Music can make or break a Pokémon game. If a song fails to capture the atmosphere of a region, it can leave players feeling as if the setting is lifeless. It is for this reason that the Pokémon series has strong music across the board. But for the same reason, the games rival each other strongly in the competition of which has the best soundtrack.
Music is fundamental to the quality of a generation in Pokémon. GameFreak clearly places their soundtracks on a pedestal in this way: Composer Junichi Masuda was one of the last people to confirm a Pokémon's design in earlier games before becoming a director at the company. Even after claiming this position, Masuda still composes for the series, showing just how highly GameFreak views the music of the Pokémon series.
Because music is so integral to the Pokémon experience, comparing the generations often means comparing their soundtracks. While each generation has a lot to offer in its music, some accomplish more with their scores while others have weaker compositions. Following is a ranking of each Pokémon generation's soundtrack.
#8: Pokémon X & Y Have The Most Forgettable Soundtrack
Gen 5 was meant to serve as a reset for the Pokémon series; however, Gen 6's X and Y fulfilled this role better because the the Nintendo 3DS's graphics and audio has come to define how later generations look and sound. One of the consequences that came by serving as a series reset is that the music in Gen 6 sounds like a classic Pokémon game (which can be expensive). Rather than create themes unique to the Kalos region, tracks like "Route 4" and "Cylage City" emulate the iconic style of the original Pokémon games but use the enhanced technology of its console to produce clearer sounds with distinguishable instruments.
While trying to recreate some of the iconic tracks from older games is not a problem, the lack of a unique sound in Pokémon X and Y is. Gen 6 lacks memorable musical numbers; part of the reason being that the soundtrack feels disconnected from the game's setting. X and Y's Kalos is supposed to be based on , but none of the game's music conveys this. The only song that sounds inspired by French music is "Professor Sycamore's Theme." This is a true shame when considering some of the Romani Jazz and swing music that could have been played in Lumiose City.
That being said, Pokémon X And Y still deserve remakes and some recognition for their music. "Snowbelle City" captures the magic of snow, and "Battle! (Champion)" brings a fun, bright twist to the generation's Champion battle that suits Diantha well. Still, Gen 6's soundtrack could have fared better had it used its setting as inspiration for its music.
#7: Pokémon Gold & Silver Lack In The Music Department
The Gen 2 games got to share Gen 1's region and, consequently, its music. While this has made Pokémon Gold and Silver favorites among fans, the direct relationship with Gen 1's music highlights how Gen 2's soundtrack is lacking. Red and Blue created the classic themes that are in every Pokémon game, but Gen 2's music output is largely forgotten in comparison.
This is not to say that Gen 2 has nothing to offer. "Azalea City," "Ecruteak City," and "National Park" are particularly strong songs that help distinguish Johto's identity from Kanto. Nevertheless, Gen 2 is lacking in original Pokémon content, including music, which makes it feel as if Johto relied on Kanto to make the Gen 2 games more memorable.
#6: Pokémon Red & Blue Have Iconic Music That The Series Has Moved Beyond
Pokémon Red and Blue laid the foundation for the what the rest of the games would become, and this includes their music. Tracks like "Title Screen" and "Victory!" have become staples in the series, making their way into practically every Pokémon game. On top of this, some of the music from Gen 1 is genuinely compelling: the spooky vibes of "Lavender Town" scared kids so much they created ghost theories about Red and Blue.
That being said, the Pokémon series has moved beyond Gen 1. Newer games may utilize "Title Screen" from Red and Blue, but they also enhance it by adding more tracks and instruments. Additionally, newer games can better focus their music toward specific ends. Pokémon Red and Blue's many different versions had to start from scratch and make themes for a series that did not exist yet; in contrast, newer games can use Gen 1 tracks as tools while making new ones for specific locations or moments. Consequently, the music of Red and Blue can feel more one-dimensional when compared to the rest of the series.
#5: Sword & Shield's Soundtrack Is Strong But Lacks An It Factor
Generations beyond Gen 5 can have a hard time winning fans over with their music because they have lost the charm of the 8-bit sound that came with older consoles. However, Gen 8 did a stand-up job at reintroducing unique music back into the Pokémon series with its diverse soundtrack. The best of Pokémon's Gen 8 includes songs like "Route 6" and "Professor Magnolia's Laboratory" use bagpipes, flutes, and harps to reflect the Galar region's UK influences. Others stand out for their peculiarity: "Slumbering Weald" sounds like a backtrack from the 80's, while "Glimwood Tangle" could have come from a Harry Potter movie. But the overall effect of Sword and Shield is that it and its soundtrack have a lot to offer, which is a perfect message for the first Nintendo Switch main series title to send.
Sword and Shield's soundtrack can suffer because of its size, however. While it does have its strong moments, much of the music sounds derivative of previous music in the Pokémon franchise. Parts of even "Postwick," the theme of the hometown, are lifted directly from "Littleroot Town" in Ruby and Sapphire. While reusing assets is completely fine, rehashing old ideas in crucial moments of the game like with "Postwick" can really hurt the strength of the soundtrack.
