While gameplay for video games is arguably the most important aspect of any release, the same can be said for the soundtrack. Music can make or break the moment, just as it can for movies and television shows. You likely can’t even imagine the introduction to Star Wars without the classic theme or Friends, without the annoyingly catchy “I’ll Be There for You” song stuck in your head.
From the chiptunes of the 1970s and 1980s to the 8-bit sound of the 1990s and 2000s, video game soundtracks are synonymous with the industry. Of course, with tens of thousands of games on the market, we’ll use data from websites like Rolling Stone, Classic FM, and Louder Sound to help determine the best video game soundtracks in no particular order.
Why Is This Important?
As the video game industry accounts for $184 billion in 2023 and looks to grow in 2024, video game soundtracks are critical. As video games can fail because of poor music, the better the entire game package is, the more it sells, and the more companies like Microsoft and Sony, which we cover regularly on 24/7 Wall Street, will benefit.
12. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Release date: November 2011
- Game type: Action role-playing
- Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 3/4/5, Xbox 360/One, Nintendo Switch
- Music: Jeremy Soule
It Starts With Dragonborn
Led by the game’s theme song, Dragonborn, the work Jeremy Soule and his team put into The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim soundtrack is outstanding. Emil Pagliarulo, the soundtrack’s lyricist, had to invent a dragon language so the 30-person choir would know what to sing in unison. It’s clear the developers put a lot of thought into the soundtrack, and it shows in every possible way.
11. Super Mario Bros
- Release date: October 1985
- Game type: Platform
- Platforms: Nintendo Entertainment System
- Music: Koji Kondo
The Original Soundtrack
While the musical quality of the Super Mario Bros. soundtrack has long been surpassed, something about the original sticks with you. Japanese composer Koji Kondo worked for Nintendo when the original Super Mario Bros was released. His work on the game’s music made it the first musical piece from a video game to be inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.
10. Journey
- Release date: March 2012
- Game type: Adventure art
- Platforms: PlayStation 3/4, Windows
- Music: Austin Wintory
Grammy Nomination
Journey’s soundtrack is outstanding, and it was the first video game to have a soundtrack nominated for a Grammy Award. Nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, Journey didn’t win, but just getting the nomination earns composer Austin Wintory and his team bragging rights for life.
9. Grim Fandango
- Release date: October 1998
- Game type: Adventure
- Platforms: Windows, Mac, PlayStation, Nintendo, Xbox
- Music: Peter McConnell
LucasArts Magic
The first LucasArts game to use 3D computer graphics, Grim Fandango was a sleeper hit. A game featuring a retro-futuristic model of the 1950s that sees recently departed souls traveling toward the afterlife needed a soundtrack to match. Peter McConnell penned a masterpiece of a soundtrack for the game, mixing South American folk music, big band, swing, and jazz.
8. Silent Hill 2
- Release date: September 2001
- Game type: Survival horror
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows
- Music: Akira Yamaoaka
The Sound of Horror
When it comes to horror games or movies, the music can make all the difference. You can only pair a game like Silent Horror 2 with a particular sound. Otherwise, all the horror disappears. Composer Akira Yamaoka raised the bar on just about everything when he penned the music for the game over three days.
7. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
- Release date: November 1995
- Game type: Platform
- Platforms: Super Nintendo, Game Boy Advance
- Music: David Wise
Donkey Kong Rules
Composed by David Wise, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest built on the first Donkey Kong Country game and made it so much better. The soundtrack features hip hop, disco, and big band music that feels somewhat comical to match the game’s overall tone, but no doubt the soundtracks of Mario and Zelda games inspired the soundtrack.
6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Release date: May 2015
- Game type: Action role-playing
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows
- Music: Marcin Przybyłowicz, Mikolai Stroinski
Musical Nominations
A Game Awards 2015 nominee for Best Score/Soundtrack, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt offers a fantastic musical experience. For a game steeped in fantasy, the music fully immerses you into this wild hunt world. Something about the soundtrack just works so well between folk music and medieval instruments.
5. Hotline Miami
- Release date: October 2012
- Game type: Top-down shooter
- Platforms: Windows, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
- Music: M.O.O.N, Coconuts, Sun Araw, El Huervo
Atmospheric Excellence
Hotline Miami is one of the most unique gaming experiences of its day. It is a top-down shooter with a vibe all of its own. While the 1980s undoubtedly inspired the game, the soundtrack brings the entire experience together. The developers even validated this by releasing the soundtrack before the game’s release as they were confident it would help make the game a hit. They were right.
4. Doom
- Release date: December 1993
- Game type: First-person shooter
- Platforms: MS-DOS (later migrated to next-gen consoles and PC)
- Music: Bobby Prince
Original Shooter
As the original first-person shooter, Doom remains one of the most popular games ever. It sold over 3.5 million copies during the 1990s and was a hit for computer gaming. Part of the game’s success has long been attributed to composer Bobby Prince, who was responsible for the soundtrack. Prince took inspiration from heavy metal and created a sound that worked so well with the game.
3. Red Dead Redemption 2
- Release date: October 2018
- Game type: Action-adventure
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows
- Music: Willie Nelson, Rhiannon Giddens, Josh Homme, various artists
The Music of the West
As a game that looked to celebrate the history of the old West, the music of Red Dead Redemption 2 had to celebrate as much. This is why developer Rockstar Games added an original score and soundtrack. An additional album was pushed out in February 2021, some 2.5 years after the game was first released, highlighting how the music changes depending on your game choices.
2. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
- Release date: September 2000
- Game type: Sports
- Platforms: PlayStation, Windows, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color
- Music: Various artists
Tony Hawk Sounds
This game was fantastic for anyone who remembers the glory of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2. When it was released, the original PlayStation was celebrating its victory as the winner of its console generation. The punk rock and metal music the game included made it feel like something truly exceptional.
1. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Release date: October 2002
- Game type: Action-adventure
- Platforms: PlayStation 2
- Music: Various artists
Grand Theft Music
While Grand Theft Auto: Vice City includes 8,000 lines of dialogue, the nine hours of music won fans over. Featuring 113 different songs and commercials, music has long been a highlight of the Grand Theft world. The developers knew the soundtrack would be so well received they even published seven different albums alongside the game’s release so gamers could take the music on the go.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
