Grammy Nominee: 'Last Surprise' Ushers Game Music into Spotlight

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

8-Bit Big Band's Second Grammy Nomination

The 8-Bit Big Band's vibrant jazz interpretation of "Last Surprise" is nominated for "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" at the 2025 Grammy Awards. The performance features Grammy-winner Jake Silverman (Button Masher) on synthesizers and the powerful vocals of Jonah Nilsson (Dirty Loops). This marks the band's second Grammy nomination, following their 2022 win for their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge."

Bandleader Charlie Rosen expressed his excitement on Twitter (X), celebrating his fourth consecutive Grammy nomination and highlighting the growing recognition of video game music.

This acclaimed cover will compete against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend in the same category at the Grammy Awards ceremony on February 2nd, 2025.

2025 Grammy Nominations for Best Video Game Score

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 achieved a remarkable feat, securing a nomination every year since the category's inception.

The 8-Bit Big Band's Grammy nomination underscores the enduring appeal and artistic merit of video game music, showcasing how classic compositions can inspire fresh interpretations and reach broader audiences.