State of WoW's Music

[Deleted]

Greetings,

I should start by saying that WoW's music is one of the highlights of the game for me. Through all my years of playing WoW the music has become a part of my life in a way that's almost indescribable. With that out of the way: something feels off about the music in Legion.

Don't get me wrong, the music is still good and there are some really incredible themes (notably Canticle of Sacrifice, rarely heard in-game) but I find myself actually turning the music off while playing Legion. That's something I've never done in any other expansion.


1. The main issue is the length of the tracks. At the launch of Legion I noticed that I was hearing the same theme over and over again. I can't remember now how long I measured each track to last but it wasn't long at all.

2. The length of the tracks causing repetition is amplified by how often the music in-game will restart by fading out when changing sub-zones (or even just moving slightly inside a sub-zone). This was an issue in WoD but it seems to have gotten worse in Legion. When playing I can often feel myself not wanting to move because I just know the track that's playing will fade out and restart. (I don't really understand why the music needs to fade out at all, really. Each track being around 2 minutes just feels odd. The tracks should blend seamlessly together)

3. Something that yet again adds to this repetition is what I perceive as a lack of variety in themes. So not only do the tracks not last very long at all and often fade out far too often, but when the music comes back in it'll be the exact same theme that was just playing. In no other expansion have I been actually annoyed at the music, but the constant hooks that continue to play just get on my nerves. I can hear the one 40 something second theme of Highmountain playing in my head right now. The same with Azsuna and Suramar.

4. This isn't as bad in the current expansion as it was in WoD but it still pertains to Legion. One of the great things about previous expansions music was how ambient and atmospheric they were. The golden age of ambient themes was in Vanilla and TBC. A nice middle ground existed between Wrath and MoP but WoD was just so loud. Very rarely would you not notice the music bombastically shouting to get your attention. Legion isn't as bad but it continues a trend of themes that are designed to be instantly noticed. It just doesn't work for creating an atmosphere in zones. I don't feel music for questing should be at the forefront of ones attention. (atleast not all the time)

5. I've put this last because I'm not sure how true it really is. Something that's disappointed me with Legion's music is the lack of new music within raids. As I write this I'm not entirely sure now that I think on it just how many raids have actually had new themes within them. However if we look back at TBC, Karazhan for example had it's own theme. So I think did ICC and ToT. Probably a lot of raids did. In Legion both the Emerald Nightmare and Nighthold have just had the themes of the zones those raids are within. I'm not sure about ToS so I can't comment. I hope it wouldn't just be the same loud Legion (do-do-dooo!) theme from the reveal trailer playing over and over)

6 Another poster mentioned something I forgot to add. There are a handful of themes that aren't zone specific and it hurts the individuality of the theme and zone. For example, the great Shal'aran theme will play in Azsuna. I'm sure not every track is zone specific and this must have existed in previous expansions but Legion does seem to suffer more from this.

So in summary I feel Legions tracks are too short, repeat too often and aren't as ambient as I'd like. If I were to exaggerate to make my point it feels the sound experience of playing Legion is about 7 themes playing over and over constantly restarting themselves. Whereas in previous expansions my memory is of tracks that blend together nicely in the background creating the atmosphere of the zone.

For me the ideal would be a collection of 5 or so minute tracks that played over an entire zone and so rarely ever fade out and were a mix of Vanilla ambiance and Wrath to MoP style themes. (the issue with this some might say is that if the music played over an entire zone then some tracks might feel inappropriate for what you're doing. I'd counter by saying in WoD I was once killing ogres to violin music and walking peacefully among flowers as thundering drums were playing, so it's not like the themes match what you're doing in game at the moment anyway.)

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading.

[Deleted]

Bumping because I couldn't agree more. The old days of Tanaris and Barrens are gone. Most of the music queues nowadays are very distinctive and too noticeable. They're more like real orchestral songs that want to grab your attention instead of the droning ambiance we had in TBC.

[Deleted]

While the music as such is great imo, I turn it down pretty far when playing, because like the previous poster I want ambience when playing a game, not music that catches my attention...it's the game that needs to do that for me.

[Deleted]

While the music as such is great imo, I turn it down pretty far when playing, because like the previous poster I want ambience when playing a game, not music that catches my attention...it's the game that needs to do that for me.

I believe Blizzard said in an old music behind the scenes video that their entire ethos was to make the music blend in and be an accompaniment to the world. Nowadays the music is like you're forced to listen to a song with lyrics over and over again. It's not just that though, it's the fact that the music does seem to chop and change too much within the various zones and sub-zones.

[Deleted]

2. The length of the tracks causing repetition is amplified by how often the music in-game will restart by fading out when changing sub-zones (or even just moving slightly inside a sub-zone).

This is the main cause for your problem. You don't stick around long enough to hear each track to the end. Sure, it's a coding issue that shouldn't exist, but you are the reason you hear the same music over and over, because you keep moving to where the track is supposed to start. The individual tracks aren't really shorter than in previous expansions, you just think they are because of this.

