Lurker > rwlh

reposting from last topic just in case

Supporting/voting for:
Board 8 Projects
Non-President Americans (though maybe this should be Non-Politician Americans to narrow the scope a little?)
American Chain Restaurants (Not Fast Food)
Disney Movies (Canon)
Female Rappers
Fictional Maxs
Songs that mention James Dean (I have no idea what the context of this one is, I just think it would be funny to see how many we could come up with)

And a new, weird nomination:
Video Game Genres

Supporting/voting for:
Board 8 Projects
Non-President Americans (though maybe this should be Non-Politician Americans to narrow the scope a little?)
American Chain Restaurants (Not Fast Food)
Disney Movies (Canon)
Female Rappers
Fictional Maxs
Songs that mention James Dean (I have no idea what the context of this one is, I just think it would be funny to see how many we could come up with)

And a new, weird nomination:
Video Game Genres

And here weve come, at last, to the creamiest of the croppiest: the 9+s. Everything from here on out is a potential VGMC support. I say potential because things can always shake out a little differently, but here Im at least open to everything.

I want to reiterate again how happy I am with the sheer quality of these songs. To have 22 new 9+s is huge. If youve gotten this far, I salute you.

Lets see how you did!

~ 9 / 10 ~

22/730
@cakophon
maimai DX BUDDiES - raputa
sasakure. UK TJ.hangneil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkuhv2PCqrw

This must be the sibling of Apollo from last years VGMC, surely. Same composers, same style. raputa clears Apollo easily for me because its so much more consistent. Everything from the AAAAAAHHHH to the sped up parts (maybe signifying a rocket ship?) flows together so nicely; its also generally slower paced, allowing for more ideas to develop. My favorite part is 1:45, when those drums keep time very effectively.

21/675
@Prody_Parrot
Friday Night Funkin' Tricky Mod - Expurgation
JADS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmXn3L5bQy4

This is intense! I said earlier that I tend to like FNF songs primarily for the vocals. While the vocals here (Boyfriend and somebody named Tricky) are solid, the beats are the primary selling points, very breakbeat and heavy on drums. I could probably put on an instrumental of this and enjoy it just fine, which is saying a lot for an FNF song. Although I do like the vocal flourishes, like at 2:15 when Tricky does some rapid, staccato breathing. And those of you who complain about Boyfriend being too high-pitched in fansongs may be pleased to know that hes at his normal range here.

20/668
@Isquen
Silent Hill 2 - Blank Fairy
Akira Yamaoka
https://youtu.be/EydQOWhM0SY

lol my note for this just says jesus CHRIST. Here is a song only a select few people in this community could love, and fortunately for Isquen, Im one of them. Blank Fairy is barely a song in the traditional sense; its almost entirely industrial noises, disturbing ones at that: whirring, cold wind, distant rumbling. The effect is intense and unpleasant, and I am all here for it. There isnt a lot to say about this one compared to some of the others at the top, but rest assured I appreciated this song a lot.

19/659
@azuarc
Void Stranger - Voided
eebrozgi & Eevamari
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9U7JTGJLWM

Voided is the song that probably had the highest climb up the ranks from start to finish. It was originally a 5.5! Can you imagine? Its such a perfect combination of futuristic spacey effects and piano and mysterious vocals. I have no idea what the song is actually about or what the context is, but I dont think I need those things. The overall vibe reminds of walking in on something unexpected that you absolutely should not see, or a feeling of being in over your head; those swelling synths throughout add to that feeling.

-

ELIMINATION 18/59: cakophon
Average rating: 6.9
Average ranking: 3362
Your lucky song: Sonic Rush - Ethno Circus
https://youtu.be/ENTZ6IJQCtw

ELIMINATION 17/59: Prody_Parrot
Average rating: 7.9
Average ranking: 2049
Your lucky song: The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince - First Star
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFF-nfPKZDk

ELIMINATION 16/59: azuarc
Average rating: 8
Average ranking: 1663
Your lucky song: Mamorukun Curse! - YO-KAI Disco (Hell's Entrance World)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-PZixk0UgQ

Thank you all for nominating!

I hope you Koji Kondidn't!

Let's get to it then, shall we?

-

25/792
@failgirlema
Pork - Boss
TheMacAndCheechMan
https://youtu.be/wNqltQ9dBM0?si=OFdsWqyS9n6gk8OB

Do I need to do a whole ass writeup justifying why this is so high too? No, I dont think I will. Instead Ill talk about how I didnt understand why everyone (specifically ema) was going on about this song in what seemed to be an ironic way. As stated previously, I dont like things ironically, yet I really gravitated toward this song. Was I the only one who appreciated it in this way? Maybe, maybe not. Boss is haunting and otherworldly to me, emblematic of a fractured mental state. I can practically feel my sanity breaking as I listen to this. Id put it in the same tier (or thereabouts) as horror music, except that its more playful. I suspect this is a song that isnt meant to be taken seriously, despite how compelling it is.

Fun Pork fact: it was originally a 9. The deciding factor was I didnt see myself wanting to support it in VGMC at all, so it got dropped. Poor Pork.

24/790
@azuarc
Alwa's Legacy - Rose Castle
RushJet1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iORfVzl5qoI

Ive come back to this one a lot, more than the other 8.5s. This retraux sound is overwhelmingly dense. Its the kind of song you would struggle to replicate on original chiptune hardware. Here RushJet1 works his patented retraux magic and creates an entire fucking world out of these beeps and boops. There is so much raw emotion packed in here its unreal. Those drums in the chorus are magical.

