The 2023 Groovies - A Celebration of Video Game Music
Our mission is simple–celebrate the diversity, passion, and creativity of the VGM community. We do this through articles, interviews, and even tribute albums, and last year, we decided to create a new way to celebrate the accomplishments of the VGM community–the Groovies. The Groovies is not a competition; it is a recognition of the people that we feel are shaping VGM for the better. Each one of these artists adds something unique and irreplaceable to the video game music community, and for that reason, they deserve our support.
Editor’s Note: For the sake of fairness and transparency, I did not consider anything released by GameGrooves.
SOLO ARRANGEMENT
Final Fantasy VII - Cosmo Canyon || Progressive Post-Hardcore Cover ||
The progdigal son has returned. BlackearacheXD may have left us last year, but he returned as MDXD, stronger than ever as this arrangement clearly shows. The riffs are tighter, the video is more frenetic, and production is higher than ever. MDXD clearly has found his voice, and it’s one that still resounds months later.
GROUP ARRANGEMENT
Busted Dreams by Discocactus
Honestly, I could have picked any track off of Mania Mode because the entire album is solid gold.
SOLO COVER ALBUM
Like Sonic the Hedgehog, Needlemouse Mania packs a lot of attitude in a relatively small package (only 10 tracks). This album spans over 25 years of Sonic music with genres ranging from electro house to Neo Arcade to funk. It brings to life the colorful, vibrant worlds that the team at SEGA created all those years ago, and it reminds us that the music of Sonic the Hedgehog has endured for over 30 years with good reason.
GROUP COVER ALBUM
Mania Mode transcends video game music by incorporating elements from a myriad of styles and genres, but at the same time, it elevates the VGM community. This album reminds us that covers and arrangements can reshape our experiences with video games and video game music. In other words, the VGM community has its own repertoire of covers and arrangements that are influencing other artists, both new and old. Mania Mode is a high-water mark for the video game music community and a steadfast reminder of why I fell in love with VGM in the first place. It’s also my favorite video game cover album of all time.
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
With over 11 hours of amazing JRPG music, it should come as no surprise that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has a special place in my heart. Legendary composer Yasunori Mitsuda (and his team) created a soundtrack that is both intimate and enormous, full of great themes and textures. For those of us who have played the game, the role of music is something that cannot be overstated, and I found myself constantly pausing my adventure just to enjoy the soundtrack. There was plenty of competition this year for best soundtrack, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 proved that Mitsuda has still got it.
ORIGINAL COMPOSER
Tee Lopes
Tee Lopes cut his teeth in the video game cover community before his work on Sonic Origins, but it was Sonic Mania that catapulted him to notoriety. In the years since, Tee has worked on several properties related to the blue blur, and this year, Tee proved he’s not a one-trick hedgehog by composing one of the best OSTs of 2022. Shredder’s Revenge is a love-letter to 90s game soundtracks, and what’s more, Tee brought in familiar faces from the VGM community like Mega Ran, Jonny Atma, and Anton Corazzo. Now that Tee has conquered both hedgehogs and turtles, one has to wonder what animal he will score next…
VIDEO PERFORMANCE
You're Lost by Discocactus
By this point, you’re probably starting to recognize a pattern—I really liked Mania Mode by Discocactus. Of course, this video is a perfect representation of what I like about the band with its clever, chaotic, and goofy moments.
NERDCORE PERFORMANCE
Tee Lopes, Mega Ran - It's a Pizza Party! | TMNT: Shredder's Revenge Official Soundtrack
The combination of Mega Ran with killer jazz grooves is unstoppable, and even though his verse is less than a minute long, Ran proves why he is the king of Nerdcore. Be sure to check out his track for River City Girls 2 while you’re at it.
SOLO VGM ARTIST
Allison Martin
This year, Allison proved that she is not just a great performer, but she’s also a great arranger and composer. She started out the year with an incredible arrangement of Egg Quarters, featured on Learn: A Villain’s Tribute to Sonic Adventure 2. Then, she released her first cover album, See the World. Did I mention that she also released her first original track as well? Clearly, Allison is on a roll, and I can only imagine what shenanigans she will bring in 2023.
VGM GROUP
Discocactus
I just really, really like Discocactus, OK?
If you enjoyed this year’s list, be sure to check out the 2022 Groovies!