Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok is the first winner of the brand-new Grammy category as The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences introduced the Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media in 2023. The composer Stephanie Economou received the golden gramophone for the Assassins’ Creed Valhalla Soundtrack at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 6. In her speech, she stressed that the new category is vital in recognizing video games’ cultural impact.
Ubisoft released Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok (a DLC to already large Assassin’s Creed Valhalla) in March 2022 to varying acclaim. However, the soundtrack of all titles of the franchise has always been praised. It is true that some fans have frowned upon the recycling of the same theme over and over. Still, others are grateful for it, as Ubisoft-hired composers can incorporate the nostalgia-inducing theme enriched with new elements. Stephanie Economou succeeded in the task, too, which resulted in her receiving her first Grammy.
When Baba Yetu Conquered the Grammys
Although the category of Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media is new, the video game soundtrack did not prevail for the first time. On February 6, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla won the Grammy among other games. Those were Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Old World, and Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy. However, there were other nominees and winners from the industry in the past.
Namely, Christopher Tin won the Grammy in 2011 for Baba Yetu, a theme song for Civilization IV. Austin Wintory then received a nomination for the Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media for Journey in 2013. He lost to Trent Reznor and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. With the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Soundtrack shining bright in the new Grammy category, the importance of video games has once again been recognized.
SOURCE: Stephanie Economou Wins Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games & Other Interactive Media
