Project: The Top 500 VGM Releases of All-Time

Yes please. I'm going to assign points based on rankings.

And yes, it would be soundtracks as a whole. Although you can weight them anyway you want...maybe one track is good enough to give one a high ranking? Works for me. *shrug*

Also, FF 1 and 2 are seperate games and this would count as a compilation...You can only nominate one (FF1 or FF2) in a single slot.

1. EarthBound Complete Track
2. SILENT HILL 4 ost (US version)
3. EINHANDLER ost
4. Dragon Quest 6 ost
5. FATAL FURY 3 RtTFV arrange
6. METAL SLUG 4 ost
7. Shock Trooper 2nd Squad ost
8. EarthBound Zero arrange
9. The Adventure of LINK ost
10. Dragon Quest 7 ost
11. Rival Schools UBF ost
12. FINAL FANTASY 4 ost
13. RESIDENT EVIL 1 GameCube ost
14. RESIDENT EVIL 2 COMPLETE TRACK
15. Magician Lord ost
16. Legend of Mana ost
17. Shin CONTRA ost
18. Secret/Seiken of Mana ost
19. Samurai Shodown TENKA ost
20. Paradise Eve 2 ost
21. Paradise Eve 1 ost
22. Braze Fencer Musashiden ost
23. ViewPoint ost
24. StarTroapics ost
25. Chimp Escape 2 ost
26. DIE HARD TRILOGY ost Redbook
27. TOMB RAIDER ost Redbook
28. GunStar Heroes ost
29. Streets of Rage 1 ost
30. ????

OK, I limited Gradius Arcade Soundtracks to simply Gradius.  And as for leaving off the Ys III redbook, I put Felghana #2.  They're so similar that I didn't think it would be wise to include them both.

I'm compiling my list right now - I'll post it later.  Coming up with 20 IN ORDER seems to be somewhat of a challenge.

This list refers to the original music. I purposely tried to be fair to different styles, but I can't help the fact I focused on certain series or composers.

1. Castlevania IV
2. Castlevania III
3. Castlevania II
4. Castlevania
5. CV: Bloodlines
6. CV: Symphony of the Night
7. Dracula X
8. CV: Dawn of Sorrow
9. Mega Man 2
10. Mega Man 3
11. Street Fighter II
12. Ys
13. Ys II
14. Streets of Rage
15. Streets of Rage II
16. Sorcerian
17. Rayforce
18. Kaiser Knuckle
19. Guilty Gear X (Dreamcast OST)
20. Guilty Gear XX: Korean version
21. Madara
22. Lagrange Point
23. Gradius III
24. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
25. Spider (Playstation)
26. Phantasy Star
27. Zavas
28. Star Ocean 3
29. Contra 3
30. Snatcher

P.S.

These are excluded from receiving points, but are worth mentioning: Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge, Xak III, FF (series), Chrono Trigger, Insector X, Double Dragon I & II, Ninja Gaiden I & II, Metal Gear (series), Legend of Zelda (series), Super Mario Bros. (series), Blaster Master, Batman (NES version), Lifeforce, Brandish I & II, Legend of Xanadu, Ys III, Ys IV, etc. etc. etc.

You can see some of the sacrifices I made while making the top 30. I edited the post because I had initially made a top 20, so I changed it to a top 30.

Which he said specifically NOT to do...

-Joshua

.

Hmm, the melodies are similar but the rhythm, pace and style are just so different... to me as albums they are hardly alike.

Okay, this is probably the best I could come up with.  Really, I would have listed them as "Tied for top 10", "Tied for top 20", and "Tied for top 30".  There's no way I could accurately put the music which has touched me so deeply for most of my life into an accurate list. 

