Ranking EVERY Final Fantasy Soundtrack

[@AlexTekle]

I think it’s notable that while 16’s ost is very traditionally medieval, it also shakes things up with crazy electronic themes like the Typhon and Omega weapon boss. It really highlighted their otherworldly nature.

[@jonathandear4914]

Dont forget Titan's two rock themes.

[@marvolom787]

One thing we can agree - there is no bad Final Fantasy soundtrack.

[@alexeiharp7676]

Hmm I'm gonna be that guy and say FFV's wasn't really good .

[@marvolom787]

@@alexeiharp7676 it still gave us 'Battle on the Big Bridge'

[@alexeiharp7676]

@@marvolom787 true!

[@Vayne_Solidor]

​@@alexeiharp7676Nah it's overall good.

[@alexeiharp7676]

@@Vayne_Solidor meh it's average to me but of course impossible not to compare to so many masterpieces

[@DraconSteel]

Honesty, 14 could be its own video as each expansion has its own soundtrack

[@ErekLadd]

For sure. There’s hundreds of tracks from what I gather so I’d love to properly dive in at some stage!

[@darthdan]

@@ErekLadd It's a massive body of work that somehow keeps throwing bangers, which is very impressive to keep a level of quality with such output. With that said, unless the game is played, it will have less impact. We tend to get attached to moments of the story or action while music plays that enhances the experience and makes it even more memorable. Cheers

[@GoddamnBatman1]

14 also pulls from so many previous Final Fantasy games that it has an unfair advantage.

[@ovted129]

@@darthdan I am more impressed by the diversity of bangers.

[@ovted129]

@@GoddamnBatman1 but it does have a large array of unique songs.

[@thaneros]

XIII ost is underrated by the fanbase

[@valentinsalgado6605]

It has many problems but OST isnt one of them. I loved Saber edge and Born anew

[@TrynePlague]

It got even better in FF13-2.

[@thaneros]

@@TrynePlague AND even better with LR

[@Vayne_Solidor]

​@@thanerosXIII-2 is peak. All themes around Caius.

[@thaneros]

@@Vayne_Solidor I say LR due to just about every major track from the first two games is included as well as its own tracks.

[@b3nt0t]

Sephiroth's music theme alone is one of the greatest theme in video game industry.

[@ErekLadd]

Totally agree!!

[@glad1us112]

Which one, his boss music or his static villain theme (OWA vs Those Chosen by the Planet)

[@nicholassupernant6807]

Gotta admit I prefer Dancing Mad, but One wing angel slaps

[@mathieudoucet1446]

Not even in top 10 of the chrono trigger/cross song

[@Connorheea]

Putting 16 this low makes me question your taste completely 😅

[@Reivax6248]

Same

[@ErekLadd]

It’s a great soundtrack for sure, but didn’t land with me as much as the others unfortunately.

[@KainsAddiction]

​@@ErekLaddIt's because you're older. It really is. The shit you experienced in your formative years will ALWAYS hit harder.

[@aa-tx7th]

OR and hear me out on this... its just not as good for.him as the others? just sayin'

[@twilium1284]

@@aa-tx7thpeople can agree to disagree. He also said to leave a comment if you disagree. It’s okay not to like his picks

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

Nobou Uematsu said it himself, Final Fantasy IX is his best soundtrack. The melodies and variations in the compositions of the tracks are incredible. The magic of every piece of music is astonishing considering it came out only one year after Final Fantasy VIII.

[@Aries_Aria]

FF9 has a god tier OST

[@cherub3624]

I mean... I'm 8 hours into 9 and most of the tracks are forgettable in comparison to 7 and 8 only two hours in.

[@aoeu256]

I dunno I thought 4,5,6,7,8 were better...

[@femtrooper]

One thing is for sure, I may not like every Final Fantasy game but damn, the music is great in all of them. Probably why Theatrhythm is one of my favourite games!

[@ErekLadd]

So true! Reminds me that I need to check out Theatrhythm!

[@rdos1492]

My favorite is FF9 definitely !

[@ErekLadd]

Great choice!!

[@MrPlisska]

I am a big fan of ff7 but I found that the soundtrack of ff9 fitted perfectly with the characters, locations or situations.

[@alexeiharp7676]

IX is a beauty

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

Nobou Uematsu said it was his favorite as well. I've always thought it was the best Final Fantasy soundtrack.

[@woodsmanoh384]

Sleeping so hard on X’s. I can’t enough of almost every track, they just drive each moment of the game to the next level

[@irvyne6111]

Disagree. FF10 was the first FF OST that (somewhat) disappointed me. It certainly has its moments, but so much of the soundtrack is just tuneless droning.

