The 2020 Game Music Awards
While 2020 has been a challenging year for almost everyone, it has been a banner year for video game music, with the release of several highly anticipated titles. What’s more, the video game cover community has been more active than ever, thanks in part to a global pandemic. I asked the GameGrooves team to provide their thoughts on the state of video game music in 2020, and here’s what they had to say.
Allen Brasch
GameGrooves manager
Favorite Game Soundtrack of 2020 - DOOM Eternal
The sequel to one of my favorite shooters of all time, DOOM Eternal saw the return of composer Mick Gordon. From the moment I heard “The Only Thing They Fear Is You”, I knew this OST would be a kick in the teeth—and I was right. Unfortunately, the relationship between Mick and Bethesda is strained at the moment, but I can only hope they resolve their differences in time for the next Doom title.
Favorite Game Composer of 2020 - Austin Wintory
In the interest of full disclosure, I haven’t finished playing The Pathless, but I am already in awe of what I’ve heard. Austin creates interesting and engaging soundscapes with unique instrumentation and vocal arrangements. Put simply, the soundtrack is practically dripping with character and ambience, and I’ve only scratched the surface of what this game and its soundtrack has to offer.
Favorite Cover Album of 2020 - Hang On To Your Hat by Materia Collective
Given that Super Mario 64 is one of my favorite games of all time, it should be no surprise that Hang On To Your Hat held onto my heart. These arrangements are some of the most ambitious, creative, and enjoyable covers I’ve ever heard. Materia Collective has set a new bar for VGM cover albums, and it’s one that I hope to see exceeded if and when they produce another Video Game Jazz Orchestra album.
Favorite Cover Artist of 2020 - Lacey Johnson
2020 was the year of Lacey Johnson. Her humility, creativity, and positivity are infectious, and her collaborations this year prove that she is not afraid to tackle any musical challenge. From Lo-fi to metal, Lacey Johnson is the consummate VGM cover artist.
Favorite Cover of 2020 - Xnarky - Final Fantasy 7 - Tifa’s Theme Guitar Duet Cover
Words cannot express how much I love this cover.
Psamathes
Executive Director of GameGrooves Music
Favorite Game Soundtrack of 2020 - Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
As a huge Wardruna fan and lover of Scandinavian folk music in general, I was absolutely mesmerized by this soundtrack.
Favorite Game Composer of 2020 - Austin Wintory
I might be biased because I was lucky enough to work a bit with him on The Pathless, but seeing all the BTS content on how he crafted the OST for this game and really tried to do something special, giving the spotlight to traditional Tuvan music, and bringing together literally hundreds of musicians...it was really something else!
Favorite Cover Album of 2020 - The Noble Demon’s Classics Selection - Volume I
I found out about this amazing artist when we worked on the Her Theme, the charity album supporting Girls Make Games, and her orchestral arrangements are an inspiration! This collection of VGM classics really warms my heart every time I listen to it.
Favorite Cover Artist of 2020 - The Gamba Geek
She can just make any song hers! I love seeing her journey as a musician and hearing my favorite VGM tracks like I’ve never heard them before. The viola da gamba also brings a sort of ancient and mysterious vibe that I find absolutely charming, and The Gamba Geek can both implement it with other instruments, but also show that it can be played in so many different ways and genres. What a stunning instrument!
Favorite Cover of 2020 - “Crash Bandicoot 2’s Warp Room” by Dacian Grada with PrjzCalavera, GameroftheWinds, and Lacey Johnson
Dacian’s Crash covers are always on point, and this one in particular shows off his great skill at producing upbeat arrangements in his “synth” metal style and collaborating with lots of other great musicians. I just can’t stop listening and being put in a good mood!
Peter Gillette
Executive Director of GameGrooves Uncovered
Favorite Game Soundtrack of 2020 - Super Mario 3D All-Stars
For my favorite game soundtrack, I’m going to cheat a little bit. Super Mario 3D All-Stars is my pick, not just because it has some of the best music in all video games, but because it has the soundtrack from my favorite game of all time, Super Mario Sunshine. Sunshine has one of the most unique gameplay styles in the Mario series, and the music reflects this. It brings a massive amount of nostalgia when I boot it up on the Switch.
Favorite Game Composer of 2020 - Kazumi Totaka
For my favorite composer, I’m going with Kazumi Totaka from Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Totaka does an amazing job making you feel at home and relaxed. His work is the closest to a warm blanket on a cold winter’s day that music can get to.
Favorite Cover Album of 2020 - Fallen Hero by Ro Panuganti
I’m very conflicted about my favorite cover album because there have been so many amazing albums this year, but I’d have to say Fallen Hero wins it for me. Ro did an absolutely amazing job on this album. You throw it on, and it transports you to a different world. It gives me very similar vibes to 2112 by Rush or Oblivion by Mastodon. It’s a prog album without a doubt, and Ro knocked it out of the park.
