Video game music is increasingly being taken as seriously as film music and even some classics. From the soundtrack to Takeshi Furukawa’s The Last Guardian to Jeremy Soule’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the popularity and fan base of the genre is growing.
Soundtracks to early video game music was made up of simple melodies from sound synthesizer technology, which inspired the ‘Chiptune’ style of music.
Video game music has now grown to become as complex and as popular as film and TV scores.
In 2016’s Classic FM Hall of Fame, Nobuo Uematsu’s Final Fantasy soundtrack reached number 17 while Yoko Shimomura ‘s Kingdom Hearts was number 30 on the list.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Aurora
Jeremy Soule
Ensemble: Studio musicians
Record label: DirectSong
Tomb Raider - A Survivor is Born
Jason Graves
Conductor: Jason Graves
Ensemble: Session Orchestra
Record label: Sumthing Else Music Works
Catalogue ID: SE-3052-2
Metal Gear Solid - Sons of Liberty Theme
Harry Gregson-Williams
Conductor: Andrew Skeet
Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra and Studio Choir
Record label: X5
Catalogue ID: X5CD 114
Beyond: Two Souls - Jodie's Story
Lorne Balfe
and
Hans Zimmer
Conductor: Matt Dunkley
Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Record label: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Viva Pinata - Oven-Fresh Day
Grant Kirkhope
Conductor: Nic Raine
Ensemble: Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Record label: Sumthing Else Music Works
Catalogue ID: SE 2058-2
Fable III - Brightwall
Russell Shaw
Conductor: Allan Wilson
Ensemble: Slovak National Symphony Orchestra; The Pinewood Singers
Record label: Sumthing Else Music Works
Catalogue ID: SE-2091-2
The Legend of Zelda - Suite
Koji Kondo
(b.1961 : Japan)
Conductor: Andrew Skeet
Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Record label: X5 Music
Catalogue ID: X5CD 114