State of WoW's Music

[TheFirstOnes]

I find the music in Legion to be the weakest yet. There's to much use of both old music (a lot of tracks from Black Temple are used everywhere) and remixes (like the elven music in Val'Sharah and Suramar City). While providing little new music... which also gets reused a lot of the times (even the Naglfar music is reused during the Elisandre encounter). There's not much music that stands out that makes me want to search them on Youtube and listen to them again. As bad as WoD was, it did an amazing job in delivering quality music. Most noticably the Talador/Auchindoun music. WotLK has probably the best music, especially with zones like Howling Fjord, Grizzly Hills and Storm peaks. I even like the creepy drumrolling in Icecrown.

I do miss the old soothing ambient music that was used a lot in vanilla and TBC. It fits the theme of a zone better than going for a full orchestra which should just be used when something epic is going on, not while i'm fishing.

Legion's music is supposed to be dark, chaotic, peaceful, and grim for a reason. It's Legion. It's about the Legion. Weak or not, expect grim tracks.

[Video Games]

I'm wrong for what? Like something that you don't like? What?

Yeah. When you understand the importance of battle music in an action game then you can @ me. Wow doesn't have any.

>search for "nier ost" on YT
>click on the first video that comes up
>the first track is literally just 2 minutes of someone saying "this cannot continue"
Truly mindblowing.

Also the FF soundtracks you posted sounded generic as hell, the first thought I had when it started was "didn't I hear this somewhere else already?". But, eh, I guess that they wanted the boss themes to sound "grand". Since I never played FFXIV, I don't know it's soundtrack but I hope that the normal zone music isn't as tryhard as these boss themes.

Shit taste confimed. Must suck.

[TheFirstOnes]

Yeah. When you understand the importance of battle music in an action game then you can @ me. Wow doesn't have any.

Shit taste confimed. Must suck.

What? No action music? Wha? ...

[Soluna]

I've played both games. I like both music. I just like WoWs music better. No need to call me biased, as it's my opinions. Jesus dude. I mean, FFXIV's music is good, but I usually don't like all up-beat, and heroic af music. That's why WoD kind of turned me down. All of that chaotic BS when at Ashran or so, doing my trades and all, kind of annoyed me to the very core. Hell, even in boss fights, when fighting Blackhand, it kind of got old. Not saying that loud, and heroic music is bad (Since if clearly isn't), it can just get old at time, and at some points, you need the calmer music. That's why I like Legion's music more than Stormblood's. Legion has more calm tracks, like Anduin, and such. It's a nice take-away from all the fighting. It soothes the mind, ya know? Boring or not, different tastes is what makes us Human.

Sorry if ya didn't like the music, but I enjoyed it,

I am sorry if you thought that I called you biased no matter what. It is just that usually everyone I know who has played FF XIV praises the soundtrack and likes it much more than WoW, literally, everyone. So based on that I assumed that you haven't played FF XIV, and hence why I called you biased. Since you have played both, then I can accept it as just your opinion since you know both sides of the coin. Also, Anduin's theme is amazing indeed, I really like it too. Also, the zone music for stormblood as well as good old and new calm tracks are back for the expansion. I just put heavy emphasis on boss soundtracks, simply because WoW tries to put raid bosses as its main selling point, and FF XIV completely blows them out of the water in that regard. Anyway, let's both continue enjoying good quality tracks from 2 games we love.

[Ishayu]

There are still Ambient tracks in WoW. Hell, in Legion, we've been getting alot of them. That's why everyone didn't care for the 7.2 music, last time I recalled.

People didn't care for the 7.2 music because it bland. It wasn't as bombastic at this, but it also wasn't ambient. It was just a bunch of mediocre classical compositions. There was no experimentation with the zone or the music.

With 7.3, there was a chance that the music could've been very unique and, in some ways, even strange. We've going to another planet after all. Instead, we're just getting more incredibly loud mediocre classical compositions. Violins in particular are everywhere this time around.

[Morgaith]

>Weebs saying that every non weeb is trash and they have a trash opinion
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>wew

[TheFirstOnes]

I am sorry if you thought that I called you biased no matter what. It is just that usually everyone I know who has played FF XIV praises the soundtrack and likes it much more than WoW, literally, everyone. So based on that I assumed that you haven't played FF XIV, and hence why I called you biased. Since you have played both, then I can accept it as just your opinion since you know both sides of the coin. Also, Anduin's theme is amazing indeed, I really like it too. Also, the zone music for stormblood as well as good old and new calm tracks are back for the expansion. I just put heavy emphasis on boss soundtracks, simply because WoW tries to put raid bosses as its main selling point, and FF XIV completely blows them out of the water in that regard. Anyway, let's both continue enjoying good quality tracks from 2 games we love.

It's okay, dude. I respect your opinion, as well. The music in Stormblood is nice, indeed.

[Video Games]

What? No action music? Wha? ...

I played wow for 11 years. Can you link me a song that plays specifically in a fight because I can't think of any.

[TheFirstOnes]

People didn't care for the 7.2 music because it bland. It wasn't as bombastic at this, but it also wasn't ambient. It was just a bunch of mediocre classical compositions. There was no experimentation with the zone or the music.

With 7.3, there was a chance that the music could've been very unique and, in some ways, even strange. We've going to another planet after all. Instead, we're just getting more incredibly loud mediocre classical compositions. Violins in particular are everywhere this time around.