Favorite Cover Artist of 2020 - Insaneintherainmusic
Favorite cover artist is another tough one for me, but I’d say Carlos of Insaneintherainmusic wins it. His whole Year of Sinnoh was a blast to listen to (and to help out on for a few videos), and he’s truly made each song from the Sinnoh region spring to life. I’ve shown his work numerous times to folks who disregard video game music, and they fall in love with each track. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the coming year!
Favorite Cover of 2020 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (feat. Dan DeSimone) | Cover by ThunderScott
Favorite cover of the year goes to ThunderScott with his cover of Animal Crossing: New Horizons theme. I’ve always been a fan of his work, and the instrumentation of his covers always leaves me with a smile on my face. His videos are always a delight, and I always look forward to seeing what he comes out with next.
An honorable mention would be FamilyJules’ cover of “God Shattering Star” with Joe Zieja. It’s a great cover, and if you like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, you’ll love this cover.
Ro Panuganti
Guest Author and Former Editor
Favorite Game Soundtrack of 2020 - Ikenfell
The stunning amount of charming songs, catchy melodies, and attitude in the digital fusion genre is exhilarating. And I’m not just saying this because I watched Steven Universe this year...
Favorite Game Composer of 2020 - Gareth Coker
He’s gone from indie titles with tons of range and charm to AAA blockbuster type OSTs without losing the sense of melody. I’m so excited for what Gareth does.
Favorite Cover Album of 2020 - Brassino Isles by The Game Brass
It was the most inspiring undertaking to see and be a part of, with so many collaborations, clever videos, and well earned arrangements that cross The Game Brass and their guests.
Favorite Cover Artist of 2020 - Christian Richardson
I know I’m biased, but the arrangements that came out this year ALL show so much ambition and great guitar playing. I know that 2021 has to be that much more stacked.
Favorite Cover of 2020 - “Super Mario World Medley” by Discocactus, Live at MAGFest
Best VGM live show I’ve seen; you could not look away.
Chris Penwell
Guest Author
Favorite Game Soundtrack of 2020 - Final Fantasy VII Remake
Tracks like “Tifa’s Theme” and “Aerith’s Theme” are given a new life in this orchestrated soundtrack. They have the ability to stir a sense of happiness, nostalgia, or melancholy within you, and then you have the exhilarating battle themes that get you hyped up.
Favorite Game Composer of 2020 - John Paesano
His work on Spider-Man: Miles Morales is spectacular. Miles’ main theme “New York’s Only Spider-Man” is absolutely fitting within the character itself and the grand role of being the friendly neighborhood hero. It feels epic in scale, and I love the hip-hop elements of the soundtrack as it feels true to what the character would likely listen to.
Favorite Cover Album of 2020 - MetaGroove: The Music of Persona 5 by J-Music Ensemble
If you know me, I love a bit of jazz, so the Persona 5 soundtrack is one of my favorites. J-Music Ensemble was able to heighten the P5 OST with some amazing twists on the tunes. The inclusion of rap towards the end of most of the songs is a lovely surprise as the lyrics reveal the hidden feelings of the characters involved with the themes.
Favorite Cover Artist of 2020 - FamilyJules
FamilyJules has been absolutely killing it this year with banger after banger. His cover of “You Will Know Our Names” kicks ass, and his collaborations with Adriana Figueroa have been fire! Some other favorites I have of his would be “Battle Tower” from Pokémon Sword & Shield, “Devil Trigger” from Devil May Cry V, and “Those Who Fight” from Final Fantasy VII.
Favorite Cover of 2020 - Lifelight SSBU - The 8-Bit Big Band
This is a huge undertaking that sounded absolutely incredible back in May. During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, this cover showed the resilience of the VGM community coming together to create an epic version of an already powerful song. It was truly a magical moment during a tough year.
Michael Leopold Weber
Guest Author
2020 has been something, hasn’t it!? Who would have thought we would see in the roaring 20s with a global pandemic all but destroying our way of life, but with every dark cloud, there is always a silver lining—2020 has also been a stellar year for video games, especially indies. Supergiant’s Hades re-imagined the rogue-like, Moon Studios’ Ori & The Will Of The Wisps perfected the Metroidvania, and games like Among Us and Fall Guys brought us some companionship when everything looked its darkest. With all of these games and more, the soundtracks have stuck with us through and through, giving what has been an objectively terrible year a shot of tonal dopamine. Here are some of my sonic highlights for the year.
