Lurker > rwlh

:)

Snake5555555555 posted...

:)

It's SO GOOD

David Szymanski - It Wakes (Iron Lung OST)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARVjaXkjdcM

up

Machinae Supremacy scored the soundtrack to Jets'n'Guns, which I love, but I'm not too familiar with their other work. I'll need to check them out sometime.

New nominations:

+ Umineko: When They Cry - Answer Arcs | ridicule | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ENcDcDpNZw
+ Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Credits | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8bNZboAPfc

Nominate:
Fishmans - Uchu Nippon Setagaya
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_GjLs9YOrcLCgTdhrb4xr6DUA5cAuSmJ

Japanese psychedelic rock band beloved by Rate Your Music. I'm not familiar with most of their work. Their highest rated album, Long Season, is one continuous song, so I'm nominating this instead. Open to changing based on feedback.

+ Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse | Battle - f8 One Who Stands Against God | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S73sumMd3nQ
+ Legend of Legaia | Young Nobleman of the Mist | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE3-9GiKi2E
+ Donk! The Samurai Duck | Main Title | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYIFQkVt2HY
+ Lost Eden | The Magnificents | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFlviirSuUY
+ Freedom Planet 2 | Dragon Valley | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49mVLN8OJSo

loop point of 2:58 for One Who Stands Against God, no loop for the other four

1. I'm the President
2. Nightmare
3. Do Hot Girls Like Chords?
4. Crash the Car
5. The Abyss
6. Knower Forever
7. Ride That Dolphin
8. It's All Nothing Until It's Everything
9. Real Nice Morning
10. It Will Get Real
11. Same Smile, Different Face

Fun album! Lots of variety, which made ranking individual songs easier for me than it normally is for these topics. There was one song above an 8 and one song below a 5. The variety actually makes for a cohesive album experience. This was my second time listening; this time the vocals didn't bother me like they did before and I think I appreciated more of the instrumentation.

edit: I also want to add that, despite everyone saying the lyrics are nonsense, Ride That Dolphin has an all-time great line in "Things are more real when they're hard to believe."

this is a post about my favorite video games

Super Benjamin Franklin Bros.
Harriet Tubman 64
Susan B. Anthony: Combat Evolved
Martin Luther King Jr. Craft

thank you for your time

I didn't nominate for this but I enjoyed reading along!

y

Another victory bump!

Fun fact about Bowser's Castle 2: if you listen closely, you can hear an arrangement of the Bowser fight theme from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Nominate snubs from Mount Rushmore topics (anything that didn't make the top four)

Justifying my Godzilla take: created (or maybe codified) an entire genre that stretches even beyond film, worldwide icon, representative of cultural and geopolitical attitudes that still resonate today, and also has the category of a non-human/oid villain, something missing from most of the other nominations so far.

Taking a different approach and not overthinking:

Wicked Witch of the West
Norman Bates
Darth Vader
Godzilla

I don't know if I'll get around to this today or not, so I'll just say my favorite track when I listened a few weeks ago was Higher Ground.

rwlh posted...

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Donkey Kong Country
Super Metroid
Chrono Trigger

swap Chrono Trigger for

Street Fighter II Turbo

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Donkey Kong Country
Super Metroid
Chrono Trigger

Victory bump!

Can One-Winged Angel stage a comeback???

There's also probably an argument for Bob and George for being the first big sprite comic. Plus there are other oddballs I'm sure I've never heard of. You might even be able to make an argument for something like Dinosaur Comics.

I thought of Penny Arcade but I can see some people not putting it on. I feel like the field is wide enough that you could get a variety of responses.

Trying to come up with a Rushmore idea that wouldn't have clear frontrunners, so I'm nominating:

Webcomics

Could be interesting maybe?

Playlist updated with all 300 songs.

Three nominators tied for highest average rating: azuarc, Collen, and FL81 all got 8. Collen had the best average ranking, at 1598. -Chaos-Zero-, despite nominating the winner, didn't break a 7 average rating; most of their songs were 6 or lower.

1/41
@-Chaos-Zero-
Left 4 Dead 2 - Swamp Fever Horde Theme
Mike Morasky
https://youtu.be/nmLlxEqIpiM?si=5jmckZzQiZS3lJhH

WARNING: LOUD

I have listened to a lot of vgm over the years. More than most people. So it is with the utmost care and weight that I make this statement:

This is the most unhinged video game song Ive ever heard.

