Highlights
- Music in video games holds great importance, elevating the gameplay and evoking emotions from the players.
- Several iconic games feature memorable songs with beautiful lyrics, creating a thematic and immersive experience.
- The inclusion of licensed music and original soundtracks in games adds to the overall narrative.
Music is arguably one of the most important aspects to any video game, especially with games driven by narrative; music can help to elevate an already good game, and assists in evoking emotions from the player, from empowerment to retrospection.
Throughout the years, there has been a plethora of fantastic game soundtracks and instrumentals, but this list aims to focus on songs in the literal sense: music accompanying lyrics. This list includes a broad variety of music from a wide selection of games both old and new, aiming to provide something for everyone.
11 Cyberpunk 2077 - Black Dog
This sprawling, immersive sci-fi RPG's soundtrack contains some great tracks, but its Cyberpunk 2077's fictional band - SAMURAI - that brings the world to life with their heavy riffs and aggressive vocals.
The virtual band's songs were written and performed by the Swedish hardcore punk band, Refused. In the game, SAMURAI was fronted by Johnny Silverhand, portrayed by Keanu Reeves. Although a lot of the music is heavy by nature, and won't be for everyone, it helps to make some of the game's narrative beats more memorable and helps add the 'punk' to Cyberpunk.
10 Metal Gear Solid 3 – Snake Eater
A favorite of many fans of the franchise, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater dominates primarily due to the way it combines the best aspects of the first and second Metal Gear Solid games to wrap up its plot lines in an action-packed, blockbuster fashion as a prequel to Big Boss' tragic story.
But the classic 2004 stealth adventure's title song, reminiscent of a James Bond title theme, stands out above the rest; featuring strings, brass, and a powerful female vocal that soars throughout. The song's musical stings and vocal hooks encapsulate the feeling of Metal Gear Solid 3 perfectly.
9 BioShock Infinite – Will The Circle Be Unbroken
BioShock is an iconic game series that has always featured solid soundtracks, but BioShock Infinite, the third entry in the BioShock series, went above and beyond to create an immersive world with its visuals, narrative, and audio. BioShock Infinite's music, in particular, is both technically impressive and thematically appropriate.
Of all the songs in BioShock Infinite, "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" is perhaps the most thematic of them all with its hauntingly beautiful lyrics performed solely alongside a gentle acoustic guitar played by famed voice actor, Troy Baker.
8 Dragon Age: Origins – Leliana's Song
The Dragon Age series is one of the most revered epic fantasy game franchises, but Dragon Age: Origins is still arguably one of the best games in the series with its thematic, epic, and often emotional fantasy narrative that drives the gameplay forward without relent.
Although the entirety of the Dragon Age: Origins soundtrack, composed primarily by revered composer Inon Zur, is a beautiful accompaniment to the game as a whole, "Leliana's Song" in particular is a hauntingly beautiful track that provides a solemn and tranquil moment for players after completing the "Nature of the Beast" quest.
7 HiFi Rush – Captive Normals
Although HiFi Rush does feature licensed music, it also has a full original soundtrack by The Glass Pyramids that provides a more than appropriate and relentless backdrop to the action rhythm game.
There are plenty of great tunes on HiFi Rush's original soundtrack, but the song that plays during the "Rekka" boss fight is arguably one of the best with its rhythmic beat, blunt guitar riffs, and adrenaline-inducing vocals. The song's thematic lyrics also help to elevate an already enjoyable boss fight into a more dramatic and narrative experience.
6 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge – We Ain't Came To Lose
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a nostalgic return to form for the TMNT video games with its retro pixel-art aesthetic and arcade gameplay reminiscent of the TMNT: Turtles In Time beat 'em up game.
The game's brilliant soundtrack is a non-stop barrage, arguably culminated by "We Ain't Came To Lose", which was performed by Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, members of the hip-hop group, Wu-Tang Clan. The song's lyrics feature plenty of TMNT-related quips that, when combined with its relentless pace, make it the perfect track for the TMNT beat 'em up.
5 Bastion – Setting Sail, Coming Home
This narrative-driven top-down action-adventure RPG from indie darlings Supergiant Games (developers of Hades) features beautiful artwork, action-packed gameplay, and a wonderfully voice-acted narrator who provides context and thematic one-liners throughout the game. However, Bastion's music elevates the sum of its parts to another level.
After the long and arduous journey that the player takes through the game, the ending theme of Bastion provides the perfect climax to an unforgettable experience with its steady, rolling beat and melancholic vocal melodies performed by Ashley Barrett and Darren Korb.
4 Halo 2 – Blow Me Away
For some, Halo 2 is the epitome of the series with its epic story, themes, characters, and iconic soundtrack. The game's blockbuster sci-fi narrative is driven forward at every turn by the game's thematic and memorable music, but the song played when entering the mausoleum of the Arbiter in the "Gravemind" level, although instrumental in-game, is an iconic track that elevates the action.
"Blow Me Away" was written specifically for Halo 2 by nu-metal band Breaking Benjamin, and while the lyrics aren't included in the game, the song is an iconic and memorable part of Halo 2.
3 Portal – Still Alive
Valve's iconic game, Portal, is arguably one of the most innovative puzzle games. Released all the way back in 2007, Portal is arguably still one of the most iconic video games of all time, partially due to the game's antagonist - GLaDOS, the artificial intelligence.
The game's dark story and humor perfectly culminates with the game's acclaimed end-credits song written for the game by singer/songwriter Jonathan Coulton, featuring comical lyrics relating to the events of the game and sung from GLaDOS's perspective.
2 Red Dead Redemption – Far Away
Despite Red Dead Redemption 2 having some great songs on its soundtrack, it's hard to beat the moment in the original Red Dead Redemption when the player crosses into Mexico for the first time.
The song, performed by Jose Gonzales, does a perfect job of setting the tone and encapsulating the themes present in the narrative. The combination of the solemn music and vocal melodies, along with the thematically appropriate lyrics, make entering Mexico for the first time a dramatic and memorable moment in the game's narrative.
1 Civilization 4 – Baba Yetu
This song, which plays on the title screen of the iconic fourth entry in the Civilization series, managed to be the first song from a video game to not only be nominated for a Grammy but to win one, in 2011 – despite the fact that the song originally released in 2005, it was eligible for a Grammy thanks to its release on composer Christopher Tin's 2009 album "Calling All Dawns".
The song is synonymous with the game, and a true accomplishment in video game music; its orchestral instrumentation and vocals sung by the Soweto Gospel Choir combine to create an uplifting, triumphant title song for the iconic 4X strategy game.