Well, to be fair, Mac'aree's music does keep things all weird, and such. Hell, the 2 other zones are completely Legion controlled, and they house the top dogs of the armies crusade. So, it makes sense for there to be loud, chaotic tracks. This is like WoW's hell, nothing to be peaceful about going to hell, am I right? LOL

[Varolyn]

People didn't care for the 7.2 music because it bland. It wasn't as bombastic at this, but it also wasn't ambient. It was just a bunch of mediocre classical compositions. There was no experimentation with the zone or the music.

With 7.3, there was a chance that the music could've been very unique and, in some ways, even strange. We've going to another planet after all. Instead, we're just getting more incredibly loud mediocre classical compositions. Violins in particular are everywhere this time around.

If we were traveling into a completely unknown planet I would agree with you. But we're not. We're traveling into the Legion's main stronghold about to face a demon army. So in that regard, I think the music fits, at least much more than the 7.2 music did.

With that being said, I do hope that the next expac brings in more atmospheric music, especially if it ends up being old god/void theme.

[Deleted]

Shit taste confimed. Must suck.

Whatever man, you just like it because it's japanese. That's all the reason for it. I bet you like Nightcore too, you wee... ehh, japanese culture connoisseur.

[TheFirstOnes]

I played wow for 11 years. Can you link me a song that plays specifically in a fight because I can't think of any.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibEFe1LTq0I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdM3DnDKJXc&t=74s

There's that. There's also the Viziduum only stuff for Karazhan, in 7.1.

[Icecat]

I played wow for 11 years. Can you link me a song that plays specifically in a fight because I can't think of any.

There have been musical cues that happen at a specific boss phase and also special music that plays in the final boss room of a raid. I agree that WoW might benefit from raid music encounters but that isn't really a trope in western games. FFXIV was fairly unique in that regard (MMO wise) and they did that specifically as an homage to their older titles.

[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.

WoW's music is generally of very high quality. But as someone whose music playlist's average track length is around 10 minutes, I've grown weary of the constant switching of tracks every time you move a few meters. Legion's music, especially in the demon infested areas, is at times so repetitive that I had to turn it off because it got stuck in my head -- in the bad way. And it seems that it's always the few most annoying tracks that tend to stay on even if you move out of the area that triggered them, like the druid circle with Cata portals in Stormwind.

[Video Games]

Whatever man, you just like it because it's japanese. That's all the reason for it. I bet you like Nightcore too, you wee... ehh, japanese culture connoisseur.

I don't actually. But I'm sorry you don't like birth of a wish which has a version without this cannot continue which was integrated audio from the earlier cutscene because the audio in that game is phenomenal. You just don't like good music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibEFe1LTq0I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdM3DnDKJXc&t=74s

There's that. There's also the Viziduum only stuff for Karazhan, in 7.1.

Those are mainly cues like the poster below you said and don't generate any hype for the fight at all. There's a reason most people listen to pace setting music during raid instead of the in game stuff.

[TheFirstOnes]

I don't actually. But I'm sorry you don't like birth of a wish which has a version without this cannot continue which was integrated audio from the earlier cutscene because the audio in that game is phenomenal. You just don't like good music

Those are mainly cues like the poster below you said and don't generate any hype for the fight at all. There's a reason most people listen to pace setting music during raid instead of the in game stuff.

Well, of course. Cause pace music has rock, and heavy metal, and stuff like that. WoW has fantasy music, and stuff that fits with its own model. Not everyone's going to like fantasy music.

[Deleted]

I don't actually. But I'm sorry you don't like birth of a wish which has a version without this cannot continue which was integrated audio from the earlier cutscene because the audio in that game is phenomenal. You just don't like good music

Noice, was that music made by Two Steps from Hell? It sounds like their every other song.

[Video Games]

Well, of course. Cause pace music has rock, and heavy metal, and stuff like that. WoW has fantasy music, and stuff that fits with its own model. Not everyone's going to like fantasy music.

No it doesn't. Look at a lot of single player rpgs and tell me whether or not a good battle theme helped with your experience.

Noice, was that music made by Two Steps from Hell? It sounds like their every other song.

Lol. Remember when i said if you don't like either of the nier osts your opinion isnt worth anything? I actually meant that.

[Littleraven]

WoW music as a whole is in a pretty bad state. Not to say the music in the game is bad (it's not) but there isn't enough of it and it doesn't feel epic like it used to. I own every soundtrack and while there are absolute gems on the newer ones the last soundtrack that i feel knocked it out of the park was MoP. Say what you will about that expansion and it's theme but at least it was consistent. Even still though having been playing Final Fantasy XIV recently I am seeing how well the soundtrack is used in that game. Mind you Final Fantasy has always had that but it is night and day to me. Something as simple as dungeon music and boss music adds so much.

WoW is good at nailing theme music and to a lesser extent ambient music but outside of that there isn't much going on. I appreciate going for a motif to span the entire expansion but I would love for more dynamic music. It's totally splitting hairs for sure but I love music and it can add a ton.

[Deleted]

Lol. Remember when i said if you don't like either of the nier osts your opinion isnt worth anything? I actually meant that.

It's not I don't like it, I don't feel anything about it. It isn't terrible, it's just generic, nothing special about it