This isnt a 9 because I like virtually everything directly above more (numbering is off because Ive added songs to the sheet since the start of the ranking). So thats

785. Planet Dob - Sometimes I Breathe
786. Wario Land 4 - Hurry Up!
787. Streets of Rage 3 - The Poets II
788. 30XX - Millennium Spark (Firestorm BT MIX)
789. Genshin Impact - No Turning Back
790. Monument Valley 2 - Interwoven Stories
791. Donkey Kong Country 3 - Cascade Capers

Seems about right. Still, great placement for Rose Castle; one of my favorite finds.

23/781
@dowolf
Heaven Burns Red - Tower of Memories
MANYO
https://youtu.be/QjOCe8tiyRY

Hello songs that start out like ringtones. Last 8.5! Theres so much to love here. I keep using the term dense to describe some of these songs (probably incorrectly), but theres just so much sound packed into each second. Even the parts with less sound, the comparative silence is dense. Theres very little melody here, its all sounds and moments like crunchy drums and heavenly bells and swirling wind effects. Is this the only Heaven Burns Red song Ive heard that doesnt have vocals? It might be.

Tower of Memories is four songs away from a 9! Heres whats directly above it:

779. Mega Man 4 - Dr. Cossack Stage 2 [lowest 9]
780. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Ripple Star Catacombs
781. Shinsekai: Into the Depths - Coral Reef Mesopelagic
782. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Opening Demo

-

ELIMINATION 19/59: failgirlema
Average rating; 7.5
Average ranking: 2418
Your lucky song: Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - Beyond the Bounds
https://youtu.be/Niruwh4UwS8

Thank you for nominating!

New topic, everybody move there!
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80736682

Welcome to the second and final (presumably) topic for my 2024 VGM ranking! 275 songs have dropped, and now only 25 remain!

If you want to read all my amazing writeups thus far, heres the first topic:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80705000

If you want to look at the eliminations, the nominators, and some fun stats breakdowns, heres the spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HdQJbfqMqrZnEBNZyxyZAg3ZKWJ1_rvKyoCmFJhRAaY/edit#gid=0

If you want to listen to every eliminated song so far, heres a playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9FyX-bNcVjNDqgefrKF0BsrsFvAIzVp1

If you want to listen to the remaining songs (in alphabetical order no spoilers!), heres another playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9FyX-bNcVjNNfWPEYC8RhXAkXo8KLg-G

And if youre just joining us for the first time or picking up after falling behind, these remaining songs have the rwlh seal of quality. You might hate them, but I love them, and given that this is my ranking, thats what matters, right?

Were down to the wire! The remaining songs are

Alwa's Legacy - Rose Castle
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - GET ENUF
Cyberpunk 2077 - You Shall Never Have To Forgive Me Again
Donk! The Samurai Duck - Main Title
Friday Night Funkin' Tricky Mod - Expurgation
Hardcore Pinball - Retro Table
Heaven Burns Red - Tower of Memories
ICO - Castle in the Mist
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Factory Inspection
Kirby's Dream Land 3 - Pop Star
Last Command - Judgement.exe
Left 4 Dead 2 - Swamp Fever Horde Theme
Lobotomy Corporation - Neutral03
Mad Rat Dead - MAD RAT, DIE
maimai DX BUDDiES - raputa
Minecraft - The End
Path of the Abyss - Lightning Strike - -
Path of the Abyss - Warcry - -
Pokemon Platinum - Battle Factory
Pork - Boss
Silent Hill 2 - Blank Fairy
Tarot Mystery - What is Your Birthday
Tribal Hunter - Dance of Wind
Void Stranger - Voided
Wario Land 4 - Tomorrow's Blood Pressure

The remaining nominators are:
-Chaos-Zero-
azuarc [2 songs left]
bea
cakophon
Collen [2 songs left]
DanKirby
Disillusion
dowolf [2 songs left]
failgirlema
FL81 [2 songs left]
Isquen [2 songs left]
JONA
KecleonFan352
MaxGalactica
Not_an_Owl
Prince46
Prody_Parrot
sergiocornaga
skulltrumpets [2 songs left]

Its still anybodys game (assuming youre one of the people listed above).

Writeups will resume tomorrow. Until then, talk amongst yourselves. Ill give you a topic: do you feel like you understand my musical taste a little better after this ranking? Or are you more confused than ever? Or are you just here for funny kazoo songs?

can i vote for Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore

Every one of these songs was an elimination, wow!!!!

ELIMINATION 24/59: Tked
Average rating: 7.1
Average ranking: 3022
Your lucky song: Akumajou Densetsu - Demon Seed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-P4SjqtRkg

ELIMINATION 23/59: Waveshine_2001
Average rating: 5.8
Average ranking: 3618
Your lucky song: Captain Tsubasa 2 - Kojiro Hyuga's Theme (Toho Team)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wORTwHqcP3U

ELIMINATION 22/59: Paratroopa1
Average rating: 7.3
Average ranking: 2711
Your lucky song: Dariusburst - Hello 31337
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw6vVgwcUWE

ELIMINATION 21/59: Xtlm
Average rating: 6.6 (a pretty impressive average given that you literally had last place)
Average ranking: 2739
Your lucky song: Crash Twinsanity - Worm Chase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jjf92tENoI

ELIMINATION 20/59: -hotdogturtle--
Average rating: 7.5
Average ranking: 2380
Your lucky song: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Twilit Battle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=646K_a_j9Pc

Thank you all for nominating!