[@Rogue_NPC_777]

I honestly think Hamauzu and Nakano outshine Uematsu on FFX's OST. Such unique, atmospheric weirdness that sucked me right into the world of Spira. It always puts me into a hypnotic/meditative state when I play it.

[@breensprout]

i don't love every track in ffx but what i really like is the use of motifs throughout the soundtrack. you can hear bits of to zanarkand, the hymn of the fayth, and suteki da ne in many different settings. also the ending theme is incredible. and the battle theme might get annoying in game but on its own it's very cool.

[@ILoveThisBlank]

Great list! I couldn't get mad at anyone for saying 6, 7, 8, or 9 is their favorite soundtrack - they're all so good. My personal favorite is 6 - not just because it's my favorite game in the series. I love 6's soundtrack because it does the strongest work of helping to tell the story of the game. Terra's theme is lonely, but it has different arrangements that often play when Terra has a difficult choice to make, or when she's feeling especially alone. But I mostly want to talk about Celes' theme and Locke's theme. Each character in the game has their theme playing during their introduction except for Celes. We don't hear her theme until the opera scene, and then we only very sparingly hear it other than that. We hear it when Locke and Celes reunite at night in Albrook: Locke is trying to reach out and apologize to her, but she's so overcome with emotion that she can't speak, and she runs away. But we hear her theme playing, so we know how she feels. If you see her suicide attempt, you hear her theme again there. And you hear her theme, intertwined with Locke's, in the final scene. When I was a music theory professor for a while I did a small section on music in other media in one course. I played different character themes from FFVI, and asked the students to describe who the characters were based just on their themes. They always nailed Locke's theme: He's not the main character, but he thinks he's the main character. But I also like how "Forever Rachel" is basically just Locke's theme, slower and sadder. That suggests to me that it's not really Rachel's theme, it's a song that's all about how Locke feels about Rachel (which helps explain why we hear it a few times when Rachel isn't present.) Basically, all of these ideas and more make these character themes work like leitmotifs in an opera, and I feel like this game does a better job than any of the others in the series of really connecting the music and the story. And I apologize for writing an essay in this comment, I've just given this a lot of thought - and I have several lengthy analysis videos on this on my own channel! (Side note, I'm about to start working on a synth cover of a song from Final Fantasy IV. Does anyone have any suggestions for what I should pick?)

[@darkgriffin23]

I agree FF6 OST is something really special. I suggest you cover Within The Giant, great song.

[@ILoveThisBlank]

@@darkgriffin23 Thanks for the suggestion - I'll give that another deep listening to see if there's something I can do with it in my style!

[@Vayne_Solidor]

First of all, all main line FF have at least a good soundtrack. My favorite is either XII TZA or XV. To XII: the game has a big focus on its world building. The optional content is so awesome, which makes Battle with an Esper one of my favorites. 8 of 13 Espers are optional and I love hunting them. Favorit theme is easily Struggle for Freedom. Takes around 4 minutes to reach its climax but it's so worth it. Other themes I love are Archadian Empire and some area themes (Rabanastre, Ozmone, Eruyt Village, Cerobi, Salikawood and especially Lust for Power). XV has so many awesome themes, Somnus, Apocalypsis Noctis, most of the boss themes, Wanderlust and so on. Just wished some themes would be more prominent. Type-0 and XIII-2 (all Caius themes) are next in my list. My favorites from Uematsus style are either X and VIII. VII is close as well. Undeniably awesome soundtracks. Oh and VI has Terra and Celes' themes. V has Battle on the Big bridge and some other good ones. XVI has the most hype boss themes. Find the Flame and Heart of Stone (as final part to Titan Lost) for example. XIII-1, I hear a lot praise for its soundtrack. And I understand it. Blinded by Light, Dust to Dust and probably Archylte Steppe are my favorites.

[@leonardoh94]

Lust for power is amazing

[@uppernimbus]

Nice list Erek! Once again, I am not surprised with Number 1 🤣 Really excited to hear some of this series' music sometime later this year!

[@ErekLadd]

I can't wait to hear your reactions!

[@camillobenedetti2484]

Final fantasy 13 osts are so underrated... I would also consider the themes of 13-2/3 that are quite good, especially caius theme(s) that are personally one of my favorites in all ff. In general I would rank way higher ff 15 and 16 too. 14 depends on expansions but it's amazing too

[@Vayne_Solidor]

Agreed! XIII-2 has a good soundtrack but Caius's themes are all top tier. And yes, 15 and 16 have amazing soundtracks, don't know if he is just biased or didn't pay attention.

