I get extremely nervous talking about my musical tastes. "Video Game Music" is the farthest thing that anyone listens to.

My gf has accepted the fact and doesn't berate me for it or anything.

not at all, my parents prefer i hear eternal sonata's ost over marilyn manson or some other shitty band that "cool" people hear.
honestly, i cant see why people like bands that scream and label it as singing,
might as well be in jew and it would make as much sense, or more.

Well very few people I know listen to, or appreciate video game music.

My Fiance used to think I was a bit weird for listening to it, but she is used to it now, if anything comes on whilst she's around, she queries what's it from and gives her opinion on it (sounds cool or not)...

I will definitely need my headphone or headset every time I want to hear some VGMs at home. Playing it out loud isn't the problem, but no one at my house even consider (most of it) those are music....

Except for piano arrangements,at least.

My friends don't understand why I like VGMs. They think music is sounds from musical instruments AND people singing. So, I try to "convert" them.

I usually play one of my favorites ask them to listen to it, and then ask them, "what do you picture in your mind when you hear this? Don't you think the strings that suddenly come into the music make your skin tingle?" Questions like that. Most of the time, they'll just give random answers. Well, to each his own.

yes they think i,m a nerd or something

I've got quite a few VGM in my iTunes and people wonder if I'm a nerd or a die-hard fanboy. So some people think I'm odd because I know good music when I hear it....even if it's from a Video Game.

Uhhhh, a little bit. Not many people know what I listen to tho, and the ones who do are the ones who've played the game its from so...

Imo half the OST's from games sound better than today's rappers and/or whatever that Thing "Lady" Gaga releases.

when it comes to newer VGM (those sounding like recent movie scores or "normal" classic/orchestra music) people generally just think I like classic music and don't even realize - before I tell them, haha - that it's music from a video game.
But I also listen a damn lot to old tunes from the 80s and 90s and that's when thoughts like "you're an odd and crazy girl" appear in their minds and leave their mouths in total irritation and confusion ("how can you listen to this???? it sounds worse than the button-press sounds of my last cell phone")
Anyway, I just smile and don't care. In fact I'm happy about that ;)

I absolutely do not think so! I am a fan of nearly all forms of music and appreciate all the ones I listen to. All songs tell a story in some way. I am producer (hip hop, rnb, and pop) and video game music has a heavy influence in my work. You can hear some here: http://www.soundclick.com/SMTProductions Enjoy!

I feel sort of lucky, really, because most of my friends listen to game music along with myself. I, however, am certainly the biggest game music junkie among them all. Ha. None of my friends or family have ever really thought twice about it though.

Only the friends that also listen to it know that I listen to it. I do my best to make sure no one else knows for instance I always hide iTunes before I stop using the cmputer and I only listen to the it when I have headphones.

I was a bit embarrassed at first but over the past few years have really grown to accept and be proud of my "unique" love of VGM. My gf has certainly given me plenty flack though; she doesn't really get it which I suppose is the norm. But the joke's on her, she's being dragged along to the Final Fantasy symphony this coming July. :D

Listening to a classic now... one of the first that got me into VGM. "Phantom Train" by Nobuo Uematsu.. love it! *cranks the volume*

some think im weird. it's fine though, better than loving death metal and stuff.

Hello all. I am one of the rare species in my family that listen to VG music, being FFs, Wild Arms and Chrono series being on top of the list. By brother always give a weird look whenever I hear those memorable musical tone.

I believe that there is something "unique" in VG music that can't be presented quite satisfying enough by mainstream music. I think I am alone in this argument.

YES They DO, they think it's not real music just some noise compared to emo screaming music and rap music that has nothing but talking and cussing, people don't know real music when they hear one.

Out of all my friends, I'm the only one who listens to videogame music. It's cool though because when we're in the car and I'm playing some tunes, they usually ask me what's it from and stuff. Oddly enough, most of my friends love the Sonic Unleashed soundtrack whenever I play it.

Hmm...
well, I played some VGM on the car the other day with my dad.

I made sure I didn't use any chiptunes (which he hates), mostly orchestral arrangements.

