREEN_CLASS( ScreenWithMenuElements );
 ScreenWithMenuElements::ScreenWithMenuElements( CString sClassName ) : Screen( sClassName )
@@ -109,8 +111,6 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::Init()
 	this->AddChild( &m_Back );
 
 	m_In.StartTransitioning();
-
-	SOUND->PlayOnceFromDir( ANNOUNCER->GetPathTo(m_sName) );
 }
 
 ScreenWithMenuElements::~ScreenWithMenuElements()
@@ -123,6 +123,15 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 {
 	if( m_bFirstUpdate )
 	{
+		/* Don't play sounds during the ctor, since derived classes havn't loaded yet.
+		 * Play sounds after so loading so we don't thrash while loading files. */
+		SOUND->PlayOnceFromDir( ANNOUNCER->GetPathTo(m_sName+" intro") );
+
+		/* Some screens should leave the music alone (eg. ScreenPlayerOptions music 
+		 * sample left over from ScreenSelectMusic). */
+		if( PLAY_MUSIC )
+			SOUND->PlayMusic( THEME->GetPathS(m_sName,"music") );
+
 		/* Evaluate FirstUpdateCommand. */
 		this->RunCommands( m_FirstUpdateCommand );
 	}
@@ -183,6 +192,9 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::Back( ScreenMessage smSendWhenDone )
 	if( m_Back.IsTransitioning() )
 		return;	// ignore
 
+	if( STOP_MUSIC_ON_BACK )
+		SOUND->StopMusic();
+
 	m_MenuTimer->Stop();
 	m_Back.StartTransitioning( smSendWhenDone );
 	SCREENMAN->PlayBackSound();