[@ErekLadd]

Not biased - never played XIII-2 or 3 purely because I didn’t enjoy XIII unfortunately

[@Vaeltis]

Yeah of all the critiques that people puts forth for ff13, it's sound track is one of the most standout among the franchise.

[@Vayne_Solidor]

​@@ErekLaddXIII-2 is awesome. It gives you a lot of freedom AND the themes around Caius.

[@Lunariant]

I've never played XIII-2 but I've played the hell out of its soundtrack. I love its focus on blending electronic and orchestral music, and a lot of the vocal songs are straight up bangers. It's definitely not to everyone's taste, but it absolutely is to mine.

[@laurenb.1750]

Disappointed to see that Final Fantasy Tactics wasn't even considered for the list. Such an amazing game that is constantly overlooked or ignored.

[@ErekLadd]

You're totally right. I did not include because I haven't played it. It's currently sitting in my backlog waiting to be looked at. I plan to dedicate a few videos to Tactics once I finish!

[@breensprout]

thanks for this! i went to the distant worlds: music from final fantasy concert earlier this year and the conductor said they switch up the music for every tour but there are two songs they're required to play every time: to zanarkand from ffx and one winged angel from ffvii.

[@superarty7]

Wandering Flame is one of my favorites songs ever and I used to listen all the time while writing. Never seen many people talking about it

[@abnats88]

personally i would rank XIII the best music selection/theme. idk man, but blinded by light is top tier battle theme, i don’t get tired of hearing it.

[@HazmanFTW]

Some notable songs that you didn't mention is, Otherworld from FFX Shuffle and Boogie, I spent so much time playing Triple Triad in FF8 and from 13-2 which isn't in the list Crazy Chocobo and Limit Break from that game, they were done by Shootie HG who did the DMC 3 and 4 soundtracks, he also did a couple of songs in FF7 Rebirth as well I believe

[@engineerofthemachine]

I knew when the video started that the top two would be 6 & 7. It was a stab in my heart when 6 took 2nd place, but you’re right, it’s really a flip of the coin on who gets the top spot. S Rank = FFT

[@walteranurantha5014]

My favorite FF ost of all time is one that Nobuo Uematsu is proud of in FF6 and 9^^ He even said in his interview that Dancing Mad was his best and favorite work in his career. I also teared up at FF9 menu theme as my favorite.

[@timbrown_nb]

While there aren't a ton of "stand out" tracks on Final Fantasy XII, I think the soundtrack as a whole is super good, and the music always fits the situation so well. Also, just wanted to say that I'm really enjoying your channel! Thank you for the content.

[@ErekLadd]

Thanks! Appreciate you hanging out and checking out the videos!!

[@feiitogaming]

Perfect ranking!!! I love talking about and listen people talk about Final Fantasy music. Final Fantasy VII is truly the best... And XIV... And X... And VIII...

[@ErekLadd]

The best for sure!!

[@Jakeakatheone]

Wandering Flame is one of my favorite tracks in all of FF so it became my nickname

[@Lunariant]

Same, I toy between Wandering and Liberi Fatali as my all time favourite Final Fantasy track. They both stop me in my tracks but in very different ways

[@gggeliel3978]

11:53 I was literally rolling my eyes hahaha. Ff6 is my favorite soundtrack al least I think, I always change my mind about this to tell the truth. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@ErekLadd]

I knew it!!! 🤣

[@xStanyyx]

Your 15 ranking is a crime

[@DragonOfDestiny1]

I think FFX is the best personally

[@ErekLadd]

It’s up there for sure. Really love the immersion that soundtrack gives when playing!

[@DragonOfDestiny1]

@@ErekLadd otherworld is one of my favourite final fantasy tracks

[@mattbrown9631]

@@ErekLadd X's soundtrack is probably THE most immersive of them all overall when it comes down to that single quality.

[@yungalucard9139]

I think X-2 had a better soundtrack

[@AhmedZwawininja]

To me X had some of the best and worst game music ever

[@XionYetora]

Dispite not being my favorite I can admit that ff8 does have some killer music…though I would have 6,9,7 as my top musics…I love all the character themes. Also have you ever considered a non ff top rpg music list? Or really visiting other great RPGs aside from ff. Not sick of it by any means, but I would love to see your opinion. Thanks again for the great video! Can’t wait for more soon.

[@ErekLadd]

Yes more non-Final Fantasy content coming soon! Just been riding the wave of FF related stuff. Will expand into other RPG territory from next week!!!