Dad's 52, by the way, so he really HATES video games.

But, he liked a lot of the orchestral arrangements from smash bros melee.

Next time I'm going to throw some final fantasy 7 songs at him.

Most of my family knows I like it, and most of them are ok withit, but they still find it weird, especially the fact that I actually know the names of the composers.

Oematsu and Kondo are better than most modern composers in my book.

Hmm...
well, I played some VGM on the car the other day with my dad.

I made sure I didn't use any chiptunes (which he hates), mostly orchestral arrangements.

Dad's 52, by the way, so he really HATES video games.

But, he liked a lot of the orchestral arrangements from smash bros melee.

Next time I'm going to throw some final fantasy 7 songs at him.

Most of my family knows I like it, and most of them are ok withit, but they still find it weird, especially the fact that I actually know the names of the composers.

Oematsu and Kondo are better than most modern composers in my book.

My wife hates video games, too, but even she had to admit that Shadow of the Colossus' score is fantastic. Maybe you should show that one to your dad? :D

My wife hates video games, too, but even she had to admit that Shadow of the Colossus' score is fantastic. Maybe you should show that one to your dad? :D

Shadow of the colossus...I'm guessing that's a modern RPG? Never heard of it, anyway, I'll grab the score. Thanks.

I think dad probably hates games for the same reason I hate factual and monotonous documentaries; we're products of different times. This is probably the only way I can link 'em together.

Shadow of the colossus...I'm guessing that's a modern RPG? Never heard of it, anyway, I'll grab the score. Thanks.

I think dad probably hates games for the same reason I hate factual and monotonous documentaries; we're products of different times. This is probably the only way I can link 'em together.

Actually, Shadow of the Colossus is somewhat an art-game/adventure-platformer that is a follow up to Ico, a classic and older playstation 2 game. Shadow of the Colossus is essentially an atmospheric game that has the player play as a protagonist who seacrhes a completely deserted land to find various colossi (sp?) to defeat. The gameplay is basically like a series of boss battles, as you only are trying to take down each colossus one by one. This in turn is going to unleash a demon who has promised to revive a fallen girl that the main character brought to the demon's shrine. The plot gets a lot cooler once you get close to beating it and -do- beat it, though. Certainly a game worth playing, it's absolutely breathtaking. And for a game, the idea was really risky but well executed.

Anyway, all of that being said, the music is incredible. One of the most easily listenable game soundtracks out there. Very cinematic and emotionally intense. I second that recommendation.

Examples:

Prologue ~ To the Ancient Land (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut0YDGH7NYU&feature=PlayList&p=9FF3B3916EA1D44A&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1)
The Opened Way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrFL2zPc2uk&feature=PlayList&p=9FF3B3916EA1D44A&playnext_from=PL&index=7)
Sky Burial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUrD39rw7Gw&feature=PlayList&p=9FF3B3916EA1D44A&playnext_from=PL&index=17)
Swift Horse (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRqfpmzofno&feature=PlayList&p=9FF3B3916EA1D44A&playnext_from=PL&index=21)

Those are from a playlist, so you (or anyone else who hasn't heard it) can check out the other pieces, too. I still get goosebumps listening to this music. Just did while opening the links.

Some of my friends rib me about it a little, but that's just messing around. They aren't really so interested to hear it, but I'm not so interested to hear Judas Priest or stuff like that they listen to. Although one did have the dismissive reaction you get from most people who are close-minded about it. Funnily enough, I had FF Tactics on and my mom loved it and had me make her a copy.

The really meaningful thing to me though was, after being friends for a couple years and then losing contact for a few more, in the very first conversation we had after meeting again, the girl who is now my fianc�e and I talked about music. I said, "As crazy as it may be, I mostly listen to music from videogames now." Her reply: "not crazy"

It's been amazing the whole time since then. Wish us luck, please!

Congratulations on getting engaged!

Speaking of moms, mine had the same reaction to Secret of Mana's "A Prayer and a Whisper." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfMlEa8Xsss)

I listen to alot of game music, I don't see anything worng with it, it's like how ever one listen to scores from movie soundtrack. so I don't think it shold be a problem.

