The 8-Bit Big Band's jazz cover of Persona 5's "Last Surprise" receives a Grammy nomination! Read on to discover more about this exciting achievement.

Persona 5’s “Last Surprise” Earns Grammy Nomination for 8-Bit Big Band’s Jazz Arrangement

The 8-Bit Big Band Secures Second Grammy Nomination with Persona 5 Battle Theme Cover

The 8-Bit Big Band's vibrant orchestral jazz rendition of Persona 5's iconic battle theme, "Last Surprise," has received a Grammy nomination! Featuring Grammy Award-winning musician Jake Silverman (Button Masher) on synth and the powerful vocals of Jonah Nilsson (Dirty Loops), this unique arrangement is nominated for "Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals" at the 2025 Grammy Awards.

"Just nominated for my 4th Grammy IN A ROW!!!," exclaimed Charlie Rosen, leader of The 8-Bit Big Band, on Twitter (X). "LONG LIVE VIDEO GAME MUSIC!!!" While Rosen celebrated his personal achievements in theater, this isn't the band's first Grammy experience. They previously won a Grammy in 2022 for "Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella" for their cover of "Meta Knight’s Revenge" from Kirby Super Star, making "Last Surprise" their second Grammy nomination.

The 8-Bit Big Band's cover will compete against notable artists like Willow Smith and John Legend in the same category at the 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony on February 2nd.

The 8-Bit Big Band's Grammy-nominated cover beautifully honors the original while adding its own distinctive flair. The arrangement transforms the track into a captivating jazz fusion piece, showcasing the signature style of Jonah Nilsson's band, Dirty Loops. As the music video description explains, the group collaborated with Button Masher to incorporate the advanced harmonic sensibilities characteristic of Dirty Loops' sound.

2025 Grammy Nominations for Best Video Game Score Announced

The Grammy Awards announced the nominees for "Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media." This year's contenders include:

⚫︎ Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Pinar Toprak, composer
⚫︎ God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, Bear McCreary, composer
⚫︎ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, John Paesano, composer
⚫︎ Star Wars Outlaws, Wilbert Roget, II, composer
⚫︎ Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, Winifred Phillips, composer

Bear McCreary continues to make Grammy history, achieving a nomination every year since the category's inception. His previous nominations include Call of Duty Vanguard (2023) and the base game of God of War Ragnarök (2024).

The award, first won by Stephanie Economou for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, saw Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab win last year for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Video game music holds a special place in the hearts of many fans. Covers like The 8-Bit Big Band's demonstrate the enduring power of classic game compositions, inspiring new interpretations that reach broader audiences.