VGChartz's Top 50 Final Fantasy Songs (20 - 11) - Article
by Taneli Palola , posted on 18 October 2016 / 11,859 Views
Welcome to the second to last part of this countdown which ranks the top 50 Final Fantasy songs of all time according to VGChartz users. As promised last time, here are the remaining honorable mentions that didn't quite make it into the top 50:
Born Anew – Final Fantasy XIII
Bland Logo ~ Title Back – Final Fantasy Tactics
The Beginning of the End – Final Fantasy Type-0
If you haven't seen the previous parts yet, you can check them out here: part 1, part 2, part 3.
20. Eyes On Me – Final Fantasy VIII
The Final Fantasy series has produced numerous excellent and memorable vocal tracks over the years, but it can be argued that the most well-known out of them all is Eyes On Me from Final Fantasy VIII. Not only does it feature the singing talents of Faye Wong - quite possibly the most famous singer to feature in a Final Fantasy game thus far - but the single version of the song is still the highest selling musical release related to the series. Eyes On Me is the main theme song for Final Fantasy VIII and plays a few times during the game itself, as well as during its ending credits.
Within the game itself the song is composed and sung by Julia Heartilly and focusses on her feelings towards Laguna Loire. It also symbolizes the relationship between Squall and Rinoa (Uematsu wrote it specifically with them in mind). Unlike previous games in the series, FF VIII doesn't actually feature any character specific themes, as Uematsu found many of them to be ineffective in conveying what he wanted. As such, he decided to forego such themes altogether and so Eyes On Me is the only song that has a direct connection to certain characters.
19. Crossing Those Hills – Final Fantasy IX
World map music doesn't usually come up all that often when discussing music from the Final Fantasy games, and yet it is often the most ubiquitous track found in any of the first nine games in the series. No other track, except perhaps the main battle theme, is heard as often or for as long as the world map theme. Still, only a few of them got any points during voting.
Crossing Those Hills from Final Fantasy IX is one of the many songs in the game that share elements with Melodies of Life. Crossing Those Hills is easily one of the most enjoyable out of all the world map themes in the series. It has a very optimistic feel to it, and the first time you go out to the world it gives off a sense of adventure. I've always liked the world that was created for Final Fantasy IX in general, and this song fits it perfectly.
18. Clash on the Big Bridge – Final Fantasy V
In terms of music, Final Fantasy V is generally not considered to be among the series' best, but it has nonetheless given Final Fantasy one of its most enduring and often recurring themes in Clash on the Big Bridge. This is also the theme that usually accompanies the character of Gilgamesh in most of his appearances throughout the series. As such, it has been rearranged numerous times over the years, but Uematsu's original version is still the most popular one. This is the highest rated song from Final Fantasy V on this list.
17. Force Your Way – Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII is featured quite extensively on this list, with eight songs on the top 50 altogether, proving that despite the divided opinion the game itself elicited from fans, its music has remained very popular ever since it launched. The boss battle theme from the game – Force Your Way – is without a doubt among the series' best. It is a highly enjoyable battle theme that fits the game and its boss battles impeccably. I also especially like the slightly different sound it has to most other boss themes in the series. It gives the song a very unique feel that suits the more modern setting of the game very well.
16. Dancing Mad – Final Fantasy VI
Dancing Mad is for me the point where Uematsu first truly showed his skills in creating exceptionally complex and multilayered songs that can convey a myriad of different emotions through masterful use of various instruments and styles of music. As the song that plays during the final battle with Kefka - one of the most memorable villains in video game history - a lot of the impact of the fight depended on the song that accompanied it. The end result was Uematsu's most complex and longest song for a video game up to that point in time.
Dancing Mad perfectly encapsulated everything that Kefka is, going over numerous changes throughout the song's duration that all fit some aspect of his broken personality and mind. Plain and simple, Dancing Mad is one of Uematsu's true masterpieces, a near perfect representation of the villain it accompanies into battle.
15. Battle 1 – Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX was more or less a return to the roots for the series, and in many ways the game's music reflects that. The three previous entries in the series had brought it closer and closer to a more modern setting, and the music had slowly been changing as well. One notable example is the change that the game's main battle themes went through. VII and VIII had done away with the traditional intro to their battle themes, which had been a part of them since the first Final Fantasy. IX finally brought the intro back, as Uematsu felt that the soundtrack should take influence from earlier games in the series. This is also evident in the song's name, which harkens back to the simple naming conventions of the battle themes in the NES and SNES titles.
14. Jenova – Final Fantasy VII
This is already the third boss battle theme from Final Fantasy VII to make it into the top 50 and as you might expect there are still two boss themes from the game still to come. Jenova is the song that plays during the first and third encounter with the song's namesake, as well as during the battle with Professor Hojo in Midgar. Jenova is something of an unknown quantity, taking on a variety of disturbing forms over the course of the game, and this song fits that idea of something thoroughly alien and weird exceptionally well.
13. The Decisive Battle – Final Fantasy VI
Continuing with the theme of boss battles, The Decisive Battle is the main boss battle theme from Final Fantasy VI and it plays during all but a select few boss fights in the game. It's yet another excellent theme from a game full of them, ending up as the second highest ranking song from Final Fantasy VI on this countdown. The song has been rearranged numerous times over the years, and has been performed live in several concerts as well, proving that it's a very good showcase for the improvements in sound quality that Uematsu has been able to make between games.
12. Rose of May – Final Fantasy IX
We take a brief detour from battle music here with Rose of May from Final Fantasy IX. It serves as the theme song and musical motif for scenes surrounding the character of Beatrix. The song is first played after Cleyra is destroyed with the use of Odin, and she begins to question the necessity of such actions. It brings forth the inner conflict of the character, who up to that point had been one of the biggest threats to the main characters in the game. She is shown to be more than just a bloodthirsty soldier, as she finds herself doubting both her queen's actions and goals. Rose of May is a powerful song that helps turn one of the game's main antagonists into one of its most sympathetic supporting characters in mere moments. It is also the second highest ranking song from Final Fantasy IX.
11. The Extreme – Final Fantasy VIII
We end this part of the countdown with the song that plays during the final battle against Ultimecia in Final Fantasy VIII – The Extreme. After defeating Griever, her Guardian Force, she emerges in her final, most powerful form. All throughout this last battle she is absorbing all of time and space into herself. The song begins with an unsettling intro, with a female chorus chanting “fithos lusec wecos vinosec” as Ultimecia reveals her new form. Then it goes into a slow, eerie piano melody, reminiscent of the song Prelude that gradually builds up tension until it launches into the core of the song, signalling the beginning of the true final battle.
The Extreme is an exceptional demonstration of how music can be used to create an increasing feeling of dread and terror. From its slow, ominous beginning to the hectic main part, The Extreme is Uematsu basically putting on a masterclass in using music to heighten the mood and atmosphere of a specific scene or moment. The song is a perfect fit for a fight against someone who is at that very moment in the process of undoing all of existence and essentially becoming the embodiment of all that exists, has existed, or will ever exist.
That does it for this part of the countdown. Next time, we'll finally go through the top 10 best song in Final Fantasy history. Until then, thanks for reading.