I consider VGM an art form

I know some people who go crazy for stuff like anamanaguchi or any kind of chip tunes, but the second I try to explain to them my love for some other (actual) VG music (akira yamaoka :O), they just kind of start ignoring me.

I think a lot of people just can't shed the stigma that they think is attached to video games, even if it is only the music. Honestly, I don't understand why, generally speaking, people's mindsets are stuck in the 80's when it comes to VGs.

I know some people who go crazy for stuff like anamanaguchi or any kind of chip tunes, but the second I try to explain to them my love for some other (actual) VG music (akira yamaoka :O), they just kind of start ignoring me.

I think a lot of people just can't shed the stigma that they think is attached to video games, even if it is only the music. Honestly, I don't understand why, generally speaking, people's mindsets are stuck in the 80's when it comes to VGs.

Especally when most videogames today have big movie-like musical scores!!!

Pretty much - my playlist is mostly Ace Attorney, Resident Evil series, Devil may Cry, Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, Super paper mario, FF9/XIII, and the Longest Journey/Dreamscape - and it's hard for people to understand why I enjoy what I listen to so much, since most of the folks I know seem to enjoy Death Metal and all that shiiiizzle I hate.

I have several real bands on my 1000+ Playlist, so it's not like I ONLY enjoy VG music - but for the most part, VG music is far more enjoyable...because I can relate to the moments where that music came into play more than just random mainstream Music as a whole.

It's kinda gratifying to see a thread I started 3 years ago still have life.. wow, so much has changed for me in these 3 years -- different job, brand new car.. and I live in a better city now here in Rancho Cucamonga CA....

Damn I agree.
VGM Music is something I just love, because it delivers what normal Music could never. I even listen to vgm of Games I never played (e.g. Chaos Legion).
It is especially satisfying if you listen to tunes of games you played.
One of my fav tracks are probably the Rockman Series [Battlenetwork, Starforce, Zero (yeah) ZXA],Flower Sun and Rain ( played both the jap and english version), Crisis Core (whats not to love about it ?), hell I even downloaded the track of a homebrew game called Takatis, because I digged it's tunes etc..

I also listen to some Movie Anime/Soundtracks.

All in all, VGM, Anime/Movie music works very well alongside normal and mainstream music, I often find myself to listen to VGM Music more often than to normal lyrical music since it doesn't get old as fast and switching between the two is always an welcome change aswell.

People around me ? I once listened to the Subarashiki Kono Sekai Soundtrack when a friend of mine suddenly listened and thought it was goth music (xD).
Besides that I rarely happen to listen to VGM in public without headphones or earbuds, since I can't imagin that anyone would show any acceptance with all that mainstream music afloat.
Still, I could Imagine to jam some Crisis Core or 5ds SD2 tracks on the guitar.

Just did a quick scroll through iTunes and yeah, nearly 90% of the stuff on there is soundtracks for films, games etc. A lot of the other stuff I listen to could quite easily complement an OST quite nicely. I'd rather put my earphones in and drift away somewhere far off then try to explain to most people about the merits of listening to VGM XD

As a musician, I believe people have various references, moments in their imagination and a scale of creativity. Some people cannot associate to certain things, so they reject them beforehand. I believe game music is an example of something people are missing on. I do believe in the future it will be very acceptable. I am ready to bet Uematsu will be considered as a Mozart in 200 years :)

Also same thing applies to music everywhere. I've seen it happen to people who hate certain types of music like rap and rnb, or its opposite classical music. Times change, music does as well. My guess is that every music is wonderful :D

Do people think you are crazy for listening to VGM yeah, I get that a lot from my big bro. I think VGM is sometimes better compare to normal Music(just sometimes), I listen to VGM because it's sound a lot better than normal music, I do listen to normal music a little ones in a while, like pasc said ''VGM deliver something normal music can not'' and that's true, and that's not the only reason why I listen to VGM, my second reason why I listen to VGM is because it sounds awesome I mean compare to a normal song, VGM delivers: the tension, the action, the passion

(this is my first time in a while I post something, so sorry if I made something wrong)

There's something about videogame music that makes it special...just...stands out so damn much from normal music. I know alot of today's VGM is done with real instruments, but even that makes it stand out.