[@samieltaib1365]

Great list! FF9 is my all time favorite soundtrack/game in the series with "You're not alone" being the top there. The emotional weight behind the scene and the music just gets me every time. Just a small correction, FF14 vanilla is the last game Uematsu worked on as the main composer of Final Fantasy and not FF10. Soken took over as the main composer from A Realm Reborn.

[@madkaiser4887]

Oooh this ought to be interesting. I guess the next few rankings for Final Fantasy would be Battle Systems/Combat Systems, maybe Final Bosses (tho that's also big spoiler material kinda obviously). Also damn, you shaved as well, lmao

[@ErekLadd]

Sure did 🤣 Felt like doing something different!! Good suggestions!

[@chronicguardian9684]

I really like your descriptive video essay style! Just enough substance without going so long as to get word-salady. Check out Wailers and Water Wheels from FFXIV. There are other great standouts, some that you can find in the Theatrhythm selections, but that one is my personal favorite.

[@dougkinzinger]

Your FFX selections are on point.

[@FOOD2o]

i love 7 as much as the next guy but dancing mad alone should put 6 at the top

[@ErekLadd]

Dancing Mad is a masterpiece! I *almost* prefer it to One Winged Angel to be honest.

[@GenerationPixel]

Yes, there's hardly any filler in the entire FF catalogue, but VII is just God Tier 👌

[@ErekLadd]

Too true!

[@simoncss1]

Oooo. Was waitin out after 4th & 3rd place announced, if U’d place FFVI & VII tops or somehow drop out of list (?). Great picks!

[@dannysimion]

Good list and respect your reasoning. WE all have our own listing. For me FF12 is my overall favorite. 6, 7, 9, 10, 13 and 8 are my next. Currently im enjoying FF7 Rebirths' OST. Love how they remade a lot of great theme songs there.

[@djbawb]

I love your list!

[@ErekLadd]

I love YOU!

[@timgeraci311]

I’m probably one of the few who find’s Final Fantasy II’s soundtrack to be very underrated. Its hard to argue with your top 3, but I would probably put VIII as my number 1. But just barely over VII!

[@ErekLadd]

FFII soundtrack is good! I would agree it's underrated to a point for sure. VIII is insanely great as well. When ranking these I did consider putting VIII at the top!

[@mjmh92]

final fantasy 12 is a masterpiece. it was my first final fantasy and it takes a while to get going but when it does, it does. a world very deeply rich with lore gives it that lived in vibe, and its presentation as a political tale with magical elements was a nice mix and a nice departure from the chosen one/ heroes of light trope. it's a very grounded story where the villain more or less wins.

[@sveneerdekens8032]

I think the best overall is IX. Best song is Liberi Fatali! You should do a top 25 of the best songs in the series!!

[@Drewbacca7789]

Final fantasy 8 will forever be my favorite soundtrack. I personally think they Nobuo stepped it up after creating the banger that was 7s soundtrack. A lot of people will compare the two since they are the same era of gaming. Dont get me wrong 7s soundtrack is probably my 2nd favorite. I just think every song in 8 is perfectly placed for every area and battle in the game. The best way I can describe it is 7s soundtrack has mostly 9/10 and 10/10 songs with a few 8/10s sprinkled in while 8s soundtrack has only 9/10 and 10/10.

[@MaxaMillion711]

It’s hard to pick between 6,7,8 and 9. They are all incredible. I’d probably go with 8 as the best. Force your way is the best boss music. Liberi Fatali is the best opening. The legendary beast is the most epic and underrated final Boss track. 8 is just operating at a higher level than 7 IMO. But again I love them all, 10/10.

[@HopeBFull]

My favorite is XIII, I think just because I really like how Hamauzu writes. I've been discovering from listening to more Hamauzu that he's probably my favorite composer, maybe just in general. Really love his stuff.

[@exist9531]

Dude thank you for giving ff4 the praise it well deserves

[@notme8152]

My absolute favourite ffs are 6 and 12 but none of them has peak themes (a few like ff6 dancing mad or ff12 esper battle are memorable, but they are a few in the whole ost). The best ost to me is from 13, even if I don't like that game one bit. Not a single theme in 13 is below 8 or 9. Honorable mention to 3's eternal wind which is one of the absolute best themes in the whole series IMO

[@eddyhighwind6852]

6, 7, and 10's music are top tier.

[@Wetothecrib]

Faccs

[@floriangailliegue6760]

You cannot go wrong with VI-VII-VIII-IX-X lots of amazing music for each of these installments. And yes lots of Prog hidden in the music ty Uematsu.

