Top Score

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Some of the scores for video games are incredibly intricate and deserve recognition, which is why we've created Top Score: a series of podcasts dedicated to the music that accompanies soldiers through battle, sorcerers through forests and aliens through space.

Recent Episodes
  • Top Score: SonicPicnic and Awesomenauts
    Aug 20, 2015 – 00:23:31
  • Composer Ryan Ike got his career started at 'Gunpoint'
    Aug 13, 2015 – 00:21:42
  • Serious music for a casual game
    Aug 6, 2015 – 00:14:31
  • A musicologist's look at 'Final Fantasy VI'
    Jul 30, 2015 – 00:19:59
  • Tom Salta's bold choice for subtle music
    Jul 23, 2015 – 00:19:50
  • Top Score says, 'Thank You, Pierce'
    Jul 22, 2015 – 00:13:01
  • What's old-school is new again for Michael Schiciano
    Jul 16, 2015 – 00:19:39
  • Do a Barrel Roll create innovative covers of game music
    Jul 15, 2015 – 00:21:30
  • Sam Dillard is a one-man music-making machine
    Jul 9, 2015 – 00:20:41
  • Chris Huelsbeck's career leaps to next stage
    Jul 2, 2015 – 00:15:48
  • John Robert Matz composes for concert band and video games
    Jun 25, 2015 – 00:15:04
  • Leslie Ann Jones is a Jedi of sound engineers
    Jun 18, 2015 – 00:15:28
  • Triforce Quartet: from one recital to working ensemble
    Jun 11, 2015 – 00:17:49
  • Scoring Helsinki and 'The Legend of Grimrock II'
    Jun 4, 2015 – 00:22:11
  • Top Score: Composer Paul Ruskay
    May 28, 2015 – 00:24:29
  • San Francisco Conservatory of Music stretches bounds
    May 21, 2015 – 00:21:09
  • Composing music in full color
    May 14, 2015 – 00:16:15
  • missingNo's jazzy video-game arrangements
    May 7, 2015 – 00:19:42
  • Penka Kouneva and a composer's 'authentic voice'
    Apr 30, 2015 – 00:17:11
  • Top Score: Brutal honesty brings success on 'Massive Chalice'
    Apr 23, 2015 – 00:19:28
  • A sweet and dramatic score for 'Ori and the Blind Forest'
    Apr 16, 2015 – 00:32:10
  • Creating powerful and engaging game soundtracks
    Apr 9, 2015 – 00:19:51
  • Heard melodies are sweet for a Grecian game
    Apr 2, 2015 – 00:21:13
  • Top Score: Cris Velasco goes for Baroque
    Mar 26, 2015 – 00:21:24
  • Jeff Ball: from commercial fisherman to composer
    Mar 19, 2015 – 00:23:23
  • Top Score: Composer Billy Martin
    Mar 12, 2015 – 00:20:14
  • Top Score: Peter McConnell and the music for 'Hearthstone'
    Mar 5, 2015 – 00:22:47
  • Top Score: Jason Graves and 'The Order: 1886'
    Feb 26, 2015 – 00:31:22
  • Top Score: Composer Winifred Phillips
    Feb 19, 2015 – 00:20:08
  • Top Score: Jason Graves and the 'Evolve' soundtrack
    Feb 12, 2015 – 00:26:14
  • Top Score: Composer Peter McConnell, 'Grim Fandango'
    Feb 5, 2015 – 00:31:30
  • Top Score: Jukio 'Kozilek' Kallio and 'LUFTRAUSERS'
    Jan 29, 2015 – 00:17:24
  • Top Score: Composer Ben Prunty and Faster Than Light
    Jan 22, 2015 – 00:23:44
  • Top Score: Jesper Kyd and 'Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel'
    Jan 15, 2015 – 00:22:43
  • Top Score: Composer Jason Graves
    Jan 8, 2015 – 00:26:41
  • Top Score: Composer Silas Hite
    Jan 1, 2015 – 00:27:30
  • Top Score's top five game soundtracks of 2014
    Dec 23, 2014 – 00:13:29
  • Top Score: White Paper Games and NJ Apostol
    Dec 18, 2014 – 00:30:24
  • Top Score: Composer Trevor Morris
    Dec 11, 2014 – 00:11:30
  • Top Score: the work of composing duo known as The Flight
    Dec 4, 2014 – 00:37:04
  • Top Score: Inon Zur and 'Fantasia: Music Evolved'
    Nov 26, 2014 – 00:23:55
  • Top Score: Garry Schyman pushes boundaries
