The Greatest Video Game Music Playlist of All Time [Video Game Music Thread]

[Fix It Jones]

An honorable mention

[Ed]

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[ndoto]

I absolutely adore game music. You guys all rock, and the selections thus far have been truly excellent. 3 songs under the cut for the moment, but I expect I will be back to spam the hell out of this thread with some of my other faves in the future.

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[Chiyuri Kitashirakawa]

IJI
The soundtrack used to be online somewhere but I can't find it now ffffff-

This is the most rightful fistbunp
Remar's site has the HQ OST, shouldn't be so hard to find.
Also so much goemon music and no mention of THE BEST SONGS

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[HawterThan]

Fact: Starring Goemon is the single most underplayed n64 game ever. Everyone loves it, it can't be underrated, now can it?
Here's my favourite song:

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I really liked how the music got more intense the further into the dungeon/castle you got.

Anyway, Devilottes theme:

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[konec0]

Moar indie game musics! This time, from World of Goo. (spoilered)

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By the way, you can get the full soundtrack to the game here: World of Goo Soundtrack. It's free!

[Ed]

Bonesaw

Tower of heaven

[konec0]

Tower of Heaven kicked my ass so hard, especially when it was like "you cannot walk left" and I was like "whaaaa-"

But the soundtrack was awesome so that made up for it.

[Superfrequency]

It is my opinion that Sonic Adventure (and Sonic Adventure 2 to a somewhat lesser extent because it's not as consistently good, even if some of it is actually better that the first one) contains some of the finest examples of video game music ever recorded. At a time when house music's influence was dominating electronic music, not only did they break the mold and do an eclectic soundtrack that jumped between rock, jazz and funk, but they did it with live instrumentation. You still don't hear that a lot now. Back then it was totally unique. I am still completely impressed. Not only is it just fantastic music on its own merits, the actual arrangement makes complete sense and feels like a natural evolution from chiptunes. The sheer amount of music written and recorded for the first game is staggering.

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Rouge has the best music. These are objectively two of the best songs in any video game, ever. You just don't hear music of this caliber very often. Live instrumentation! It's sad that that's special! Mostly just the (bass) guitars and horns, but still.

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(I made this hur dur)

Y'know, track for track I think I might like SA2 better. It feels more focused, and they did individual songs for every character even when they share levels! And sounds less dated. Overall I am super nostalgic for Sonic Adventure, though. My copy of SA2 for the DC won't play anymore. I need to replace it :<

The music in the 3D Sonic games following them have been hollow imitations.

[Jitka]

if we're talking world of goo why aren't these already here

[inexpediency]

It is my opinion that Sonic Adventure (and Sonic Adventure 2 to a somewhat lesser extent because it's not as consistently good, even if some of it is actually better that the first one) contains some of the finest examples of video game music ever recorded. At a time when house music's influence was dominating electronic music, not only did they break the mold and do an eclectic soundtrack that jumped between rock, jazz and funk, but they did it with live instrumentation. You still don't hear that a lot now. Back then it was totally unique. I am still completely impressed. Not only is it just fantastic music on its own merits, the actual arrangement makes complete sense and feels like a natural evolution from chiptunes. The sheer amount of music written and recorded for the first game is staggering.
[...]
Y'know, track for track I think I might like SA2 better. It feels more focused, and they did individual songs for every character even when they share levels! And sounds less dated. Overall I am super nostalgic for Sonic Adventure, though. My copy of SA2 for the DC won't play anymore. I need to replace it :<

The music in the 3D Sonic games following them have been hollow imitations.

I'm gonna have to agree with you! I own both of these games and I used to sit for hours on the couch, just playing the music. I also have to agree with you on liking SA2's music better, mostly because of the themes they did for every character, which I always thought was neat.

Now onto a change of game:

The opinions regarding the new Spyro games are so varied; some people like them and some people absolutely hate them. Personally I don't have a problem with them, but I love the music. It's dramatic (if not overly-so), atmospheric, cinematic, and, in my opinion, completely perfect for the sort of epic-fantasy-thing they were going for with the reboot (though again, whether or not they succeeded with that is a matter of opinion, but you can't deny that they at least accomplished it with the music.)

