4 Mainstream Artists Who Have Been Hiding in Plain Sight in Your Favorite Video Games, Old and New
Video game soundtracks are key components of a game that help keep a player engaged and focused, or emotionally connected to the narrative. Some of the most iconic compositions of this modern age came from video games. But unless you’re really into instrumental compositions, you might not recognize their names immediately. However, you might know these mainstream artists who have contributed to video game soundtracks.
Florence + The Machine
Florence + The Machine contributed several songs to the soundtrack of Final Fantasy XV, released in 2016. Notably, a cover of the 1961 hit “Stand By Me”, which was allegedly the first time a cover song was used as a main theme in the extensive series. Additionally, Florence Welch and Co. wrote and recorded two original songs for the game. “Too Much Is Never Enough” was featured over the credits and broke into the Top 40 iTunes chart in the U.K. Another single, “I Will Be”, featured crystalline production and rousing vocals, tapping into the emotional heart of the game.
Stewart COpeland
Stewart Copeland, former drummer of The Police, composed the soundtracks to many entries in the Spyro video game series. He was responsible for the original Spyro the Dragon trilogy which released between 1998 and 2000, as well as Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly from 2002. Anyone who spent a lot of time with that little purple dragon would probably recognize Copeland’s soundtrack.
In 2018, he remastered his original work for the Spyro Reignited Trilogy collection. But with a forthcoming Spyro game announced came some disappointing news for longtime fans. Copeland wasn’t involved in the soundtrack for A Realm Beyond. But he seemed to take it in stride. He explained that with a new generation, “they want a new generation of sound,” he told The Independent. “No harm, no foul.”
Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Mothersbaugh, notably of the experimental group Devo, has worked on so many film and television soundtracks that it’s almost easier to list the ones he hasn’t done. He’s also made a good handful of video game soundtracks. And considering his work for Wes Anderson, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, and Rugrats, to name a few, his video game compositions and productions make perfect sense.
He produced the scores for both the Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter series of games. Additionally, he composed the iconic score for The Sims 2, as well as The Lego Movie Videogame in 2014 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in 2021.
Chvrches
Synth-pop band Chvrches contributed a crucial song to the Death Stranding soundtrack, released in 2019. Along with being the title track for the game, it was also the closing song. It was strategically placed to keep the emotional connection with fans going even at the game’s conclusion. The game’s creator, Hideo Kojima, teased the song on Twitter, writing, “You can cry just by listening to this song.”
Chvrches wrote “Death Stranding” for the game and met with Kojima personally to discuss the themes. “The concept of Death Stranding is so unique and really felt to us like it was challenging people to care about the world they create — in the game and otherwise,” the band said in a statement at the time.