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

100% agree

[@aa-tx7th]

well theres a reason why most people consider those games to be the francise's peak i consider them to be GAMING'S peak in fact

[@nineten9011]

Ain’t no way FFXV is anything below top 3

[@RyanHumeniuk]

15's soundtrack is not better than 6,7,8,9, or 10's soundtrack so no it's definitely not too 3 for soundtracks

[@lex1070]

Nah...no one should be rolling their eyes for the #1. It's what brought final fantasy to stardom! 7 does not have a single bad track. And there's a reason they're doing a whole remake...which btw rebirth is amazing!

[@ghoztly7099]

X and VIII are some of the best OST's in video game history in my eyes. 6 and 7 trail behind them slightly but all four are so good. If I had to do a top 10 OST's of all time, X and 8 might be on that list.

[@zombinekiller]

The remade tracks from ff7 remake/rebirth are amazing. My favorite is “the oppressed”, but there are so many good tracks.

[@Arumat17]

I know everyone raves about FFXIV but have you all not heard FFXI soundtrack? It is amazing...

[@Rogue_NPC_777]

Hell yeah. So many unique and calming tracks. Naoshi Mizuta is severely underrated.

[@valentinsalgado6605]

If I had to make a ranking : 1. AWAY. FF16 2. LIBERI FATALI FF8 3. ROSES OF MAY FF9 4. ONE WINGED ANGEL FF7 5 TO ZANARKAND FF10 6 CLASH ON THE BIG BRIDGE FF12 VERSION 7 MAGNA INSOMNIA FF15 8 LOVE THEME - INTRO FF4 REMAKE 9 DANCING MAD FF6 10 TO SAIL FORBIDDEN SEAS FF16

[@dmac7344]

Great List. I like your top 2. I might swap them but I don't mind 7 as #1.

[@6balanced9]

Honestly I agree with u on 7 I mean there are more ff7 song covers then any other ff game combined and those covers are awesome whether it be metal piano or violin just to name a few absolutely love the og soundtrack and the covers

[@ErekLadd]

If that’s the case you might be interested in the FF7 cover album I made called Lifestream. Check it out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIOvonelot9lhNEsi=HhAMGfVGf0A6xjcf

[@dognose8518]

where does the character artwork you use for your thumbnails come from?

[@AugustStarlight3]

Honestly FFXIV borrows from and elevates the music of its predecessors SO WELL. It’s possibly the best soundtrack by default because of that. The metamorphosis of the FFIII themes into A Long Fall, aka The Twinning, is impressive enough alone. I also loved hearing the references to FFIV throughout the Endwalker expansion, and now that I’m finally playing FFXII, I know where a good chunk of the Bozja music came from. I suspect (and hope) Dawntrail will call back to FFIX and/or FFX. Soken has more than proven himself a worthy successor to Uematsu. I hope you get to delve into that music soon. As for the single-player FF soundtracks, FFX is my favourite just because it was my first (and it’s devastatingly beautiful to boot). And I don’t know if it counts, but FFVII Rebirth just took that original FFVII soundtrack to a whole new level. Aside from the expected, the callbacks to Crisis Core punched me right in the feels. And they had no business going that hard making a track for a single optional dog-escorting mission.

[@Eagleknight815]

Another note for FFV - The Fire Ship! Oh, I love that theme

[@Lunariant]

You asked for standout tracks from XII: Eruyt Village, The Cerobi Steppe, A Moment's Rest, The Skycity of Bhujerba, Streets of Rabanastre. Sakimoto is known for is bombastic tracks layered with blasts of brass and strings, but for me his shining works are all his quieter pieces. Go for the Zodiac Age arrangements for its rich orchestral soundscapes.

[@Vayne_Solidor]

I'd add Lust for Power, Ozmone Plain and Salikawood, as well as Struggle for Freedom.

[@Lunariant]

@@Vayne_Solidor All great additions. Just my taste though but I'd switch Battle With An Esper for Struggle For Freedom

[@aaronlefebre5060]

11 and 14 genuinely deserve their own deep dives because the music from both games truly deserve the attention. I dislike how so many people write them off purely because they are mmos, because that does both the games and the people a massive disservice.

[@ErekLadd]

I agree. And I plan to remedy that! It’s a huge time commitment to get into XIV for me right now but I’m looking into so I can finally cover it in some capacity!

[@vincentc964]

I understand why it's not listed (it's not a mainline entry) but the FFVII remake soundtrack is ridiculous. I'm playing through it now and getting goosebumps on practically every session. So good. Also a shout out to the Crisis Core soundtrack. Difficult list - they are all good! I also have a special fondness for the FFVIII soundtrack.