Yes, more unhinged than EXSPHERE! EXSPHERE at least has a melody and a story. More unhinged than Crazybus and other randomly generated music, which tends to be tamer in sound. This is justgod. Where do I even begin with Swamp Fever Horde Theme?

First off, the comments cant seem to decide what the main instrument is. Is it a violin? A banjo? A fiddle played by a violin bow? I suspect the last one. Either way, its screechy and unpleasant. From the opening notes its designed to put you on edge. Youre supposed to be afraid when you listen to this. Its not spooky horror ambience; its the total opposite of that. This is maximum intensity for two minutes and forty-eight seconds. It does not abate. You are on Mike Moraskys Wild Ride, and you cant get off. This is a song, above all else, that commits.

This is not a song for everybody. I would argue, perhaps, that it is not a song for anybody (except me lol). You will surely hate this. Yet I cant think of a better song to give me than Swamp Fever Horde Theme. My reaction to this isintense. Immediately Im sucked in, immediately I experience intense emotions (although perhaps theyre not the intended ones). More than the other 299 nominations, this is a true experience. Thank you, -Chaos-Zero-, for this stellar nomination, and congrats on winning the ranking!

-

5TH PLACE: FL81
Average rating: 8
Average ranking: 1666
Your lucky song: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - Yoshi's Island (World 6)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4VFWXwW3lY

4TH PLACE: Prince46
Average rating: 7.5
Average ranking: 2477
Your lucky song: Mega Man X8 - Jakob Space Elevator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wefklTWaoic

3RD PLACE: JONA
Average rating: 7.8
Average ranking: 2369
Your lucky song: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity - Glacier Palace ~ Eastern Spire
https://youtu.be/I106TjiEsuw

2ND PLACE: skulltrumpets
Average rating: 7.8
Average ranking: 1752
Your lucky song: Billiard 2008 - Menu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWFaeqybQZo

1ST PLACE: -Chaos-Zero-
Average rating: 6.9
Average ranking: 3353
Your lucky song: Blast Corps - The Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIDIPigiWdk

Thank you all very much for nominating!

-

So weve come to the end of another ranking. Ive said this before and I dont like repeating myself, but thanks to everyone for giving me such great music. I had a blast doing this. See you next time!

5/95
@FL81
Path of the Abyss - Warcry - -
hasu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14XoxaLVKIc

Top 100 barrier breached!

I could be lazy and copy the writeup for Lightning Strike, the other Path of the Abyss nomination. So much applies to both songs, both moist FM synth delicacies. Warcry is actually a little intense than Lightning Strike, with more emphasis on cool-sounding percussion (bongos maybe?). Ive definitely listened to one over the other depending on what I wanted to get out of my listening. My favorite part is the melodic section at 1:15. Warcry is such a delight. I hope one or more of these songs gets VGMC exposure. If I support any, itll likely only be one (I try not to double dip for games), but really I just hope more people get to experience these terrific songs.

4/57
@Prince46
Kirby's Dream Land 3 - Pop Star
Jun Ishikawa
https://youtu.be/WFL7aIOPSWI

Theres a subcategory of music that I love that is exactly like this. Listen to this, and then listen to this song from Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass, and tell me they dont fit the same mold:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpM3yGLvhcw

Its a logical extension of the happy/wistful intersection. Unlike a lot of the other songs I love from that little microgenre, Pop Star is all instrumental, hence my comparison to An Open Window. Its a heartbreakingly beautiful and sad song. The wind effects in the background add to the mystery. Apparently this is, like, literally world map music, which is hilarious to me. Regardless of the source, its so powerful. There are times I listen to this and tears come to my eyes. Really great pick.

-

At last, we have arrived. Three songs remain. Only one can win. Lets do it.

~ * ~ 10/10 ~ * ~

3/50
@JONA
Donk! The Samurai Duck - Main Title
Fate!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYIFQkVt2HY

This is probably, out of 300 nominations, the song Ive listened to the most. This is literally just 90s dance music, a genre I have a real soft spot for. Its hard to believe a song like this could come from a game back then I dont know why I feel this way, games have historically had all sorts of music, but this could have legit been ripped from a dance compilation, slight crunchiness aside. Its so damn catchy. There were days Id be minding my own business and I think Ive touched heeeaveeeeen would pop into my head and all of a sudden Id be replaying the whole damn thing again.

