Here at DAMNLAG, we love us some Zelda (well, except Zack). We love it so much, that we can all can get together and talk about the series for hours. During one of our recent random chat sessions, we thought it would be fun to create a list honoring the wonderful music of Zelda. We have assembled what we consider the best fifteen Zelda songs (and one honorable mention) based on the following four factors: catchines, compositon, usage in-game, and lasting emotional effect. We hope you enjoy listening to our selections, as we included the best versions of each song we could find. The writers who participated in the roundtable are Steve Bogda, Brandon Whaley, and Mark Swan.

Honorable Mention: Spirit Tracks Main Theme

Steve says: I feel that within a few years, the Spirit Tracks soundtrack will be remembered as one of the best musical offerings to come from the Zelda franchise. Time will only tell where Spirit Tracks lands in the pantheon of Zelda games, but I wouldn’t bet against it. The game’s main theme is a soaring and exciting theme that pushes players as they choo-choo across Hyrule. The blasting theme forces the gamer to not put the DS down, and keep on chugging. In fact, the biggest appeal of the game’s train riding sections was this theme roaring in the background.

15. Song of Storms (First Appearance: Ocarina of Time)

Brandon says: Another song with a decidedly nautical background, the Song of Storms has captivated me since the first time I played that 3-note melody on my Ocarina. On the surface, it’s a jaunty little tune. However, underneath that lively melody lies darker undertones, like those of the thunder rumbling when a storm is a-brewin’. The composition is really great, with the flute/ocarina really offsetting the harpsichord underneath.

14. The Song of Time (First Appearance: Ocarina of Time)

Mark says: Nintendo has really outdone itself in forming an entire dynamic religion around the Zelda world. There are mythology, practices, and worship that parallel our own. If the Temple of Time is a Hyrulian’s church or temple, then the Song of Time is definitely The Legend of Zelda’s answer to a hymn. Presented like ancient song with an incredible power, the Song of Time is in a style similar to that of a Gregorian chant.

13. Gerudo Valley (First Appearance: Ocarina of Time)

Mark says: The theme to Gerudo Valley is an exotic song that perfectly portrays the adventure that lies in the Gerudo desert. Nintendo could have taken the obvious route and scored Link’s journey into dangerous territory with a typical fantasy theme. Instead, they gave us an energetic Spanish guitar and horns track that captures the atmosphere of a harsh, relentless wasteland.

12. Saria’s Song/Sacred Grove (First Appearance: Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess)

Steve says: Dun da da. Dun da da! Get the fuck out of my head! Saria’s Song is the most catchy song in gaming, and for that alone it deserved a place on our list. It was a delightful, seemingly never ending song that perfectly matched the face palming that was the Lost Woods. However, the main motif of Saria’s Song can be molded and shaped to match even the darkest of themes. The Sacred Grove version of the song we have selected is a sample from Twilight Princess, and it perfectly blend both the darkness of the game’s tone and the catchy nostalgia of the original melody.

11. File Select/ Great Fairy Fountain (First Appearance: A Link to the Past)

Mark says: One of the most recognizable songs in Zelda’s musical library, the File Select theme helps to ease the players into one of the hardest steps of the game: the first. On another level, the song also has an otherworldly feel that accompanies the great faries’ unfamiliar, yet welcomed presence. If you close your eyes while you listen, it almost feels like a song you’d hear while entering a dream.

10. Main Theme (First Appearance: The Legend of Zelda)

Brandon says: You knew this was going to show up on here sooner or later, right? This song encompasses all that is Zelda. It’s grandiose, much like the adventure that is sure to be waiting. It’s poignant, much like aspects of the story waiting to be told. It’s dark, like the times that will befall our hero and his land. It’s encouraging; awakening in us the belief that yes, this young boy in a green cap can, in fact, save the day. It’s also one of the few pieces in gaming that have succeeded in bringing a tear to my eye. When, in the intro to Link’s Awakening, Marin nurses a shipwrecked Link back to health, and the screen pans to show the egg of the Wind Fish, this track kicks in with such power that I could not contain it. One of the watershed moments in gaming for me.

9. Twilight Princess Hyrule Field Theme (First Appearance: Twilight Princess)

Steve says: Twilight Princess had an excellent beginning, and the game’s first venture into Hyrule Field was definitely a highlight. There is no other Zelda theme in the franchise that gets your adrenaline pumping like Twilight Princess’ main Hyrule Field Theme; none. With a blasting melody and a heart bumping beat, the song gave Hyrule Field an epic scope like it never had before.