[@ErekLadd]

Remake & Rebirth soundtracks are insanely good. Rebirth especially just nailed it perfectly! Even had a nod to Crisis Core in Gongaga. Loved every second of it!

[@nathank2289]

6 and 7 probably have the most nostalgic tracks but 8 has the highest quality. Its amazing what he did with a playstation one chip to create those grand orchestra songs. Eyes on me was even used in the Olympics if i remember right.

[@SuperRamos619]

Sad that the MMOs weren't part of this, FFXI is probably my favorite OST of all time.

[@NYCHeavyHitz212]

FF7 is my first FF, and even so, I made a sure bet that NO other soundtrack could touch, let alone top this and til this day I just haven't seen it. Literally every single song is not only tolerable, but a clear banger. I didn't realize until last week the end credits track was playing off my Apple Music shuffle and as much as I ran thru FF7, I never listened to the end credits enough to realize how even THAT is an amazing track. I love how it calls back the whole game. It's insane. Also insane how it's just not as good in the remakes. Jussayin. The best songs in 10 are on par but 6 is more consistent.

[@stevedavidmusic]

Top 5-7 can go any way really. For me it's FF6 FF4 FF10 FF7 FF8 FF9 FF5 Dancing Mad > One Winged Angel, don't @ me. Would be really cool to see a tier list of just battle themes / boss music / final boss music / etc.

[@Eagleknight815]

Great List. Depending on when you played the top six games, they could be ranked any which ways. For me, FFIV would be higher because I played it more as a kid than VIII.

[@hexenvexen]

14's soundtrack is incredible, it has the largest amount of tracks in the series but almost all of them are high quality and memorable. For me when I was playing through it, hearing all of the music for the first time was one of my favorite parts of the experience. If you want to just listen to one track to get a taste of it, "Answers" is the main theme of the game and arguably its most important song (and is actually composed by Uematsu even though most of the soundtrack is Soken). It's even better in the trailer it's used in, "End of an Era", which is the cinematic that played after the original 1.0 servers were shut down and 14's world experienced a calamity event.

[@necroguy11]

It's also kind of cheating because while the original pieces are excellent so many of the great tracks in XIV are also based on previous FF music. Eternal Wind, Dancing Mad, even just the basic ff4 battle theme are done so incredibly well in XIV that half the time I think of them instead of the original versions of those songs.

[@hexenvexen]

@@necroguy11 Yes lol, I've never played FF3 but after finishing Shadowbringers, Eternal Wind is definitely one of my favorites. Same with FF4, never played it but Forged in Crimson is one of my favorite boss themes

[@Aries_Aria]

I would actually say FFXI has the largest OST. It also has the most unique tracks. XIV has a large OST yes, but it also has a lot of remixes.

[@hexenvexen]

@@Aries_Aria I haven't played 11 myself, but from what I can find there are about 200 tracks from the game in total, while 14 has over 700. Definitely still an impressive showing from 11 but I think even only considering the original tracks 14 still beats it out in terms of quantity

[@jeremyjones4824]

FFXIII-2 OST is super underrated. One of the most evocative soundtracks in any final fantasy game in my op.

[@lokotroko1]

I'm replying ffvi again. It is the best ff ever, story, characters, and soundtracks. Just perfect

[@nickp3949]

Man everyone sleeps on FFXII/s soundtrack. While perhaps not the most emotionally moving soundtrack, it's perhaps the best in the series at capturing the feel and vibe of each location through the music. Giza Plains, the Dalmasca Estersand and Westersand, the endless deserts of the Sandsea, and best of all the quintessential "lost in a cold mountain" theme, Paramina Rift. The battle themes go very hard too.

[@daleromney9644]

I would agree with this list except for 12, but that's because I love that game.

[@Vayne_Solidor]

It's a very good soundtrack, atmospheric and fits the world. Especially when doing the sidecontent it helps diving into the world. Struggle for Freedom is my favorite FF final story battle theme. Lists like this are obviously subjective. For example, I don't understand the praise for IV. But that's ok.

[@Space_Ache]

FF8 is maybe my favorite. That or X. Love seeing you putting 8 so high. Feel it is highly underrated.

[@FARSHOOTER3]

You should definitely revisit XIV when you have the time. Be careful with looking up the music on youtube. There can be some big spoilers in those videos. Also, avoid watching all the expansion trailers. All of the recently released expansion trailers will have spoilers.

[@ErekLadd]

Yep will do! I know literally nothing about XIV and I plan to keep it that way until I get to playing it!