Favorite Game Soundtrack of 2020 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In late March, when the world was fully coming to terms with the severity of the pandemic and the sacrifices we all needed to make to save lives, one thing was there for us: Animal Crossing: New Horizons. For myself and a lot of other people, this was our first taste of an Animal Crossing game, and other than the sugary sweet kindness this game has to offer, the stand-out performer is its soundtrack. Every facet of this game’s music is perfect. The hourly music shifts, the almost offensively cheery fishing challenge music, and the delightfully tropical island hopping tunes make every small action on your island memorable. Doubling down on this is the weekly performance from the legendary K.K. Slider. His vast array of musical stylings can suit any need, whether you’re vibing D’Angelo or Marty Robbins. ACNH is wonderful through and through, and worth the ticket price just to listen to waves hit the shore against that 5 pm Vulfpeck-esque jam.
Favorite Game Composer of 2020 - Borislav Slavov
Borislav Slavov is one of those composers that creatives dream about working with. His fantasy writing skills are second to none, with an impressive history working on the ever adaptive music of Divinity: Original Sin 2, but it’s with Baldur’s Gate 3 that the genius of Borislav’s work can be seen in all its splendour. What sets Borislav’s work apart from his contemporaries in fantasy writing is his use of voice and rhythm. All of the vocal lines, whether percussive or verbal, are powerful, imposing their will on the overall composition and driving his pieces forwards, alongside percussion. Every track has a propulsive rhythm, whether that be pizzicato violins underneath a more gentle passage or a commanding bass drum through a powerful coda. This gives every part of the soundtrack drama and narrative purpose, making the already impressive storytelling of Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 intoxicating.
Favorite Cover Album of 2020 - Video Game Orchestra - Unplugged
The Video Game Orchestra is best known for their big, sweeping, epic orchestral covers of the biggest games, such as Final Fantasy and The Legend Of Zelda. This is what makes their most recent outing, Unplugged, all the more interesting. There is something incredibly playful about every track on this album, especially their cover of “Django The Vampire Killer” from Castlevania. There are hints of “Dixie Land” in the walking bass and counterpoint melodies from the Spanish guitar violin with all the virtuosic prowess to cut through some of the more impractical melodic lines that 90s digital music composition had to offer. This high-energy, almost Pixar-esque jolliness is then perfectly paired with their very chill Animal Crossing: New Horizons theme cover, which has that kind of jammed energy I have sorely missed this year. The whole album is a delight and brilliant whether you are actively listening or having it sit in the background.
Favorite Cover Artist of 2020 - Lacey Johnson
There have been many break-out and stand out VGC artists and collaboration albums throughout this year, but one name keeps appearing no matter what channel you end up surfing for that VGC goodness—Lacey Johnson. Whether she is doing arrangements on her own channel or collaborating with other artists (such as in GameGrooves’ Cry Of The Planet) she has grafted throughout the year. Lacey can now start seeing herself as the face of a lot of excellent quality VGC, whether she is taking on acid jazz with Persona 5 or is somehow adding the keytar (a delightful and highly underrated instrument in my humblest of opinions) to Doom Eternal covers.
Favorite Cover of 2020 - Xnarky - Final Fantasy 7 - Tifa’s Theme Guitar Duet Cover
It’s easy to forget just how many games were released this year (after all, this year has actually been 12 years long). One of the most epic, both in the story and in music was Final Fantasy VII - Remake. New and returning players were delighted when witnessing the re-imaginings of Cloud, Barret, Sephiroth and my personal favourite punch first ask questions later gal, Tifa. Her theme was always beautiful, with oboes and flutes carrying her whimsical melody over a gentle cloud of pizzicato cellos and comped piano chords. Translating all of those moving parts to a guitar duet is no walk in the park, which is what makes Xnarky’s cover so special. Not only does it capture the essence of Tifa’s theme, but it also builds on it and creates a completely new feeling and emotional complexity. Plus, you can tell Xnarky is loving every minute of his time playing it, a sign that you have crafted something truly special.
James C Hoffman
GameGrooves Mastering Engineer
Favorite Game Soundtrack of 2020 - Spiritfarer by Max LL
This is exactly the kind of beauty I need in 2020. Delicate and serene orchestrations, often peaceful with a hint of melancholy, give me a nostalgia for a time when life felt simpler.
Favorite Game Composer of 2020 - Yu-Peng Chen, @HOYO-MiX
The team behind the Genshin Impact soundtrack has been both consistently superb and prolific to a remarkable degree, earning them my top spot.
Favorite Cover Album of 2020 - Final Fantasy VII Remake Acoustic Arrangements
While the arrangements are pared down from their orchestral counterparts, every note on this album feels perfectly placed and expertly executed.
Favorite Cover Artist of 2020 - Lacey Johnson
Lacey delivered hit after hit this year, and judging by her amazing videos, had the most fun doing it too!
Favorite Cover of 2020 - Xenoblade Chronicles - Main Theme by Purpleschala (ft. Patti Rudisill/PitTan/Animevivi/ Israfelcello/MusicontheDLo)
Beautifully arranged and masterfully performed, this track is perfect from start to finish.