Five more because I skipped yesterday.

-

30/904
@Tked
Shadows of Cairn - The Thief
Bob Gumbrecht, Brian McCulloch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvqNzkRlRHM

I am spoiler tagging this writeup in case you want to listen to the song without any preconceived notions.

Oh, hello. So I couldnt tell at first but I realized I really liked this around 1:30. There are a lot of all-encompassing soundscapes that are very heavy on feedback, and its super trippy. I wrote that it seems like it would be good music to meditate tobut then the second part kicks in. I said WHAAAAAAT out loud when that happened. Its so effective, but it wouldnt be nearly as strong without all that feedback-drenched leadup. Whats especially fascinating about this is it doesnt feel like buildup in the traditional sense; it simply exists, and then its simply something else, and then it goes back to existing in the first way, and yet its both ways at once.What a fascinating, enthralling song. Thank you for giving it to me.

29/878
@Waveshine_2001
Yoshi's New Island - Title Screen
Masayoshi Ishi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTrj6pp1qpU

Waveshine gave me three joke songs, a song that was kind of a joke, and Forest Interlude. Actually, it was my idea I told her it would be funny if I wound up ranking one of the jokes high. And here we are, with this little kazoo song outperforming 271 other songs, including songs from acclaimed soundtracks like Final Fantasy VII, Super Mario Galaxy, Genshin Impact, Nier, Kingdom Hearts, Undertale, and yes, even Donkey Kong Country 2, the rankings only retired song. Yet here we are.

I dont think I need to justify any of my opinions in this topic this is my ranking, after all. But some of you might be scratching your heads at this one, at how this much maligned kazoo song got such a huge placement. Ill just say that I dont love anything ironically when I love something, I love it with my whole heart. And I really love this song. (Yes, I used the word love even though its an 8.5 and not a 9! Im unpredictable like that.) Ive said before that I love songs at the intersection of wistful and happy, and nothing perhaps encapsulates that dichotomy more in this ranking than Title Screen. The Yoshi series has always stood out for feeling childlike and a little sad, and this song, with its plaintive strumming guitar, does a wonderful job at evoking those emotions in me. People always complain about the kazoo in this song, but its so whimsical that it works remarkably well. And those drums and maracasreally, everything is doing heavy lifting here.

Thats why I love it. Thats why I ranked it higher than 90% of the rest of the list. Ill leave you with this: if it were longer and more developed, it might have snuck into the top ten.

28/846
@Paratroopa1
Caves of Qud - Golgotha
Craig Hamilton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiRRBSsx9nU

Evil sound effects: the song. Golgotha takes my love of factory noises but turns them inward, combining industrial noises like whirring and beeping with more organic sounds like water dripping. Theres no melody to speak of: this is entirely atmosphere, and its pretty bone-chilling stuff. Those occasional deep chords break up the sounds into more quantifiable measures, but the song would work just fine without them for me. One of the darker entrants in the list, very cool.

27/837
@Xtlm
The Disappearing of Gensokyo - Far Oriental Resonance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI4Puwhaegw

You gotta have a Touhou. As far as I can tell this is a Touhou fangame, and its one that mercifully veers away from the dreaded zunpets. The MIDI piano is in full force here; it propels forward a terrific melody. We get trumpet samples (not zunpets!) that also expertly convey a sense of epicness, like this is some final showdown. Everybody loves a good epic final showdown song; this song makes me feel very good when I listen to it.

26/799
@-hotdogturtle--
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion - Splattack! (Octo)
Ryo Nagamatsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd0EOI1vXU0

I love all the stopping and starting in this. Normally that can be a tough sell for me, but thats mostly in cases where the whole song stops and then picks up as something totally different. Brief stutters like in this song are really cool, particularly when they create a glitchy effect. I also really like the guitar chords and the bass and drumwork. Really I like everything about this! I considered making it a 9 but theres some dead space throughout where I wanted something more happening. But its still really solid.

ELIMINATION 26/59: loweffortmemes
Average rating: 6.3
Average ranking: 3694
Your lucky song: Far Fetched - Into the Woods!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UVF-zwb8as

ELIMINATION 25/59: Haste_2
Average rating: 7.4
Average ranking: 2562
Your lucky song: Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - Banson's Aria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6nc77yI3qA

Thank you both for nominating!

34/1009
@FL81
Guwange - Underworld Cherry Blossoms
Masahiro Kusunoki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo4XhwZmGb4

This is a very unique song in terms of tone and presentation. Its very sad, but its also very stately, like a dignified kind of sad, and on top of that its also eerie. Theres a sort of bubbly effect that gives off an otherworldly vibe, which I guess fits the underworld part of the title. Its an unnerving song; the creepy laughter only adds to the experience. Im impressed it evokes so many different emotions at the same time; even though the song isnt weird in a standard sense, its one of the most unique nominations in the batch.

