The 8-Bit Big Band's jazz cover of "Last Surprise" from Persona 5 has secured a prestigious Grammy nomination, marking a significant milestone for video game music in the mainstream music industry. Dive in to discover more about this exciting achievement for the artists involved.
Persona 5’s “Last Surprise” Earns Grammy Nomination for 8-Bit Big Band’s Jazz Cover
The 8-Bit Big Band Celebrates Second Grammy Nod with Persona 5's Battle Theme Rendition
The 8-Bit Big Band has once again captured the attention of the music world with their orchestral jazz rendition of Persona 5's iconic battle theme, "Last Surprise," earning a nomination for "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" at the 2025 Grammy Awards. This cover features the talents of Grammy-winning musician Jake Silverman, known as Button Masher, on synth, and Jonah Nilsson, the keyboardist and vocalist from Dirty Loops, adding his distinctive vocals to the track.
Charlie Rosen, the leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, expressed his excitement on social media, stating, "Just nominated for my 4th Grammy IN A ROW!!! LONG LIVE VIDEO GAME MUSIC!!!" This nomination follows their previous Grammy win in 2022 for "Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella" with their cover of "Meta Knight’s Revenge" from Kirby Super Star, highlighting their ongoing success and contribution to the genre.
Competing in the same category at the 2025 Grammy Awards, set for February 2nd, The 8-Bit Big Band's rendition will face off against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend.
Persona 5 is renowned for its vibrant acid jazz soundtrack, composed by Shoji Meguro. Among its tracks, "Last Surprise" stands out as a fan favorite, energizing countless battles within the game's Palaces with its dynamic bassline and infectious riffs.The 8-Bit Big Band's Grammy-nominated cover not only honors the original composition but also infuses it with a fresh jazz fusion twist, characteristic of Jonah Nilsson’s band, Dirty Loops. The music video's description highlights the collaboration with Button Masher, which added an advanced harmonic sensibility to the arrangement, further enriching the song's appeal.
2025 Grammy Nominations for Best Video Game Score Announced
The Grammys have also revealed the nominees for the "Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media" category for 2025, showcasing the following impressive lineup:
- 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 stands out as the only composer to be nominated annually since the category began, previously recognized for Call of Duty Vanguard in 2023 and the base game of God of War Ragnarök in 2024.
The category was inaugurated with Stephanie Economou’s winning score for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, followed by Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab’s victory for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor in the previous year.
Video game music continues to resonate deeply with fans, and innovative covers like The 8-Bit Big Band's demonstrate how these timeless compositions can inspire new interpretations, reaching broader audiences and cementing their place in the music world.
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