[@ArenSama]

Apocalypsis Aquarius and Crimson Blitz are the best ones for me

[@a.c.forever5157]

I think 13’s soundtrack should be way higher. For me, it rivals 10’s. Has some great battle themes that get your juices pumping, some jazz session songs like sash’s theme or can’t catch a break that just go so hard. Atonement is such a beautiful song that uses snow’s theme in a harsh moment with him and hope. Idk… feel like the ost doesn’t get enough praise. Also, the game itself isn’t too bad, ppl hate on it way too much.

[@AjoraRayne]

1) It's really hard for me to do this ranking because I believe that each Final Fantasy soundtrack is perfect for its game. I could not imagine swapping a song from one game with a song from another game. 2) If you ever get the chance to go to a Distant Worlds concert, please go! Listening to this music performed live by an orchestra is amazing. The music just envelops you. When they opened with the Prelude, I got goosebumps. 3) I'm also on the list of people who rave about the FF14 soundtrack. It's great for bringing in classics from the other games in the series, but also has originals that stand on their own. Masayoshi Soken (who also did FF16) does a lot with leitmotifs and it's really well done. There are times where I'll have a FF14 song come up on Spotify, and it'll take me back to reliving a first time boss fight or epic moment in the game.

[@nslater1388]

I’ll subscribe when I agree with your ranking, hahaha!!

[@tcomegna]

I agree with your list well done. But with a proper clean sound system, nothing can beat FF6. Switch your top 2 and switch FF8 with FF4 and it’s perfect Well done tho ! Love your FF videos

[@ErekLadd]

Honestly as much as I loved the arrangements for VI in the pixel remaster collection, I prefer those songs coming out of a CRT. Just hits different!

[@antilles58]

My ranking: 14. 2 13. 1 (though tbh, themes from both of these games became staples throughout the top games on this list) 12. 12 11. 3 10. 13 9. 15 8. 5 7. 4 6. 16 5. 8 4. 10 (but I'd put To Zanarkand as my favorite song from the series) 3. 9 2. 6 1. 7

[@Eagleknight815]

FFIV - Overworld / Main Theme. My favorite overworld theme in the entire series.

[@TrynePlague]

FF8 wins this easy on a soundtrack ranking. It's also my favorite FF by far, but I know it's not a popular opinion. FF6/7/9 come next, difficult to really rank these, fantastic games and OST's. FF4/10/13 have great tracks as well (FF13-2 is also really really good). As a game, FF13 is not that great though. FF5/12 have good OST's. I like the Vagrant Story feeling of FF12 alot. One of my 3 favorite FF's as a game. FF1/2/3 are cool as well, and yeah, better to be enjoyed when remastered or symphonic version. FF15 was so forgettable, I don't remember a single note of that OST... Game of Devil May Cry 16, I couldn't care less about...

[@Vayne_Solidor]

15 has amazing OST, so you tell me you don't remember Somnus, Apocalypsis Noctis or any of the boss themes (Horrors of Night, Omnis Lacrima, Invidia)? That is a pity because this is one of Yoko's finest works even next to Xenoblade or the KH series.

[@TrynePlague]

@@Vayne_Solidor I didn't enjoy the game from start to finish, hopelessly waiting for something great to happen. And then it was over.. And everything about it left my memory. Which has not happened with any of the earlier entries. Theathrythm Final Bar will probably bring back some of those memories to me :)

[@Vayne_Solidor]

​​@@TrynePlagueI highly recommend doing Chapter 15. Which is basically going back and explore the side stuff. Also....this is about soundtrack, not whether or not you like the game Oh and yes it will. Theathrhythm has a fair amount of its best tracks. And some weird choices but thats ok.

[@TrynePlague]

@@Vayne_Solidor There's no enjoyment to get out of exploring more of a world which I didn't enjoy in the first place. I mean, I get that you like it, that's cool. I love 8 games in the franchise and some I don't. My favorite game of all time is Shenmue. No one likes Shenmue anymore and most will tell me it's garbage, but I get it, that's okay as well. We're all different mate. We all enjoy different stuff in different ways.

[@bioboost12]

Subscribed. Havent looked yet but non final fantasy music by square would be awesome.

[@chrisshep7564]

Damn, you're really not messing with 3 and 13? those are my two favorites lol

[@AB-cr1cu]

a lot of people will put NOBUO UEMATSU on top, but for me Soken work on FF16 is a masterpiece... sorry, but i put Masayoshi Soken as NO.1 for his work on FF16, here is why, to find the motivation to keep working while going through chemo treatments and you don't have much time to live, that is an inspiring story... and you can hear FF16 different soundtracks hit hard and capture the moment in the game here examples : 1.when Clive with Jill talk and the piano playing make you pay attention to the scene dialogic. 2. cid ost capture his character. 3. Gave ost capture his character. 4. Bahamut Ascension capture Dion motivation to his people. 5. Clive OST find the flame. 6. Phoenix OST 7. the combat OST sailing the forbidden sea. 8. Clive and Ultima fight OST all in one. *and you have more goffy OST like Titan lost and Typhon also done well. for a person to do all this can tell, they put all their heart and soul to do it...

