The 20 Best Songs in Videogames

14. TV On The Radio – Golden Age | MLB ’09 The Show

MLB ’09 The Show didn’t meet wonderful sales but it did receive a fair amount of critical acclaim for its extremely accurate baseball simulation. It received even more attention from the indie crowd for its great soundtrack full of recognizable indie bands like The Blue Van and Hockey.

TV On The Radio’s album Dear Science landed on nearly every credible publication’s list of the top albums of 2008, and rightfully so. The collaboration between Tunde Adebimpe, David Andrew Sitek, Kyp Malone, Jaleel Bunton and Gerard Smith has yielded wonderful results. Such results can be heard on “Golden Age,” a track whose beats and flowing vocals build into a chorus of trumpets, buzzes, and TOTR’s unmistakable blend of soulful and falsetto-heavy vocals.

13. Spoon – Don’t You Evah | MLB ’09 The Show

Of course, if MLB ’09 was going for recognizable indie bands, they couldn’t overlook Spoon, arguably one of the most popular indie acts in recent memory. It helps that the developers over at SCE San Diego chose the track well, too. “Don’t You Evah” off the album Ga Ga Ga Ga Gais a jaunty, rhythm and hand-clap-heavy track that will have gamers bouncing from side to side on their couches, gearing them up for the opening pitch.

12. Blur – Song 2 | FIFA ‘98

No one could escape this song in 1998. No one. It was everywhere – including a soccer game, FIFA ’98. The simple chorus of “Woo-hoo!” followed by raunchy guitars feels rather off for a game as steady as soccer, especially when the song primarily appears while staring at an interface, but there’s no denying the wondrous energy Song 2 produces. Take a listen and try not to feel your heart rate increase; I dare you. You won’t get anything if you win, but try it anyway.

11. Run-D.M.C. – My Adidas | Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4

Another entry from the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series, oldschool rap legends Run-D.M.C. come in with “My Adidas.” Not too many current rappers would try creating an entire song based on their shoes, let alone make it good. But Run-D.M.C. is a different story.

Even though the song was written nearly three decades ago, the influence of Run’s beats can be heard on nearly every current hip-hop record, from the tip-tapping hi-hats to the sharp snares and well-timed record scratches.