As both music fans and video game geeks, we admit it! – there’s one thing we’ve noticed quite clearly when playing our favorite games over the last few years. The music is essential.
In the old days, gamers would be lucky to get an 8-bit chiptune to accompany their gaming endeavors. Still, more recently, it seems game developers put as much attention into creating a great soundtrack as they do perfecting the gameplay.
The Shift in Gaming Music
This applies to every area of the gaming industry, too. Browsing through the online casino 32Red, we came across several soundtracks that perfectly reflect the themes and immersive experiences of the games themselves—whether that’s upbeat, jazzy tunes in slot games or epic, orchestral pieces in adventure-themed outputs.
The same can be found in the mobile app store—handheld games like Among Us, GRIS, or Monument Valley have all been recognized for their outstanding soundtracks, which enhance the gameplay and make every experience even more engaging.
However, perhaps the most revolutionary change has come in the console sector, where developers have been getting famous musicians to score their games and add something unique. Could you imagine Madonna scoring a Pac-Man game in the 1980s? Or Bruce Springsteen scoring a game of Tetris? No, you couldn’t, and that shows how much the gaming industry has changed and how important music has become in shaping the market. Now, it’s likely you’re sitting there thinking: okay, but which famous musicians have recently added their music to a video game? And we’re glad you asked because there are many of them. Let’s start with the biggest.
Paul McCartney
That’s right—Paul McCartney. In 2014, he collaborated with the developers of Destiny, helping to create the theme song “Hope for the Future.” His involvement brought a new edge to the sci-fi shooter, blending rock royalty with modern gaming culture.
Ariana Grande
The younger generation has also been getting involved, with Ariana Grande being one of the most recent contributors to the Final Fantasy series. She recorded a special version of her song “Touch It,” orchestrated and arranged by Sebastian Cano-Besquet.
Grimes
Even more significantly, the pop sensation Claire Elise Boucher, aka Grimes, created the original music for Cyberpunk 2077, released in 2020. As a confessed lover of video games, she even made a cameo in the game itself, playing a famous singer within its futuristic universe while dating Elon Musk.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg seems to be lending a hand to every industry recently, but that doesn’t diminish his contribution to gaming. In 2013 and 2022, respectively, Dogg lent his voice and music to the Call of Duty franchise, providing custom commentary, some remixes of his most famous songs, and even a few original tracks explicitly made for the games themselves.
Hans Zimmer
This is perhaps the most notable feature on this list. Hans Zimmer – the legend of cinema scores – is another famous musician who lent his hand to the gaming industry. Once again, he participated in the Call of Duty series, bringing a cinematic quality to the game’s music and creating a unique, powerful soundtrack that perfectly matched Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s epic narrative.
These are just a few famous musicians who transcend into the gaming genre, but there are many more. Whether it’s Trent Reznor, Linkin Park, Deadmau5, or even Yoko Ono, more and more accomplished artists are finding the value in recording soundtracks, introducing themselves to a whole new audience while making the gaming experience just that little bit better in the process.
