I want to live in a world where game music isn’t a niche but a valid and mindblowingly recognized part of the video game landscape. For starters: get its time on stage at the game awards. Not just a side thing.
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I think the beyond Skyrim projects are helping with that. The music was the first things to be released on many. Hopefully the actual gameplay gets released as well
Oh man Journey is such a good testament to this...the music absolutely carries the narrative and the instruments have significant narrative meaning. First example that comes to mind off the top of my head is the music that plays while being attacked by snake machines is played on the serpent horn...
100% agree with you. Was shocked to hear NPR play a short segment on video game music like, 10 years ago. They mainly talked about some Halo music, but closed the segment out with Scars of Time from Chrono Cross, which is such a cherished track for me.
Agreed, game music can be genuinely amazing and deserves more recognition.
I remember one time a local college orchestra held a show I attended (one of my siblings was in the choir) and one of the songs they played was from assassin's creed, genuinely the first time I saw game music be respected
I want them to do a medley of the nominees for the award or to do what the oscars do for best original song and do a song from the nominees throughout the ceremony, saving the award for near the end, before the art direction, director and game of the year awards.
OST's, video game tracks, are always better than whatever is running on the generic "pop" radio broadcast these days. Video game tracks also often incorporate context, whether those are the boss, the area, etc, which I personally value more. I would rather even have an OST chart than a pop one xD
Nobody has mentioned Splatoon's ost so I will--
Music is a core part of Splatoon as a series, how it's specifically made to motivate you to push yourself to win during multi-player matches or even story modes.
How the music gets more intense when you're nearing your goal in single player modes, or "Now or Never" plays at the last minute in multi-player. How, during the Grandfest, they even made new tracks to surprise players with... Even with special versions "Now or Never" that play depending on-
Who's winning. It's all just so special to me. It's really clear that part of what makes Splatoon what it is, is its music.
(Also almost the who soundtrack is bangers so like-)
I think it's on the right trajectory. BBC Radio 3 'The Sound of Gaming', Grammy's opening a game music category a couple of years ago, many game composers/scores getting big numbers on the streams.
I'm about to write a blog about my work as Music Director on Age of Empires IV - will post soon
Fantasy general (1996) had a whole soundtrack of orchestral music. You could put the game cd to a regular cd player and play the whole thing, that was sweet!
I love game music too! Have you heard of Meena Shamaly’s work? He hosts a weekly game music show on ABC Classic radio. You can listen to it here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/game-show - it’s so good.
And Meena’s BSky page is:
@musophrenic.bsky.social
@marcodmeatball.bsky.social actually helped us plan out a Genshin Impact segment on an episode last year! Made sure to emphatically shout him out so people know of his wonderful work.
LOL this definitely beats out the “there are posts you may have missed from someone you’ve never followed about an irrelevant topic” type notifications 😆😆😆
Absolutely, music is extremely important in setting tone and feeling in games and often goes overlooked. Playing games with the music muted really highlights the importance it plays
The soundtrack to "Outer Wilds" will always live rent-free in my head along with many others. Music doesn't make the game, but it surely helps you remember it.
Working on it, check out my tests on my profile the background music is from my next game, there 10 hours of it over 190 tracks, mostly all are full songs, lyrics and everything
Music is so important to games! Good soundtracks really level up the experience. I have so much video game music on my playlists (esp boss battle music for workouts). So many talented composers and musicians 🎧
That I disagree with, but that in no way means that I don't think it deserves to stand side by side with some of the greats, and heard all over the world.
Game music used to be king when games first came out, especially in the days of the commodore 64 and Zx Spectrum. It would be great to see it back again with everyone talking about the music as much as the graphics or gameplay itself
One of the hills I’ll die on is that Nobuo Uematsu is one of the greatest composers of our time, almost solely for his work with Final Fantasy. He belongs on my shelf of scores just as Debussy and Mozart do, thank you very much.
I think it's starting to get there. An orchestra did a tour earlier this year playing songs from Stardew Valley. I think it's a matter of time before game songs start popping up on the radio.
I play in a community symphony that plays exclusively video game music. It’s a great way to get that live music out to the public! Check out your local Gamer Symphony Orchestras! 😁
same tbh. I'm glad the tides starting to change, but it feels too little too late. The whole reason I got into music was thru Zelda as a kid. I remember the first time I listened to the 25th anniversary cd. I was BLOWN AWAY hearing ppl play songs from games I played
YES! There's so much amazing video game music, it's a shame they so often go unrecognized. I always look up live performances and covers, and it's disappointing when I can't find anything even from popular series.
Video game music is a foundational pillar to a good experience. There are many games that lose much if you mute their soundtracks. Even action oriented games like Darktide have music that greatly enhances the experience.