Yeah some of it repeats itself, but that's just a part of it.

I have a good story for this. I have a friend who's been playing Command & Conquer (all of them) since 1999. A few weeks ago I played Hell March 2 on my computer while he was here. He looks at the music info and asks me,"who the hell is this Frank guy?" I told him that he's the guy who made Hell March. He then said- and I am not joking about this -,"oh, so he's the guitarist?"

I have a good story for this. I have a friend who's been playing Command & Conquer (all of them) since 1999. A few weeks ago I played Hell March 2 on my computer while he was here. He looks at the music info and asks me,"who the hell is this Frank guy?" I told him that he's the guy who made Hell March. He then said- and I am not joking about this -,"oh, so he's the guitarist?"

LOL I don't believe that a guy who's been playing Command and Conquer for THAT long doesn't know who Frank Klepacki is. After you hear the soundtrack from a C&C game you just gotta look up the composer of the badass music.

I feel sorry for the people that dislike video game music because it's not SMEARED ALL OVER THE PLACE (like certain genres).

A few weeks ago, when I met up with my friend, he asked for a quick look through my iPod Touch and was slightly astonished to see that most of the music in there comes from video games. He asked me if I've tried other genres, and I said yes, but my liking for video game music is much, much greater than any other musical genre. In retrospect, I daresay that my liking for video game music is much higher than my liking for every other musical genre combined.

It's kinda gratifying to see a thread I started 3 years ago still have life.. wow, so much has changed for me in these 3 years -- different job, brand new car.. and I live in a better city now here in Rancho Cucamonga CA....

I'd say because your thread is a cool one, and many people (i'm glad i'm not alone!) here can also relate very much! makes me want to HUG all of you :D

and btw, if I may ask (and you can reply in PM for more privacy if u want), how old are you now?
and is your new job necessarily related with video games, music, or computer-esque stuff, or totally UNrelated with your passion/hobby? ..then, this is very important personal question: how can you manage to stay through the job without feeling 'dead soul' inside??
I'm currently struggling with money .vs. passion thingy.
so would really need your opinion.
thanks!

Up until my friend showed me some vg music in elementary school I used to not like music at all because all I ever heard was crappy mainstream music. So I guess you could say that vg music saved me from a musicless life.

It's kinda gratifying to see a thread I started 3 years ago still have life.. wow, so much has changed for me in these 3 years -- different job, brand new car.. and I live in a better city now here in Rancho Cucamonga CA....

Like Niki said, you just asked a spesific and maybe a common question in all of us that we were bursting to say with love, joy, pride and principle. I'd say you should be commended by and because of this thread.
What Niki asked of you got me intruiged as well, I also have the "money .vs. passion thingy" struggle.

I've always listened to video game music since I was old enough to afford soundtracks. I only know one other person who enjoys it or even understands why I'd listen in the first place. The way I see it VG music is like classical: it works directly on your nervous system and is at its best when you can devote your full attention to it. Most of the kids around here don't get it; they mostly listen to rap and seem to judge music by its popularity, something I could never understand. I don't mind confounding my friends, but it does kind of suck that the only place I can seriously discuss VG music is online.


I get a lot of crap from people since I'm a black person. They want to know if i think I'm white or japanese or 'uppity'. It irritates the fuck outta me. No one realizes just how good this music truly is!

Wow that's messed up.

Sometimes, then I'll play something totally boss by Akira Yamaoka, The Black Mages, or an orchestral arrange of something equally boss (Vamo Alla Flamenco), and be like 'YO BITCH WAS THAT NOT THE MOST ILLINEST SHIT YOU EVER HEARD, and they'll be all 'YEA BRO SHIT RULED', then I'll slam the CD case in front of them and go 'POW! GAME MUSIC BITCH, WHAT WHAT!', then they go 'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!'

It's like an episode of Maury in my car.

