Persona 5’s “Last Surprise” Grammy Nomination Brings Game Music to the Mainstream

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

Persona 5's "Last Surprise" Earns Grammy Recognition for 8-Bit Big Band's Jazz Interpretation

8-Bit Big Band Secures Second Grammy Nomination with Persona 5 Battle Theme Cover

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

"Another Grammy nomination! This is my fourth in a row!!," exclaimed Charlie Rosen, leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, on Twitter (X). "GAME MUSIC FOREVER!!!" This isn't the band's first Grammy; they previously won for their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge."

The 8-Bit Big Band's "Last Surprise" will compete against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend. The 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony is scheduled for February 2nd.

The 8-Bit Big Band's cover masterfully honors the original while adding a unique jazz fusion flair, a hallmark of Dirty Loops' sound. As noted in the music video's description, Button Masher's contribution enhanced the harmonic complexity, further enriching the arrangement.

2025 Grammy Nominations for Best Video Game Score Unveiled

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 achieves a remarkable feat, receiving a nomination every year since the category's inception.

The award, which debuted with Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök's victory, saw Star Wars Jedi: Survivor win last year.

Video game music holds a special place in the hearts of gamers, and covers like The 8-Bit Big Band's demonstrate the enduring power of these compositions to inspire new interpretations and reach wider audiences.