    Nov 20, 2014 – 00:20:15
  • Top Score: Composer Neal Acree
    Nov 13, 2014 – 00:25:30
  • Top Score: a live music romp with NES (Nerd Enhanced Sound)
    Nov 6, 2014 – 00:19:56
  • Top Score: Super Marcato Brothers
    Oct 30, 2014 – 00:17:57
  • Top Score: Composer Andrew Aversa
    Oct 23, 2014 – 00:22:35
  • Top Score: Oleksa Lozowchuk's 'Bright Sadness'
    Oct 16, 2014 – 00:18:27
  • Top Score: A composer known as 'Disasterpeace'
    Oct 9, 2014 – 00:25:08
  • Top Score: Singer Lisbeth Scott's rising note
    Oct 2, 2014 – 00:23:07
  • Laura Intravia is living the video game music lover's dream
    Sep 23, 2014 – 00:24:50
Recent Reviews
  • actionpancake
    Meditative and insightful video game music show
    Emily has a soothing, light spirited voice and she brings in top shelf composers to talk about their work. Always an intriguing listen, with the only complaint being that there can sometimes be long intervals between episodes, which might be a deal-breaker for some. When the episodes do hit, prepare yourself for great interviews and fantastic music.
  • Carl J. S
    Right up my Alley
    I’m currently studying to be a composer for video games, so this serves as both personally interesting, and a great way to study up on the big names in the field!
  • -T (Tobias)
    Essential Listening for Music Lovers!
    I highly recommend this podcast to people with a strong interest in music, especially those who have an interest in the soundtracks of video games.
  • Dennismk
    Great to Have an Enthusiast Who's Also Got the Background!
    Great to have a host who's knowledgeable, enthusiastic, grounded and familiar with essentials like harmony and composition, classical, pop, jazz and world music. Warmly recommended for the insight offered into a demanding yet rewarding field.
  • RoyBatty9278
    Excellent
    Excellent and fun podcast. So glad the episodes are longer … I could listen to 2 hour episodes, if Emily and her guests could swing it.
  • Michelle Ealey
    Love this podcast
    I like hearing from people who work on games but aren't covered often, the one who create the music. I wish the longer format was back. the 5 minute sessions aren't enough.
  • Norms sutton
    Top notch
    Top score is a wonderful show. Listen to it.
  • tsukikage
    Wonderfully in-depth.
    As someone who regularly purchases and listens to instrumental soundtracks from all media, this podcast has introduced me to some great music. I actually bought the Dishonored soundtrack because of its episode on this podcast despite having never played the game. After hearing on the most recent episode that the show will move to being 5 minutes tops, I'm actually rather disappointed - I enjoyed the in-depth discussion and many long samples from the soundtracks. Still, I'm grateful that it will continue in some form.
  • Media Watcher
    Shines a light on an oft-ignored art
    This is a great show that has exposed me to the art of video game music. I love tuning in and hearing the composers and the host discuss the music intelligently. It highlights and recognizes some of the best game music creators out there today and I hope the show lasts for years to come. Much appreciated!
  • laxua1
    Best part of working in my own office
    Top Score is so great to listen to. My kids play a ton of games, so I usually hear the music from the other room. I love hearing all of the inside information about how game development works, and the music really stands on its own.
  • HappyMedia007
    An overlooked aspect of music that's finally getting the recognition that it deserves.
