Read on Twitter
K, y'all. I'm convinced the music of #FinalFantasyXIV is criminally underappreciated and deserves more attention. It's among the best reasons to play.
So here's an appreciation thead of some of my favorite tracks by Masayoshi Soken, etc. Even if you never play, check this out.
So here's an appreciation thead of some of my favorite tracks by Masayoshi Soken, etc. Even if you never play, check this out.
First, a warning. None of these tracks appear to be on Spotify or Apple Music (though they are on iTunes), so you'll inevitably see some spoilers because I've used YouTube.
Eh. Enjoy the music, especially if you don't intend to play. Play these in another window if you have to.
Eh. Enjoy the music, especially if you don't intend to play. Play these in another window if you have to.
Here's 'Sunrise' from the Suzaku fight. It's a thoughtful piece and one of my favorites.
Suzaku is a firebird, and the high-pitched instrument you hear is the shō, a bamboo instrument said to mimic a phoenix's cry. I especially love the bridge at 1:10.
Suzaku is a firebird, and the high-pitched instrument you hear is the shō, a bamboo instrument said to mimic a phoenix's cry. I especially love the bridge at 1:10.
I also admire this piece because it's a "conversation" between Suzaku and her lost lover, Tenzen.
Suzaku (Yoshino Nanjo) sings her passionate lines in Japanese, while Tenzen sings his duty-bound response in English.
Suzaku (Yoshino Nanjo) sings her passionate lines in Japanese, while Tenzen sings his duty-bound response in English.
Here's 'To the Edge,' the music for one of the main Shadowbringers bosses.
It's a good example of how Soken smartly weaves in leitmotifs in wildly different tracks. 'To the Edge' specifically pulls a lot from 'Neath Dark Waters,' a chill piano track.
It's a good example of how Soken smartly weaves in leitmotifs in wildly different tracks. 'To the Edge' specifically pulls a lot from 'Neath Dark Waters,' a chill piano track.
Here's 'Neath Dark Waters' for comparison.
Many of the tracks that make people say 'Wow, that came from a MMO?' appear in the second phase of a FFXIV boss fight, such as this one from last year's Eden: Shiva battle.
As in 'Sunrise,' I love how the lyrics are actually inspired by the story.
As in 'Sunrise,' I love how the lyrics are actually inspired by the story.
'Return to Oblivion' references 'Oblivion,' this ultra-cool rocking track from the first Shiva fight in 2014. The new one had big shoes to fill.
I've always wished this track had better sound quality on iTunes. It's barely better than this YouTube vid.
I've always wished this track had better sound quality on iTunes. It's barely better than this YouTube vid.
To give an idea of the wide range of styles you'll find, here's 'Fiend' from the Sephirot fight. I like the Nine Inch Nails vibe.
Also, random: I love how the White Mage in this video friggin' carries the whole group. Hope y'all gave them all the comms.
Also, random: I love how the White Mage in this video friggin' carries the whole group. Hope y'all gave them all the comms.
Here's 'Exponential Entropy' from 2016, which should probably be titled 'Forward and Back.' Play it and you'll see why.
Love this track, but I also love the jokes you hear in groups, which range from sexual to how 'the lyrics describe the boss mechanics.'
Love this track, but I also love the jokes you hear in groups, which range from sexual to how 'the lyrics describe the boss mechanics.'
So FFXIV will take you from THAT to some seriously cool jazz. Here's a 'Shadows Withal' from Shadowbringers, which is played in an appropriately Art Deco dungeon.
This is also, a little hilariously, a rework of a famous spooky theme from the early game.
This is also, a little hilariously, a rework of a famous spooky theme from the early game.
Sometimes when you zone in to a #FFXIV dungeon, you'll see players ask, 'Anything I need to know in here?' And one player will respond, 'Turn up your volume.'
'A Long Fall' from the 'The Twinning' dungeon is one of the tracks that prompts that response.
'A Long Fall' from the 'The Twinning' dungeon is one of the tracks that prompts that response.
#FFXIV has day and night themes for zones, and they're often used to gorgeous effect. Take 'A Hopeless Race,' a serene, almost mournful piano track that recalls 'Civilizations,' the far more famous and meme-worthy daytime track for the Rak'tika Greatwood.
And here's 'Civilizations' for comparison—or the 'La-Hee Song.' The lyrics are nonsense, which leads to some great misheard lyrics (e.g, 'to when I had ebola').
When night changes to day at 6 a.m., zone chat ALWAYS erupts into 'La-HEE!' It's beautiful.
When night changes to day at 6 a.m., zone chat ALWAYS erupts into 'La-HEE!' It's beautiful.
Here's 'Metal - Brute Justice Mode' from 2016, which puts a big smile on my face every time I get this fight in the roulettes.
Not only are the lyrics in goblinspeak, the whole song is a 1970s Tokusatsu jazz/heavy metal theme that shouldn't be missed.
Not only are the lyrics in goblinspeak, the whole song is a 1970s Tokusatsu jazz/heavy metal theme that shouldn't be missed.
Mounts play music when you ride them in #FFXIV, which can get annoying if you're frequently remounting. I often turn off that feature.
The exception? The taiko-heavy 'Wasshoi, Wasshoi!' track for the Namazu mikoshi mount. Never fails to lift my spirits.
The exception? The taiko-heavy 'Wasshoi, Wasshoi!' track for the Namazu mikoshi mount. Never fails to lift my spirits.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of the tracks in #FFXIV have a heavy Japanese vibe, but I love 'A Father's Pride' from the Yanxia zone for its stunningly effective use of the Chinese erhu.
I sometimes hate leaving this zone if the daytime music is playing.
I sometimes hate leaving this zone if the daytime music is playing.
I'll close this out with 'Who Brings Shadow,' which you've possibly heard because it's used in the Shadowbringers trailer.
That opening riff is also used to great effect for a key story moment before this boss fight. Good stuff all around.
That opening riff is also used to great effect for a key story moment before this boss fight. Good stuff all around.
Anyway, yeah, give FFXIV some love—for its music, if nothing else. Soken's work for this game, much like the game itself, has only gotten better since release.
And no, this is FAR from everything worth listening to, but I was starting to feel like I was just listing everything.
And no, this is FAR from everything worth listening to, but I was starting to feel like I was just listing everything.
Also, if you want to listen to all these tracks in one place, I've compiled them into a playlist. I may later add some of my favorites that I didn't cover in this thread. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqoK4Gt04hglvEcZlUlE1uocQA7sbM0PI
