Next Level: Where Music Worlds Collide

First, a disclaimer: This article will not answer which is better — classical or video game music (VGM). We don't believe that's possible.

In fact, we at Top Score ran into a problem, and that sparked this article's inception. There was just too much awesome content floating around, and nobody seemed to realize how much they liked it. Some listeners would, without giving it a chance, dismiss classical music as musty and out of touch, and others would call VGM mindless kitsch.

Let us show you what's out there. Over the next few Fridays, we'll be bringing the absolute best we have, the greatest content Top Score can find … and it's tailored to you. Suggestions based on what you already like! It's like those search-engine ads that annoy you so much — but not really, because this is good. Promise.

Take a look at our suggestions, and let us know if we left anything out. Stretch your musical boundaries with thoughtful commentary and a dose of humor. Something tells us you'll like it.

For classical music lovers

If you like …
Dvořák - "Largo" - Symphony No. 9
Shaker Tunes
Ashokan Farewell
Stephen Collins Foster
Then you should check out …
Garry Schyman - Bioshock Infinite
Because …
One of Top Score host Emily Reese's favorite soundtracks, Bioshock runs the gamut from screeching, dissonant strings resembling an ultra-modernist piece, to gospel tunes, to breathtaking small-ensemble work.

Including the details a well-designed game demands (such as the slightly-out-of-tune piano featured in the opening number), this soundtrack delights in empty space. It embodies 20th-century French writer Antoine de Saint Exupéry's quote, "… perfection is attained, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away." The compositions are deceptively simple, masking a minimalist drive and obsessive attention to detail. Of particular note is the clever use of Americana-sounding melodies, usually in an open and major key, with a series of dissonant chromatic runs in the background. Creating all at once a feeling of nostalgia and comfort, it nonetheless unsettles the listener, alerting him or her to the conflict of the world around them.

This is a fantastic tie-in to numerous early American, Americana, and folk-influenced pieces. Anyone who delights in the wistfulness of Dvořák's Going Home, the simplicity of Shaker hymns or the serenity of Stephen Foster's ballads will surely enjoy Bioshock Infinite.

For video game music lovers

If you like …
Jason Graves - Tomb Raider
Then you should check out …
Hector Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
Because …
For one, the Symphonie Fantastique is so emotive and lyrical you could practically use it for a video game. Sadly, this hasn't been done. Yet.

One of the reasons that Jason Graves's Tomb Raider soundtrack is so enjoyable is because of its thematic associations. Berlioz does just the same. The Symphonie Fantastique tells the story of a young man who poisons himself because of unrequited love. Dramatic, yes, but with some great musical results. Each movement represents something physical, concrete and part of a story. And that's why, like Tomb Raider, it's so much fun to listen to — each part contributes to the emotion at a specific point in the story.

Give it a listen, all the way from the plaintive intro to the frantic chaos of the end. Though it's doubtful that in Berlioz's storyline, the boy comes back to life and tries to kill an archaeology fanatic.

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