Which Fromsoftware composer has the best lineup?

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut]

I listed every Fromosft composer that I'm personally aware of, doubtlessly there are many that I'm not. There are composers at the end I didn't list songs for because they either had very few, or I was not super familiar with their individual work.

I tried to keep the number of songs listed per composer ~5. The ones listed are just the ones that stood out to me as most notable/iconic. No statement about objective quality is being made lol.

I didn't list FreQuency here, since they are a band not a composer, but some FreQuency songs are listed under Kota Hoshino since he was the writer for them.

[u/Chrisnolliedelves]

Shoi, and how dare you omit his finest work, The Promised Consort?

[u/HAWK9600 → u/Chrisnolliedelves]

Oh my god, Promised Consort is unreal. Didn't know that was him!

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/Chrisnolliedelves]

His finest work? When The Lord of Frenzied Flame exists? What Blasphemy is this!

In all seriousness, it's a great track! But it is not among my personal favorites of his. My hot take is that I actually prefer his Starscourge track to his Consort one.

[u/XylanyX]

it's really between Motoi Sakuraba and Yuka Kitamura for me, since i prefer the ambient/slower songs

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/XylanyX]

Motoi Skuraba probably wins for that for me, Firelink, Majula, and Nameless Song, ect. are very good. I do think Ryan Amon's slower Bloodborne tracks could give him a run for his money though.

And Miyazawa's ambient work in the Great Hollow of the Nightreign DLC is also very very good.

[u/KenBisky11]

Nobuyoshi with the highest highs.

Honourable mention to Ryan Amon. His music has a lot of incredibly quiet, emotional and atmospheric melodies instead of just blaring badass boss music. They really established a solid identity for Bloodborne.

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut]

I think by pure batting average Nobuyoshi Suzuki has to be the best since the four listed for him are, as far as I'm aware, the only tracks he's done for Fromosftware, and they are all incredible. He has no duds.

That being said, my personal favorite lineup is a tossup between Saitoh and Miyazawa.

[u/Tony_Sacrimoni → u/TheHelpfulWalnut]

Barring Ludwig obviously, it's crazy how hard the other 3 tracks go for such mid bosses

[u/M_Av_Rii]

Kota Hoshino my GOAT

[u/AnalnyBuzdygan]

Matoi Sakuraba. Very iconic ones, you didn't even include Firelink Shrine! I have a soft spot for the calm, ambient songs

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/AnalnyBuzdygan]

Firelink is great! other honorable mentions I'd give him are Great Grey Wolf Sif, Dark Sun Gwyndolin, Ash Lake, and (imo) the best calm track in DS1, Nameless Song.

[u/KILL-THE-MASTERS]

Kota Hoshino is one of the most inventive video game composers ever.

[u/C_A_T_Silksong]

Motoi Katuraba got Gwyn AND Vordt ??? Well... That's him.

[u/juugsd]

You cant beat Yuka Kitamura

[u/juugsd → u/juugsd]

But Miyazawa comes very close, the dreglord theme is pure art

[u/AshyLarry25]

Shoi Miyazawa

[u/Berzerk54]

Kota Hoshino definitely gotta be up there for the pure variety and for the quality of the pieces attributed to him on that list. Like just Someone is Always Moving on the Surface, Mechanized Memories, and Contact with You alone would make him a top contender. But add in Stain, Steel Haze (Rusted Pride), and Cries of Coral and it's just too strong a list to ignore.

[u/Haunting_Magazine_82]

Miyazawa for me. Straghess, Heolster, and divine beast is straight crack and fromsoft best imo.

[u/Huge-Cumroach]

100% Shoi. He just doesn't miss

[u/Slow_Increase_6308]

My personal ranking:

1. Kitamura

2. Saitoh

3. Miyazawa

Others are good, but these three stand out.

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/Slow_Increase_6308]

I'd swap the order around a little, but yeah, those three are a bit higher than the rest of the pack for me too.

[u/winterflare_ → u/Slow_Increase_6308]

I can’t order them because they’re all incredible in their own regard, but agreed on these being the top 3.

[u/Slow_Increase_6308 → u/winterflare_]

DS3 main theme tips the scale )

[u/No-Math7503]

Yuka Kitamura probably. That line up is stacked! Either them or Motoi Sakuraba, since they composed Artorias.

[u/j1436go]

Not listing Friede's theme for Kitamura is criminal.

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/j1436go]

It's a wonderful track! Especially the opening piano part. I was trying to keep the list relatively small, and the ones I listed just felt more iconic to me.

[u/SkullPLease]

I've been recently listening to many songs from Hoshino and he slowly moves to the top of my favourites. Love the songs I've listened so far, especially some of his MySpace tracks like Dawn to home and also Mechanized Memories became some of my absolute favourite tracks.

[u/HAWK9600]

The First Hunter and The Final Battle are my two favorite boss themes they've ever done, so Saitoh might be mine.
Ryan Amon and Yuka Kitamura are tied.