33/988
@loweffortmemes
Sakura no Uta - Tenkyuu no Shita no Kiseki
hana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_QDenecJi4

I have this down in my notes as a true LEM special. This is the realization of the promise made all the way back at #290, Dear My Friend, which I described as the parts of shoegaze I dislike. With this song, all those negative qualities go away. Its the perfect intersection of airy, wistful vocals and j-rock. There are these wonderfully crunchy drums that sparkle through the song. Though I have to askwhats with the part at 2:45 where the song incorporates a layer of noise? lol

32/978
@Prince46
Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Amiga) - Title Theme
Tim Follin
https://youtu.be/aJa4UbIaNRQ

Its not a VGM party without a Follin. Everybody talks about Tim Follins work on the NES, but this jaunty Amiga tune ranks right up there with the best of it. With a kickin guitar reminiscent of the Follin brothers work on Super Off-Road, this Title Theme uses the Amiga soundchip to great effect, utilizing nifty tricks like volume changes and echoes. But the hallmark is the great melody, poppy and otherworldly, reflective of this Capcom classic. Im so glad you gave me this song.

31/960
@Haste_2
Phantasy Star Online 2 BATALLURA
Hidekuni Horita
https://youtu.be/rFpn0NLm5u4?si=52mskppmjbofMAes

Phantasy Star Online music tends to be a mixed bag for me. A lot of it I dont care for, but the songs I like, I really like. So it is with BATALLURA, a jaunty, Celtic-inspired tune that manages to not fall into the trappings of similar songs. The vocals are bubbly and interact with the instrumentation perfectly. The irregular meter is fun to follow along to and try to parse out. And those synth hits (not sure what instrument specifically) are just very delightful, and theres a pan flute (??) that adds so much. Just a solid song all around, one of my favorites Ive found from the series.

no writeups today sorry

rwlh posted... Easter Bunny
Peter Rabbit
White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland)
Bugs Bunny

rwlh posted...

Swap Peter Rabbit out for
Moon rabbit (folklore)

Swap White Rabbit out for
The hare (Aesop)

So that's...
Easter Bunny
Moon rabbit
The hare (Aesop)
Bugs Bunny

rwlh posted...

Easter Bunny
Peter Rabbit
White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland)
Bugs Bunny

Swap Peter Rabbit out for
Moon rabbit (folklore)

Easter Bunny
Peter Rabbit
White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland)
Bugs Bunny

ELIMINATION 28/59: Snake5555555555
Average rating: 6.9
Average ranking: 2822
Your lucky song: familiars.io - HOWDY DOCKS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taNWYpXpKaQ

ELIMINATION 27/59: DeadTaffer
Average rating: 7.1
Average ranking: 2921
Your lucky song: AAARGH! - In-Game BGM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W64-WJYxQ1E

Thank you both for nominating!

38/1124
@Xtlm
Feeble Light - Black Holes
Elezeid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN6H22hFXO4

A very short (under 40 seconds) and very sweet, highly melodic retraux rock track. Like some of the best chip, Black Holes combines beeps and boops to create an engaging and very catchy song. The melody in this is right up there with some of the best from the NES era. The denseness of the retraux chords makes for some delightful crunchiness too.

37/1081
@Snake5555555555
The Medium - The Ruins
Akira Yamaoka, Arkadiusz Reikowski
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BzoyAI3sQo

Among my favorite spooky horror ambience. Theres so much going on here: creepy backwards shit, clanking, underwater chimes, and of course everyones favorite, a pulsating heartbeat. Ive always enjoyed the vgm genre of spooky horror ambience, and its always disheartening when songs like this dont get as much attention as flashier, more melody-driven fare. Theres just so much to sink your teeth into here; every second is so unsettling and makes for an incredibly memorable experience.

36/1065
@DeadTaffer
Bully - Art Class
Shawn Lee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KhKE0lDuW4

Whoa, where did this song come from? Ive listened to the Bully soundtrack - or at least I thought I did, since I dont remember this gem. Very rich, immersive song, sort of psychedelic ambient. Then those drums kick in and were in outer space! What a delightful find. I love the little journey this takes me on, adding new layers periodically until the end, when were left with guitar and drums and the psychedelia is a faint memory. A strangely wistful piece.

35/1033
KecleonFan352
Billie Bust Up! - A Million Gruesome Ways To Die
Daniel Ingram feat. Black Gryph0n
https://youtu.be/uXowk-p0NyA

I really got some unique songs in this ranking. This isnt the only villain song I got (#278, Raphael Final Act comes to mind), but this is infinitely more effective to me for a few reasons. One, I dont need any more context than the song provides, and two, its more engaging to me overall. (No speak-singing, for one thing.) The character Barnaby sings gleefully about murdering the protagonist, but hes not being malicious about it (okay, not entirely); he seems to genuinely think if he kills you, then you can join in the party. And who wouldnt want to be dead? Barnaby doesnt really make any compelling arguments, instead focusing on methods of death, ranging from volcano to Shakespeare to EE-LEEC-TRIII-CIII-TYY. The singer is Black Gryph0n, who goes whole ham and clearly has tons of fun. I have fun too!

-hotdogturtle-- posted...

Did you notice how one of the instruments is a backwards piano sound?

Ooh, I did not notice that. That's really neat!

