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" has received a Grammy nomination! This exciting development highlights the growing recognition of video game music within the mainstream music industry.

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

8-Bit Big Band Secures Second Grammy Nomination with Persona 5 Battle Theme Cover

The 8-Bit Big Band's innovative jazz rendition of Persona 5's "Last Surprise" is nominated for "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" at the 2025 Grammy Awards. This impressive achievement features Grammy Award-winning musician Jake Silverman (Button Masher) on synthesizers and vocals by Jonah Nilsson (Dirty Loops).

"Nominated for my 4th Grammy in a row!," exclaimed Charlie Rosen, leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, on X (formerly Twitter). "LONG LIVE VIDEO GAME MUSIC!!!" This marks the band's second Grammy nomination, following their 2022 win for "Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella" with their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge."

The 8-Bit Big Band's "Last Surprise" will contend against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend in the same category at the Grammy Awards ceremony on February 2nd, 2025.

The 8-Bit Big Band's cover masterfully blends respect for the original with creative flair. Their jazz fusion arrangement, influenced by the distinctive sound of Jonah Nilsson's band Dirty Loops, elevates the song's energy and appeal. As noted in the music video's description, the collaboration with Button Masher further enhanced the harmonic complexity.

2025 Grammy Nominations for Outstanding Video Game Scores Unveiled

The Grammy Awards have announced the 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 continues to make Grammy history, achieving a nomination every year since the category's inception.

The award, initially won by Stephanie Economou for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, was presented last year to Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Video game music holds a cherished place in the hearts of many gamers. Covers like The 8-Bit Big Band's demonstrate the enduring power of these compositions, inspiring fresh interpretations that captivate new audiences.