Of the top contenders, this is probably the one that least fit my things I like categories. Theres no dissonance or crunchy percussion or factory noises. Its a pretty normal song. But hey, normal songs can be cool too.

2/47
@skulltrumpets
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - GET ENUF
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/ODy6rmrh4Og?si=3VbFPd1bQ1ZKCiAc

Do not click this spoiler if you dont want this song ruined for you: Ive always heard the lyrics to this as JUST CANT GAY IT UP. Dont ask me why.

People have come up with bad takes that this is, like, Naganumas first song since Jet Set Radio or something. Thats simply not true. The mans been active and has done great work. GET ENUF might be his biggest work in a while. Its the master at his best: excellent samples, horns, breakbeat, all of the quality Ive come to expect from Naganuma. Its hard to really describe what sets GET ENUF apart from, say, the Sonic Rush nominations, but it really is just a terrific showcase of what makes him one of my favorites. If you want to find out why Hideki Naganuma was on my big list in the nomination topic, listen to GET ENUF.

Incidentally, this is my highest ranked Naganuma, at #20, from Hover: Revolt of Gamers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTzGvGDU2kk

10/230
@MaxGalactica
ICO - Castle in the Mist
Michiru Oshima
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW23zyx28OQ

Here is the other 9+ Id heard before. Castle in the Mist is an acoustic guitar-driven track (or at least e-guitar) thats so richly evocative. Its a masterpiece of minimal sound design. It conveys a sense of emptiness as well as a palpable feeling of loss. Despite having a 10 and now this, I dont really know much about this game, but this assessment seems to strike at the core of its presentation. I honestly struggle to imagine a part in gameplay where this could logically play, so Im guessing its cutscene music of some kind? Either way, very powerful song.

9/214
@skulltrumpets
Minecraft - The End
C418
https://youtu.be/ZKT5RO-C-jw?si=nkPt9fqBDpe4HhSR

You knew it had to show up sooner or later. The End is, I believe, the longest song in the entire ranking, clocking in at a whopping fifteen minutes and four seconds. Its a medley of some of C418s other Minecraft pieces, which I didnt realize at the time, but that doesnt dull its impact for me. Over its impressive runtime, the song mostly focuses on immersive, climactic, grandiose sound that still manages to feel simple. Theres some glitch, particularly at the beginning, but the first half of the song is big ambient energy, and the second half is more subdued ambient energy. Its hard to describe The End without being reductive. I know this type of music isnt everybodys thing, so I imagine most of you wont be interested in listening, but if you go into with then mindset of this song is an experience, I think you wont be disappointed.

8/172
@Not_an_Owl
Cyberpunk 2077 - You Shall Never Have To Forgive Me Again
P.T. Adamczyk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue3s-hNNFvo

Spooky horror ambience from a non-horror game! Although this song is more melodic than most spooky horror ambience. It starts out dark and moody, but then this killer beat kicks in and propels me across the rest of its runtime. Were three for three in the top ten for immersive music and I know Im repeating myself but its one of the best words I can think of for this track. Its gripping from the second I hit play, very dramatic music. Great pick!

~ 9.5/10 ~

7/146
bea
Pokmon Platinum - Battle Factory
Hitomi Sato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4_VJ3wPkVs

A few years ago I realized I knew very little Pokmon music. I made a ranking topic with over 150 Pokmon songs. (The winner was Sky Tower.) It was fun and allbut where the hell was this? Holy crap. While Battle Factory is suitably lacking in, well, factory noises, it more than makes up for it with that overwhelming, crunchy bass. Holy hell. It sounds like someones tapping on a microphone. I didnt know I needed that particular sensation in my auditory life, but apparently I was ignorant to the truth. The rest of the song is catchy and quirky, with lots of personality. bea said she assumed this one would place the highest of her noms but I think shell be surprised to see this quite so high great, great pick.

6/106
@Disillusion
Mad Rat Dead - MAD RAT, DIE
Camellia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ3zTzglIlc

My note on this says, I see Dis came to play.