Indeed! Reminds me of when the oscars removed best music (!) and editing (!!!) from the live broadcast. I'm glad they put it back but wow. Game music is such an integral part of many, if not most video games, and the reason a game sticks in peoples mind years after the fact.
Yuzo Koshiro deserves all the awards in the world for what he managed to do with the Mega Drive’s sound chip - the Streets of Rage games’ soundtracks are full of absolute bangers.
I'm totally behind this. There are games that I don't play anymore for one reason or another but still connect with regularly when I listen to some tracks from their OST.
Some tracks are also closely associated with specific moments in the game too, which brings those emotions floodin' back in too!
This weekend I found Cult of the Lamb: Hymns of the Unholy and I was utterly blown away by how gorgeously it worked - I would LOVE to see similar tribute albums for games like Hollow Knight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx2bdi1RA-s
It should be. There are many times I'll listen to video game soundtracks in my car over other music depending on the mood. This goes way back since the inception of video games and composers working with what they had. There are very talented composers making arrangements that are overlooked.
Sonic's music has never quite gotten the recognition it always deserved for being consistently incredible for decades. It was every bit as influential to me as all the Metal/Rock/Alt music that got me to become a musician.
Honestly though, I love your videos. They give me something interesting to listen to while at work that also elevates my appreciation for music and games I already love, as well as some I haven't tried yet but will because of you. You're a treasure, sir.
While I agree, I do think we still have to acknowledge that gaming music has broken through and made some progress. If you told me that it would have a category of its very own at the Grammy's over a decade ago, I'd have called you a liar!
We are basically there or almost there, tons of orchestras for tons of different soundtracks and in tons of gaming events they play the soundtracks with pride. The game awards and events like it feel more like the exception to me more than the norm. Either way, we are getting there!
seems like it ought to be at the grammys, if the goal is to get equal respect
things at the vga will always be video game things
give those people soundtracks to ftl, hyperlight drifter, donkey kong country 2, famicom kid icarus, hollow knight, luck be a landlord, ffx, earthbound, xenogears, etc
Ive been telling my fiancé that there should be a radio station that plays music from video games and films. Game music is ridiculously underrated given how iconic some pieces are!
Gotta give a tiny bit of props to Geoff though for always showcasing the GotYs with the symphony presentation, but yeah it’d be cool if they took that a little further
Honestly I want it to get to the point where I can send someone a Song from granblue or nikke and won't get asked if I listen to real music... It is real music, the feelings these songs bring to my soul knows its real music as much as the others!
That particular lack at game awards shows has always been endlessly infuriating to me. We can manage a live orchestra performance for the GoTY but *not* for the OST aware?? come on!
It's made with real composers, players, instruments, and vocalists! VG Music is really kicking more and more ass, and I'd love to see a time in the world where people talk about it without even knowing what the game behind it is because it's just that peak.
I had the Witcher 3 soundtrack on repeat for like a year after it came out, and it feels like since DOOM it's been getting better.
But I also had the Deus Ex and Half Life 2 soundtracks on my MP3 player in high school...
Yes. There are so many young composers out there who would love a shot, but the DIY mindset has these solo developers burning themselves out to learn every craft. That and the budgets for composition are pretty much nil.
Honestly, in game music is usually the first thing I kill. I don't need my hand held for emotional context. Environmental sound and effects, now that's at the other end of the spectrum. Absolutely critical.
One of the biggest irks in gaming for me is when sound design falls short (sound effects, music, voice acting). I usually just try to deal with it, but in the back of my mind I'm always thinking "this game would be so much better if it just sounded better"
I don’t think about it until it happens, but when it does happen, it absolutely breaks a game for me. A great score, great voice acting and great sound effects are make or break for a lot of games.
I believe you lol. I'm specifically talking about people who's playlist exclusively consists of video games music. Like, Find The Flame and All as One from Final Fantasy 16 always get my blood pumping but I need some variety
Video game music is key for me. Take the Dragon Quest main theme. It always brings a tear to my eye. Mass Effect is another that has music that sets the tone.
I can't enjoy a game if the music is crap. That shit is crucial to the experience. Some of the best times I've had gaming were accompanied by fire soundtrack.
In the orchestra I work in, @spogreatmusic.bsky.social we have a program for film composition and we want to get one going for emerging composers to study game composition too.
I've always been a huge fan of video game music. I was rocked as a preteen when Metal Gear Solid couldn't use its main theme anymore because Harry Gregson-Williams essentially plagiarized Georgy Svoridov's 'Winter Road'. I go door dashing to the Perfect Dark soundtrack-- best cyberpunk mood
this is why i think hemisynce is cool because you use the game as a story telling mechanism and deadass just immerse people with whatever message you’re trying to convey
Does make me sad that they'll have the big orchestra do songs from all the GOTY nominee's but then OST of the year is just one of the side awards given between breaks. LIke nah man I wanna see the composers go up there and make a big speech and be happy and all that good stuff
If I may chime in, I’m obviously new here but I wanted to tell you that I really do enjoy the core video game music. There are a few that come to mind. Halo, Call of Duty, Dead by Daylight, Bioshock series, Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Kingdom Hearts.
