The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was crowned as the number one entry in the inaugural Gamemuziek Top 50 presented on NPO Klassiek and NPO Start.
The broadcast originated live from Beeld & Geluid in Hilversum, marking the first time the Dutch public broadcaster dedicated a specific hitlist to video game compositions. NPO Klassiek and NPO Start developed the streaming-first chart following widespread popularity on social media platforms.
The live-uitzending took place on Friday, 13 November between 12:00 and 17:00 hours. Rather than airing on its own radio station, the countdown was broadcast on NPO 2 Extra and social media channels like YouTube to better reach gaming audiences.
Top Soundtracks Dominate the Chart
A five-member panel of media and game professionals curated the top 50. The jury this year consisted of Sander Zwiep (presenter for NPO Klassiek / Omroep MAX), Willem Hilhorst (Media Manager Games & Online at Beeld & Geluid), Martine Spaans (General Manager of the Dutch Games Association), Jeffrey Wirtz (videomaker and livestreamer for Egbert Kanaal), and Martin Verschoor (creative director at ID Games).
The winning soundtrack, composed by Koji Kondo for the 1998 Nintendo 64 adventure, held off strong competition from other iconic titles. The theme song was released in 1998 and is played on an ocarina flute.
Presenter Sander Zwiep said that classical music and game compositions share deep structural connections, pointing out links between classical compositional techniques and the work of 1990s Japanese composers.
He observed during coverage on NPO Radio 1 that video game music often has classical roots, noting for instance that the music in Tetris is based on a composition by Bach, which landed in the eighth spot on the chart. Other notable entries included Donkey Kong Country, recognized from its era for its innovative music.
Listeners also shared personal connections to the chart positions, such as a fan describing the 2013 release The Last of Us—which finished in fourth place—by stating they replay the game every year and it still captures them.
The top 10 positions featured the following selections:
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Koji Kondo
- Donkey Kong Country – David Wise
- Final Fantasy VII – Nobuo Uematsu
- The Last Of Us – Gustavo Santaolalla
- Red Dead Redemption II – Woody Jackson
- Ori and the Blind Forest – Gareth Coker
- Super Mario 64 – Koji Kondo
- Tetris – Hirokazu Tanaka
- Metal Gear Solid – Tappi Iwase, Kazuki Muraoka
- Super Mario Bros. – Koji Kondo
Joris de Man Wins First Oeuvre Award
Alongside the top 50 countdown, NPO Klassiek introduced the new Gamemuziek Oeuvre Award to honor a Dutch game composer who has made an important contribution to the Dutch game industry. The award was presented to Joris de Man.
The creators look forward to future installments, noting that music missing from this year’s top 50 will get another chance next year as the broadcast concluded with a promising farewell.
The complete broadcast remains available for streaming via NPO Start and online platforms, with the current top 50 also accessible online.