1.  SaGa Frontier II
2.  Chrono Trigger
3.  Final Fantasy IV
4.  Unlimited Saga
5.  Chrono Cross
6.  Final Fantasy VI
7.  Dew Prism/Threads of Fate
8.  Salamander 2 OST
9.  Seiken Densetsu 2 OST
10.  Seiken Densetsu 3 OST
11.  Final Fantasy XII
12.  Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest
13.  Earthbound
14.  Terranigma OST (even though a good chunk of the audio is missing)
15.  Sonic the Hedgehog OGA
16.  Silent Hill 2
17.  Illusion of Gaia
18.  Mystic Quest Starring Mickey Mouse OGA (no soundtrack release unfortunately...)
19.  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 OGA
20.  Katamari Damacy (Katamari Fortissimo Damacy)
21.  Mushihimesama OST
22.  Lemmings 3D Redbook Audio
23.  Megaman 8 (Game Rip, not the horrible release)
24.  Baten Kaitos:  Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
25.  Blaster Master OGA
26.  Shadow of the Colossus OST
27.  Musashiden II Blademaster
28.  Atelier Iris 3: Grand Fantasm
29.  Sonic Adventure 2 OST
30.  Super Monkey Ball 2 (Game Rip)

There.  I'm done with it.

What about Battle of Olympus, DEJA VU/ShadowGate/UNINVITED, Monster Parties, The Adventures of Tom Seta/Jaleco, and Chicken-City RANSOM?

You are specifically disturbing me.

I'm not familiar with the music from the games you mentioned. I really don't know that much about vgm, considering there are at least 30,000 soundtracks I have not listened to. I only know about the 1,200 or so I have listened to.

Battle of Olympus was the greatest Zelda II knock-off to ever grace the ROM chips of the NES!!

>'Bid on items!!'
_'Maybe later..'

"Goddammit Stantz, whenever you drive past a dead deer dancing in the middle of the road, YOU SAY 'Gr8 ppL, heer!' okay?!?"

'..Are you still a God, or just an Otaku-LEVEL-2?'

I'm really interested in seeing how this turns out. In order, however if it wasn't required a lot of them would be lumped together because I love pretty much all of them equally

All in-game audio -

NiGHTS into Dreams
Final Fantasy XII
Okami
Shadow of the Colossus
Panzer Dragoon Zwei
Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG
Ecco 2: The Tides of Time
Phantasy Star Online
Monster Hunter
Soul Edge
Tenchu
Sonic Adventure 2
Alisia Dragoon
Seiken Densetsu 4
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Culdcept Saga
Phantom Brave
Soul Calibur
Super Metroid
Tomb Raider (original release)
Xenosaga 3
Gauntlet 4
Shadow Hearts
Guilty Gear XX Sound Alive
World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade
Ecco: Defender of the Future
Ys: Oath in Felghana
Space Channel 5 Part 2
Legend of Mana

Hopelessly Sega-centric, for better or worse ^^~

Genesis or Sega CD?

Oops I was thinking Mega Drive - never had the chance to play it on the Mega CD.

1/ Mutants (C64)
2/ Perfect Selection Dracula Battle
3/ Vagrant Story OST
4/ The Super Shinobi OST
5/ Phantasy Star Online OST
6/ Soukaigi OST
7/ Salamander - Kukeiha Club Pro-Fusion
8/ Phantasy Star Collection I (Arrange disc)
9/ Gradius Perfect Selection
10/ Delta (C64)
11/ Area 88 (SNES)
12/ Tokimeki Memorial - Kukeiha Club Pro-Fusion
13/ Astaroth (Amiga)
14/ Ys ~ the Oath in Felghana OST
15/ Valkyrie Profile OST
16/ Perfect Selection Dracula ~ New Classic
17/ Perfect Selection Konami Shooting Battle II
18/ Thrust (C64)
19/ Shadow of the Colossus OST
20/ Turrican (Amiga)
21/ Twinbee Perfect Selection
22/ Thunder Force III (Megadrive)
23/ Wizardry ~ Lylgamyn Saga
24/ Twinbee Yahho! Kukeiha Club Pro-Fusion
25/ Metal Gear Solid OST
26/ World of Warcraft OST
27/ Wonderboy III The Dragon's Trap (Master System)
28/ Xexex Perfect Selection
29/ Cybernoid 2 (C64)
30/ Maneuver Cepter Granada (Megadrive)

Bit heavy on the ol' Konami arrangement albums but what the heck. Other than the arrangements I've noted the chosen format of the multiformat soundtracks. A few very tough exclusions along the way!