8. Oath to Order (First Appearance: Majora’s Mask)

Mark says: The Oath to Order is one of the most grave songs in the Legend of Zelda franchise, and a great example of the impact Majora’s Mask beautifully weird soundtrack possessed. The song has an incredible amount of depth, and takes the listener through a myriad of emotions; ranging from dreadfully sad to dutifully defiant.

7. Last Day (First Appearance: Majora’s Mask)

Steve says: Majora’s Mask was the first Zelda game to truly take advantage of modern day plot conventions. With a doomsday element riddled with suspense, Majora’s Mask portrayed a sense of panic and dread as the hours quickly melted away. Right before the apex of this terminally doomed clock, the song “Last Day” plays. Never have I heard such a panic inducing, and threatening melody in the game. Last Day is executed perfectly, and renders the world’s nearing destruction as a soon to be conceived reality.

6. Midna’s Lament (First Appearance: Twilight Princess)

Steve says: Midna was one of the bright spots to come out of Twilight Princess. In a game that was criticized for being too much like past Zelda experiences, Midna was like nothing the franchise had seen. Midna’s Lament is a beautiful, heart-wrenching melody that allows games to feel the pain that the game’s titular character is undergoing. The song’s melancholy tone binds the player to Midna in a way that was impossible before you heard it.

5. Dark World (First Appearance: A Link to the Past)

Brandon says: Man, I will never forget the first time I heard this tune. A Link to the Past may always be my favorite Zelda game, and it’s because of moments like this. This track is the polar opposite of the Hyrule Field music, in much the same way the Dark World is the antithesis of Hyrule. Its militaristic in nature, much like the Dark World and its ruler, Ganon. Its oppressive drum cadence really sets the mood for the gritty world in which Link finds himself dumped. It also lets you know that the only like option for escape it to fight for it. Sure, you just beat Agahnim, which should have taken care of things, but now you’ve got bigger fish to fry. This song sums up just how much the odds are in those fishes favor.

4. Dragon Roost Island (First Appearance: The Wind Waker)

Brandon says: The only word I can think of to fully describe this track is, well, “pirate-tastic.” When you first sail within the range of this pirate hideout, and the jaunty beat kicks in, you know you’re in for a fun time. Eye patches and blunderbusses come to mind. It immediately sets the tone. The track is almost amateur in its composition, almost as if an actual pirate goon is playing it on the island somewhere. Just another track in the game that seems to add to the “open-seas” atmosphere of Wind Waker that I loved so much. It also makes for good pirate-fightin’ music.

3. Ocean/The Great Sea (First Appearance: The Wind Waker)

Brandon says: What can I say about this track? It’s my personal favorite. A huge part of Wind Waker is centered around sailing around the surface of a now-sunken Hyrule, island-hopping to reach your goals. This track plays whilst you float freely on the open seas, and it grandly encompasses the sense of openness and exploration that is such a huge part of the game. Although it doesn’t actually contain parts of the Zelda theme, it’s almost like it contains the spirit of that classic track, while giving it a nautical, adventurous feel. I still remember the feeling I got when I first stepped onto my tiny ship, saw the open waters ahead of me, and this lively, adventurous tune cranked up. I was ready for anything.

2. Zelda’s Lullaby (First Appearance: Ocarina of Time)

Mark says: As haunting as it is soothing, Zelda’s Lullaby is famous for its ability to unite the gamer with the world they are defending. Hylains, Gorons, Zoras, and Great Fairies answer to anyone who plays the tune as if it were a unifying cry of hope. After Ganondorf’s invasion and overthrow of the crown, the song almost becomes a relic of a lost monarchy, and of a certain princess for that matter. Ultimately, the song serves as the greatest example of a character motif in gaming, and has become synonymous with the Triforce of Wisom’s bearer.

1. Song of Healing (First Appearance: Majora’s Mask)

Steve says: The team that assembled this list agreed completely on only two things going into its formation: 1) Majora’s Mask had the best soundtrack in the Zelda franchise 2) the Song of Healing had to be number one on our list. In a game that emotionally drains the gamer, the Song of Healing is the perfect remedy.

It is by no means a joyful tune, consisting of merely six minor notes. But it’s incredibly soothing, and as the name suggests, a healing melody that showcases the level of immersion Majora’s Mask offered. It can be listened to outside of the game and can conjure up the same emotions you had the first time you heard it in the game. The Song of Healing is the quintessential example of why Zelda music is so beloved, and why the franchise gets losers like us to muse about its melodies.