The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time claimed the number one spot in the Gamemuziek Top 50, edging past classic titles from the 1990s in a live broadcast from the Beeld & Geluid museum in Hilversum on November 13.
Zelda Claims the Top Spot
Listeners pushed the 1998 Nintendo classic to first place during the final hour of voting. The game’s theme song is performed on an ocarina flute, according to NRC – Nieuws, achtergronden en onderzoeksjournalistiek. NPO Klassiek and NPO Start organized the streaming-first broadcast to capture audiences less engaged with traditional orchestral repertoires.
“Dat zou best wel eens de Bohemian Rhapsody van de gamemuziek kunnen worden,” said Sander Zwiep, presenter for NPO Klassiek, as reported by nos.nl. He added that the status of the track might become fully clear over the next ten years.
Joris de Man Receives Oeuvre Award
The five-person professional jury also awarded the Gamemuziek Oeuvre Award during the event. Dutch composer Joris de Man received the prize for his work on the games Killzone and Horizon Zero Dawn, according to npo.nl.
“Joris heeft zich weten te onderscheiden met een bijzonder eigen geluid,” said Jeffrey Wirtz, jury member, as reported by npo.nl.
Top Ten Final Rankings
The public voted on the top ten placements during the live broadcast, while a jury curated the broader list of fifty soundtracks.
| Rank | Game Title | Composer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Koji Kondo |
| 2 | Donkey Kong Country | David Wise |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Nabuo Uematsu |
| 4 | The Last Of Us | Gustavo Santaolalla |
| 5 | Red Dead Redemption II | Woody Jackson |
| 6 | Ori and the Blind Forest | Gareth Coker |
| 7 | Super Mario 64 | Koji Kondo |
| 8 | Tetris | Hirokazu Tanaka |
| 9 | Metal Gear Solid | Tappi Iwase, Kazuki Muraoka |
| 10 | Super Mario Bros. | Koji Kondo |
Sander Zwiep Connects Game Audio to Classical Composition
Presenter Sander Zwiep pointed out the structural links between early game audio and traditional classical composition. He said that the melody for Tetris draws from a composition by Johann Sebastian Bach, placing eighth in the final tally, according to nos.nl and nrc.nl.
“Wellicht kunnen we de liefhebbers van gamemuziek via deze weg kennis laten maken met de nog veel grotere wereld van klassieke muziek, met Mahler, Strauss en Bach,” zei nrc.nl in haar artikel.
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Questions About the Gamemuziek Top 50
Where was the Gamemuziek Top 50 broadcasted?
The event was broadcast live from the Beeld & Geluid museum in Hilversum on November 13, via NPO 2 Extra and digital platforms including NPO Start and YouTube, as reported by nos.nl and NPO Klassiek.
Who determined the ranking of the soundtracks?
A five-member professional jury selected the Top 50 tracks, while audiences voted on the final order of the top ten during the live broadcast, according to nos.nl and nrc.nl.