Click here for 2012's Results and Archive thread.
Introduction
Welcome to NeoGAF’s third annual Game Soundtracks of the Year thread! This thread will serve to create a common point of reference for NeoGAF’s favorite game soundtracks from 2012, place a spotlight on the industry’s musical talent, and expose people to great music they haven’t heard before. In addition to conducting a poll and sharing the results, this thread will be home to a comprehensive archive of the year’s music and other related information.
Voting Rules
For your vote, select your three favorite game soundtracks of the year and rank them in the order of your preference. Your first pick will receive three points, your second pick will receive two points, and your third pick will receive one point.
It's not a requirement, but if you want to include the soundtrack's cover art, you certainly can. As a starting point, here is a compilation of game soundtrack cover art from this year.
Voting will end on January 6th at 11:59 PM (PST). The votes will not be counted until after the voting period closes, so you can edit your post and change your vote as many times as you would like before then.
You’re highly encouraged to do more than simply list your selections; please provide links to standout tracks if you can and take the time to describe what makes the soundtracks special to you. We’re hoping that everyone will want to join the conversation and take the opportunity to discover new soundtracks and composers. Have some fun with it!
Note: Xenoblade Chronicles will not be eligible to win this year. Although the game was officially released in the United States in 2012, it has been a presence in these threads for a while now and it won top honors last year. Other than that, any soundtrack for a game that was released in 2012 is eligible.
Note: Because we did not clearly specify at the launch of this thread, licensed soundtracks and partially licensed soundtracks are eligible for votes this year. Depending on participant feedback, this could change for next year's topic.
-----------------------------------
Thread Features
Archive
Instead of beginning the thread with a massive, pre-constructed archive like in years past, GhaleonQ and I will gradually build it up as the thread progresses; hopefully, this will lower any perceived barriers to entry for this topic. In addition to soundtracks we have found to be noteworthy, we will include every soundtrack mentioned in your posts. We will also work to include your favorite songs and your descriptions of the soundtracks, so be sure to share your personal highlights.
The format is as follows:
• Game Title (and title from country of origin, if different)
• Album Information (links to databases like VGMDb and online retailers)
• Composer(s)
• Sample Tracks (song titles with links to YouTube or other appropriate websites)
Composer Profiles
For the 15 soundtracks that receive the most points, we will provide a brief overview of the winning composers, including discographies. This will help to highlight the individuals that created the soundtracks and to encourage people to check out their past works.
Related Recommendations
No single work exists in a vacuum. As with any other type of music, it’s natural to think “wow, I have got to find something else that sounds like this” after you hear a great game soundtrack for the first time. Because this thread is largely about discovery, we would like to open it up to related recommendations of other game soundtracks that aren't necessarily eligible for voting this year.
For example, for those of you that enjoy FTL : Faster Than Light's soundtrack, I could point out that Mass Effect's soundtrack might hit some of those same buttons. Both before and after the voting period ends, you’re more than welcome to give recommendations in that vein, and we will incorporate them into the results thread.
-----------------------------------
Past Threads
2011 Results and Archive
2011 Voting Thread
2010 Results and Archive
2010 Voting Thread
Introduction
Welcome to NeoGAF’s third annual Game Soundtracks of the Year thread! This thread will serve to create a common point of reference for NeoGAF’s favorite game soundtracks from 2012, place a spotlight on the industry’s musical talent, and expose people to great music they haven’t heard before. In addition to conducting a poll and sharing the results, this thread will be home to a comprehensive archive of the year’s music and other related information.
Voting Rules
For your vote, select your three favorite game soundtracks of the year and rank them in the order of your preference. Your first pick will receive three points, your second pick will receive two points, and your third pick will receive one point.
It's not a requirement, but if you want to include the soundtrack's cover art, you certainly can. As a starting point, here is a compilation of game soundtrack cover art from this year.
Voting will end on January 6th at 11:59 PM (PST). The votes will not be counted until after the voting period closes, so you can edit your post and change your vote as many times as you would like before then.
You’re highly encouraged to do more than simply list your selections; please provide links to standout tracks if you can and take the time to describe what makes the soundtracks special to you. We’re hoping that everyone will want to join the conversation and take the opportunity to discover new soundtracks and composers. Have some fun with it!
Note: Xenoblade Chronicles will not be eligible to win this year. Although the game was officially released in the United States in 2012, it has been a presence in these threads for a while now and it won top honors last year. Other than that, any soundtrack for a game that was released in 2012 is eligible.
Note: Because we did not clearly specify at the launch of this thread, licensed soundtracks and partially licensed soundtracks are eligible for votes this year. Depending on participant feedback, this could change for next year's topic.
-----------------------------------
Thread Features
Archive
Instead of beginning the thread with a massive, pre-constructed archive like in years past, GhaleonQ and I will gradually build it up as the thread progresses; hopefully, this will lower any perceived barriers to entry for this topic. In addition to soundtracks we have found to be noteworthy, we will include every soundtrack mentioned in your posts. We will also work to include your favorite songs and your descriptions of the soundtracks, so be sure to share your personal highlights.
The format is as follows:
• Game Title (and title from country of origin, if different)
• Album Information (links to databases like VGMDb and online retailers)
• Composer(s)
• Sample Tracks (song titles with links to YouTube or other appropriate websites)
Composer Profiles
For the 15 soundtracks that receive the most points, we will provide a brief overview of the winning composers, including discographies. This will help to highlight the individuals that created the soundtracks and to encourage people to check out their past works.
Related Recommendations
No single work exists in a vacuum. As with any other type of music, it’s natural to think “wow, I have got to find something else that sounds like this” after you hear a great game soundtrack for the first time. Because this thread is largely about discovery, we would like to open it up to related recommendations of other game soundtracks that aren't necessarily eligible for voting this year.
For example, for those of you that enjoy FTL : Faster Than Light's soundtrack, I could point out that Mass Effect's soundtrack might hit some of those same buttons. Both before and after the voting period ends, you’re more than welcome to give recommendations in that vein, and we will incorporate them into the results thread.
-----------------------------------
Past Threads
2011 Results and Archive
2011 Voting Thread
2010 Results and Archive
2010 Voting Thread