[TheFirstOnes]

7.3's music seems really nice. 100x better than 7.2's, that's for sure.

[Deleted]

This is the main cause for your problem. You don't stick around long enough to hear each track to the end. Sure, it's a coding issue that shouldn't exist, but you are the reason you hear the same music over and over, because you keep moving to where the track is supposed to start. The individual tracks aren't really shorter than in previous expansions, you just think they are because of this.

That's not the case. Many times in Legion I've heard tracks play in their entirety when I'm in the same location and then restart. That's a separate issue of track length rather than moving around and the music fading in and out too often.

[Hitei]

I haven't really run into many problems with sub-zone music changing at all. BC/Wrath didn't really have this problem at all, sure, but it was because they used nearly universal tracks for each zone, which is its own problem.

The tracks in a zone share thematics, yes. But as mentioned above, this isn't new, it's just a different take on what was previously fewer, longer tracks that covered wider portions of a zone. You can't honestly tell me you are annoyed with legion songs because of repetitive nature, and somehow didn't get annoyed with that stupid Icecrown song playing over and over.

It sounds more like your problem is really the "aren't as ambient as I'd like", and because you don't like them quite as much, its easier to find problems. Which is fine, but I mean, at that point it's just an issue of preference. I find the more ambient tracks found in early expansions to be really forgetable and tepid, and because they were spread so widely across areas, very few of them hold any special place because of that very melted together, similar (or in Vanilla's case, the same) between zones style.

I will agree with the dungeon thing, though there are some dungeon/raid exclusive tracks in there.

[Lil Master94]

I wish each zone had more unique music, but it feels like as the expansions went on, they used more and more shared music across the zones. It makes them feel less unique. Its a lot worse when the raid uses the zone music. Its not so bad in Legion compared to WoD, where even in HFC at archis feet, music from Gorgrond would be playing. Nighthold raid music is shared across maw of souls and trial of valour. They did better in the tomb, but NH music does play occasionally. Id rather they make a track for each raid like they did in previous expansions. I mean, the raid tracks sound amazing, even the zone music, but when its shared it feels a lot less immersive.

[Soluna]

Thought WoW music is cool till I played FF XIV. FF XIV blows WoW music completely out of the water though. Inb4 fighting Guldan in Nighthold, such an important lore figure with shitty boring legion zone music which sucks balls. Even simple end dungeon bosses in FF XIV have better music than this lmao.

[Deleted]

I wish each zone had more unique music, but it feels like as the expansions went on, they used more and more shared music across the zones. It makes them feel less unique. Its a lot worse when the raid uses the zone music. Its not so bad in Legion compared to WoD, where even in HFC at archis feet, music from Gorgrond would be playing. Nighthold raid music is shared across maw of souls and trial of valour. They did better in the tomb, but NH music does play occasionally. Id rather they make a track for each raid like they did in previous expansions. I mean, the raid tracks sound amazing, even the zone music, but when its shared it feels a lot less immersive.

Ah. You bring up another good point. It's a shame to hear one of the best themes of Suramar that mostly plays in Shal'aran play in Azsuna.

[Pull My Finger]

The music is the best thing about WoW, and WoW music is the best in the industry. I doubt many people actually realize.

The Legion music is immensely evocative and tells stories all by itself. Especially all the elven and Suramar related pieces are just bursting with meaning and character.

One thing I absolutely don't agree with is the wish for more "ambient" music. I hate random soundscapes and tooting in the background. It's just an excuse for not having proper composers. Obviously listening to music with a certain structure and substance is not for everyone, especially not for gamers, who might not have any refined musical hearing or appropriate cultural focus at all. I realise that more detailed and articulate music can sound overwhelming or "distracting" (which, forgive me, is truly a peasant's point of criticism!) to some. But I think Blizzard has been doing everything absolutely right in the music department, especially MoP and onwards.

[Soluna]

The music is the best thing about WoW, and WoW music is the best in the industry. I doubt many people actually realize.

The Legion music is immensely evocative and tells stories all by itself. Especially all the elven and Suramar related pieces are just bursting with meaning and character.

One thing I absolutely don't agree with is the wish for more "ambient" music. I hate random soundscapes and tooting in the background. It's just an excuse for not having proper composers. Obviously listening to music with a certain structure and substance is not for everyone, especially not for gamers, who might not have any refined musical hearing or appropriate cultural focus at all. I realise that more detailed and articulate music can sound overwhelming or "distracting" (which, forgive me, is truly a peasant's point of criticism!) to some. But I think Blizzard has been doing everything absolutely right in the music department, especially MoP and onwards.

Oh boy, you sure haven't heard much music in the gaming industry if you think WoW's is the best. Sure it is good, but lol, the best. *Keeps laughing for the rest of his life.*

[Lil Master94]

The music is the best thing about WoW, and WoW music is the best in the industry. I doubt many people actually realize.

The Legion music is immensely evocative and tells stories all by itself. Especially all the elven and Suramar related pieces are just bursting with meaning and character.