Well obviously people don't know what they're missing

I don't care what people think about my music, I have always listened to video game soundtracks, sonic the hedgehog and final fantasy is just a small part of my music library. I think that since I grew up playing games, I just love remembering old moments, and I love the soundtracks because they differ from other music, they build a certain atmosphere, and they are so sweet and funny, I have used several soundtracks as my mobile ringtone and people become so surprised, like, what the heck is that? =P and others who have listened to my mp3 songs and accidentally listened to a soundtrack from ff7 asked me "don't you have any normal songs?". It seemed to me like the word "normal" is referred to songs like for instance kelly clarkson etc. It's cool though, I am soon finishing 3 years in University as a game developer and I hear really funny ringtones from other students, I immediately recognize that the soundtrack is from a game, and I become happy=)

I think initially people who aren't aware of the music in video games are surprised when they see my playlist, but when they actually start listening to the music, most find it quite appealing. I know some of my friends have become addicted to the MGSII and III themes =P

My big brother keeps wondering why I listen to Doom soundtrack all the time :D But one of my friends really likes the music in Doom games too! :D

It's not just that video game music is something the average person scoffs at. I run into the same problems when I tell people I like to read science fiction. I would say that the misconceptions people have about vgm are equivalent to the misconceptions they have about science fiction novels. Most people have "boring" minds and do not like to experience things that challenge cognition or invoke emotions. You might find this one hard to believe - I have actually met more people in public that like video game music than like to read science fiction novels. Readers of science fiction are very hard to find out in public.

i love video games osts hitman is my favorite

I don't care what people think about my music, I have always listened to video game soundtracks, sonic the hedgehog and final fantasy is just a small part of my music library. I think that since I grew up playing games, I just love remembering old moments, and I love the soundtracks because they differ from other music, they build a certain atmosphere, and they are so sweet and funny, I have used several soundtracks as my mobile ringtone and people become so surprised, like, what the heck is that? =P and others who have listened to my mp3 songs and accidentally listened to a soundtrack from ff7 asked me "don't you have any normal songs?". It seemed to me like the word "normal" is referred to songs like for instance kelly clarkson etc. It's cool though, I am soon finishing 3 years in University as a game developer and I hear really funny ringtones from other students, I immediately recognize that the soundtrack is from a game, and I become happy=)


TOTALLY AGREED WITH YOU AND WHAT U SAID, ITS SAME TO ME TOO, I LISTEN MOST (ALWAYS) VIDEOGAMES SOUNDTRACK AND MUSIC AND I LOVE INSTRUMENTALS
AS BACKGROUND IN VIDEOGAMES MUSIC, THEIR CREAT A "MAGICAL AND TOP" ATMOSPHERE AND MAKE U IN A HAPPY MOOD :)

For three years I only listened the Final Fantasy VIII soudtrack, I was completle obsesionated :awsm:

No one has criticized me for enjoying videogame soundtracks. In all fairness, in this day and age, many game soundtracks rival film scores in terms of quality and composition. They've come a long way since old school midis and chip tunes.

I'm also kind of sad by the lack of VGM on mainstream radio stations, my TV has radio stations and I was looking for game and anime and J-POP but they had movie osts and mainstream pop, country, rap, etc and I also wish that stores would carry all game OST's not just western game OST's. But you will never see a radio station in the US (like K-HOP @ 95-1, for example) play video game music. I think that VGM will always be more widely-accepted in Japan, they have game music playing in Akihabara! :)

For three years I only listened the Final Fantasy VIII soudtrack, I was completle obsesionated :awsm:

Isn't Uematsu awesome? XD

Close friends to me holler at me "Final Fantasy" or "How is FF going" whenever they see me, lol and it's cool and funny, maybe they don't play that much and maybe they aren't the same obsessed as me, but at least they ask. I believe you should be yourself, that's the beautiful thing, it's not interesting if everybody is the same. So listen more to the kind of music you enjoy=)

Well only one of my real-life friends knows that I like vgm, which I do like alot, but not particularly crazy about and by far not the greatest part of what I listen to.
And he is like what ever dude.

well,they think im freak an alien and very weird

I find that it depends. One of my friends absolutely love the music from the Final Fantasy series since VII, but when it comes to the old 8-bit and 16-bit Final Fantasy soundtracks it really makes him cringe. My taste ranges from old to new, but I think a lot of people have a hard time understanding the value of old video game music, while they are amazed by what it has become. A lot of my friends are musicians like myself, so maybe that's why they can tolerate the more cinematic video game music, but it takes a lot to convince them that an 8-bit piece of music can be just as amazing.

