Which MMO Has the Best Music?: FFXIV, WoW, or Guild Wars 2?

#GW2 #WoW #FFXIV
After playing all 3 MMOs, I have my likes and.. not so many dislikes for the music within them. I can say, that I believe WoW excels in map/city music, FFXIV excels in raid/trial music and Guild Wars 2 excels in the music that has been in promotional trailers as well as in parts of the story cinematics/battles. But, which one has the best in game music overall? Let me know what you think in the comments below!
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[MattSinz]

For GW2, the Heart of Thorns main theme and Lions Arch Reborn are amazing.

[lockmuertos]

WoW's symphonic backgrounds brings back Good Memories, and a tear to my eye for Halcyon Days Gone.
FF14's SOKEN Masterpieces throw my Soul into a Maelstrom of emotions, and I become the Warrior of Light.
But I've never had the GuildWars 2 journey yet...

[KeithEngel]

Final Fantasy 14. Solid the Ishgard City theme is just chef's kiss. WoW is Grizzly Hill theme with the Violin. GW 2 Smash the Dragon!

[dcx]

Hi Xan, enjoyed the video, specially the ending. I dunno how much you already progressed into HoT but some of my favorite GW2 music is in there, in special most of Auric Basic map music, by Lena Raine. She is also the composer of Breachmaker, The Mystery Cave and the Largos Twins music, some of my favorite tracks. The dark version of "Fear not this night" has vocals and arrangement by Maclaine Diemer, Jeremy Soule's music goes only up to the 2012 release AFAIK.

[PoohbearZa]

My favorite is GW2 - Guild Wars 2: Living World Season 2 Soundtrack - "Crystal Oasis Redux". Its just very beautiful and pulls on the heart strings for no reason 😊

[esperjace]

GW1 music chart is god tier ! I liked less new core gw2 music (a lot of the gw2 tracks are from gw1) until the shift to Lena chapel for HoT and after. In HoT, the music is really tied to the dynamic of the game she did an amazing job.

[Flame_Tusk]

From the Heavens in XIV, along with Return to Oblivion, are probably the two pinnacles of music to me.

Neath Dark Waters and Sands of Amber are up there as well, though, for sure.

[tzomi]

My nostalgic answer for best music is the sailing and the tavern music from Pirates of the Caribbean Online. First MMO I played back in 2008.

[basedgod]

If you dont pick FF out of these 3 I need whatever you are smoking. Even normal town themes are godly like Ishgards theme.

[sitheclimber]

Rak'tika forest in FF14 - end of debate (imo!!)

[denikehi]

For me it's the Charr's Theme. The drums are insane in it. (The one you hear while fighting Tequatl)

[Adlehyde.]

In short, "good music is good yo!"

[Keeperoffyre]

WoW: that Stormwind suite is pure gold. Also love the music from BFA for Boralus Harbor. (though there are many many other tracks from classic thru bfa that i absolutely love..and even from the RTS games)
GW2: ugh...hard to decided exactly which tracks i like since there are so many!
LotRO has a good some good music as well. you can really feel just how dire things are when listening to zone music while running through Moria. or the vibes while fishing and smoking pipeweed in the Shire or just casually walking around Rivendell

[Mindontcompute]

I dont play wow anymore for years but if you are Alliance and you enter stormwind, the feeling of listening to the stormwind music theme just made you proud of being Alliance. Shadowbringers main OST definitely choked me. Guild Wars I havent had an experience yet in the MSQ where I can remember music being impactful to me. Not that I will not find one. I still got heart of thorns and End of Dragons to go so I might get an experience there.

[hkoizumi]

Most of the MMORPGs music are used as a background enhancements to entice an emotion. Because of this, you can listen to most of them as a standalone music. FFXIV is quite different from all other MMORPGs I have experienced. By listening it as a standalone, you can appreciate as is, but without the context of their lore, it will only be as that and nothing more. The reason is because the music are part of the lore used in the game. For example and this will be a spoiler, you the hero facing your rival alone after all your friends are defeated. Then your soul mate in a form of a spirit lends you his weapon and says we will be fighting as one. This is when the shadowbringer theme kicks in. At this point, gamers have probably listened to this music multiple times but seldom have they paid attention to the lyric until this particular cutscene plays. The song goes "One brings shadow, one brings light." This is the part where we all come to big realization that the music we have been listening to have been a big spoiler or a prophecy all along. This is where you the Warrior of Light and your soulmate, The Warrior of Darkness, the one brings the light and he brings the shadow.
Another good example which Xandri failed to convey is the Antagonist's theme. They are played throughout the game when they appear during the cutscene. At first, they are nothing melody. As you learn more about their motive, the theme gets remixed further into piano arrangement becoming even more complex. Then onto the final battle against the antagonist, it remixes further into becoming a music with full blown vocals. It symbolizes progression between your encounters with your antagonist. And it ends with full lyric for us to listen to and analyze what your antagonist is about.
This is just a small example of FFXIV music is and what they bring to the game. The music is part of the lore for you to discover, not just a thing to listen to as a standalone piece and to be judged as what sounded cooler to you.

[NicoLM]

I think GW2 in general has better music and composition, the ambiance music is the best. But I rarely listen to the GW2 OST and I listen to de WoW OST on regular basis even if I haven't play in like 10 years or more. In fact I get excited everytime there is a new WoW expansion because I know it will come with a new OST. But I need to say, the OST I love the most is currently Genshin Impact, I know it's not an mmo but the music and the remix/modern versions they use in trailers and character presentation is in another level. I can't wait for the japanese style soundtracks they'll add in the next update!

[Darkrainfall]

Lol, I been fooled. Good one, I think they all deserve credit too in different ways!

[mephiston]

FFXIV hands down has the best music out of the three i never really liked WoW music always played spotify tunes when i played WoW....Gw2 is for what i played just remixes of GW music in a lot of places not alot of new original imo.

[dale]

Music is about the delivery, if you can’t deliver the correct type for the correct amount. You just get your music deduct one or two points. Along, complexity and motif are important elements. Outside of music games, music tend to be a backseat that you listen while playing the game. So it’s technically not good if it’s too out synced with everything else in game.

That’s important part of music in general. Variety and tuning is another thing too.

[Arlacent]

Hahaha that feels like ya chickened out Xan! Appreciate the video though!