Like the orchestral original score for your favorite silver-screen epic, the music accompanying our favorite gaming adventures can truly move us. Skillfully composed, masterfully performed, and expertly mixed, these tunes complement and intensify gaming triumphs and tragedies.
Until recently, technology limited games’ ability to incorporate music beyond 8-bit chiptunes. Music in gaming has changed profoundly from those monophonic, comparatively minimal tones of early arcade hits, but it’s those same, well-timed beeps and boops that paved the way to the more complex in-game audio we enjoy today. Thanks to technological advancements, many contemporary titles now include some awe-inspiring vocal arrangements.
These 10 vocal tracks from video games are the cream of the crop, each one heightening the emotional impact of their respective in-game scenes. From upbeat alt-pop earworms to exceptional arias, these picks always evoke an emotional response.
‘Escape from the City’ — Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Early-aughts 3D platformer Sonic Adventure 2 boasts a seriously underrated soundtrack, but this pop-rock track takes the top spot. The up-tempo guitar riff complements the heart-pumping first stage that sends Sonic shredding down a busy road on airplane debris.
I’d be remiss to not mention the Sega title’s other hits, like the hype “Pumpkin Hill” rap that perfectly accompanies a spooky Knuckles stage. Still a no-skip soundtrack!
‘Cruel World’ — Red Dead Redemption II (2018)
The devastating ballad, made just for Rockstar Games’ early-1900s outlaw tale, was actually recorded twice — once by Willie Nelson, the other, Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme. “Cruel” is right, if you ask me, because the track plays at the gut-punching end of Arthur Morgan’s story, and the start of the John Marston-focused epilogue. Oof.
‘Simple and Clean’ — Kingdom Hearts (2002)
Whether you’ve played the Disney-adjacent RPG Kingdom Hearts or not, one thing is for sure: You know this song. Performed by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada, the song’s dreamy harmonies accompanied just about every TV spot for the Square Enix blockbuster throughout the early aughts.
“Simple and Clean,” the version gamers in the States are probably most familiar with, is actually a remixed, translated version of the musician’s earlier hit, “Hikari.”
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‘Raphael’s Final Act’ — Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)
“Am I the drama?” – Raphael, probably
“Raphael’s Final Act” is a jaunty, delightfully campy show tune from Bulgarian composer Borislav Slavov. The heart-thumping instrumentals, heard only during your Tav’s confrontation with Raphael in Act III, are the perfect backing for Andrew Wincott’s sublime vocal performance.
Overall, the song’s “vibe” feels perfectly representative of Raphael as a character — self-indulgent, ostentatious, and cheeky. Think King George III’s “You’ll Be Back” from Hamilton.
‘Delicate Weapon’ — Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)
Narrowing down my Cyberpunk soundtrack faves is a near-impossible ask, but “Delicate Weapon” might take the top spot. The melancholic, synth-heavy tune is attributed to Night City pop idol Lizzy Wizzy, a character portrayed by very-real electropop performer Grimes.
Tune into in-game radio station 98.7 Body Heat to hear this unique track, as well as Grimes’ up-tempo “4ÆM.”
‘Jump Up, Super Star!’ — Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Odyssey’s big-band number, often called “1-Up Girl,” is an earworm of the highest order. The swing hit is a notable departure from Nintendo’s often lyric-less tunes, but it takes melodic influence from the OG Donkey Kong. Makes even more sense when you remember that Pauline’s the one on the mic.
‘Alicia’ — Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025)
This hauntingly beautiful ballad is breathtaking, just like every other piece throughout Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The operatic elegy, performed in French, is first heard on the title screen after players first launch the game.
Frankly, the hymn-like “Alicia” feels more like a religious experience than a video game startup menu song.
‘Push Push (Lady Lightning)’ — Guitar Hero II (2007)
Bang Camaro is one of the many house bands formed by developer Harmonix. They’re also one of the fakest; the group is a satirical spin on jock-rock anthems, featuring a dozen or so lead singers.
That doesn’t make “Push Push (Lady Lightning)” a bad song. Thankfully, the bonus power-rock bop got some much-deserved time in the limelight after it was featured in a Season 1 episode of HBO Max superhero hit Peacemaker.
‘Beneath the Mask’ — Persona 5 (2017)
Honestly, you could put the entire Persona 5 soundtrack here. From the opening cinematic, featuring “Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There,” to the incredibly catchy “Last Surprise,” there are bops aplenty.
We’re going to give the nod, though, to “Beneath the Mask.” There’s something so calming about the song; it feels like drinking a warm, refreshing cup of coffee alongside your curry at the end of a long day. Persona 5 is an incredible game with so many iconic moments, but it’s the riff and lyrics from “Beneath the Mask” that resonate with us the most.
‘Still Alive’ — Portal (2007)
Made-for-Portal tune “Still Alive” plays during the game’s credits right after protagonist Chell takes down vindictive, Big Brother-y supercomputer GLaDOS. While the credits roll and players celebrate their accomplishment, the song shifts the vibe. The lyrics, a note to players from GLaDOS, declaring she’s “still alive” and heralding the Aperture Science experiment as a “huge success.”
The track creatively closes Chell’s (first) adventure, its perspective-shifting lyrics offering a twist that really knocks the wind out of your sails.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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