Mad Rat Dead is a soundtrack Ive historically been a bit lukewarm on. Breath of Forest doesnt do anything for me, and while Ive found some other songs I like, I remained immune to the hype.

Notice how remained is in past tense. Holy jesus. This songthis song broke me in the best possible ways. MAD RAT, DIE takes my love of intense final boss themes, my love of glitch, and my love of impossible to follow time signatures and combines them into this mess of a package. And it works! It all works. I get chills every time I listen to this. It blows every other MRD song Ive heard totally out of the water. Camellia is a composer Im vaguely familiar with, but I dont recall ever being as into their work as I am this. I listened to this early and it was genuinely a contender to win the whole thing (of course, then I listened to five songs I liked more). Thank you for this one. Hot damn!

-

9TH PLACE: MaxGalactica
Average rating: 7.1
Average ranking: 2666
Your lucky song: Deemo - Reincarnation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMCWuEZzBL4

8TH PLACE: Not_an_Owl
Average rating: 6.9
Average ranking: 2881
Your lucky song: Mad Rat Dead - Dark Fear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdYehwvgKVw

7TH PLACE: bea
Average rating: 7.4
Average ranking: 2810
Your lucky song: Super Kiwi 64 - Desert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIG_W7WSc2I

6TH PLACE: Disillusion
Average rating: 7.7
Average ranking: 2185
Your lucky song: Mega Man Zero 3 - Cannon Ball
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9_KLdeaijs

Thank you all for nominating!

sergiocornaga posted...

Glad to have had a song make it this far! I should clarify what I meant by unlucky song, though I'm touched you remembered. In this instance it would be the song ranked at 332 in your list, because in a sense that's the song that thwarted my luckiest song.

Oh I see. In that case, the song directly above Tomorrow's Blood Pressure is:

EarthBound - Your Name, Please
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rAOhPF3Gog

14/352
@Collen
Hardcore Pinball - Retro Table
Arkadiusz Forstner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj7_-mpbSvU

Double drop This was one of the first nominations I listened to, and I immediately put it on repeat a bunch. Its so groovy and funky. I love the rhythm and the bass, theres a soaring, airy melody, and that vocal sample of JAMMIN TO THE PUNK DA FUNK or whatever the hell hes saying. Plus its a notably longer loop, over four minutes, and as Ive stated before I really gravitate toward those songs. Ive loved every 9 so far, but this feels like an obvious escalation in how much I love the songs.

13/333
@sergiocornaga
Wario Land 4 - Tomorrow's Blood Pressure
Ryoji Yoshitomi
https://youtu.be/XJNwFIMI_HY

Up next on Is This Even a Song?, we have Tomorrows Blood Pressure, a piece of audio which is literally nothing but industrial/factory noises. Pistons, buzzing, and a weird swirling effect. Like thats all it is.

or is it? Ive said it again and again but I like industrial noises in music, and you all really came through on that. Tomorrows Blood Pressure is the natural, maximum extension of that love. There is no melody, no notes. A clanking rhythm is permeates every second. Stuff happens there is certainly stuff happening, though whether there is progression in a traditional sense, that I cannot say. Whatever this is, I greatly enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the sheer audacity of giving this to me in the first place. Id expect nothing less from sergio

12/329
@FL81
Path of the Abyss - Lightning Strike - -
hasu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmIZdpzASOc

I dont know what this game is or where it came from, but it got two 9s and almost made the top ten twice. This is delicious FM synth. So tangibly moist and succulent, I can practically taste it. Where Tribal Hunter - Dance of Wind (#17) evoked a sense of physicality in me, Lightning Strikes evokes tactile sensations. I can perceive this song in an immediate and tangible way in a way I cant do with other music. The instrumentation is a huge part, but also the melody is very compelling too. The whole song brims with intensity. Its a rare thing to find in music

but of course, I found it again, with a different song from the same game O_O #ToBeContinued

11/250
@DanKirby
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Factory Inspection
Jun Ishikawa
https://youtu.be/HCIMHn5FEYQ

Factory Inspection is one of two 9+ nominations I already knew, but never added to the sheet. This was a great pick from DanKirby. Its got everything I could want in a song: clanking, offkey piano, weird trumpets, bells in the background, those Nintendo 64 sound sample hits. Despite its musical chops, I dont often think of the Kirby series (which also has one more song left! Jesus) in the same breath as other renowned vgm series, but Factory Inspection is an all-timer. Thanks for reminding me of how much I like it!

