History AwesomeMusic / Civilization

** The main theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j2s4EkR36A "Sogno di Volare"]] ("The Dream of Flight"), is amazing. As are the TriumphantReprise renditions that play for four of the five (six with Gathering Storm) victory conditions; Score/Time is a very basic excerpt through a developing city, Religion replaces the vocals with an ethereal choir as the cinematic treads stars, Culture's trumpet refrain punctuates scenes of the Hanging Gardens and a valley portrait, and Domination builds up in a minor key through the progression of war to a victory march with the {{Leitmotif}}. The song also gets a DarkReprise for the defeat cutscene. Then there are the lyrics (courtesy of Creator/LeonardoDaVinci).

** The main theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j2s4EkR36A "Sogno di Volare"]] ("The Dream of Flight"), is quite amazing. As are the lyrics (courtesy of Creator/LeonardoDaVinci).

*** As are the TriumphantReprise renditions that play for four of the five (six with Gathering Storm) victory conditions; Score/Time is a very basic excerpt through a developing city, Religion replaces the vocals with an ethereal choir as the cinematic treads stars, Culture's trumpet refrain punctuates scenes of the Hanging Gardens and a valley portrait, and Domination builds up in a minor key through the progression of war to a victory march with the {{Leitmotif}}. The song also gets a DarkReprise for the defeat cutscene.

*** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEQvHCEHKH0 Atomic Era theme]] ("Kalinka") for Russia. Unlike pre-Atomic iterations, it includes the musical spirit of the Soviet Union to drive the transition from the Industrial to the Russian Revolutions home, which of course means the inclusion of a pseudo-Red Army Choir singing the lyrics. This happens to make it the sole country theme in the entire game that has coherent vocals.

*** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEQvHCEHKH0 Atomic Era theme]] ("Kalinka") for Russia. Unlike the other previous Era version, it shows a strong patriotic yet intimidating feeling that reflects the nation's historic status as the Soviet Union.

* The [[Music/JohannSebastianBach Brandenburg]] [[https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeDpZHbB2cKF2vnSTG1vm5rIaMPcDHmsm Concerti]] played during the Renaissance era in ''Civilization IV'' also qualify; though they're not original to the series, they wouldn't be the only already-existing music pieces in this series.

** [[https://youtu.be/RxycdY_Dqa4 Montezuma's theme]], an brand spanking new arrangement of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw-ele8Q0iE Tenochtitlan Revealed]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-IRJzNDU2o Montezuma's theme]], an brand spanking new arrangement of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw-ele8Q0iE Tenochtitlan Revealed]].

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__29A8qWkrc Warlords]] expansion theme also counts.
* The [[Music/JohannSebastianBach Brandenburg Concerti]] played during the Renaissance era also qualify, though they're not original to the series.

* Just the fact that every leader got its own piece, which is performed by increasingly more (modern) instruments as the civilization advances. And especially the tunes that are newer versions of old themes, which give an awesome moment of nostalgic realization, and of course, an opportunity to remember how amazing ''those'' songs were as well.

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgT4TE9ILT4 theme that plays in the Sengoku scenario]] is excellent.

* While only a few of the songs from ''Civilization III'' have names, many of them still stand out, like the drums-and-trumpets [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb-4OOGbtFU Ancient European theme]], and especially the Modern Era songs: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlknGt-dKVs Smash]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb-30whUbaI Techno Mix]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyAnyqYmjdo Stars Full]].

* Most of the BackgroundMusic in ''Civ IV'' is this way. It's been described as "one of the few games that lets you change the BackgroundMusic, and one of the few games where you don't need to". This is largely because after the Classical Era, the pieces consist entirely of the cream of Western ClassicalMusic (some of the selections, like the ''Miserere'' played in the Middle Ages, are considered to be absolute masterpieces), and the pieces chosen are furthermore beautifully tailored to the experience of playing the game.

* Most of the background music in ''Civ IV'' is this way. It's been described as "one of the few games that lets you change the background music, and one of the few games where you don't need to". This is largely because after the Classical Era, the pieces consist entirely of the cream of Western ClassicalMusic (some of the selections, like the ''Miserere'' played in the Middle Ages, are considered to be absolute masterpieces), and the pieces chosen are furthermore beautifully tailored to the experience of playing the game.

*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otWCgk0-_ec Byzanthium's theme, Ti Ipermaho Stratigo]], with its majestic swell of the male choir and graceful, ancient-sounding harmonies truly brings to mind the pious power of the Eastern Roman Empire.

*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otWCgk0-_ec Byzanthium's theme, Ti Ipermaho]], with its majestic swell of the male choir and graceful, ancient-sounding harmonies truly brings to mind the pious power of the Eastern Roman Empire.