VGChartz's Top 50 Final Fantasy Songs (10 - 1) - Article

by Taneli Palola , posted on 28 October 2016 / 43,690 Views

We've finally made it to VGChartz's top 10 favourite Final Fantasy songs of all time. These are the ten songs that received the highest number of points during the voting, and they come from five different games that span three different console generations.

If you haven't seen the previous articles yet you can view them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Final Fantasy X Sending

10. Otherworld – Final Fantasy X

It's very interesting that this is the first song from Final Fantasy X that we've seen in this top 50. And that's despite the game receiving more points than any other entry in the series. Naturally, that means you can look forward to seeing a few more songs from it in the top 10. Otherworld is one of the game's two vocal themes and this particular one plays twice over the course of the story. The first time is near the very beginning of the game, when Sin attacks Zanarkand and transports Tidus to Spira. The second one is near the end, during the last real boss fight inside Sin.

Otherworld is something of a departure from the series' usual music. A metal track accompanied by harsh vocals sung by Bill Muir, the song's lyrics have sometimes been interpreted as mirroring Tidus' journey throughout Final Fantasy X. It's an unusual song for both the series and Nobuo Uematsu, but no less effective for it, and its placement this high on the list shows the lasting impact it made on those who played Final Fantasy X.

9. A Fleeting Dream – Final Fantasy X

When Uematsu began composing the music for Final Fantasy X alongside Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakao, he realized that the inclusion of voice acting in the series would necessitate some changes for how the music was handled within the game. In the past the game's music alone had been largely responsible for elevating the drama and mood of a scene, but this time he could rely on the vocals to carry some of that responsibility as well.

A Fleeting Dream is one of several arrangements of the game's main vocal theme – Suteki Da Ne. The song is heard a few times, perhaps most notably in the ruins of Zanarkand when the party finally makes its way into the ancient city and towards the Final Aeon. It is a strikingly melancholic song, perfectly fitting the group's mood as it heads towards Lady Yunalesca and what will likely be its final moments together.

8. Fight On! - Final Fantasy VII

Perhaps moreso than any other game in the series, Final Fantasy VII's soundtracks is especially well known for its battle music. This is reflected in the selection of songs from the game that got into the top 50 (four out of its eight songs on this list are battle themes).

Fight On! is Final Fantasy VII's main boss battle theme and is heard during all of the game's boss fights except in ones against Hojo, Jenova, and Sephiroth. Over the years Fight On! has become one the most recognisable themes in the entire franchise, having been rearranged and performed live numerous times. The opening guitar riff especially has become one of the most easily identifiable musical sections in all of Final Fantasy.

7. You're Not Alone – Final Fantasy IX

You're Not Alone from Final Fantasy IX is one of the most effective songs in terms of emotional impact ever composed for the series. In the game the song begins just as its main protagonist Zidane reaches his lowest point. After numerous hints about his true nature earlier in the game, he has just been told the truth about his origin and the purpose of his existence by Garland, one of the title's main villains. This revelation is what ultimately breaks his spirit and leads him to shun and reject the people closest to him.

As the song plays in the background the player is forced to take on a series of increasingly difficult fights, initially with Zidane alone until his friends come to help him one by one, trying to snap him out of his trance. The song perfectly sums up the emotions and mood in these scenes, showing both Zidane's despair and the rest of the characters' compassion towards him, which is also reflected in the song's name. You're Not Alone is the highest ranked song from Final Fantasy IX.

6. Aerith's Theme – Final Fantasy VII

There are usually a few specific songs that are brought up time and again when discussing Final Fantasy character themes. Yet few are mentioned as often as the song that accompanies one of the series' most shocking and pivotal moments, namely Aerith's death. It is a startlingly effective scene, notable for its unexpected appearance that left many fans in shock. What made the scene truly magnificent, however, is its masterful use of music. It starts out with minimal background music, until right after Aerith is killed, when her theme begins playing as the camera follows the Holy materia down into the water.

The scene itself has become one of the most iconic in video game history, and Aerith's Theme has become almost equally as well known. Aerith's personality and story is translated wonderfully into music through this theme, and Nobuo Uematsu himself has said that the song is one his favourites from Final Fantasy VII.

5. Liberi Fatali – Final Fantasy VIII

First impressions are crucial as this is when the game needs to hook the player and keep them interested during what is often the game's slowest section. As such, it was imperative that the opening to Final Fantasy VIII was as effective as possible, and in terms of music it certainly was. To this day Liberi Fatali remains one of the most powerful opening themes in video game history.

The song's name, roughly translated as Fated Children in English, refers to the game's main cast and their connection to each other and the game's villains. The lyrics, sung in Latin by a full choir, make several references to the characters and hint at the game's storyline. Elements from the song were also included in several other themes in the game's soundtrack. It's an excellent piece of music that does a magnificent job at drawing the player into Final Fantasy VIII.

4. Suteki Da Ne – Final Fantasy X

Suteki Da Ne is an interesting vocal theme within the series, as it is one of the few that was not translated into English when the game was brought to the west. Previous themes such as Eyes On Me and Melodies of Life were either written in English from the start or translated during localization. Suteki Da Ne was different, possibly due to it being strongly influenced by Asian music and the game's overall strong Asian tone and style. Uematsu was also interested in Okinawan music at the time, and this played a large role in RIKKI being chosen as the singer for the theme.

Suteki Da Ne is essentially Final Fantasy X's main theme and its melody can be found in various other tracks within the game. The song itself plays during one of the game's most important scenes, when Yuna and Tidus share a romantic moment together in the Macalania Woods, while an orchestral version of it plays during the end credits.

3. One-Winged Angel – Final Fantasy VII

It's a rare feat when a piece of music from a video game practically transcends the game it is from, but a select few songs have been able to do just that, becoming widely known even among people who don't necessarily play video games. The Super Mario Bros. theme is an obvious example, but as far as music from Final Fantasy is concerned perhaps the strongest argument can be made for One-Winged Angel from Final Fantasy VII.

Another example of the power of this song is how it has basically replaced Those Chosen by the Planet as Sephiroth's official theme song, to the point that the former is rarely even brought up these days when talking about the character, despite it being his original character theme. Few songs can claim to have made as huge an impact on the collective memory of gamers everywhere than One-Winged Angel did nearly 20 years ago. It is easily among Nobuo Uematsu's most well known compositions, and has remained a huge fan-favourite ever since the game's original release.

2. Terra's Theme – Final Fantasy VI

The highest ranking song from Final Fantasy VI is the theme for Terra Branford, which is also the map theme for the world of balance and the game's main theme. As such various sections of the song are used in other songs on the soundtrack, usually during scenes focusing on Terra in some way. In addition, it is among the most well known and fondly remembered themes from the entire series.

Terra's Theme has a rather sombre melody at its core, echoing both Terra's storyline and in many ways the game itself. It feels like a song with a lot of weight behind it, with many different meanings buried inside. Yet there is also a constant undercurrent of hope that is always present. It's an excellent song that reflects the themes and the world of Final Fantasy VI remarkably well.

1. To Zanarkand – Final Fantasy X

When the voting for this top 50 began, there was never really any doubt which song would top the list in the end. To Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X was by far the most popular song from the very beginning, amassing nearly twice the amount of points as its closest competition. It also accounted for over half out of all the points FF X received; further proof, if any were needed, of its status as one of the series' most beloved songs.

To Zanarkand plays a few times during key moments in the game and is also rearranged several times throughout. It is, together with Suteki Da Ne, effectively the main theme of Final Fantasy X. The song serves as the introduction to the game's world, playing during the opening when the party is sitting around a campfire at the entrance of Zanarkand and about to start the final phase of its journey.

It also has an interesting history, as Uematsu had to convince the development team to use the song in specific scenes, but it wasn't until they tried it for the title's opening that they realized how well it actually worked in the game. It is certainly one of Uematsu's best works ever, and is number one on this countdown for good reasons.

And that is the end of the countdown. Are there any songs that you were surprised didn't make it onto the list? Feel free to share them in the comments section and, as always, thanks for reading.

Finally, here is a quick recap of the entire top 50:

To Zanarkand (FF X)
Terra's Theme (FF VI)
One-Winged Angel (FF VII)
Suteki Da Ne (FF X)
Liberi Fatali (FF VIII)
Aerith's Theme (FF VII)
You're Not Alone (FF IX)
Fight On! (FF VII)
A Fleeting Dream (FF X)
Otherworld (FF X)
The Extreme (FF VIII)
Rose of May (FF IX)
The Decisive Battle (FF VI)
Jenova (FF VII)
Battle 1 (FF IX)
Dancing Mad (FF VI)
Force Your Way (FF VIII)
Clash on the Big Bridge (FF V)
Crossing Those Hills (FF IX)
Eyes On Me (FF VIII)
Cid's Theme (FF VII)
Opening – Bombing Mission (FF VII)
Price of Freedom (Crisis Core: FFVII)
Divine Fire (FF Type-0)
Judgement Day (FF VII)
The Landing (FF VIII)
Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec (FF VIII)
Epitaph (FF VI)
Sword of Fury (FF IX)
Melodies of Life (FF IX)
Home, Sweet Home (FF V)
The Sunleth Waterscape (FF XIII)
Final Fantasy (FF XII)
Answers (FF XIV)
Omnis Lacrima (FF XV)
Unseen Abyss (FF XIII-2)
Massive Explosion (Dissidia Final Fantasy Arcade)
Raffaello Battle (FF Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon)
Sound of the Wind (FF: Crystal Chronicles)
Maybe I'm a Lion (FFVIII)
The Wavering Blade (FF IX)
Ravana's Theme (FF XIV)
The Birth of God (FF VII)
Love Grows (FF VIII)
Aria di Mezzo Carattere (FF VI)
Assault of the Silver Dragons (FF IX)
The Darkness of Eternity (FF IX)
Saber's Edge (FF XIII)
Twilight Over Thanalan (FF XIV)
Battle 2 (FF IV)