ELIMINATION 29/59: DeviDoesNothing
Average rating: 7.7
Average ranking: 2103
Your lucky song: Stonefly - Leaking Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyLoD3egO-I

42/1183
@-hotdogturtle--
We Love Katamari - Beautiful Star
Yu Miyake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UABf1vJGTs8

A really lovely piece that evokes the feeling of being young and in love. Beautiful Star has hella accordion and knows how to use it. The song ambles along in bursts and spurts, ebbs and flows. The whole thing is just marvelous to listen to. Its the highest 8 and not any higher because I dont ever really want to listen to it? As with several of the lower rankings, I can really respect what a song does while still not retaining the urge to feature it in on my regular rotation. But when I do listen to it, its so evocative

hotdogturtle started a Katamari song ranking topic, so if you like this (presumably it will be on their list), check out the rest:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80733000

8.5/10

41/1172
@Waveshine_2001
Donkey Kong Country 2 - Forest Interlude
David Wise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5EgRk0mQM8

Our only retiree nomination is the first 8.5 out. An SNES classic, Forest Interlude has a stellar melody, excellent bass and drumming, and those blissful environmental effects. Its funny featuring this right after Beautiful Star, because I feel like those two songs are cut from similar cloth, but I very clearly favor Forest Interlude. Its not quite at the level of Stickerbush Symphony or Donkey Kong Rescued, quite possibly my favorite DKC2 track, but its still really, really damn satisfying to listen to. This is Donkey Kong Country at its mellowest and simultaneously most engaging.

40/1134
DeviDoesNothing
Sonic Rush - Wrapped in Black
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/MlCK5RWO54E

My favorite of the Sonic Rush nominations, and I guess my favorite from the game, since I think Ive now heard most if not all of it. Naganumas sampling combined with funk is at its zenith here, creating a whole world unto itself; here we see a master at the peak of his powers. Theres a reason this is the Sonic Rush song that keeps making the rounds (at least that I can see). DeviDoesNothing tried to metagame with my criteria. However, Naganuma alone isnt enough to win the list.

right?

39/1130
@Snake5555555555
Who's Lila? - Steam Melody
Garage Heathen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPT5aLLHPqg

This song is like the bizarro counterpart of the jazz club as seen in The Red Strings Club (#271). Where this song succeeds for me and that song didnt is the overall atmosphere. Steam Melody isnt content to exist in a jazz club. Its like a hell dimension jazz club, where everything feels off. The sax is off, the keyboard is off, the floaty, ethereal melody is off. Real uncanny valley stuff, yet this is the kind of music AI could truly never hope to replicate. What does a machine know of existential despair?

Koji Kondon't forget to vote in this!

1. Closer
2. Heresy
3. Mr. Self Destruct
4. March of the Pigs
5. Ruiner
6. I Do Not Want This
7. Reptile
8. Big Man With a Gun
9. Hurt
10. The Becoming
11. Eraser
12. Piggy
13. The Downward Spiral
14. A Warm Place

This seems right.

An interesting album. It took a second listen for it to click. Hurt is a curious song. I didn't enjoy it (not because of the challenging subject matter, it just didn't click with me as a song), but it was still compelling.

ELIMINATION 31/59: UF8
Average rating: 7.4
Average ranking: 2431
Your lucky song: Thousand Memories - Lord of the Returners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga1T4nEadUE

ELIMINATION 30/59: Bane_Of_Despair
Average rating: 6.9
Average ranking: 3172
Your lucky song: Chicory: A Colorful Tale - Wielder Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrBvPtVHxmU

Thank you both for nominating!

46/1263
@azuarc
Turbo Outrun (C64) - Intro Main Theme
Jeroen Tel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hi0LJ_cVQs

Clocking in at over eight minutes, this is partially an arrangement of the classic Magical Sound Shower from the original Outrun for arcades. Jeroen Tels version goes to magical places (no pun intended...maybe), using the original as a springboard for other musical ideas. 1:55 gives us a totally new melody, with C64-style wave and screeching tire sound effects and Tels Yeah! that also shows up in some of his other work. Theres some record scratching and then it shifts into this heavenly melody that evokes some of Martin Galways work. The whole thing feels very ahead of its time, at least by vgm standards.

45/1245
@UF8
Azur Lane - Inochi
Osamu Sena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VQx0MtsvSQ

This song has a nice, soothing voice juxtaposed with a rock background. The singer is sweet but experienced; she knows secrets about life and she wants to communicate them. Maybe to you? If youll listen, sure. If not, no problem. I like the rock elements. Normally I can take or leave rock, especially in an animesque song like this, but here it works really well.

44/1215
@Bane_Of_Despair
Undertale - Core
Toby Fox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDuEWw648jo

One of the things I like about songs (vgm specifically) is when a song has force behind it, when you can feel the energy of the song pushing you in a direction. In Core, I get the sense that this is a story of climax and finality. I love how the second half of the song is basically the first half with more layers, which echoes the idea that youre growing and coming to a journey thats as much about personal growth as it is external growth.

43/1204
@Collen
The Jackbox Party Pack 10 - Fixytext: Menu
Kelly Shuda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuFlSrHPW7w

For a nine-minute-long ambient song, I dont really have a lot to say about this one. Some of the long stretches dont hold my interest as much, but then there are parts that are achingly beautiful; those are the parts stick out to me and justify the songs high placement. The song is pretty minimalist, with glitchy bits like stuttering and overly held notes. As with Torvus Bog, this is a great song to put on in the background and let your mind wander.

Nice job finishing this! Ranking topics can be a slog to run/write, especially in the middle section, but it seems like you really had fun with it.

Paratroopa1 posted...