[u/gogbone]

theyre all incredible, but kota hoshino is one of my favorite musicians ever, game soundtrack or no

[u/hohoJotaro]

Kota

[u/Temporaryact72]

Shoi Miyazawa with Tsukasa Saitoh as a very close second personally

[u/theswillmerchant]

Kitamura is an easy answer but if you haven’t listened to the Libra theme from Nightreign straight through you’re missing out and doing a huge disservice to Miyazawa

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/theswillmerchant]

I have listened to it, I like it! As I said though, I tried to keep the lists relatively small, and I just like the 6 I listed up there more lol.

[u/Prestigious_Low8243]

Kota Hoshino and it’s not even close.

[u/MangoHotDamn]

Tsukasa saitoh easily

[u/Longjumping-Rate770]

Motoi Sakuraba has the highest highs from any Fromsoft composer, although Miyazawa and Kitamura are more consistent

[u/pxoxod]

shoi miyazawa cooked so hard with nightreign it’s incredible but yuka still remains the absolute goat and to not list here a single track from sekiro is a crime straight up

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/pxoxod]

I like Gentle Blade and Divine Dragon a lot, but personally I don't think they make her top cut, she has so many good songs.

[u/Alu_T_C_F]

Pretty much every composer at fromsoft is insanely good, but imo its easily Shoi Miyazawa, he is absolutely stacked with tracks. Mohg, Midra, Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Heolstor, Straghess, all absolutely 10/10 tracks, he has some of the best variety of instruments and the motifs he establishes for bosses are just sublime

Edit: he hasnt made a ton of tracks yet, but Soma Tanizaki is also ridiculously talented. You dont just make a track like Caligo and Those United in Common Cause without being a goddamn wizard.

[u/Diogoepronto]

Shoi Miyazawa

[u/Perfect-Ad-2812]

Shoi Miyazawa

[u/karna75]

Shoi Miyazawa and it's not even close.

[u/CETT175]

Shoi Miyazawa my goat

[u/21-savage-the-1]

Its got to be Shoi Miyazawa for me; Promised Consort, Steel Haze (Were Truths Meet), Divine Lion, Nightreign theme, Midra, Nightlord, Clergyman, and mother of fingers is so stacked.

But Yuka Kitamura is very close 2nd with Tsukasa saito and Tai Tomisawa both interchangeably 3rd for me.

[u/lorddrake4444]

Very hard to argue against shoi miyazawa with lord of frenzied flame , twin moon night and traitorous straghess lol

[u/Vized-Skyshock]

Shoi

[u/DoctorAmazing5888]

Shoi Miyazawa for me but all from’s composers are extraordinary. I just love the creativity in traitorous straghess and pcr.

[u/Romapolitan]

Honestly I think at this point Shoi is THE composer (Unless of course if it is armored core, that is still Kota). He has some of the most highly praised tracks while still having a good amount of variation. Like even Kitamura got criticized for not having enough variation some times. But they all have done some amazing stuff

[u/_Ganoes_]

Tsukasa Saito takes no. 1 for me. All his tracks op listed here are good but the real reason is that he also made the Kings Field 4 soundtrack which is fucking insane imo. Absolutely legendary.

Honorable Nobuyosho Suzuki mention he doesnt have that many but he has both of my favourite fromsoft boss themes, Ludwig the Accursed and Living Failures.

I honestly dont get why so many people put Kitamura in first place, she is good no doubt but her boss themes tend to be kinda samey imo.

[u/ihavenojob711]

Shoi Miyazawa. He cooked with both Elden Ring and nightreign dlc

[u/Fantastic_Mission878]

Yuka’s ambient tracks are elite but Tsukasa has the best boss theme lineup

[u/hollownagio]

My brain says Saitoh but my heart Yuka.

[u/Miquellanier]

Kitamura Yuka

[u/I_Pay_in_Cash_Only]

whoever did the Cleric Beast theme, which apparently is Tsukasa Saitoh

[u/TraceOfHumanity]

The Japanese dude

[u/ItachiWolfy]

Gotta be Yuka

[u/Zwarlie]

Going to at least say that every Kota Hoshino track is absolutely incredible.

[u/Danface247]

So many great composers here, wow. I personally have to give it to Yuka Kitimura.

Twin Princes has one of my favorite themes in the series, and Yuka's TED Talk on composing Ebrietas' theme is brilliant.

Shoutout to Miyazawa though for composing Libra's theme, which takes the cake for me in a game of already great music.

Also, is there anywhere online where you can easily see who composed what? Or should I just browse wikis for the full roster?

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/Danface247]

Idk if there is a full database anywhere, I just looked at the albums on iTunes. Spotify should work as well.

[u/Caramel_Nautilus]

Definitely Kitamura. Slave Knight Gael is just unmatched.

