What is it in game music that you like so much and how could it be better?

Interesting questions. I am wondering myself how I am going to spontaneously respond to them.
1. If you had to describe what VGM is to someone ignorant on the subject, what would you say?
--- It’s music from games, mostly without vocals. Some tracks can be interesting and unique.

2. Why do you listen to game music on a stand-alone basis? What elements do you like or dislike from it?
--- Because I chose so, I think it’s a niche hobby and I like it. What I like about game music is that it can be very descriptive and abstract, containing a story and a picture. Mainstream music mostly does not try this.

3. Do you listen to music from games you haven't played?
--- Sure why not, gaming helps appreciating the music, but I don’t have that much time anymore. You still can read the message from the music sometimes without playing the game.

4. What percentage does VGM represent on your playlist vs. non-game music? If applicable, what kind of music do you listen to outside of VGM? If you don't listen to mainstream music (i.e. not VGM, film, or anime soundtracks), why is that so?
--- There’s little to no non-game music on my playlist. I do have a lot of arrangements from game music however, so it’s not really VGM but a related compromise.

5. How do you feel about music that was not published as an official album? How much of a problem is it to you if you want to listen to it? Also, do you actually buy official albums or strictly download them illegally (or a mix of both)? Do you think these albums are adequately priced?
--- Well it depends on the music itself, if it’s not very special then it won’t hurt so much, but in any case it’s a loss. If I want to listen to it, then it would be a problem of course. But there’s not much out there as well.

6. Which genres/styles do you mainly listen to? Which do you avoid?
--- I listen to everything and believe every genre can have their exemplary representatives. It’s a bit like treasure hunting, which is where the fun is.

7. If one of these genres also exists in non-game music, do you also listen to it from that category? If not, why?
--- Hard to say. I do think I kind of prefer trancy electronic music, which is abundant in mainstream music, but I still would not seek them out because maybe it would be too easy to find something I like from such a vast pool. I do not dislike mainstream music.

8. Video gaming had a reputation for a long time of being a childish or geeky hobby, and a part of it persists today. Inevitably, to a certain extent, the music also fell under this denigrative categorization (especially retro chiptunes). Do you think VGM is as valid as any other music from a listener's point of view? Additionally, are you fully comfortable about mentioning you listen to VGM when you discuss with someone who isn't into gaming?
--- It should be valid, but listening to VGM is in my opinion a process of learning as well. Trained people like VGM fans automatically listen closer to the music, they have become audile. Normal people on the other hand do not have the concept in their mind, that VGM might be something they could listen to outside of the game. Only when it’s really good, they might be interested, and from there the idea slowly grows there might be other VGM like that. I’d rather not talk to normal people about VGM, they simply do not have the mind for it. Not that I blame them, they’re just interested in other things.

9. How would you compare game music from the past (aka chiptunes, up to the SNES era) and modern material?
--- In the old stuff the melody can be better expressed due to clear dry signals. With modern stuff you can create more ambience, but ambience that is memorable is hard to do. Either way I think both have their strong points and I wouldn’t say I like one or the other more.

10. During its infancy, VGM was unique in part because of its electronic sound coming from limited sound chips. Today, any kind of instruments can be used and thus this uniqueness doesn't always persist. Do you believe VGM should sound different from other music categories? If so, how could this be achieved nowadays?
--- Maybe I do not know of examples, where VGM clearly sounds like mainstream, but I think it’s something that happends automatically. It will always sound different, they don’t have to go back to blip-blop to make it evident. Of course I think it should sound different than mainstream.

11. Most gamers don't particularly care about game music (or at least, to the extent we do). Thus, it's most probably not part of their playlists. Some producers believe that players would prefer to hear their favorite mainstream songs while playing rather than original music, hence the use of licensed material. What is your opinion about this?
--- It would be a sad turn, but they need to make money and their game should appeal to many gamers as possible. So it’s understandable I guess, I just have to look for companies that don’t do it. There should be still enough as of now.

12. Other producers, which aren't as radical, may still hire a composer, yet ask him/her to create something that sounds extremely close to popular music. This does not make highly unique VGM, yet it can still be very enjoyable and is a creative process. Do you see a problem in this?
--- I’d prefer they don’t do this. At least it’s enjoyable? So it might please other people, I shouldn’t be too egocentric.

13. A popular trend these days (notably in the West) is to make games that are very cinematic in nature, mimicking Hollywood down to the use of (usually) orchestral cinematic music. How do you feel about this? Since these two media are converging when it comes to telling a story on screen, should games (and their music) be any different from films? If so, how?
--- I’ve always regard film music as too ambient. I would need better or more perceptive ears. But I don’t think it’s that bad. They creating music that’s not too catchy, so people can concentrate on the game. Hmm, maybe it’s even easier to compose. A no from me.

14. Certain producers and composers believe that the perfect music should not be noticeable unless it's not there. Another way to formulate this would be to say that the music shouldn't be in the forefront to avoid distracting the player. In practice, this often results in the use of an adaptative music system, playing an ambient (see "usually unmelodic") track when nothing special is going on and then loading a more dynamic cue when action kicks in. When listened to on a stand alone basis, these soundtracks often make an inconsistent experience (unless for huge ambient fans). What do you think about this?
--- Please think of the ambient fans. They’re to many VGM fans as VGM fans are to mainstream fans. Ambience is absolutely unpredictable in my opinion, it’s all about resonating waves. Some are extremely terrific, others are rather sleep-inducing (because you concentrate too hard and still hear nothing).

15. VGM is inevitably linked to the games it comes from. In fact, it's created to suit them in the first place! Is there any soundtrack which you regard very lowly from a listener point of view, but that you found worked well in-game? If possible, how could it have been more enjoyable to listen to while still working as well in-game?
--- I’ve found all music to be more interesting if something visual or emotional is attached to it. I believe that liking music is more complex and not only related to this one sense.

16. Do you think there is too much music sounding the same? If so, could this be because there are too many similar games? If the games weren't to change, how could the music become different without sounding out of place?
--- Sounding the same is a question of experience. Two pieces of music cannot be technically the same if they’re not the same track (lol?). Just an easy comparison, european people say all asian looks alike, true or not? But in general I think, if more and more game music is released the chance is simply higher that you’ll encounter something familiar. Also, normal gamers don’t care that certain games have a certain style of music.

17. Do you notice any difference between VGM created in Japan, America and Europe? If so, what does one do better or worse than the others, and vice versa?
--- I personally prefer Japanese VGM. They tend to create more complex and better melodies.. I know and like a few American composer and their works and sometimes there’s really no difference, so this could be simply because there’s more Japanese VGM, so there’s more to choose from. Europe and VGM, do you mean Hamauzu (lol)?

18. VGM is a lot more popular in Japan than it is in the West, with album releases being a good indicator. How could things get better in the West on that matter?
--- People have to be more aware of VGM, then it would get better, but I’m not sure how to make them more aware. VGM might remain a niche forever.

19. If you had to sum up in three words what you expect from VGM, which would you choose?
--- Unique, Light, Inspiration

Jam it back in, in the dark.