While gameplay, graphics, narrative, and more go into making a great game, often, a fantastic soundtrack can help elevate a game's quality, as the perfect music pieces at the right moment can build a game's atmosphere. Whether it's a combination of already existing songs with some original pieces like the soundtrack of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy or a game relying entirely on a unique set of music like Hollow Knight or Bastion, many gaming awards shows have grown to accept that a soundtrack is incredibly important to a video game's success.
While the gaming industry has recognized amazing original video game soundtracks for some time, the music industry is finally acknowledging the musical prowess shown in games. The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy in recognizing achievement in the music industry, recently listed a new set of categories that would be added to its annual ceremony. Included in those new categories is the award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media, a title so long that it barely fits onto the image posted on the Grammys Twitter account.
The new Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games award will encompass "excellence in score soundtracks and albums comprised predominately of original scores." The award will only recognize soundtracks created specifically for or as a companion to interactive media and video games released within the qualification period. Despite this being the first time the Grammys have given video game soundtracks their own category, this is not the first time that the awards ceremony has recognized the medium. 2011 was the first time the Grammys announced videogames being eligible for the awards.
Since then, some songs and gaming soundtracks have earned Grammy nominations. The Journey soundtrack received a Grammy nomination in 2012, marking the first time a full-length video game had been nominated for an award. More recently, a classic song from the Kirby franchise performed by The 8-Bit Big Band was listed as part of the Best Arrangement, Instrumental, or A Cappella category. The arrangement for "Meta Knight's Revenge," did take home the award too, marking a win for gaming music.
However, with the addition of the Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Interactive Media award, no longer will a gaming song or soundtrack receive a Grammy nomination be a rarity. Recording Academy CEO said in reference to the addition of five new categories that the Academy is "so excited to honor these diverse communities of music creators." Hopefully now gamers will be able to see more mainstream appreciation of some outstanding video game soundtracks.