My hot take is that the three most iconic pieces of vgm are the Overworld theme from SMB, the Underground theme from SMB, and the Underwater theme from SMB

Assuming they count, I would put the death theme and the game over theme over the underwater theme.

ELIMINATION 34/59: Revolver
Average rating: 6.8
Average ranking: 3155
Your lucky song: Contact - Free Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4swxdYb5u0

ELIMINATION 33/59: TunnelScene
Average rating: 7.5
Average ranking: 2420
Your lucky song: REFLEC BEAT groovin'!! - Avalon no oka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrPoROVMuzE

ELIMINATION 32/59: andylt
Average rating: 6.7
Average ranking: 3568
Your lucky song: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Alicorn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZbWHIPMjqM

Thank you all for nominating!

Welcome back! Much fewer writeups per day from here on out. Enjoy~

-

50/1383
Revolver
Mary Skelter 2 - Rave of Nightmare
Toshimichi Isoe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBkbmFqYSZ4

Apparently this is some sort of meme song? I had no idea, but I also didnt pick up on the loli bait song either. Rave of Nightmare gets this high exclusively on these fucking disgusting bursts of glitch throughout the song. I swear one has to last at least ten seconds. Every time I listen Im just blown away by how they long and unpleasant they are. Im thrust into an immediate state of disarray as a result. I love that. The rest of the song iswell, who cares about the rest of the song when I have delicious evil, awful glitch to sink my teeth into

49/1295
@TunnelScene
Super Producers - Protocol
Hidenobu Otsuki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7_iTlcNk4w

Ah yes, the legendary combination of factory noises and telephone noises. Both audio effects are put to good use in this song, which heavily uses industrial percussion and nifty drum work and pairs it along with some kind of dial-up modem sound. The piston sounds are especially effective. Instead of building to the loop point (actually Im not even sure if it loops, I think it does), its actually very consistent throughout. A nice collection of things I said I liked in music, very tailored to my taste.

48/1289
@skulltrumpets
Napple Tale - The Snow Queen
Yoko Kanno
https://youtu.be/l0WS1vR_K2w?si=ApZKpyK2kTcdBvYQ

And now for something completely different! With violins and castanets, Yoko Kanno makes her grand appearance on the stage. This feels like abolero? I guess? For a song called The Snow Queen, theres a lot of heat and warmth lush, open strings, a frisky guitar, and those pesky dancing castanets. I placed this one high partially on principle because its a song I just think is great even if Im less inclined to come back to it, but listening to it now it just feels good to listen to, which is what I mean by heat and warmth.

47/1286
@andylt
Final Fantasy VII - The Chase
Nobuo Uematsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FYsl5sQj4I

Only andy took me up on the bait I laid out in the OP regarding Final Fantasy VII (fewer spreadsheet entries than Friday Night Funkin, and I got five of those!). The Chase is a song Id never heard before. I really like the FF7 sound; those warbly samples all throughout The Chase are a surefire crowd pleaser. The bells featured in other FF7 songs like Jenova Absolute (a 10!) also blend well with the tense atmosphere. Good stuff!

I wonder who voted for Sweden.

FL81 posted...

#1 is Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme
#2 is Legend of Zelda - Overworld

so #3 probably has to be Tetris - Type A

But Zelda Overworld is in the poll...!

koji kondo with the 1-2 punch

foolm0r0n posted...

Tetris A

That's number 2!

I love AI[UE]OON! It's nestled between 65th and 66th place in this ranking. I'll listen to the other song at some point (as usual bug me if I don't).

Writeups will resume sometime in the next days. I will probably be posting fewer writeups per day from here on, so if you were put off from following along by the rapid pace, you may be in luck!

Rugrats
SpongeBob SquarePants
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Loud House

Oh cool. I don't know anything about Guilty Gear lore.

Off I go, play nice while I'm gone!

Not_an_Owl posted...

Daisuke included a musical throwback between these two - the guitar riff that appears at 1:36 and 3:15 in Roar of the Spark comes directly from Holy Orders (first appearing at 0:16). To the best of my knowledge none of rest of the Strive soundtrack includes this sort of thematic link; it's just a fun little nod to the series's history.

Neat! It sounds more like Awe of She to me, but I can hear it if I listen carefully.

One more bump before I leave.

We have reached the top 50! Big congrats to everyone who made it this far!

First off: apologies if you think Ive been moving too fast in the topic. The whole reason for my speed is that Im going away for the rest of the week, and I wanted to leave off on a big, important number. The top 50 sounds better than the top 65. I wont be back until Sunday, so you all have plenty of time to catch up on the songs (playlist got buried but its here if you want it: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9FyX-bNcVjNDqgefrKF0BsrsFvAIzVp1). Feel free also to discuss, predict, commiserate, or hold out hope, in whatever order you see fit.