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[Quirk]

Is there really no Cave Story music here yet? I shall remedy this.

[autoglassmasterclass]

should i post the entire cave story soundtrack too

[Superfrequency]

From the main music thread:

See, I don't think you disagree, or you only partially disagree, due to some poor wording and clarity on my part.
I guess I should note I'm a HUUUUUUUUUGE fan of video game music? Some of my favorite music in the world comes from my many adventures saving the world(galaxy/universe)!

What I'm talking about is a sense of the sound, not the quality of the composition. The "constraint" I'm talking about is a since of mimicking tools that are not available in the composer's arsenal due being limited to the consoles sound chip. While on the other end, there was no reason for people like Badings above, who clicking around on Youtube seemed to have frequently wrote for orchestra. They went to electronic music with a sense of adventure and greater possibility.

So the constraint is having to create music for a video game. Like you said, video game music serves a very specific purpose as a part of something larger.

That focus causes someone I would normally not think much about to create something that I can really relate to.

Most of us on the forum are gamers. I think it's safe to say we all love video game music.

That's what I was talking about, too. When given the freedom to do anything, the arranged versions of classic Mega Man tunes sound almost exactly like the originals, only high fidelity.

It's easy to forget that chiptunes are electronic music and put them in their own little box, but in fact they were influenced by not only the same technological limitations as electronic music in the early and mid 80's as it developed, but by the same artists as well. The sort of arrangement and compositional styles commonly found in electronic music were very much a product of the technical limitations of sequencers, often consisting of several repeated phrases that could easily be strung together to form a complete song.





I can't really speak with any kind of certainty, but I'm willing to bet that when companies like Nintendo or Capcom hired composers for their games, they favored musicians who already had experience with synthesizers. Having worked with FamiTracker, I can confidently say that the composers Capcom used were no amateurs when it came to fully exploiting the NES' sonic capabilities.

And as for Crush 40 being Jun Senoue's "regular stuff", he did music for Sonic 3 long before that band ever existed.

[inexpediency]

I don't know why, but these two songs make me nostalgic like nobody's business




e: also, this is clearly the greatest video game music ever composed

[Such Lovely Bowl Of Soup]

Most of us on the forum are gamers. I think it's safe to say we all love video game music.

That's what I was talking about, too. When given the freedom to do anything, the arranged versions of classic Mega Man tunes sound almost exactly like the originals, only high fidelity.

It's easy to forget that chiptunes are electronic music and put them in their own little box, but in fact they were influenced by not only the same technological limitations as electronic music in the early and mid 80's as it developed, but by the same artists as well. The sort of arrangement and compositional styles commonly found in electronic music were very much a product of the technical limitations of sequencers, often consisting of several repeated phrases that could easily be strung together to form a complete song.

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I can't really speak with any kind of certainty, but I'm willing to bet that when companies like Nintendo or Capcom hired composers for their games, they favored musicians who already had experience with synthesizers. Having worked with FamiTracker, I can confidently say that the composers Capcom used were no amateurs when it came to fully exploiting the NES' sonic capabilities.

And as for Crush 40 being Jun Senoue's "regular stuff", he did music for Sonic 3 long before that band ever existed.

I forgot that Jun Senoue has credit for Sonic 3 music! As if Sonic Adventure didn't make him cool enough.
(By the way, E-102's theme was like, my theme song in middle school. It'd always play through my head. Out of the new characters in the 3D Sonics I think he was the best)
I think, though, in the end it is safe for me to say Crush 40 is his normal stuff, because he became a guitarist, and while he is both good and fond of composing video game music, I think a guitar pop band is more his dream project.

While on the other end, people like Kraftwerk were drawn towards that sound, those seperated mechanical bleeps, and evolved towards that from just being another (awesome) krautrock band.

[Spoilered to not take room away from THE VIDYA :3]

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Then finally. your example above. They weren't limitations to Kraftwerk; that sound was a philosophy.