#4: Pokémon Sun & Moon Had An Excellent Tune For Its Goon
Pokémon Sun and Moon brought the most out of the Nintendo 3DS in of gameplay and music. The Gen 7 games had an excellent hybrid of genres and cultures represented in their soundtrack. On one hand, players had their bread-and-butter Pokémon battle themes; on the other, players got to listen Hawaiian Luau music with "The Festival in Iki Town," country music at Paniola Ranch, and even some classical horror with "Lusamine's Revenge." This breadth of genre and culture not only sounds lovely but also situates players in the Alola Region's tropical, diverse ecosystem.
Although Pokémon Sun and Moon's Lillie deserved better, its best musical facets are the tracks designed for Team Skull. The songs for Team Skull are explicitly inspired hip hop and rap, which are quite rare to hear in the series. Getting to experience these genres in a Pokémon game was exciting when Gen 7 launched, which explains why "Guzma's Theme" became popular in meme culture. That people saw humor in it also speaks to how perfect the choice to include hip hop worked for Sun and Moon, as the hip hop music introduced the goof ball that is Guzma.
#3: Pokémon Black & White's Music Is Underrated Like The Games
Gen 5 was different from all of the games that came before and after it, and its soundtrack is no different. The score of Black and White, despite their release day hatred, is really special in that it captures the eccentricities of Unova. The swinging rhythm of "Route 1" lets the audience know that the path that lays before them is quirky, strange, and a lot different than what's come before in other Pokémon games.
The generation that first utilized seasons also brought out this facet in its music. "Route 2 (Spring/Summer" is fast, upbeat, and filled with jubilant energy of the warmer seasons; on the other hand, "Route 2 (Fall/Winter)" starts off slow and relaxed but slowly builds into blissful track that captures the magic of autumn leaves and snow sheets.
Perhaps the best aspect of Gen 5's soundtrack is its dedication to the region and its inspirations. Pokémon Black and White's Unova Region was influenced by the United States, and the games do an excellent job at recognizing this influence through its music. "Gear Station" dials players in to some Delta Blues, and "Battle Subway" sounds like a hip hop-R&B backtrack from the 90's; Black and White 2 also brought in house music with "Nimbasa City Gym" and folk music with "Floccesy Ranch." All of this captures the cultural diversity of not only Gen 5's influences but of Unova itself.
#2: Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire Have The Most Epic Soundtrack
The Gen 3 games really upped the ante when it came to the stakes of its story. The bad guys in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire want to destroy the world by catastrophically altering its climate. The music for Pokémon's Gen 3 story thus needed to capture the direness of the situation. Gen 3 used the advancements the GameBoy Advanced made on the GameBoy Color and filled its soundtrack with distinct brass sections. Electric trumpets, trombones, and baritones ring in unison in what is probably the best and most epic rendition of "Main Theme" in the series' history.
However, that doesn't mean Gen 3's music doesn't know when to settle down. "Oldale Town" uses an electric flute for its melody to create a calming effect, for instance. Still, Ruby and Sapphire almost always opt for electronic band instruments, which makes the soundtrack cohesive and self-contained. It speaks to the quality of Gen 3's compositions that each brass-filled song sounds perfect for its setting and moment even though the setting is Hoenn, a region so tropical that even a fish could beat Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
#1: Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Are Junichi Masuda's Masterpieces
Prior to ing the board of directors at Game Freak, Junichi Masuda primarily worked as a composer at the company. Here and there, his experience playing the trombone for jazz and classical music would crop up. It's noteworthy that the first Pokémon games Masuda directed were Ruby and Sapphire, which had a soundtrack filled with trombone sections and felt like an intense classical music composition.
Gen 4 is really where Masuda came into his own as both a director and composer, and it shows in the games' music. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl have a distinctly jazz-inspired soundtrack that utilizes a lot of its subgenres. "Route 216" is an awesome big band composition, filled with tempo and time signature changes that mirror the shifts in the snowfall's intensity; "Jubilife City" has a more metropolitan, café feel that captures the happiness that is the city's namesake. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl's genre references and musical complexity make it feel as if Masuda had as much fun composing the soundtrack as his audience does listening to it.
But what makes Gen 4's soundtrack the best is that the music reflects the region. The Sinnoh Region is a sleepy little place tucked into the mountains where the origins of the Pokémon universe began. Creating a score for such a region thus requires a difficult balancing act in which the music must capture the religious grandness of Sinnoh while also recognizing its present state as a cozy hamlet tucked in the mountains. Masuda did this expertly with the beautiful "Lake Verity" and the demonic "Distortion World" for Giratina in Pokémon Platinum (and BDSP). But there is perhaps no greater music moment in the Pokémon series history than walking through Eterna Forest into Eterna City. The themes of these two locations perfectly encapsulate what makes Gen 4's music the best: They're jazzy, beautiful, complex, and meaningful to the experience of Pokémon.
