The 10 Greatest Video Game Soundtracks Ever Composed

A great video game soundtrack doesn't just accompany the action, it becomes the action.

The best game composers have created music that players remember decades after finishing the game, humming melodies in the shower and tearing up at the first notes of a familiar theme.

These are the 10 greatest video game soundtracks ever composed, plus where to buy the vinyl, sheet music, and instruments to play them yourself.

What Makes a Video Game Soundtrack "Great"?

A truly great game soundtrack enhances gameplay without distracting from it, builds emotional investment without on-screen dialogue, and creates memorable themes that stand alone as music outside the game.

The best scores use leitmotifs (recurring themes tied to characters or locations), dynamic audio (music that changes with gameplay intensity), and orchestral depth that rivals Hollywood film scores.

The Grammy Awards have recognized this since 2023, with a dedicated "Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games" category.

🥇 1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)

Composer: Koji Kondo

Widely considered the greatest video game soundtrack of all time, Koji Kondo's score for Ocarina of Time was revolutionary in using music as a core gameplay mechanic — players literally played an ocarina as part of the adventure. From the haunting "Gerudo Valley" guitar to the majestic "Temple of Time" organ, every track perfectly encapsulates its environment. The "Song of Storms" alone has inspired thousands of fan covers and remixes decades later.

Most iconic track: Gerudo Valley
Why it's #1: Music and gameplay were inseparable — a first in game design history

🥈 2. Final Fantasy VII (1997)

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu

Nobuo Uematsu's score for Final Fantasy VII is arguably the most emotionally resonant soundtrack in gaming history. "Aerith's Theme" remains one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written for any medium — game, film, or concert hall. The 2020 Remake expanded the original score into full orchestral arrangements, proving these compositions were always orchestral music waiting for the right budget.

Most iconic track: Aerith's Theme
Why it's here: Uematsu composed over 60 tracks that each tell their own emotional story

🥉 3. Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)

Composer: Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori

The opening Gregorian chant of Halo: Combat Evolved is instantly recognizable to an entire generation of gamers. O'Donnell's signature adaptive music technique — tracks that shift dynamically based on combat intensity — influenced first-person shooter audio design for the next 20 years. The "Main Theme" was so iconic it was performed live at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.

Most iconic track: Halo Main Theme
Why it's here: Defined the sonic identity of an entire franchise and genre

4. Shadow of the Colossus (2005)

Composer: Kow Otani

Shadow of the Colossus is a masterclass in musical restraint. Kow Otani's score is almost entirely silent during exploration until the player encounters a Colossus, at which point the full orchestra explodes with devastating power. Tracks like "The Opened Way" and "Revived Power" feel genuinely epic precisely because of the silence that precedes them.

Most iconic track: The Opened Way
Why it's here: Proved that silence is the most powerful compositional tool

5. Undertale (2015)

Composer: Toby Fox

Toby Fox composed the entire Undertale soundtrack alone and created one of the most beloved game scores of the last decade. "Megalovania" has become one of the most recognizable pieces in internet gaming culture and has since been performed by major orchestras worldwide. Fox achieved this with a deliberately retro 8-bit aesthetic that feels nostalgic yet entirely fresh.

Most iconic track: Megalovania
Why it's here: A one-man soundtrack that shaped an entire generation of indie game music

6. The Last of Us (2013)

Composer: Gustavo Santaolalla

Gustavo Santaolalla (two-time Academy Award winner) brought his film-scoring sensibility to The Last of Us, creating a sparse, heartbreaking score built almost entirely around a single acoustic guitar. The HBO series adaptation in 2023 introduced the soundtrack to millions of new listeners who immediately recognized its power.

Most iconic track: The Last of Us Main Theme
Why it's here: Brought Oscar-winning film composition craft into gaming

7. Doom Eternal (2020)

Composer: Mick Gordon

Mick Gordon's industrial metal score is one of the most aggressive, technically complex soundtracks ever created for a game. Gordon layered distorted guitars, downtuned bass, electric cellos, brass, and programmed percussion into tracks that pulse with demonic energy. "The Only Thing They Fear Is You" has over 200 million streams on Spotify and became a viral anthem across gaming, sports, and workout culture.

Most iconic track: The Only Thing They Fear Is You
Why it's here: Redefined what heavy music in games could sound like

8. Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)

Composer: Woody Jackson

Woody Jackson's score shifts seamlessly between tense western standoff strings, Appalachian folk melodies, and sweeping cinematic orchestration — often without the player noticing the transition. The original song "Deadman's Gun" played over the credits became a landmark moment in gaming's relationship with original songwriting.

Most iconic track: Deadman's Gun / That's the Way It Is
Why it's here: Open-world music that feels lived-in, never generic

9. NieR: Automata (2017)

Composer: Keiichi Okabe

Keiichi Okabe's score shifts between operatic vocals in invented languages, melancholic piano, choral arrangements, and electronic textures. "Weight of the World" — performed simultaneously in Japanese, English, French, German, and a fictional language — is one of the most extraordinary pieces of music in gaming history. The score has been performed in sold-out worldwide concerts.

Most iconic track: Weight of the World
Why it's here: The most philosophically and musically ambitious game score ever made

10. Minecraft (2011)

Composer: C418 (Daniel Rosenfeld)

C418's ambient score may be the most listened-to video game soundtrack in history — the game has over 300 million players. Tracks like "Sweden" and "Wet Hands" are genuinely beautiful, meditative compositions that have helped players sleep, study, and relax for over 15 years. When "Sweden" plays unexpectedly during a late-night build session, the emotional impact is completely disproportionate to its simplicity.

Most iconic track: Sweden
Why it's here: The most listened-to, most emotionally unexpected game score ever made

Summary: The 10 Greatest Soundtracks Ranked

Honorable Mentions

These soundtracks came extremely close to making the top 10:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025) — One of the most praised scores of 2025 by industry composers

• Chrono Trigger (1995) — Yasunori Mitsuda's SNES masterpiece

• God of War (2018) — Bear McCreary's Norse-inspired orchestral epic

• Celeste (2018) — Lena Raine's emotional indie electronic score

• Persona 5 (2016) — Shoji Meguro's jazz-funk genre hybrid

• Super Mario Galaxy (2007) — Koji Kondo's fully orchestrated return to form

• Journey (2012) — Austin Wintory's Grammy-nominated adaptive score

🎧 Essential Gear for the Ultimate Listening Experience

If you're going to appreciate these soundtracks as they deserve, your audio setup matters:

• 👉 Over-ear Hi-Fi Headphones — Hear every orchestral detail

• 👉 Desktop Bookshelf Speakers Hi-Fi

• 👉 Vinyl Record Player Turntable — For the collectors

• 👉 USB DAC Audio Amplifier — Maximize headphone quality

• 👉 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Gaming