The 20 Best Songs in Videogames

By Nathan Spicer  |  January 14, 2011 | 5:35pm
Image assets: Jon 'ShakataGaNai' Davis and Joan | Wikimedia.org
Video Games Lists Best Songs

18. Faunts – M4 (Part II) | Mass Effect 2

Spoiler Alert Well, it’s not a huge spoiler; this song appears at the end of Mass Effect 2, the sequel to the acclaimed space RPG Mass Effect from Bioware. The modified vocals and speedy, plinky electric guitar riffs give the song a futuristic edge perfectly fitting of a game set in 2183.

17. The Bravery – Believe | Madden ‘08

The Madden series continues to be one of the most popular (if not the most popular) videogame franchise on the planet. Way back in 1984, Trip Hawkins approached John Madden (his third choice as the face of the game after Joe Montana and Joe Kapp, both of whom declined for different reasons). Eventually they got past obstacles such as fitting 22 players on screen and letting the computer handle the math, which in turn gave players the freedom to simply play simulated football.

After billions of dollars in revenue, the Madden series has become the standard-bearer for sports games. And given the series’ massive appeal, it’s no surprise some relatively large acts end up on the soundtrack.

The Bravery isn’t as big as Green Day, but they still hit pretty hard. An alternative indie rock act, The Bravery scored big with their hit “Believe,” thanks in large part to the Madden ’08 where people were introduced to the band through a user interface screen. Doesn’t make the song any worse.

16. Snoop Dogg feat. The Doors – Riders On The Storm | Need For Speed Underground 2

This remix by Fredwreck dubs Snoop Dogg’s stanzas over the classic tune “Riders On The Storm” by The Doors. While the original song wasn’t intended to appear alongside a videogame about illegal street racing, Snoop Dogg’s incorporation of street-heavy lyrics befits racing souped-up cars through crowded streets.

15. The Walkmen – There Goes My Baby | Stubbs The Zombie

An indie game at heart, Stubbs the Zombie appropriately licensed a bunch of indie music for their soundtrack. The developers knew their audience and musical tastes, or maybe the developers just naturally have great taste. Either way, the soundtrack on its own is an entertaining listen. But when paired with a game that revolves around throwing brains at unsuspecting citizens, the songs take an even greater connotation.

The Walkmen’s cover of the classic “There Goes My Baby” by The Drifters, released in 1958, works exceptionally well on Stubbs The Zombie because of the game’s fun approach to zombie stereotypes. The Walkmen took a similar approach to the cover, still incorporating a bit of sadness along with the traditional major tones in the original song.

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