One thing I absolutely don't agree with is the wish for more "ambient" music. I hate random soundscapes and tooting in the background. It's just an excuse for not having proper composers. Obviously listening to music with a certain structure and substance is not for everyone, especially not for gamers, who might not have any refined musical hearing or appropriate cultural focus at all. I realise that more detailed and articulate music can sound overwhelming or "distracting" (which, forgive me, is truly a peasant's point of criticism!) to some. But I think Blizzard has been doing everything absolutely right in the music department, especially MoP and onwards.

Yeah sure, the music is amazing. But the story they tell becomes really watered down when you hear the same track in every zone and raid.

[Deleted]

The music is the best thing about WoW, and WoW music is the best in the industry. I doubt many people actually realize.

The Legion music is immensely evocative and tells stories all by itself. Especially all the elven and Suramar related pieces are just bursting with meaning and character.

One thing I absolutely don't agree with is the wish for more "ambient" music. I hate random soundscapes and tooting in the background. It's just an excuse for not having proper composers. Obviously listening to music with a certain structure and substance is not for everyone, especially not for gamers, who might not have any refined musical hearing or appropriate cultural focus at all. I realise that more detailed and articulate music can sound overwhelming or "distracting" (which, forgive me, is truly a peasant's point of criticism!) to some. But I think Blizzard has been doing everything absolutely right in the music department, especially MoP and onwards.

Nice and condescending there, mate. The new music IS distracting. But not because I'm a "peasant". It's not that I don't appreciate the new music in and of itself, it's the damn context in which it's played. It doesn't fit within the zones. The ambient, smooth tracks of Vanilla and TBC felt like they belonged in the zones themselves. The music of Tanaris invokes heat. That is to say the vanilla music invoked heat. Tanaris is a perfect example as ever since Cata the music became more bombastic and out of place. Now Tanaris has vocals... Whilst it's a good song by itself, it doesn't work for what should be a sparse desert environment.

[BarosanuNr1]

One thing I absolutely don't agree with is the wish for more "ambient" music. I hate random soundscapes and tooting in the background. It's just an excuse for not having proper composers. Obviously listening to music with a certain structure and substance is not for everyone, especially not for gamers, who might not have any refined musical hearing or appropriate cultural focus at all. I realise that more detailed and articulate music can sound overwhelming or "distracting" (which, forgive me, is truly a peasant's point of criticism!) to some. But I think Blizzard has been doing everything absolutely right in the music department, especially MoP and onwards.

The point of the OP (as I understand it) did not pertain to the quality of the music in any way. Quality (which you seem to refer to) is different than ambiance. I like the music from recent expansions just fine for the most part, but I'm not listening to it in-game because it is not properly integrated into the larger experience. And that's the problem - just like a movie soundtrack, you cannot judge a game's soundtrack by itself, you have to look at how it fits into the larger product (because even a fine component can ruin the whole if it's not in harmony with all other components). By this standard, I agree with the OP that the Classic/TBC music was much better suited for WoW's soundtrack than what we get these days. These days' music is great... for listening on my headphones on my way to/from work.
Stated for clarity: the above does not mean, of course, that "ambient" music cannot suck.

Edit: Gorgrond was an interesting zone as far as music goes - the jungle area used the modern "in-your-face" type of music, while the desert area had a remix of some an old track from desolate TBC areas (can't find an exact video of it but you'll recognize it when you hear that part). The result was that I dreaded questing in the jungle part and always went through it as fast as possible.

[Deleted]

The point of the OP (as I understand it) did not pertain to the quality of the music in any way. Quality (which you seem to refer to) is different than ambiance. I like the music from recent expansions just fine for the most part, but I'm not listening to it in-game because it is not properly integrated into the larger experience. And that's the problem - just like a movie soundtrack, you cannot judge a game's soundtrack by itself, you have to look at how it fits into the larger product (because even a fine component can ruin the whole if it's not in harmony with all other components). By this standard, I agree with the OP that the Classic/TBC music was much better suited for WoW's soundtrack than what we get these days. These days' music is great... for listening on my headphones on my way to/from work.
Stated for clarity: the above does not mean, of course, that "ambient" music cannot suck.

Exactly my point. Couldn't agree more.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Ambience is the zone sounds, not the music. I'll take properly composed pieces that stand on their own legs even outside of the game over some random instrument plonking in the background, when I want the ambient sounds to be just that. Wind, animal sounds and so on.

[TheFirstOnes]

Thought WoW music is cool till I played FF XIV. FF XIV blows WoW music completely out of the water though. Inb4 fighting Guldan in Nighthold, such an important lore figure with shitty boring legion zone music which sucks balls. Even simple end dungeon bosses in FF XIV have better music than this lmao.

What are you even talking about, sir?

[Deleted]

Ambience is the zone sounds, not the music. I'll take properly composed pieces that stand on their own legs even outside of the game over some random instrument plonking in the background, when I want the ambient sounds to be just that. Wind, animal sounds and so on.

You misunderstand what we mean when we say ambient style music. (Not the same as the ambient sounds of a zone with the music turned off)

This is close to more ambient style music:





This is the opposite: