How video game music evolved from bleeps to blockbusters: AI, vinyl, and indie dominance in 2026

Video game music used to just be a series of chirpy bleeps that played over and over. Now, without composers having to worry about taking up too much space on a blocky cartridge, it's a genre that encompasses stunning orchestral suites, lo-fi, atmospheric scores, snarling rock bangers and everything in between.

Those soundtracks are so good that they're racking up millions of streams on Spotify, pressed onto multi-coloured vinyl records and being performed at sell-out concerts around the world.

In 2023, the Grammys introduced a dedicated category to recognise the genre and the Ivor Novellos have also acknowledged its growing importance.