Video Game Music and Aerith's Theme

Music has a very important role in humanity and life itself. It has the power to create, form, shape, inspire, and flourish to what we as humans become. In some cases it is seen in a negative light, if not outright being branded as a tool of evil to be used in such a villanous way that some may have downright disregarded music entirely. However, for the majority who see music in a positive light, it can be seen as a majestic entity that can transcend time itself.

Today marks a very special occasion, for me, for gamers, and music enthusiasts all around as Classic FM put together a Hall of Fame of the top 300 classics, and through rigorous voting and polls, Aerith's Theme from Final Fantasy VII placed 16th out of 300 which is impressively high. Not only that, but this marks the first time that Video Game music has been officially considered "classical". Why am I escatic with glee and earjactulating buckets here? Here's why.

A long time ago in the year 1997, Squaresoft released Final Fantasy VII to universal acclaim and since then it has been highly regarded as one of the best games in the series. As a kid in middle school (didn't play it till I was 15) I too shared the same praise as I grew to adore it as much as any other fan. It was at that time at the end of disc one that after spending more than 20 hours having the myserious flower girl in my party for the majority of the game suddenly fall to her death as the maniacal Sephiroth plunged his sword into her. It was with that shock (again I was a teenager) I saw her perish from this world that the iconic song was born from tears of sadness that caused me to cry for the first time ever... to a video game. I had to pay for my parent's plumbing bill because of it. (lie)

As the years went on and me grown a wiser, I grew past my fanboyism to one game and series to many others, but it was Aerith's theme that still tugs at my heart strings. It was then a few months ago that I saw this page that lead to the Classic FM Hall of Fame. Jokingly I put in Aerith's theme and the voting just flourished. It was either that or One Winged Angel. As much as I like One Winged Angel, it's overplayed, like Bohemian Rhapsody, or Stairway to Heaven. It's still a good song, but too much rotation will start to thin. Thus on a lark, I entered Aerith and the rest is history.

Many music enthusiasts may never have played the game as it's not only outside of their ballpark, but some may not regard video game music as music at all. Which is a shame because it has evolved from it's humble beginnings back in the late 70s and mid 80s roots to what it is today. From chiptune to redbook audio to live orchestra video games have as they say grown the beard in terms of music. That's why you see concerts being played worldwide by for example Tommy Tallarico and Video Games Live to Distant Worlds II Music from Final Fantasy and to more or less up there The Legend of Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses (I've been to all 3, all are excellent).

So congrats to all gamers and gaming enthusiasts, we now belong with the classics. A toast to Uematsu-san. May his music and many others be a huge influence to humanity for years to come.

To see what the fuss is about, here's a link to Classic FM's Hall of Fame.

As well as entry number 16. Give it a listen will you?

Buy the MP3 of Aerith's Theme here. (Rarefindit sent ya there.)

If you have any memories of any memorable piece that moved you to tears like this, feel free to share that in the comments below.

To all you naysayers, video game music is now classical. Suck on that haters!