For the first time, a Grammy will be awarded for the Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media at the annual event for 2023.
Nominees for the new award include Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty and Guardians of the Galaxy. Additionally, the awards ceremony adds four other new awards this year, including, Songwriter Of The Year (Non-Classical). To qualify for nomination, the score must be original and created for or as a companion to a video game or interactive media.
The Grammy’s official Twitter shared a tweet on November 15 congratulating the nominees for the Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media, to which Aliens: Fireteam Elite responded, “Honored to be nominated.”
The 65th Grammy Awards will air Sunday, February 5, from Los Angeles’s Crypto.com Arena. Viewers can watch the 2023 Grammy Awards live on CBS or on-demand through Paramount+. Five composers have been nominated for the video game soundtracks they created, such as Stephanie Economou for the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn Of Ragnarok soundtrack and Richard Jacques for the Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy soundtrack. Other nominees include Call Of Duty®: Vanguard composer Bear McCreary, Aliens: Fireteam Elite composer Austin Wintory and Christopher Tin for his work on Old World’s soundtrack.
“We’re so excited to honor these diverse communities of music creators through the newly established awards and amendments and to continue cultivating an environment that inspires change, progress and collaboration,” stated Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. “The Academy’s top priority is to effectively represent the music people that we serve, and each year, that entails listening to our members and ensuring our rules and guidelines reflect our ever-evolving industry.”
Ode to Video Game Soundtracks
It’s refreshing to see video game soundtracks getting the recognition they deserve. Over the summer, the BBC held its first-ever gaming Prom where an electronically expanded Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performed classic renditions of video game soundtracks.
Daniel Griffiths is a veteran journalist who has worked on some of the world's biggest entertainment, home and tech media brands. He's reviewed all the greats, interviewed countless big names, and reported on thousands of releases in the fields of video games, music, movies, tech, gadgets, home improvement, self build, interiors, garden design and more. He’s the ex-Editor of PSM3, GamesMaster, Future Music and ex-Group Editor-in-Chief of Electronic Musician, Guitarist, Guitar World, Computer Music and more. He renovates property and writes fun things for great websites.