No problem, I joined within the hour myself. Those are some good OSTs you mentioned. The video game industry is basically the biggest checkbook keeping classical music & musicians afloat and relevant today.
I watched the Elden Ring soundtrack be performed live at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and it was genuinely one of the best artistic experiences of my life. It made me realise just how much went into the recording of a score and just how important a score actually is.
You know those piecez inherently through playing the game, and inevitably will spend untold hours with them. They’ll be with you for a long time, and even if you don’t look them up, if someone plays one, you’ll be able to place the time and place you heard it.
Music (and sound for that matter) definitely deserves more recognition. Audio might as well be an entire leg of a 3-legged stool as far as games are concerned.
Nobuo Uematsu's Final Fantasy Piano Collections was my study soundtrack through college. I got a lot of 'wow you really like classical' but every once in a while a fellow gamer would walk in and their eyes would light up hearing it.
There's a lot of really cool stuff to do with sounds & musics in game but in my experience, we always started with core gameplay, graphics and then music. Maybe it's because it seems "easier" to give a feedback and in general to know what you want for your game ?
My son has this set of music he plays during Christmas that takes video game music and famous songs BUT they are played with medieval instruments.....I freaking LOVE it😀
This needs to happen, I still recall the Killing Game Show theme tune released by Pygnosis in the early90’s as an absolute tune of the time, and made the game
I rarely listen to "real" music. A lot of my musical preferences are hit by video game OSTs, and I personally know a lot of people who can say the same. As a composer myself, I know that video game music is an integral part of the experience, and fully share this sentiment.
Every Spotify Wrapped, I end up in the top 0.03% for Nobuo Uematsu or something wild. Game music deserves way more recognition—it’s not just background sound; it’s a whole vibe that defines the experience.
You’re absolutely right! Music and sound design makes games so much more immersive and can evoke so much different emotions. It should be more recognized at the game awards.
Aren't all the awards except Game Of The Year a side thing during Game Awards? It feels like the whole thing is to announce new games and declare a GOTY.
My 12 year old just spent a month learning a piano piece from Hollow Knight. His piano teacher was surprised that games have such great musical scores.
Elder scrolls nature ambience at work
Hades soundtrack at the gym
Behind the mask from persona 5 when I go to bed. People sleep on some amazing pieces of music.
This is my current agenda - To get interviews not from Producers, PRs, or Visioners. But rather from sound engineers, level designers, texture artists, and lore masters - they are the foundation of the vibe we call 'overall game experience'. And they always have interesting stories to tell
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I think it always has been.
I remember one time a local college orchestra held a show I attended (one of my siblings was in the choir) and one of the songs they played was from assassin's creed, genuinely the first time I saw game music be respected
Music is just as important, imo.
Music is a core part of Splatoon as a series, how it's specifically made to motivate you to push yourself to win during multi-player matches or even story modes.
(Also almost the who soundtrack is bangers so like-)
I'm about to write a blog about my work as Music Director on Age of Empires IV - will post soon
https://www.supergmusic.com/the-music-of-age-of-empires-iv-a-retrospective/
Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Nn9trJXUrp0?si=g9trXT37NQkcUWtd
And Meena’s BSky page is:
@musophrenic.bsky.social
Bravo, brava. Something something video games 🎮
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_rYWy_7y1Q
Also Cities Skyline is beautiful.
Madden.
NBA 2K
Some tracks are also closely associated with specific moments in the game too, which brings those emotions floodin' back in too!
I think some still think its the old days of midi synths, whereas theres a world of orchestral ballads locked behind a genre.
things at the vga will always be video game things
give those people soundtracks to ftl, hyperlight drifter, donkey kong country 2, famicom kid icarus, hollow knight, luck be a landlord, ffx, earthbound, xenogears, etc
But I also had the Deus Ex and Half Life 2 soundtracks on my MP3 player in high school...
I entered a region called the Veldt. The music there slaps so hard. It’s so good.
Gaming music is culture or at a bare minimum, art.
https://youtu.be/DJcdy9Rkhus
If people outside the industry are giving respect and recognizing the importance of video game music, the gaming industry has no excuse not to.
https://classicalcalifornia.org/kusc/streams/arcade
As does many of todays, halo still sends chills
At least little by little studios are putting their games soundtracks to music platforms.
Been really enjoying this lately
Hades soundtrack at the gym
Behind the mask from persona 5 when I go to bed. People sleep on some amazing pieces of music.
🤣 not actually Hating on People who enjoy it, just voicing a personal pet peeve 🤣