The Animal Crossing series has always been a hit with players. Each entry offers immense customization options, clever writing/dialogue, and (oftentimes overlooked) amazing soundtracks. As you shake trees, collect seashells, fish, and catch bugs with the hourly melodies that play throughout your town (or island), it's hard not to find yourself humming the tunes during your real-life routine.
Naturally, some hourly tracks in each game outshine others, and the fan-favorites are clear. These are the tracks that aren't repetitive, use interesting instruments, and have musical motifs that perfectly fit the hour they play in. Whether players are up at dawn to check out the furniture in Nook's Cranny, or up late at night hunting for tarantulas, this is a ranking of the 10 best Animal Crossing: New Horizons hourly tracks.
10 9 PM
The 9 PM track is widely known to players as the song that beckons the closing of Timmy and Tommy's shop for the night at 10 PM. The bass throughout the track whispers to the player, "Make sure you sell all your items soon," and the slow melody of the track reflects the fact that many of the island dwellers will be headed to bed soon. This music perfectly represents the slow build-up to late-night in the game. It has the moodiness of last-minute chores while also showing that things are about to slow down.
9 4 PM
The rhythmic drone of the drums that play during 4 PM are the soundtrack to interacting with bustling villagers active in the middle of the day. It hints that the sun is beginning to set, but to still expect encounters with villagers doing yoga, fishing, or trying to catch bugs. The chill yet slightly upbeat vibe of 4 PM is catchy but not too busy. This is the time of day when things begin to slow down, shadows from trees begin to cast more deeply, and the sky begins to change colors.
8 1 AM
The sound of 1 AM is exactly what you would expect: sleepy, but filled with hints of surprises that lie in the night, such as ghosts and similar critters. The beat emulates the ticking of a clock, reminding players that the night is growing late. Many may associate this track with late-night hunting for valuable insects like tarantulas or scorpions.
7 8 PM
The steady tone of the 8 PM track reminds players that even though the sun has set, the island is still active. This is the last hour that Able Sisters and Timmy and Tommy's store will be open at the same time for the night. It's the perfect track for a light night visit from friends to your island and has the vibe of a chill kickback near the ocean with a bonfire.
6 3 PM
3 PM makes the cut for its simple-yet-catchy tone. Sure, this tune may not have a lot of variation, but it fits so well for those monotonous days of island-building that sometimes feel endless. The light guitar strums and sounds of the horn seem to motivate the player to keep at it, while also fitting with those moments when you see villagers taking a break and sitting beneath a tree.
5 6 PM
This track just screams "sunset." It perfectly fits those moments of walking along the beaches of your island, searching for DIY's and fish, and seeing the golden sky as the sun prepares to set.
Sure, this may be one of the more repetitive tracks, but the melody is so relaxing and so fitting that it overshadows its repetitive nature.
4 11 AM
The 11 AM track does what the 6 PM track does, but more. It's easy to picture the leaves rustling in the wind as morning shines on the island as players hear this song. While many other tracks begin to loop around 30 seconds into them, 11 AM doesn't loop until over a minute into it. Many players have compared the jazzy sound of the track to the soundtrack of another hit video game: Atlus' Persona 5.
3 2 AM
2 AM is the epitome of all night tracks in the game. The calming melody and light piano lull the player into a dream-like atmosphere, with a crescendo among the sounds of shooting stars during meteor showers. 2 AM is the definitive representation of how Animal Crossing can always perfectly pull the player right into this smaller world populated with villagers.
2 5 AM
This track is truly a hidden gem because unless you're a time-traveler (no judgment!), or you've pulled a complete all-nighter, chances are you haven't heard this track! And what a shame that is, given how amazing it is.
5 AM incorporates the light piano of 2 AM with an echoey ambiance that feels distinct every other hourly track. 5 AM ranks so high because it exists within a corner of the game that not many players know about. This is when a new day begins under the teal sky, making any in-game photograph look amazing.
1 7 AM
Not many people enjoy waking up at 7 AM. And to be fair, during this time, there isn't much to do since many villagers are still asleep and the shops are still closed. But 7 AM is definitively the best hourly track in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The song has an attitude--it hits its target perfectly with the grouchiness that comes with being awake early. It has variation, with a pitch increase halfway through and a loop that doesn't occur until over a minute. It incorporates the main theme of New Horizons, while also serving as a callback to the 6 AM hourly track in Animal Crossing: Wild World. This track does accomplishes what every other track on this list does, with atmosphere and variation. And it's just plain catchy.