You must be right though, the way these bands and artists drove their equipment, must have been a considerable influence to the approach of video game composers. As well as the limit of both party's equipment. A very positive one!



When you speak about it being the "same people", though, I think you are speaking from a knowledge much greater than mine on the subject, even though you say you are not sure. I only know about Sonic music in that regard.
Edit: I'll have to Google FamiTracker. You've worked with it?(!)
Edit: I do know that originally, for the NES at least, it was a really arduous process to program music. I wish I could find some video but my Google-fu is failing me. They needed some sort of debug cartridge they had to pick sounds on one by one then make a layer on one of their alloted tracks. Someone showed me once, but I forgot most of the mechanics of it.

Maybe it's more accepted now, but I used to have to put on my tinfoil hat and conspiracy brigade badge when talking about MJ as primary composer for StH3. Sonic 3's music is hands down my favorite in the side-scrolling era, yet supposedly Michael was not very happy with the restrictions of the Genesis. An anecdote like that contributes to my belief that I hear these compositions as aspiring to "greater sounds".

Even in the (amazing) Star Control song above, there are the obvious samples of drums and such, instruments given up by Kraftwerk long ago.

And that great video game music could just follow the pattern of rock music as easily




I do agree that chiptune music belongs under the greater electronic umbrella! This why I was compelled to compare it to zil's contribution in the other thread.



As for SA1 vs SA2's OST, I'm going to say I have to prefer the former's.



I thought it was a lot more solid. My opinion may be affected the gameplay experience in 1 vs 2.
I must agree that Rogue had the best music out of SA2, though. Whenever I play SA2 music it is either Rogue's level themes or:



But more because that Robotnik has rock 'n roll themesong about how awesome he is makes me giddy!



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is clearly the greatest video game music ever composed

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Oh.
My God.
What.

[Valter]

[kickan]

Wow. As ridiculous as a PEPSIMAN game is, that theme song is actually really sweet. Sweet like... Coca-Cola!

[Superfrequency]

While on the other end, people like Kraftwerk were drawn towards that sound

I do know that originally, for the NES at least, it was a really arduous process to program music. I wish I could find some video but my Google-fu is failing me. They needed some sort of debug cartridge they had to pick sounds on one by one then make a layer on one of their alloted tracks. Someone showed me once, but I forgot most of the mechanics of it.

Maybe it's more accepted now, but I used to have to put on my tinfoil hat and conspiracy brigade badge when talking about MJ as primary composer for StH3. Sonic 3's music is hands down my favorite in the side-scrolling era, yet supposedly Michael was not very happy with the restrictions of the Genesis. An anecdote like that contributes to my belief that I hear these compositions as aspiring to "greater sounds".

Kraftwerk invented that sound.

It's still arduous on a tracker. It's a pain in the ass. I have no idea what Nintendo's official equipment they made developers rent from them was like, but it can't have been any more advanced than a tracker in 1986.

MJ did work on the game, but he's not in the credits because he backed out (or fired by Sega due to his public scandal). The fact that several people he had worked with, or would work with also worked on the game lends credibility to this. Brad Buxer (wrote Who Is It), Bobby Brooks (engineer on HIStory), Darryl Ross ("sound design" on HIStory), among others (and Buxer apparently confirms that MJ was once on the project). Curiously enough, the soundtrack lists Howard Drossin as the sole composer for the entire game. As it stands it is unlikely that MJ actually composed anything for the game, but people he worked with and wrote for him did.

If you've ever played Sonic 3 & Knuckles, I'm sure you've noticed there are a few tracks that have been replaced. I wonder what those could have in common? The claim that they are not included on S&K for space reasons is some bullshit. They all have samples that probably didn't make it past Sega's legal department the second time through (the same reason Nintendo can't publish Earthbound on VC). Knuckles' original theme has a James Brown vocal sample, as does the original miniboss music in addition to an MJ vocal sample, and some others. And Carnival Night has that sample of MJ's "Jam", which was removed on later compilations.