Yeah, they do at first, but then I have them listen to the songs and times, they fall in love too

Y'ever play a song, or a remix, and someone overhears it and asks, "Oh, who did that song?" And you tell 'em it's from a video game, and it takes 'em five minutes to pick their jaw up off the floor?

Classic 8-bit tunes are so much fun. There's tunes like Tetris, or Mario, or Zelda, that everyone has heard and will, on some level, recognize. They're versatile for remixes, and bring back all the joy of the simpler times of the past. (*le sigh*) More modern stuff is on-par with anything from full orchestral works, to head-bangin' metal concerts. There's something for everyone. =D

Video game tuneage is heavily underappreciated, and greatly underexposed, s'all I've got to say about it. But, maybe I can con some of my coworkers out to the Video Games Live concert. =D

Yes, it's like trying to stay in closet...

*My parents doesn't know it: I must be careful if I want to keep this secret.
*In college/university, I can't let people know that I like such things: My playlist full of OSTs is not in my iPod.
*I had to join Final Fantasy Shrine: Now, I can openly write about things I like and shit.
*If I come out of the closet, the haters will rape me.

My mom liked "Rosetta's Comet Observatory 2" from Super Mario Galaxy (I was playing SMG in my dusty Wii).

Yes, it's like trying to stay in closet...
My mom liked "Rosetta's Comet Observatory 2" from Super Mario Galaxy (I was playing SMG in my dusty Wii).

Lol! That last line could be the icebreaker! ;)

The ice already melted :(
My mom is living with my grandparents :'( and my dad is working all the time :'(
And what about me?... I've been stuck in this forum for hours :)

The ice already melted :(
My mom is living with my grandparents :'( and my dad is working all the time :'(
And what about me?... I've been stuck in this forum for hours :)

Bloody hell, mate! You sure got a busy family... :/

People have long since come to terms to the fact I am pleasantly weird, so t hey don't care. I'm the only one in my (rather large) family who is REALLY into games, and out of the people I know, the only person who is into game music. My family and friends don't really get my tastes, but they just generally leave me alone about it, so it's not a bother to me :-)

I would not say "crazy". But some people really wonder why I sometimes seem to care more about the soundtrack than the movie ... x)

as a pianist, i sometimes catch some grief from the classical snobs about my championing of VGM as serious and worthy of study and performance on the concert stage. matters not to me, i still mix it in with my training and approach it with the same seriousness and intensity in learning them to performance standard along with usual suspects (standard classical/art music piano repertoire)

as a pianist, i sometimes catch some grief from the classical snobs about my championing of VGM as serious and worthy of study and performance on the concert stage. matters not to me, i still mix it in with my training and approach it with the same seriousness and intensity in learning them to performance standard along with usual suspects (standard classical/art music piano repertoire)
you should tell those fools that the classical music of the future will be the soundtracks of today...

Good to hear I'm not alone in enjoying music from Games.

Good to hear I'm not alone in enjoying music from Games.

You are very far to be alone! :))

Of course... I take it as read that you are classed as strange!

The thing with videogame music is that it is music from videogames, but anything else after that is up in the air (jazz, rock, orchestral, etc.).

I think it is for the best that videogame music isn't mainstream because almost anything that is is beaten up to a pulp. I am thinking here about the American pop culture, but I guess this would apply almost anywhere.

By the by, Okami OST is all kinds of awesome. It actually makes me cry whenever I listen to it.

Who exactly would "beat" VG music to a pulp?

Its not an issue comparing to watchin anime :D :D :D