01. Biohazard 2 Original Soundtrack
02. Rockman X4 (from Rockman X1~6, Capcom Music Generation)
03. Rockman Iwao (Rockman 1 ~ Doujin)
04. Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version
05. Rockman 2 (from Rockman 1~6, Capcom Music Generation)
06. Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES/SPC Gamerip)
07. Ninja Gaiden (the soundtrack and SPC set are both incomplete)
08. Wild Arms Complete Tracks
09. Super Metroid (NES/SPC Gamerip)
10. Seiken Densetsu (Legend of Mana) Original Soundtrack
11. Panzer Dragoon II Zwei Original Soundtrack
12. Xenogears Original Soundtrack
13. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest Sound Collections
14. Super Castlevania IV (from Akumajo Dracula Best 2)
15. Metroid (from Famicom 20th Anniversary Original Sound Tracks Vol.1)
16. Lost Child Original Sound Track from S.S.H Side-A
17. Lost Child Original Sound Track from S.S.H Side-B
18. Rockman X6 (from Rockman X1~6, Capcom Music Generation)
19. Wild Arms 2nd Ignition Original Soundtrack
20. Doom (SNES/SPC Gamerip)
21. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES/SPC Gamerip)
22. Tomb Raider (Redbook Audio)
23. Star Ocean: The Second Story Original Soundtrack

Pretty cool idea. Coming up with the albums was a piece of cake since this list represents most of the albums I listen to nowadays, but damn Goldfish ranking these was a bitch…

01.    Ys III PC Engine redbook
02.    Xenogears OST
03.    Gungage OST
04.    Dracula Battle II
05.    Panzer Dragoon Azel Complete Album
06.    Phantasy Star Sound Collection (disc 2)
07.    Ys IV Perfect Collection vol. 3
08.    Ys IV Perfect Collection vol. 1
09.    Final Fantasy X OST
10.    Kaiser Knuckle
11.    Panzer Dragoon Orta OST
12.    Chrono Cross OST
13.    Chrono Trigger: The Brink of Time
14.    SaGa Frontier II OST
15.    Final Fantasy X Piano Collections
16.    Street Fighter II Alpha-Lyra with Yuuji Toriyama
17.    Ys Perfect Collection
18.    Chrono Trigger OST
19.    Seiken Densetsu 2 OST
20.    NiGHTS (rip)
21.    Panzer Dragoon Zwei OST
22.    Xenogears CREID
23.    Final Fantasy 6 OST
24.    Ys Book I & II PC Engine redbook
25.    VM Japan OST
26.    Shooting Battle II
27.    Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Soundtrack
28.    In the wake of Doshin the GIANT
29.    Ys IV Perfect Collection vol. 2
30.    Another Mind OST

That's the idea...It should be a bitch for everyone. It'll just give more meaning to the final tallies.

I'm actually glad I'm not as knee-deep into VGM as I was, because this made the stuff I still constantly listen to stick out more, even if it meant cutting back on the RPG soundtracks (which is why my list ended up so arrange-heavy).

1.  Final Fantasy 6
2.  Secret of Mana
3.  Final Fantasy 7
4.  Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
5.  Chrono Trigger
6.  Earthbound
7.  Mega Man 2
8.  Katamari Damacy
9.  Final Fantasy 4
10.Final Fantasy Tactics

1)  Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version
2)  SHADOW HEARTS Original Soundtracks plus1
3)  Super Castlevania IV (Demon Castle Dracula)
4)  killer7 original sound track
5)  The Legend of Dracula II (Castlevania 2: Belmont's Revenge)
6)  Silent Hill Original Soundtracks
7)  Katamari Damacy Original Soundtrack, "Katamari Fortissimo Damacy"
8)  SHADOW HEARTS II Original Soundtracks
9)  STREET FIGHTER II Alph Lyra with Yuji Toriyama
10) Super Runabout
11) biohazard4 Original Soundtrack
12) F-Zero X Guitar Arrange Edition
13) Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack
14) Eternal Darkness Sound Track
15) Perfect Selection Dracula Battle II
16) Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack
17) Guilty Gear XX #Reload Korean Version Original Sound Track
18) Lost Child Original Sound Track from S.S.H. Side-B
19) Lost Child Original Sound Track from S.S.H. Side-A
20) Granado Espada Original Soundtrack
21) No More Heroes Original Sound Tracks
22) LUMINES remixes
23) Gungrave O.S.T.
24) Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtracks
25) GOD TRACKS!
26) Silent Hill 4 -The Room- Original Soundtracks
27) IBARA Original Sound Track
28) Tenchu Soundtrack
29) Silent Hill 3 Original Soundtracks
30) Voodoo Vince original Xbox game music by Steve Kirk

I ranked these somewhat arbitrarily. Unless I listen to each one before the deadline, it probably won't change much. All are originals and, where necessary, I specified which version of each I prefer.

