'Persona 5' Grammy Nod Shines Spotlight on Game Music

The 8-Bit Big Band's jazz arrangement of Persona 5's iconic "Last Surprise" has received a Grammy nomination! This article explores this significant achievement for the talented musicians involved.

8-Bit Big Band's "Last Surprise" Earns Grammy Recognition

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

"Nominated for my 4th Grammy in a row!!!" exclaimed Charlie Rosen, leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, on X (formerly Twitter). This marks the band's second Grammy nomination, following their 2022 win for their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge."

This acclaimed cover will compete against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend for the prestigious award, presented on February 2nd, 2025.

Persona 5's soundtrack, composed by Shoji Meguro, is renowned for its distinctive acid jazz style. "Last Surprise," however, stands out as a fan favorite, its energetic rhythm and memorable melodies having resonated deeply with players throughout countless hours of gameplay.

The 8-Bit Big Band's cover beautifully honors the original while injecting its own creative flair. The jazz fusion arrangement, a hallmark of Dirty Loops' style, elevates the song's energy. As noted in the music video description, Button Masher's contributions added "advanced harmonic sensibility" reminiscent of Dirty Loops' signature sound.

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

The enduring popularity of video game music is undeniable. Covers like The 8-Bit Big Band's demonstrate the lasting impact of these compositions, inspiring fresh interpretations and introducing them to new audiences.