The 8-Bit Big Band's jazz arrangement of Persona 5's iconic "Last Surprise" is a Grammy nominee! This exciting development highlights the growing recognition of video game music within the mainstream.
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 vibrant jazz interpretation of Persona 5's battle theme, "Last Surprise," has received a Grammy nomination for "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" at the 2025 Grammy Awards. The performance features Grammy winner Jake Silverman (Button Masher) on synthesizers and the powerful vocals of Jonah Nilsson (Dirty Loops).
"Another Grammy nomination! My fourth in a row!," exclaimed Charlie Rosen, leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, on Twitter (X). "Video game music is alive and thriving!" This isn't the band's first Grammy win; they previously won in 2022 for their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge."
This year, their "Last Surprise" cover will compete against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend. The 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony takes place on February 2nd.
Persona 5's acclaimed acid jazz soundtrack, composed by Shoji Meguro, features many memorable tracks. However, "Last Surprise," the game's battle theme, holds a special place in fans' hearts, accompanying players through countless hours of dungeon exploration (Palaces). Its infectious energy and memorable melodies have solidified its iconic status.The 8-Bit Big Band's arrangement stays true to the original while adding a unique jazz fusion flair, reflecting the signature style of Jonah Nilsson's band, Dirty Loops. As noted in the music video description, they collaborated with Button Masher to enhance the harmonic complexity.
2025 Grammy Nominations for Best Video Game Score Announced
The Grammy Awards also announced nominees for "Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media." This year's contenders include:
⚫︎ Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (Pinar Toprak)
⚫︎ God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla (Bear McCreary)
⚫︎ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (John Paesano)
⚫︎ Star Wars Outlaws (Wilbert Roget, II)
⚫︎ Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (Winifred Phillips)
Bear McCreary continues to make Grammy history, earning a nomination every year since the category's inception.
The award, which began 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.
Video game music enjoys immense popularity among fans. Covers like The 8-Bit Big Band's demonstrate the enduring power of these compositions and their ability to inspire new interpretations for wider audiences.