[Stij]

Lotsa interesting stuff here

I don't have much to add to SF and Soup's posts, but there is one thing I wanted to ask: does anyone here listen to demoscene music? (I guess that's fairly related to the topic) Late 80s/early 90s demostyle stuff is the best. These days it's all crappy generic DnB and trance, but back then, demoscene music was cool. A lot of the best artists were also working on video game music at the time.

[AweStriker Nova]

Oh, come now. Clearly we need some blood of melting. (Also it's still a fighting game theme ; those are still boss)

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The character whose theme this is got another one that's all chanting and organs. It's nice too.

I greatly enjoy the violin here.

Inexplicable vocal samples? There is a song with those; this isn't it. This has lyrics.

and my personal favorite

[Superfrequency]

[Such Lovely Bowl Of Soup]

Edit: Dah, Rouge, I mean Rouge! Not Rogue.



One last SA for the road! (Except no one is going anywhere!)

Kraftwerk invented that sound.

!
Oh did they? I was never really sure, but I can definitely believe it! They're certainly approaching it in that WDR video of Ruckzuck.


I haven't experienced it firsthand, since I only play S&K on my Genesis/Retron 3 or on an emulator - but I've seen how it got replaced. Or do you mean music gets replaced when you plug it in? I know that in compilations and whatnot it'll get switched out with redone music, but I don't know about the normal S3&K having different tracks.

I base thinking MJ having composed due to similarities to his other songs, as well as Brad Buxer having talked about composing music for the game with him (which is where I got the anecdote of MJ being unhappy with the sound quality of the Genesis chip)

Sega still won't talk about it, though :<

I don't know how pop stars work, or I guess people working with producers in general, in regards to the "division of labor" in composing the actual music to a track. I know that a lot of people that worked with him got credit for audio for S3, and like you said, there's a bunch of stuff that's almost or is straight from his songs. Since it's basically from his music, I'd count that as also having a hand in composing even on those occasions.

Though not quite the same thing, it reminds me of Susumu Hirasawa, who took a song he wrote



which he then altered to make a song for the series Berserk





which he then further altered, and it became a song for the game







A game I never got to play, because my dad thought it was too violent y_y




Stij - I've never heard of Demoscene! You should post some good stuff in the music thread and their gamework here

[Stij]

Stij - I've never heard of Demoscene! You should post some good stuff in the music thread and their gamework here

Here's a few of my favorites from the vidya gams, in roughly chronological order:

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I'll post some non-game stuff in the music thread too

[Superfrequency]

Kraftwerk invented modern electronic music. Obviously there were electronic musicians before them, but they were the first to successfully create electronic pop music (electropop). "Popcorn" doesn't count, the Hot Butter version is a novelty song.

Yes, when you connect Sonic 3 & Knuckles the miniboss music and Knuckles' theme are replaced with the Sonic & Knuckles versions. This is very disappointing considering they're supposed to be one game and meant to be played together.

Most 'pop stars' do not write their own material. Michael Jackson is sort of unique (read: actually talented) in that he actually did write a lot of his material. The hits he is best known for like Thriller and Off The Wall were written by musical genius Rod Temperton of the band Heatwave. MJ wrote most of his material from Bad on, but prior to that he wrote only maybe half of the songs on his records. Big pop records are expensive, collaborative efforts between talented producers, songwriters and musicians, and are not the brainchild of a single person or band as they are often presented.

And just to be clear since you don't seem to understand and not intending to be rude, when I say Rod Temperton wrote Thriller, I mean the composition was solely and wholy conceived by Temperton. The only contribution Michael had was lending his magic voice to words and a melody he had no hand in. Rod Temperton actually talks in interviews about specifically writing staccato, rhythmic melodies for Michael because that was his style which I found very interesting, but I digress. Michael didn't write any of the music in Sonic 3, as cool as that would have been. He was pulled from the project early on, and apparently any demos he may have been working on were pulled as well. The music sounds similar to his because Sega called in a bunch of people who made a living writing similar pop music in the early 90's, including people who wrote material for Michael. Honestly though, I could give a fuck who wrote it, it's a fantastic soundtrack and that's all that matters to me.