    Like films scores 20 years ago, there were only a handful of composers given the respect from Hollywood and directors to create the composition their films. Now, as gaming technology has allowed studio quality level music composition to permeate through our speakers as we game on our couches, we are finally seeing the respect these guys deserve! Thank you for such an informative and wonderful podcast! Keep up the great work!
  • martyfarty15
    I'm not much of a fan of classical music, but...
    ...I love this podcast. Emily is a great host and the editing does an excellent job of inserting samples of the scores being discussed. I recommend it to any fan of video games, even if they don't consider themselves a fan of classical music.
  • FloatingSuburbia
    Great Podcast
    I found this podcast while looking for interviews of Bill Elm about the Red Dead score. I was very happy to stumble across this! It would be great to hear an interview with Austin Wintory about his work on the Journey score as well as Petri Alanko's work with Alan Wake.
  • Danferno
    Thoughtful Interviews
    I can only call myself a casual symphony-goer (I'm lucky to discern Baroque from Classical period music), but I find Emily's interviews entertaining and very accessible. If you are at all interested in video game music, you should give this show a try.
  • Auperatic
    Really Good
    I stumbled onto this podcast when the very first episode aired and couldn't believe someone had made a podcast just for me. The host (Emily Reese) is knowledgeable about the music and the games, many of the guests are great composers, and the interviews are informative and tightly edited with musical excerpts. As a film score fan of ten years and someone who loves music, I feel game score are increasingly becoming more interesting than film music, especially as game budgets increase and composers are often given more artistic freedom than a typical hollywood production.
  • Raevyn Lynn
    Gaming+Music=Awesome
    If you like music and gaming, then this is the podcast for you. I first heard of this podcast while listening to MPR and they were promoting their first ever live event. I checked it out and found some good interviews with great gaming composers.
  • Noreaga
    Where to start?
    This is by far my favorite podcast of all time. I love music scores and I have been an avid gamer mist of my life. The incredible compositions that are produced for today's games are just now being recognized for the contribution they impart and this show is a wonderful vehicle for it. Smartly done and so informative. My only complaint is that I want more!
  • Dr0idattack
    Excellent and educational
    I'm a gamer and a music lover, and listening to how the music is produced for some of my favorite games is great. The author knows her stuff, and learning about how soundtracks are created will make me appreciate the games I play a lot more.
  • Punch_Party_Program
    Thanks Joystiq!
    Heard about this podcast on their music centric episode of The Joystiq Show, and decided to check it out. Great show Emily!
  • TreyTable
    Heard about it from Joystiq.. and I love it.
    I love this podcast on first listen. This is the best Public Radio show since Car Talk, and one of my favorite podcasts of the past few years. SUPPORT PUBLIC RADIO. It's shows like this that makes it worth the cost.
  • El Richie
    Awesome
    This is a fantastic podcast. I do wish they would delve into the technical aspects of the music composition and orchestration a bit more, but it's still great to hear this kind of perspective.
  • kzurawel
    Incredible
    The podcast should be renamed "Making You Buy Game Soundtracks You Never Thought You Would." Sort of an "Inside the Actor's Studio" for game soundtrack composers.
  • VincentAuron
    A Rare Find in Public Radio
    I've been looking for a show like this since the gaming podcast for NPR was cancelled. Top Score is a very well produced podcast that both video gamers and music enthusiasts alike will enjoy. The guest selection has been impressive and the balance between audio samples and intelligent (and sometimes humorous) dialogue is impressive. Keep up the good work, MPR!
  • Gattacast
    Great show
    I love the respect that video game compositions are starting to receive. I also have a video game podcast that features game music. for those of you who want more ck out GATTACAST. Top Score is top notch quality though. Well done MNPR.
  • jrh388
    Excellent
    Thank you so much for giving game soundtracks the respect and recognition they deserve. I really enjoy learning so many interesting details about the composers and what influences their work. A must-listen for any soundtrack or game enthusiast.
  • Mightytoast
    Wonderful
    Host has an excellent voice and interviewing style. She knows her subject matter and stays on topic. I also enjoy the musical excerpts!
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