Persona 5’s “Last Surprise” Grammy Nomination Brings Game Music to the Mainstream

The 8-Bit Big Band's jazz arrangement of Persona 5's iconic "Last Surprise" receives a Grammy nomination! This exciting development highlights the growing recognition of video game music in the mainstream.

Persona 5's "Last Surprise" Earns Grammy Nod for 8-Bit Big Band's Jazz Interpretation

A Second Grammy Nomination for The 8-Bit Big Band

The 8-Bit Big Band's innovative jazz rendition of Persona 5's battle theme, "Last Surprise," is nominated for a Grammy Award in the "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" category at the 2025 Grammy Awards. This impressive achievement follows their 2022 Grammy win for "Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella" for their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge." The current nomination features Grammy-winning musician Jake Silverman (Button Masher) on synth and Jonah Nilsson (Dirty Loops) on vocals.

"Another Grammy nomination!," exclaimed Charlie Rosen, leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, on Twitter (X). "Video game music is thriving!" While Rosen also celebrates his personal theater successes, this nomination underscores the band's significant contributions to the genre.

Competing against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend, The 8-Bit Big Band's "Last Surprise" cover will be vying for the prestigious award at the ceremony on February 2nd, 2025.

2025 Grammy Nominations for Best Video Game Score Unveiled

The Grammy Awards have announced the nominees for "Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media." This year's contenders are:

⚫︎ 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 continues his impressive streak, receiving a nomination every year since the category's inception.

The award, previously won by Stephanie Economou (Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök) and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor), celebrates the growing artistry and popularity of video game soundtracks.

The 8-Bit Big Band's Grammy nomination demonstrates the enduring appeal and creative potential of video game music, showcasing how classic compositions can inspire fresh interpretations and reach wider audiences.