Grammy Surprise: 'Persona 5' Soundtrack Earns Nod

The 8-Bit Big Band's jazz rendition of Persona 5's iconic "Last Surprise" has received a Grammy nomination! This exciting development highlights the growing recognition of video game music within the mainstream music industry. Let's delve into the details of this well-deserved achievement.

Persona 5's "Last Surprise" Earns 8-Bit Big Band a Grammy Nomination

A Second Grammy Nod for The 8-Bit Big Band

The 8-Bit Big Band's masterful jazz arrangement of Persona 5's battle theme, "Last Surprise," is nominated for "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" at the 2025 Grammy Awards. The performance features the talents of Grammy Award-winning musician Jake Silverman (Button Masher) on synth and Jonah Nilsson (Dirty Loops) on vocals.

"Nominated for my 4th Grammy in a row!!!" exclaimed Charlie Rosen, leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, on X (formerly Twitter). "LONG LIVE VIDEO GAME MUSIC!!!" This nomination follows their 2022 Grammy win for "Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella" for their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge." "Last Surprise" marks their second Grammy nomination.

This year, The 8-Bit Big Band's cover will compete against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend. The 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony will take place on February 2nd.

The 8-Bit Big Band's cover skillfully honors the original while adding a fresh, innovative twist. The jazz fusion arrangement, a hallmark of Dirty Loops' style, elevates the song's inherent charisma. As noted in the music video description, the collaboration with Button Masher enhanced the harmonic complexity, reflecting Dirty Loops' signature sound.

2025 Grammy Nominations for Best Video Game Score Announced

The Grammy Awards also unveiled the nominees for "Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media." This year's contenders include:

⚫︎ Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, composed by Pinar Toprak ⚫︎ God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, composed by Bear McCreary ⚫︎ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, composed by John Paesano ⚫︎ Star Wars Outlaws, composed by Wilbert Roget, II ⚫︎ Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, composed by Winifred Phillips

Bear McCreary achieves a remarkable feat, earning a nomination every year since the category's inception.

The award, which debuted with Stephanie Economou's win for Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, saw Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab win last year for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

The enduring popularity of video game music is undeniable. Covers like The 8-Bit Big Band's demonstrate the lasting impact of classic game scores and their potential to inspire fresh, engaging interpretations for a wider audience.