58 Comments

Nautilus (on 28 October 2016)

As deserved, To Zanarkand is the best FF game.That music has such an emotional punch that is simply incredible.And while I wished there were more FFX musics on the list as a whole, having 4 of them in the top 10 shows the pedrigree of the game.

StreaK Nautilus (on 28 October 2016)

Too bad though, for me anyway, "Otherworld" is one of the worst FF tracks I have ever heard. Beating tracks like The Landing (my personal #1), Love Grows and Cid's Theme? Seriously??? This was a shocker for me, big time. I could NEVER stand that song and as much as I think FFX is a total masterpiece, the fact I hate this music also makes FFX's intro one of the worst in the entire series.

-1

Nautilus Nautilus (on 28 October 2016)

I am also not fan of Otherworld.The piece is good, but as a final boss music?Not a complete fan.But To Zanarkand is simply a masterpiece.It is beyond well deserved there and it is the best FF music.In fact, my honest opinion is that it could go toe in toe with famous classical music.But again, my opinion

Boutros (on 28 October 2016)

Thanks for doing this!

Darashiva Boutros (on 28 October 2016)

I'm just glad people are interested in this stuff, but no problem. I enjoy writing about video game music. It's great that others share my interests.

Oneeee-Chan!!! Boutros (on 31 October 2016)

Yeah, you're right.

Oneeee-Chan!!! (on 31 October 2016)

I wonder why there is not "The man with the machinegun" in Top 50.
That is very awsome battle theme though.

Alex_The_Hedgehog (on 28 October 2016)

I'm very sad to see Final Fantasy IV with almost zero attention, but anyway, great job with the list.

WoodenPints (on 28 October 2016)

I'm a little disappointed that FF XI never got a song into the top 50, I spent many hours "back in the day" running around to different areas just to go afk there and listen to the music. :D

Veknoid_Outcast (on 28 October 2016)

Great job with this series of articles! Glad to see Terra's Theme at #2. That's my personal favorite :)

StarOcean (on 28 October 2016)

Hell yes! To Zanarkand deserves the top spot! :3

Totally should do another series like Pokemon or Zelda or something next for music

Darashiva StarOcean (on 28 October 2016)

I'm considering doing something similar whenever I start writing articles on the history of another video game franchises, like I'm doing now with Final Fantasy. I'm also planning to do something like this listing the greatest video game composers of all time at some point.

weaveworld (on 29 October 2016)

First of all, awesome you did this. Makes it worth to keep checking the site for. No discussion needed on what songs are or are not in this list. This list is pure love.

When I hopped on that Magitek Armor in FFXIV... Bliss... I just enjoy riding it at times merely to listen to Terra's theme.

Darashiva weaveworld (on 29 October 2016)

Thanks. I'm happy to hear that.

Ljink96 (on 28 October 2016)

Glad FFVII got so much coverage. You can say whatever you want about the game and how "overrated" it is. But you can't say the music wasn't killer. Uematsu's greatest work imo.

StreaK Ljink96 (on 28 October 2016)

FFVIII and FFVII both had 8 songs in the entire list. Overall, FFVII had a few songs that are some of the strongest in the series, but in the end I think I would give the edge to FFVIII for having an overall superior soundtrack.

Jumpin (on 01 October 2018)

Searching For Friends not even in the top 50? IMO it is the best song in Final Fantasy 6, superior to Terra's Theme. This list overall has a bias toward later music, though.

cesarmgc (on 29 October 2016)

The best Top 10 Final Fantasy OST i have ever seen... (lacks of FFT Bland logo but anyway)... Nice Job... and Top 1 To Zanarkan was expected! is the best song of the entire franchise...

ZODIARKrebirth (on 29 October 2016)

Still waiting for ffvi femake;) terra, celes, edgar, sabin, what a amazing story...

hokido (on 29 October 2016)

Right that is it I'm going to play Final Fantasy X again, backlog be dammed.

Tootylicious (on 31 October 2016)

Suprised to see Otherworld in the Top 10. As a big FFX fan, I never thought the song was actually good. It just sticked out and I would've expected it somewhere in the 30s.

