The 8-Bit Big Band's jazz rendition 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. Let's delve into the details of this significant achievement.

A Second Grammy Nomination for The 8-Bit Big Band

The 8-Bit Big Band's masterful jazz arrangement of "Last Surprise" is nominated for "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" at the 2025 Grammy Awards. This nomination features the talents of Grammy Award-winning musician Jake Silverman (Button Masher) on synth and Jonah Nilsson (Dirty Loops) on vocals. Bandleader Charlie Rosen expressed his excitement on Twitter (X), celebrating his fourth consecutive Grammy nomination and the continued recognition of video game music. This marks the band's second Grammy nomination, following their 2022 win for their cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge."

The highly anticipated 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony will take place on February 2nd, where "Last Surprise" will compete against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend in the same category.

The original "Last Surprise," composed by Shoji Meguro, is a beloved track from Persona 5, known for its infectious energy and memorable melodies. The 8-Bit Big Band's cover ingeniously blends the original's essence with a vibrant jazz fusion style, characteristic of Dirty Loops' sound, enhanced by Button Masher's harmonic expertise.

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

The growing recognition of video game music at the Grammys underscores its artistic merit and enduring appeal. The 8-Bit Big Band's nomination serves as a testament to the power of creative reinterpretations, bringing classic video game soundtracks to a wider audience and solidifying video game music's place in the broader musical landscape.