-

ELIMINATION 12/59: Collen
Average rating: 8
Average ranking: 1598
Your lucky song: Chroma Squad - Monster Jam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3V3j1cgEnQ

ELIMINATION 11/59: sergiocornaga
Average rating: 7.2
Average ranking: 2920
Your lucky song: Super Mario Odyssey - Bowser's Castle 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rbRYsv4jY4
The song directly above your lucky song: Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Yeul's Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdoE53_b5Fk

10th PLACE: DanKirby
Average rating: 7.2
Average ranking: 2947
Your lucky song: Where the Water Tastes Like Wine - Miles of Smiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHg0qKpg5zU

Thank you all for nominating!

I like Piranha.exe too, but Judgment.exe is definitely superior to me.

I had zero desire to listen to The Colour and the Shape again, but I'm looking forward to this one.

18/595
@dowolf
Last Command - Judgment.exe
Luminash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRBsYy2IaCI

Some good old-fashioned final boss type music, replete with orchestral background, futuristic effects, ominous singingits all here. Ive maybe been hard on some similar nominations, but Judgment.exe does everything I love in a song like this. Its so intense and has a lot of variety, segueing effortlessly between the orchestral and futuristic parts. I always look forward to this song before I even click on it; a true experience, all the way through.

17/490
KecleonFan352
Tribal Hunter - Dance of Wind
Whitetail
https://youtu.be/y5o1sJPR6sw

Top 500 lets goooo

So, a disclaimer with this song: I always try to be a little wary of songs like this, with these sorts of stereotypical Chinese music trappings. Ive heard several songs that with that note progression thats everywhere that I commonly associate with East Asian stereotypes. Im not saying every song does that, or even any of them, but it is something thats on my radar.

That said, this song is pretty great. You want to talk about a song that gets me pumped the heck up, its this one, probably more than any of the other 299. The energy is off the charts. The whole time it feels like Im running on a tightrope, bouncing off buildings, doing anything involving physicality. Its a song that makes me feel physical, which is so impressive given that Im really not a physical person. Dance of Wind just has that mood of Im going to go for a sprint now, and even more impressively Im going to like it.

16/476
@Isquen
Lobotomy Corporation - Neutral03
Dr.ReB
https://youtu.be/Jw2yM-RoVDE

A chill, pulsating drumbeat with a nice, simple yet impactful melody. Unlike most of the other songs in the ranking, I cant quite figure Neutral03 out. I can pick up emotional vibes, but not so much the emotional cues. Its a deceptively normal (neutral?) song but I dont know what it expects me to take. And I really like that it feels alien, almost paranormal in nature (which I guess fits the game). Yet despite that, its very catchy and even danceable. Theres a lot to love about it.

15/443
@Collen
Tarot Mystery - What is Your Birthday
Ukiyotei Sound Team
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3DSFwMLgzo

The specific vgm microgenre of ethereal SNES music is one of the my favorites. Aquatic Ambiance is the most well-known example, and a lot of them are underwater themes, like Diving from Waterworld. What is Your Birthday, from the curiously titled Tarot Mystery, takes a different approach. Its soothing like something like Aquatic Ambiance, but its more mysterious and even a little sinister. There are these lovely arpeggio-esque runs that fill up the song, plus twinkly effects. The whole thing is rich and evocative; I had it on loop multiple times when I first heard it.

-

ELIMINATION 15/59: dowolf
Average rating: 7.3
Average ranking: 2638
Your lucky song: Let It Die - Let It Die ~ Come and Get It
https://youtu.be/f1UR4uCFFN8

ELIMINATION 14/59: KecleonFan352
Average rating: 7.2
Average ranking: 2796
Your lucky song: Espgaluda - Fort City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUbhvkhN6uE

ELIMINATION 13/59: Isquen
Average rating: 7.9
Average ranking: 1902
Your lucky song: Children of Mana - Monster of the Forest / Forest of the Sickle Weasel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbjtJwSxJv4

Thank you all for nominating!

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