These are the top 50 songs from my 2024 VGM ranking topic:
The Disappearing of Gensokyo - Far Oriental Resonance
Alwa's Legacy - Rose Garden
Azur Lane - Inochi
Billie Bust Up! - A Million Gruesome Ways To Die
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - GET ENUF
Bully - Art Class
Caves of Qud - Golgotha
Cyberpunk 2077 - You Shall Never Have To Forgive Me Again
Donk! The Samurai Duck - Main Title
Donkey Kong Country 2 - Forest Interlude
Feeble Light - Black Holes
Final Fantasy VII - The Chase
Friday Night Funkin' Tricky Mod - Expurgation
Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Amiga) - Title Theme
Guwange - Underworld Cherry Blossoms
Hardcore Pinball - Retro Table
Heaven Burns Red - Tower of Memories
ICO - Castle in the Mist
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Factory Inspection
Kirby's Dream Land 3 - Pop Star
Last Command - Judgement.exe
Left 4 Dead 2 - Swamp Fever Horde Theme
Lobotomy Corporation - Neutral03
Mad Rat Dead - MAD RAT, DIE
maimai DX BUDDiES - raputa
Mary Skelter 2 - Rave of Nightmare
Minecraft - The End
Napple Tale - The Snow Queen
Path of the Abyss - Lightning Strike - -
Path of the Abyss - Warcry - -
Phantasy Star Online 2 - BATALLURA
Pokemon Platinum - Battle Factory
Pork - Boss
Sakura no Uta - Tenkyuu no Shita no Kiseki
Shadows of Cairn - The Thief
Silent Hill 2 - Blank Fairy
Sonic Rush - Wrapped in Black
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion - Splattack! (Octo)
Super Producers - Protocol
Tarot Mystery - What is Your Birthday
The Jackbox Party Pack 10 - Fixytext: Menu
The Medium - The Ruins
Tribal Hunter - Dance of Wind
Turbo Outrun (C64) - Intro Main Theme
Undertale - Core
Void Stranger - Voided
Wario Land 4 - Tomorrow's Blood Pressure
We Love Katamari - Beautiful Star
Who's Lila? - Steam Melody
Yoshi's New Island - Title Screen

This is everyone who still has skin in the game. If you want more specifics, check the spreadsheet.

3 songs:
azuarc
Collen
FL81
skulltrumpets

2 songs:
-hotdogturtle--
dowolf
Isquen
KecleonFan352
Prince46
Snake5555555555
Waveshine_2001
Xtlm

1 song:
-Chaos-Zero-
andylt
Bane_Of_Despair
bea
cakophon
DanKirby
DeadTaffer
DeviDoesNothing
Disillusion
failgirlema
Haste_2
JONA
loweffortmemes
MaxGalactica
Not_an_Owl
Paratroopa1
Prody_Parrot
Revolver
sergiocornaga
Tked
TunnelScene
UF8

-

Thanks for following along so far. See you in a few days!

ELIMINATION 36/59: handsomeboy2012
Average rating: 6.5
Average ranking: 3653
Your lucky song: Pinball Dreams - Light of Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dErnfo6eyew

ELIMINATION 35/59: xx521xx
Average rating: 7
Average ranking: 2969
Your lucky song: Ragnarok Online - Not So Far Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDkdyEWQY3U

Thank you both for nominating!

Last five for the night - sorry for all the writeups, I'll explain why after this!

-

55/1613
@Disillusion
Rose Guns Days - Seedy Prayer
xaki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7TjJb8ci8A

EVIL JAZZ lets go. That horn is cutting a wide swath of terror across the whole song, buffeted along by the drumwork. This doesnt quite feel like a live recording, yet everything works together to create a dense, oppressive sense of sound. I didnt realize this was xaki at first but I can hear some of his compositional hallmarks on closer notice.

54/1608
@Tked
ESPKetsuda - Stage 4
trap15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfOixtwcW2M

This is another qualifier for weirdest song in the ranking. My understanding is this is a mixture of the soundtracks for ESPGaluda and Ketsuibut that doesnt account for how off-key everything sounds. I honestly thought this was corrupted audio at first, and I still sort of think that. My initial note for this was turn off the alarm Mom, youre drunk, which I stand by. This song is an assault. I love that.

53/1582
@UF8
Karaoke JOYSOUND - Watashi Ronri
Kanzakiiori arr. HIdeki Ataka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6wEJLnNxMs

I love this vtubers voice. Its very smoky. She sounds like shes just run up a flight of stairs! It melds perfectly with the rest of the song, which is another lonely/wistful vtuber experience (its even in the title). I enjoy the little bits of English she peppers (dont stop, lets go, baby youre number one). I think I genuinely enjoy the little genre of songs that sound like walking down a city street at night, alone, thinking about how Id rather be anywhere else, and nowhere else, at the same time.

52/1425
@handsomeboy2012
Old School Runescape - The Militia
Adam Bond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxdCXJxGwJ8

These Runescape songs were a nice surprise, particularly this one, which goes beyond the standard tinny MIDI sound (not that theres anything wrong with that) and coalesces into something a bit more epic sounding. A grand, sweeping melody, with flourishes like big timpani samples and string samples. The whole thing really comes together, particularly the end, with an extended outro. Really cool, thanks for sharing!

51/1395
@xx521xx
Bomberman Tournament - Dungeon
Koichi Seiyama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTMqmG6tr_c

Pretty simple melody, and a very effective use of the Game Boy Advance soundchip. Ive said before that GBA samples can be hit-or-miss for me, but this track nails it. Theres even gasp a key change that I didnt dislike (maybe because it comes in the middle of the loop and not at the end?). I always like discovering new Bomberman music, so this was a nice find.

ELIMINATION 37/59: Kopazzynth
Average rating: 6.4
Average ranking: 3464
Your lucky song: Yume Nikki - Haunted Forest World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNR4F5qyEFI

Thank you for nominating!