01. Last Resort (NEO GEO)
02. Herzog Zwei
03. ThunderForce II (Sega Genesis)
04. Twin Eagle (Arcade)
05. Trojan (NES)
06. Megaman 2 (NES)
07. Bionic Commando (NES)
08. ThunderForce III (Sega Genesis)
09. Megaman: Network Transmission
10. Ghostbusters (Sega Genesis)
11. Zero Divide
12. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
13. Super Hang-On (Sega Genesis)
14. Wolfchild (Sega CD)
15. P.O.W. (NES)
16. F-ZERO
17. Neo Contra
18. The Guardian Legend
19. Shinobi III - Return of the Ninja Master
20. R4 Ridge Racer Type 4
21. Strider (NES)
22. Rygar (NES)
23. Castlevania IV
24. Ikari Warriors II (NES)
25. Shutokou Battle (Dreamcast)
26. Maken X
27. Dragon Seeds
28. Double Dragon (NES)
29. King of the Monsters (NEO GEO)
30. Bushido Blade

Right, I think I'm finally ready to post this badboy.  Goldfish, lemme know if there's any questionable selections; specifically, am I allowed to use "Genso Suikoden II OGS Complete Box" and "Viewtiful Joe + Viewtiful Joe 2 Original Soundtrack," seeing as how they were both single releases?

Other than that, hopefully little to no preferential changing edits will be required.

---

1. Final Fantasy Vocal Collection I: Pray
2. Soul Calibur III OST -Legend of Sounds-
3. Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack
4. Gitarooman Original Soundtrack
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Original Soundtrack
6. Final Fantasy IX Original Soundtrack
7. Falcom Vocal Collection I
8. Falcom Vocal Collection II
9. Xenogears Original Soundtrack
10. Xenogears Creid
11. Dracula Battle Perfect Selection I
12. Final Fantasy Vocal Collection II: Love Will Grow
13. Genso Suikoden II Original Game Soundtrack Complete Box
14. Street Fighter II Image Album
15. Super Mario Galaxy OST Platinum Version
16. Chocobo Racing Original Soundtrack
17. Double Dragon II: The Revenge
18. Gokujou Parodius
19. Final Fantasy V Original Sound Version
20. Gyakuten Saiban 3
21. Lunar: Silver Star Story
22. Wild Arms Advanced 3rd Original Soundtrack
23. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Original Soundtrack
24. Shin Samurai Spirits: Haohmaru Jigokuhen - Arrange Sound Trax
25. Donkey Kong Country 2 ~ Diddy's Kong Quest
26. Ape Escape 2
27. Soukaigi Original Soundtrack
28. Okami Original Soundtrack
29. Viewtiful Joe + Viewtiful Joe 2 Original Soundtrack
30. Guilty Gear 2 Overture Vol 2

It was difficult to rank these, but here they are anyways:

1. Final Fantasy VIII OST
(I think FFVIII deserves more love than it gets when compared to FFVII and FFVI)
2. Final Fantasy VIII Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec OST
3.Final Fantasy VII OST
4.Final Fantasy IX OST
5.Dracula Battle Perfect Selection 1
6.Legend Of Zelda: Ocarine OF Time OST
7.Final Fantasy X OST
8.Guilty Gear XX OST
9.Devil May Cry OST
10.Metal Gear Solid OST
11.Castlevania Symphony Of The Night OST
12. The Black Mages 1
13. Breath of Fire IV OST
14. Final Fantasy VIII Piano Collections
15. Legend Of Zelda: Majoras Mask OST
16.The Black Mages 2 The Skies Above
17. Devil May Cry 3 OST
18.The Black Mages 3 Darkness and Starlight
19.Metal Gear Solid 2 OST
20. Final Fantasy X-2