Although it doesn't tell a specific story, the songs have a cohesive theme, primarily oriented around campy Atomic Age science fiction reminiscent of the 1950s, coupled with nihilistic, apocalyptic messages and paranoid, cyberpunk imagery.

Music critics and fans alike compare Powerman 5000 frontman Spider One's fixation on bygone science fiction with older brother Rob Zombie's obsession with B-movie horror themes. Both seem to share an affection for campy entertainment that influence their musical output, though Spider has since abandoned science fiction as the inspiration for Powerman 5000's sound and image. The CD booklet of Tonight the Stars Revolt! is also composed with science fiction imagery and text, similar to Zombie's horror-themed Hellbilly Deluxe, released the year prior.

Musically, the album bears similarity to Rob Zombie's industrial metal sound with catchy riffs and electronic elements. However, it also includes a cover of The Cars' "Good Times Roll" and "Watch the Sky for Me", a moody, lounge song with its entire melody taken from the track "One More Kiss, Dear" by Vangelis for the Blade Runner soundtrack. ^{[citation needed]}

The album shares the same title as a story by Gardner Fox published in the pulp science fiction magazine Planet Stories (1952).^[1]

• CMJ (July 19, 1999, p. 3) – "...tighter than a barbed wire noose wrapped around your neck...[TONIGHT] relies on sci-fi imagery and memorable hooks that are sharp enough to catch more than a few big, heavy fish".^[6]

The album won the Boston Music Awards for "Album of the Year" in 2000, while "When Worlds Collide" was nominated for "Single of the Year".^[7]

• "When Worlds Collide" featured in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. It also served as the theme song to WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW and featured on the Little Nicky soundtrack, Free Air, Vol. 2, and MTV The Return of the Rock.
• "Nobody's Real" featured on the End of Days soundtrack, Gravity Games 2000: Summer Sounds, Vol. 1, and Naked 4-Play as a live rendition.
• "The Son of X-51" (Remix) featured exclusively on the Bride of Chucky soundtrack.
• "Supernova Goes Pop" featured on the Universal Soldier: The Return soundtrack and Gran Turismo 3.

All lyrics by Spider One; all music by Powerman 5000, except "Good Times Roll" by The Cars.

Note

• The song "Watch the Sky for Me" ends at minute 3:50. After 30 seconds of silence (3:50–4:20), the hidden track "The World of the Dead" starts.

• Spider One – vocals
• Adam 12 – guitar
• M.33 – guitar
• Dorian 27 – bass
• Al 3 – drums

Production

• Chapman Baehler – photography
• Tom Baker – mastering
• Joe Barresi – engineer
• Ginger Fish – piano
• Frank Gryner – mixing
• Scott Humphrey – programming, mixing
• Sylvia Massy – producer, engineer
• Marc LaCorte – programming
• DJ Lethal – turntables
• Spider One – art direction, design
• Nika – art direction, design
• Malachi Throne – narrator
• Ulrich Wild – producer, mixing
• Rob Zombie – vocals (track 10)
• Ron Handler – A&R

Singles edit