[@Hakudan2]

Yep I agree with the top 5, absolutely. I would only swap 9 with 6 in the ranking positions for my personal top 5. Also Hunt or be Hunted from XV is just peak track from that soundtrack, Yoko went HAM on that one

[@Inustar1337]

Totally agree with you ❤️

[@taylorshank1638]

The Hideaway is the Xanax of video game soundtracks 🤤

[@KenzalbeeXtreme]

I agree with what i know of this list and I agree that 7 has a good soundtrack. Its the only one that will actively get stuck in my head.

[@stevenrohttis4202]

Ranking XII so low is wild, Eruyt Village, Skycity of Bhujerba, Flash of Steel, Stillshrine of Miriam, all video game OST highlights

[@enzoapacible1083]

8, 9, 16 would be my personal top 3. They're honestly all so good though.

[@ImPrettySureThisIsMax]

One-Winged Angel will always be my favorite song in any game

[@Jed-Rix]

For me FF9 has the best soundtrack in the series. It’s truly cinematic like it’s made for a movie. Followed by FF5 because it sure creates a rich atmosphere for a SNES game. Very relaxing to listen to. My favorites are “Fate in Haze” and “Ancient Earth”. Then FF7 (the PS1 soundtrack) because many of the instruments sound so nice and unique. It’s amazing how they perfectly fit the diorama-like graphics. Just try listening to the “Flowers blooming in the church”, “Tifa’s theme”, “Holding my thoughts in my heart” and “Anxious heart”. Even the Remake/Rebirth versions can’t surpass them. FF13 follows next because the violins in this soundtrack are so heavenly. It makes me think that if there will be a remake of FF13, the whole soundtrack won’t need to be changed. The sound quality is just that good. All FF soundtracks are amazing but these are my top favorites.

[@voodoosy7376]

Despite my nostalgia for the older games, XIVs soundtrack is so so so amazing, it’s my absolute #1.

[@Tgoge]

FF12 soundtrack has some of my favorite tracks like "Eruyt Village" and "A moments rest"

[@Rogue_NPC_777]

XI is amazing because of Naoshi Mizuta. One of the chillest and meditative OSTs. Kumi Tanioka added some great tracks too. XIII and X are especially amazing because of Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. All the weird time arrangements mixed with ambient electronic makes these games feel hyper-ethereal and really nail that blend of sci-fi and fantasy. Nobuo Uematsu is great too ofc, but I feel like he's always put on a pedestal while other amazing composers throughout the series are completely overlooked. IMO the majoritry of Soken's tracks on FFXIV and FFXVI lack the weirdness that makes earlier OSTs more enjoyable. He still has some bangers, but too many tracks sound like generic fantasy orchestra or corny modern rock music. I feel the goal of FF's music is to transport me to unimaginable ethereal worlds, not remind me of shit in real life. Sadly, the only track I remember fondly in FF16 is Stillwind Marsh (because it's weird with a unique arrangement). 16 was missing a lot of that weird FF charm in a lot of areas, though -- they definitely over-westernized it.

[@wiseguy240Winston]

1.8 2.10 3.13 4. 9 5. 4 13 deserves top 5 with 10 and 8 better than 7's ost. 7 is not the best in every area. It's ost is great though

[@mattbrown9631]

8 and 9 are both great overall, and with 8 in particular having some absolutely legendary/god tier tracks (looking at you Balamb Garden and Fisherman's Horizon), overall I could not put either of them over X.

[@lerrysorroche]

Good list. I Just disagree with 12 being so low, and personally I would put 15 in the top 5. And to all the people talking about 16, let's face it: that game is average in every aspect. 1 year after its release and no one remembers anything about the game. That soundtrack will not be remembered by a single soul next year, much less in 5, 10 or 20 years.

[@AirTails]

VII is hands down the best soundtrack. Main Theme of FFVII is peak Uematsu. I think I pretty much agree with your list, if I were to include XIV I'd probably slot it above either IX or VIII

[@zeusapollo6504]

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. :P 1. Yeah, i know its not really a Final Fantasy game. 2. It has a different composer, but the OST is freaking awesome, listen to the 3 battle themes and you will agree!