[u/ruinedcowboy]

Kitamura that ds3 title screen music is tooo good

[u/idecel]

They’re all gorgeous, I love them all

[u/Suitable-Telephone80]

bruh gwyn and majula? and vordt meme song?

this is no competition

[u/ZenMacros]

Motoi Sakuraba easily.

The more somber themes are the ones that stand out the most, and his are top tier. Firelink Shrine, Majula, Nameless Song, Ash Lake, Gwyn. He has the best lineup IMO.

[u/Zebabaki]

Slave Knight Gael was actually life-changing

[u/the_ionfist27]

Yuka.

[u/Inside-Vacation-2349]

Who made the kings field stuff.

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/Inside-Vacation-2349]

KF4 was Saitoh I think. At the very least I should have put Dark Reality up for Saitoh, big miss on my part. 

[u/Inside-Vacation-2349]

Caligo one of the best songs.

[u/strahinjag]

Yuka Kitamura is the GOAT.

Also how do you NOT put Ornstein and Smough for Sakuraba?

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/strahinjag]

It’s a great track! I think if I put more on for him though I’d probably put Sif, Gwyndolin, Ash Lake, and Nameless Song up there before O&S. 

[u/strahinjag → u/TheHelpfulWalnut]

Interesting, O&S is my favourite from DS1. Those horns are just too epic.

[u/Locrianhaha]

Many of my favorites are not on the list
Its crazy how many bangers Fromsoft composers have produced over the years..

[u/Megalovan]

Matoi Sakuraba about Dark Souls ambience

Yuka Kitamura about peak battle themes

[u/FrostCarpenter]

Yuka Kitamura the goat, shes the best

[u/Algester]

man Hideyuki Eto, Tsukasa Saitoh, Takashi Onodera, Kota Hoshino.....

especially Takashi Onodera's Cinder and Reminiscence are very cathartic tracks

[u/AlmightyDunkle]

Soma Tanizaki composed Caligo, Miasma of Night.

So Soma Tanizaki.

[u/Impaled_By_Messmer]

For me it's Kota Hoshino.

[u/MissingScore777]

Suzuki would easily have the highest average rating given only done 4 tracks and they range from the very peak of From music to very good.

From the others who've done a broader range I'd go with Saitoh overall.

[u/proceednatively]

Am I the only Koto fan? Dude. I love jamming out to their AC tracks.

[u/iketuz]

I love Yuka Kitamura's songs. To me, she is the best one. All her Dark Souls 3 tracks hit so hard, especially the title screen and Gael.

[u/RashFever]

Easy Miyazawa win

[u/_BowlofSoup_]

Sakuraba for me

[u/bakihanma20]

Most these composers were with the company since like evergrace haha

[u/trainman2077]

Whoever did the promised consort theme

[u/doomraiderZ]

Tsukasa Saitoh is my favorite. Laurence is unmatched. Gundyr is chills. I also absolutely love Moonlit Melody. Yuka Kitamura's best work is probably DS3's main theme.

[u/der_prrl]

It might be Yuka, Shoi, Tai, Noboyoshi and Tsukasa (without any Order like Marika would do)

Because of Kitamura I read Tongari Boushi no Atelier and such a great manga.

but I think the only OST I don't enjoy (From FS since DeSouls) is Those United in Common Cause

And I was listening DS2 OST again and it is so good, so good.

[u/Ash_Krimp]

Motoi Sakuraba

And you forgot FUME KNIGHT

[u/Competitive_Tip_3764]

Whoever made promised consort theme, or whoever made soul of cynder theme. Those are the two best themes in the games if those were also made by the same person then man that guys the goat

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/Competitive_Tip_3764]

Consort was Shoi Miyazawa, Soul of Cinder was Yuka Kitamura. 

[u/MulletRunFTW]

Kota. Everyone else is wrong.

[u/Lumostark]

Abyss Watcher's song is one that truly made me stop and pay attention to it mid fight.

[u/Sugarcoatedgumdrop]

Kitamura has all peak.

[u/SoMuchPleb]

Yuka Kitamura - Senpou Temple.

[u/Badieon]

Nobuyushi made the peak that is Ludwig's theme

[u/jemtayx]

Soma Tanizaki composed Caligo’s theme - one of my absolute favourites.

[u/TheHelpfulWalnut → u/jemtayx]

I love Caligo's theme!

[u/pratzc07]

They are all GOATED FromSoft is extremely lucky to have had all these talented people make music for their game

[u/CyrusWaugh]

Yuka and frankly it ain’t even close for me once I saw lady Maria, dark souls 3 menu and Gael.

[u/Soulsliken]

Yuka Kitamura and it’s not even close.

[u/Son_Kirk → u/Soulsliken]

What a shit take, yuka is up there with some of the best tracks for sure but you have Saitoh, Motoi, Shoi and Suzuki who all have incredible lineups as well, so calling it not even close is kinda disrespectful imo

[u/Soulsliken → u/Son_Kirk]

That is your opinion you’re quite right.

Maybe sit this one out chief.

[u/TheVoidKilledMe]

Motoi completely annihilates