60/1720
@Xtlm
Doom II - Running From Evil
Bobby Prince
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuHay9AIhPU

Eyyyyy a classic. Ive heard this before a bunch but never added it to my sheet. I love the build from the ominous bassline with the drums on the eighth note, to a bare-bones melody with some chords and a few twists and turns, then back to the bassline again, then to a big ol guitar solo. What a journey. I like this considerably more than At Dooms Gate.

59/1685
Revolver
Scarlet Nexus - Ensemble Curtain Call
Hayata Takeda, Masato Nakamura
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luaJe1K5Ma0

Its been a while since weve had a good evil laugh song. I am happy to provide you with this, which prominently features an evil laugh in the actual beat of the song. The song is very bouncy, very new jack swing. I do believe Rev found the perfect intersection of our taste, so good job to them for that . Side note: this is a song I had to relisten to all the way through during the writeup, thats how much I was enjoying it.

58/1677
@GameBopAdv
Die in the Dungeon - Be Queen
AFRODISIAQO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sskQo_LY824

The main melody feels pretty minimalist theres other stuff happening around it, such as what sounds like Velcro opening and closing, but the main sequence of slow, repeated notes is pretty minimalist. The song evokes very tactile sensations. Then it totally changes to something more fast-paced before turning back to the original pace. Fun song, would go on this journey again.

57/1676
DeviDoesNothing
Sonic Rush - Metal Scratchin'
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/oo9pylkO42w

Its been a while since weve had a good evil laugh song. I am happy to provide you with this, which prominently features an evil laugh in the actual beat of the song (2). This reminds me of the Naganuma classic Grace & Glory from Jet Set Radio: both are big, climactic songs, darker in presentation than his standard fare. Metal Scratchin also has a cute gerbil sound effect (or whatever that is), so thats a plus.

56/1666
@Not_an_Owl
Guilty Gear -Strive- - The Roar of the Spark
Daisuke Ishiwatari feat. NAOKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLu9KQ5rWvs

This one went up from 6 to 8! Pretty impressive. The Roar of the Spark is a typically hot-blooded number by NAOKI, working his incomprehensible singing magic. The guitar solo in this is really neat. Not much to really say about this one except that hard rock songs like this can be very take-or-leave for me, so Im glad I meshed with this one!

ELIMINATION 39/59: tgs2
Average rating: 5.9
Average ranking: 3832
Your lucky song: Lunistice - Forest (Melancholy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ9XoO6G2Uk

ELIMINATION 38/59: Place
Average rating: 7.5
Average ranking: 2471
Your lucky song: Castlevania - Wicked Child
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byRbiPxNuA8

Thank you both for nominating!

edited in lucky songs

65/1859
@tgs2
Friday Night Funkin' Vs. Ace - Noreaster
Kamex
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WAkEqKhO3A

A super chill FNF song, way chiller than the other FNF noms for sure. I like the Ace songs Ive heard; Ace has nice vocals that mesh well with Boyfriends. The backing is also nicely downtempo. Unlike other fast-paced FNF songs, this feels less like a battle and more like a conversation. Why cant we just talk it out, everybody?

64/1840
@Isquen
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - Torvus Bog
Kenji Yamamoto
https://youtu.be/Eo_09MsIVno

Torvus Bog uses some of the niftier Metroid Prime sounds I can hear Tallon Overworld mixed in a few places. The song is mostly nice ambience combined with a few parts that legit give me chills. 2:15 is especially great with how it switches to a slightly different melody. More than most other nominations this is what Id call background music, but theres nothing wrong with that at all. Ive put this on a few times already as Ive done other things and its always enhanced the experience.

63/1815
@Snake5555555555
Resident Evil 4 - Regenerador
Shusaku Uchiyama, Misao Senbongi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x36KdrjIio4

Now we get into some spooky/evil horror ambience. I tend to like this stuff significantly more than the average person here! This is a super short song, just under a minute, but its very effective at conveying a mood. The dull clangs and panning create a sense of claustrophobia. There isnt any melody to speak of; the effect is dizzying, like something unknown and horrible could happen to you at any moment. Thats good horror ambience!

62/1795
DeviDoesNothing
Sonic Rush - Bomber Barbara
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/L4KIxqTYGGI

This is the only Sonic Rush nomination I didnt know before, and its quite the treat! Naganumas sample mastery is on full display; I dont know what any of the vocal clips are saying but they add an energy to the mix thats just off enough to make the rest of the song uneasy. This feels like the theme for a final stage of some sort.

61/1774
@Place
Gunmetal - Nataflbrqzka
Keith Gillard, Craig Joseph Huxtable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAxqE0Xp9Ok

This is in contention for weirdest song of the ranking. I said that before, sort of, but its true here too (more than one song can be in contention!). It starts out relatively conventional, with a funky groove, but there are these long stutters and a huge burst of feedback starting at 2:05. Then at 2:30 it completely changes! Now its like being played backwards or some shit. Then at 2:55 its totally different again. Now it fully embraces its weirdness. Theres overt glitchiness and high-pitched beeping and all sorts of things that the average listener might find unpleasant. All throughout Im kept on my toes, wondering whats going to happen next. Its an experience only a few songs have managed to simulate for me in this ranking, so even though its just shy of the top 60, I have to salute it.

Pleasantly surprised that the rap song was my highest nomination. Glad some of what I nominated resonated with you!

Faade

The Rushmore is just the two people from Faade arguing with each other. That's my vote