It's become a trend recently for people to be exposed to music through video games. Although, video games have using licensed tracks for decades, the advancement of gaming technology has allowed for greater integration and utilization of audio. Yet, there are those who feel that there is something uncouth about discovering music through a video game. Almost as if to say that it belittles the artist or is improper to have heard the music through a video game as opposed to other media or Pandora.
Yet, these same people are likely to not raise an eyebrow if the song was heard in a movie or TV show. After all, how many people became familiar with Cab Calloway after seeing The Blues Brothers? How many people became Boston fans after hearing “More Than A Feeling” on an episode of Scrubs? Is it really that much different if the song was heard in a video game?
Below is a selection of ten tracks that have become a regular part of my music listening rituals. All of them were heard through a video game, but not all of them are licensed tracks. A few of the tracks were the compositions of the video game's music composer.
“The Moon” - Yoshihiro Sakaguchi, Duck Tales (Nintendo Entertainment System)
Considered by many to be one of the best music tracks to come out of the 8-Bit era, “The Moon” showcased a serene build-up that lead to a fast-paced, catchy tempo that fans today can still recall with a sense of nostalgia. It has been covered on a few occasions, most notably by The Advantage.
“Cliffs of Dover” - Eric Johnson, Guitar Hero III (Multi-Platform)
Many have criticized Eric Johnson as a perfectionist, a claim he himself has admitted to. There is no denying that Activision made a great call featuring this song in the final tier of tracks in the company's installment of the famed music rhythm series. Essentially, one long guitar solo, “Cliffs of Dover” mixes guitar virtuosity with Irish melody. Plus, it was difficult as heck to play it in-game. One can only imagine playing it on a real guitar.
“You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me” - Buddy Rich & Harry “Sweets” Edison, Bioshock (PS3)
This jazzy number played while Bioshock was being installed in many a player's PS3 hard drive. Its mellow sound would likely have disarmed a lot of people's defenses. Surely, this game couldn't be too intense with music like this. The goofy ads that the screen displayed showed a sense of humor. When we actually played the game, we were all caught off guard for how dark this game really is.
“Credit Line” - Masumi Ueda, Resident Evil 2 (Multi-Platform)
Much in the same way as the previous song, this instrumental track served juxtaposed the contents of the game. This piece of music played after an intense boss battle that ended the A Scenario for both Leon and Claire in the survival horror sequel. Most of the other music in the game was frantic and symphonic, which made this piece stand out all the more.
“The Bulldozer” - Norman Corbeil, Heavy Rain (PS3)
Quantic Dream's interactive drama didn't pull any punches in delivering a pulse-pounding narrative. Neither did composer Norman Corbeil for the game's music score. This track seems more fitting of a Hollywood action-drama, yet this amazing piece of music was made specifically for a video game.
“Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens” - Louis Jordan, L.A. Noire (Multi-Platform)
This fun, foot-tapping gem from Louis Jordan made it tough to not drive on the city streets of 1947 Los Angeles like it was a chase scene from The Blues Brothers. The bouncy spirit of the song contrasted with the mundane protocol of driving to a crime scene. Even more sad was that the radio music was muted for the game's orchestral score during chase scenes. As great as the score was, it didn't allow for those Grand Theft Auto moments of a licensed song playing during an action sequence.
“Return to Me (Ritorna-Me)” - Dean Martin, Mafia II (Multi-Platform)
Never has a video game made me laugh out loud so hard as when this song played in a mission for Mafia II. After disposing of a rotten body in the trunk of a car, one of your intoxicated associates, Eddie pleads, “Vito, do not change the radio station!” Hearing voice-actors Robert Costanzo and Joe Hanna drunkenly serenading this song in the night made this immediately one of my most memorable video game moments.
“Fear of the Heavens” - Hiroki Kikuta, Secret of Mana (Super Nintendo)
I'll admit it, this song nearly got me to cry. Aside from being one of the most unforgettable tracks of the 16-bit era, it was a piece of the one of the greatest, non-Zelda RPGs for the Super Nintendo system. It really says something when the game's composer gets second billing behind the game's developer on the title screen.
“Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)” - Django Reinhardt, Bioshock (Multi-Platform)
While there are some discrepancies on YouTube comments over whether this is actually Django playing, it all goes back to developer Irrational Games, who listed Django Reinhardt as the artist of this song. From the lively violin of Stephane Grappelli to Django's prodigious guitar work, this song shows the musical bond between both men and their genius work together. Both men complimented each other's style. This song will stick with you!
“Great Fairy Fountain” - Koji Kondo, The Legend of Zelda series (Nintendo Platforms)
While there will be those who know this track from Edgar Wright's film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, lifelong gamers will know this track from The Legend of Zelda series, most notably Ocarina of Time. The enchanting, harp-like melody induces a sense of nostalgia and brings back many gaming memories to the surface of the mind. Wright was correct when he compared it to a nursery rhyme for his generation growing up. For many of us, hearing this song helps us hang on to that bit of youth that will never leave us – no matter how old we get.
What are some of the songs video games introduced you to? Sound off in the comments section below. Thanks for reading.
Special thanks to YouTube users explod2A03, wuLFe79, DigitalSolaris, PeyserConley, brainhack, woodytube, SPENNA99, RockShoxLoon, and GilvaSunner for providing viewable videos for the list.
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