ALSO surprised to see One-Winged Angel as the favorite FFVII tune. Sure it's iconic, but not all that great, especially the cheesy psycho horror sounds in between.

Xen (on 31 October 2016)

I came to agree with the winning song :)

NobleTeam360 (on 31 October 2016)

Great top 10, FFX has the best FF track imo

deskpro2k3 (on 30 October 2016)

Zanarkand is so boring, puts me to sleep.

xl-klaudkil (on 30 October 2016)

One winged angel can never be beaten in my opinion!

Michelasso (on 29 October 2016)

Great selection. And YES!! To Zanarkand is the best! No doubts about that. I still remember when I have been putting on FFX the first time and it started with this music and the most famous camp site. I still get the vibes! ^_^

Oneeee-Chan!!! (on 29 October 2016)

Great musics.

cesarmgc (on 28 October 2016)

The best Top 10 Final Fantasy OST i have ever seen... (lacks of FFT Bland logo but anyway)... Nice Job... and Top 1 To Zanarkan was expected! is the best song of the entire franchise...

StreaK (on 28 October 2016)

Whoohoo, ALL of my top 5 tracks are in the top 50. 3 of them being in the top 5. One of them being in FIRST place. Overall, the list is a fantastic representation of the music of Final Fantasy, hands down. It would make an excellent best of compilation album for sure and I would not complain.
FFVI = 5 tracks
FFVII = 9 tracks
FFVIII = "8" tracks
FFIX = 9 tracks
FFX = 4 tracks (all in the top 10)

StreaK StreaK (on 28 October 2016)

Oops, FFVII = 8 tracks. I counted Crisis Core's.

patronmacabre (on 28 October 2016)

While the rest of the list is pretty debatable in some places, I think most people would agree with the top ten -- or at least a substantial portion of it. The only songs I think missing from the grand list is the FFVII main theme/first world map theme and Auron's theme.

StreaK (on 28 October 2016)

Ariakon (on 28 October 2016)

Four of the songs I voted for are in the top ten, but I'm a bit surprised my number.1, Aerith's theme, ended up the lowest out of all of them. Great list overall, though, and great work by Taneli.

Darashiva Ariakon (on 29 October 2016)

Thanks. Glad to know you liked the list. Aerith's Theme lost to Liberi Fatali with one point, and to Sudeki Da Ne with two, so it was a very close call.

Neodegenerate (on 28 October 2016)

Love that Terra's Theme made it to the top 10. Fun fact: I used that song in my wedding procession.

ZODIARKrebirth (on 28 October 2016)

Great top ten, and nice to see a ffvi theme on the second position

Kuksenkov (on 28 October 2016)

Kiss Me Goodbye and Melodies of Life are better vocal themes than Suteki Da Ne, point period blank bottom line cut and dry.

Crystal Chronicles as a whole has many amazing tracks, The Crystal Bearers has one remix of "Veo Lu Sluice" that's just wonderful.

Dirge Of Cerberus also has an amazing moody soundtrack that doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

The World Map theme from Final Fantasy VII is a masterpiece, especially when Ishimoto re-arranged it for Crisis Core.

Servants of the Mountain is amazing.

WoodenPints (on 28 October 2016)

Quite a good top 10 and the only song that I actually dislike out of it is One Winged Angel.

StreaK WoodenPints (on 28 October 2016)

Wow, you pick what is arguably one of the most iconic tracks in the series.
For me, I was shocked to see Otherworld in the top 50 let alone the TOP 10 - are you kidding me??? It's possibly one of my most LEAST favourite FF tracks. One of the few I actually dislike.

golfgt170 (on 28 October 2016)

Kinda wanted Suteki dane at top spot. Maybe cause i associate this song with probably the most powerful scene ever seen in gaming history! Always brings tears to my eyes...

StreaK golfgt170 (on 28 October 2016)

I think the ending and "I Love You" was more powerful than the "kiss" scene.

Zkuq golfgt170 (on 28 October 2016)

Since he's talking about a powerful scene and tears, I don't think there's much chance he's NOT talking about the ending. Or perhaps his taste is different. Two great scenes anyway...

golfgt170 golfgt170 (on 29 October 2016)

Ofc that scene in the ending was extremely emotional aswell. It's just that suteki da ne accompanying THE SPRING made it more memorable for me :)

Zkuq golfgt170 (on 29 October 2016)

Oh, I see. :D Very well, carry on then! It's the tears part that got me there.

StreaK golfgt170 (on 30 October 2016)

Yeah, but for me...To Zanarkand in the end while Tidus/Yuna embrace one another (hopelessly) is possibly unmatched as the most dramatic moment in gaming history. In fact, it may be on par with Aerith's death scene.