A village from the Middle Ages has a magical feel to it.
Maybe I’m a little biassed because I’m deep into the new Fire Emblem right now, but these dramatic tunes that take you to a land of castles and dragons always have something epic about them.
Skyrim has become one of the most famous games in this genre, and people all over the world know it.
The universe is one of the most important parts of the series.
It’s a hard game to forget because of how beautiful the graphics are and how much it makes you feel.
Even though it came out a long time ago, it has become one of the most popular games that is still fun to play.
Today, I’m going to look at some of the most memorable Skyrim Songs on the OST and see how they fit into this amazing fantasy world.
15. Streets of Whiterun
This piece, like Solitude, makes many players feel safe and calm because it is usually played in big cities like Whiterun, Riften, or Solitude.
It is also a great exploration tune. What makes this piece so emotional is the way the strings get louder and quieter and the way the light, staccato plucks are played over and over again.
These sounds are like the steady flow of nature in Skyrim.
14. Far Horizons
Far Horizons is a great tune for exploring. Many people think it is the best piece of music on the soundtrack.
Aside from the fact that it wouldn’t be out of place in The Lord of the Rings, this piece goes through different phases, but it never loses that sense of awe that runs through it, as if we are always looking at something amazing.
It makes sense, since that’s often what happens when you go exploring in Skyrim.
13. Secunda
This song always comes out on top in polls for best ambient music, and it’s easy to see why.
This track is one of the most famous in the game, and I was one of the few people who could actually name it.
Skyrim does a great job of setting the mood, and the mellow, staccato notes of Secunda make nighttime sad and lonely.
They also give the atmosphere a sense of caution, since you never know what could be hiding in the dark at night in Skyrim…
12. Watch the Skies
This song is great for fighting dragons, and it’s the only piece of battle music on this list.
Why?
Well, Skyrim’s combat music isn’t bad, but it’s kind of boring because there aren’t that many tracks.
Steel on Steel plays too often when any random mudcrab comes near you, which makes the combat music in Skyrim more of a nuisance than an awesome feature.
So, hearing Watch the Skies is a bit of a breath of fresh air because it doesn’t happen very often.
It also means that a big battle is about to happen. Watch the Skies is the best battle track in the end.
11. From Past to Present
This is another nostalgic song because it always seems to play when you first start a game.
Many players see this song as a sign of peace and safety because it’s linked to places like Riverwood and Whiterun.
But even seven years later, it still makes me want to go on an adventure, which is a true testament to Jeremy Soule’s skill as a composer.
Nothing draws you into Skyrim more than the feeling you get when you listen to this beautiful song and walk around the fields near Whiterun…
10. Journey’s End
This silly song is a great way to start a wildlife role-playing game.
It’s not as emotional as some of the other songs on this list, and it moves at a slow pace.
At times, it sounds like some kind of funeral music.
All in all, this is especially important to the idea of a journey coming to an end.
Still, its simplicity is charming, but it doesn’t have that extra something it needs to move up. It is, however, very typical Elder Scrolls.
9. Silence Unbroken
I know it’s a stretch, but this song sounds like a shorter version of the song they put on the rainbow cloud world of Pokémon Snap.
It makes people feel the same way—mysterious and interested.
It goes without saying that Skyrim missions are usually a bit more… intense than going to an exhibit to take a picture of Mew in the galaxy. But that’s why it’s so interesting when game music is used in different settings.
This slow song really gets you in the mood for something to jump out from behind the corner without being too loud.
8. Unbound
What I like about Unbound is that if I hadn’t known what it was for, I wouldn’t have thought it belonged on an OST for a video game.
It’s a pretty song that should be played by an opera or an orchestra.
It’s whimsical in a way that keeps it soft, but it also has a mysterious feel that keeps people on their toes. The composer and musicians did a great job with this.
7. The City Gates
This beautiful song is a wonderful way to begin a quest.
The epic track gives you energy and helps you get ready for the battles that are coming up.
The music in video games is very important, but it’s even more important in adventure games and role-playing games (RPGs).
They set the stage for the entire game and have the power to make or break a mood. Definitely, this song fits all of those descriptions.
6. Unbroken Road
Now, here’s a nice song that gets more and more exciting as it goes along.
The tune is beautiful and scary, which is exactly what you’d expect from the series.
The way the song’s intensity rises and falls makes you feel like you’re on a journey you’re not sure about.
Some people say that, for how good it is, it doesn’t get enough screen time and that it deserves more.
5. Sovngarde
This is a powerful song about war.
There’s something about a hard and bad beat that makes you ready for the biggest fight.
It makes me feel like I’m waiting for a battle while a lot of strange chanting goes on around me.
It’s fast and rough, the perfect start to an epic battle that’s about to bring bloodshed and a lot of awesome action.
This is a great example of how hard developers work to make a song that everyone agrees is good.
Not many games have songs with people singing in them, so I’m glad to see more of this in newer games.
4. Solitude
Want the perfect song to listen to while you look out at the mountains and see nothing? This song is perfect for you.
From the start, it’s beautiful and classy.
Feels like you’re travelling out to the horizon just to look at the bigger picture.
There is something comforting about looking out at a huge landscape and feeling small.
Even though I may be overreacting about some games and pixels on the screen, you should really try it out for yourself.
3. Around the Fire
This song is fun and upbeat, which is a big change from a lot of the sadder songs on this list.
It’s happy and fun, and it almost sounds like it should be in a cartoon with a silly sidekick.
This is the one song that makes me feel like I’m right in the middle of a run-down pub with a group of friends just hanging out and drinking.
It’s probably the only song that makes you feel like the Middle Ages weren’t all about running away from death and destruction all the time.
Which, based on how Skyrim is played, is pretty much how the game feels.
2. Before the Storm
This song is also a must-have for any mediaeval fantasy game.
Even though it’s short and has a similar mood to a lot of other games, this is still a beautiful piece that deserves to be known.
It has a level of quality that makes you feel like you’re not really in the game, but at the same time, it makes you feel like you are.
It’s exactly what you’d expect right before going into battle, and you know you have to win this one.
1. Dragonborn
This well-known song says it all.
The beat and atmosphere of the whole song are nothing short of epic.
If there were one piece that really showed what the game was about, it would be Dragonborn.
It is hurried, harsh, and hard to understand. The chants really get you ready for battle, and the higher notes, which I think sound like a woman singing, always give me chills.
The harmony is perfect, and this is a song that should be playing in the background of any trip.
It turns a trip to the grocery store into a quest where someone is about to die. It made me feel like I was in a mediaeval church battle.
On top of all this, there is one more thing to keep in mind.
You can make out the words, but you won’t know them just by looking at them. They only speak the language of the game.
Developers actually got 30 talented people to sing an epic chorus in a language that didn’t exist.
You have to give credit to the person who made it, because it takes a special kind of person to be able to just make up a language that sounds both elegant and not cheesy.
Dragonborn is nothing less than a work of art, and it fits in perfectly with the feel of Skyrim.
