Best Gen 7 BGM?

[NovaBrunswick]

As Gen 7 comes to a close, a new generation will take its place. In celebration, I'm looking back at the music of Gen 7. Which tunes in Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon (not counting Let's Go) stood out the most to you? Here are my personal favourites:

• Lush Jungle - I loved the zen vibes I got from this one. The xylophone (?) kind of reminds me of raindrops falling on leaves, which sometimes happens in this part of Alola.

• Hau'oli City - The day version is bright and happy, while the night version is relaxing with its lounge-jazz sound. I prefer the day version a little more, however.

• Malie City - The Far Eastern flavour of this tune kind of reminds me of Ecruteak City in Johto, especially its HG/SS variant. This is most likely because Malie was inspired by Johto's architecture.

• Seafolk Village - I think it just fits the place for some reason. I like the night version better, because it's pretty calming to listen to.

• Vast Poni Canyon - It reminds me of going on a big adventure, like Indiana Jones.

• Totem Pokémon Battle - Those drums are so intense. I like the bit just before the song loops again, when they go into full-on ‘boss’ mode.

• Tapu Battle - Sometimes you hear what sounds like "guardian" throughout the song, which is a perfect fit as you're battling the guardians of the Alolan islands. It has a bit of Hawaiian music in it, too.

• Ultra Necrozma Battle - Organs. What else? I think this is the first 'true' boss battle theme in Pokémon - you're saving Alola from this colossal beast that's devouring all the light in it, and it also devoured arguably the most famous character in the whole of Gen 7 - Cosmog, AKA Nebby.

 

[Ignition]

This is a hard question because I feel like every track in SM/USUM is the best. I’ll give a “few”:
-Vs Totem Pokèmon: Honestly my favorite song in Pokèmon. The pure adrenaline rush I felt when this first played speaks for itself.
-Vs Light Trio/(Dusk/Dawn/Ultra) Necrozma: All of the battles against the main Alola trio give the feeling of fighting a Legendary flawlessly
-Vs Mother Beast/Guzma: Shows off the main antagonists and their warped mentalities
-Xurkitree’s US (name evades me atm): idk why

 

[NovaBrunswick]

-Vs Totem Pokèmon: Honestly my favorite song in Pokèmon. The pure adrenaline rush I felt when this first played speaks for itself.

If you listen carefully to the beginning of the Gen 7 wild Pokémon music, you’ll hear a bit of the Totem Pokémon theme in it. Also, when you defeat a Totem, the victory music also sounds like the Island Kahuna battle music. I kind of liked how Gen 7 linked every bit of music to each other in some way.

 

[Leonhart]

I dislike most of Gen VII's music in general, yet even I can't deny that Malie City's background music is quite lovely.

 

[mysticalglacia]

Gen VII has one of my absolute favorite OST’s, right up there with Gen III and Gen V. Every track is just so good, and such a step up from arguably one of the weakest OST’s in the series, Kalos. Some of the best ones are:

• Team Skull Battle- So unique and fun, reminds you how refreshing Team Skull really is. Love that they brought back the Unova-like bg voices.

• Lusamime Battle- Aether’s themes in general are great, but the intensity and expression of the composition reflect Lusamine perfectly. Really well done.

• Malie City (Day and Night)- Johto has some of the most beautiful music in all of Pokémon so to see that flair return was amazing. Going to Malie just to hear the night music play is one of my favorite things to do in the game.

• E4 Battle- Finally another intimidating E4 theme! I though Kalos’ was fine but this one really brought back the genuine intensity of previous E4 themes. Plus the Smash remix is literally godly.

• KoniKoni City (Day and Night)- Gives me serious Sinnoh vibes, and that’s a very, very good thing. The day music is lovely, but the night one is one of the best town themes we’ve had yet.

Overall, a fantastic Gen for music. It’s a divisive Gen, but as a whole, the music was consistent quality and a return to form imo.

 

[PokeMon2.0]

Konikoni City: the day theme had a lot of Asian sounds that were cool. The night was a better theme to me because of the synths, which I prefer to the orchestral sounds.
Malie City: lots of Japanese/Chinese keys sounds like kotos and bells.
Ultra Beast Battle: that lead synth with the modulation and sync is so nice. Same with the bells in the intro.
Trainer Battle: love the synth brass.
Wild Battle: the guitar was a nice touch.
There is so much more. Also loved the Ultra Space related themes and boss remixes with all the synths and electric guitar.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

• KoniKoni City (Day and Night)- Gives me serious Sinnoh vibes, and that’s a very, very good thing. The day music is lovely, but the night one is one of the best town themes we’ve had yet.

Why does it remind you of Sinnoh? Sunnyshore, maybe? I could see the similarities as Konikoni and Sunnyshore are both seaside cities.

Some of Gen 7’s music also has a Hoenn vibe for me, like Route 8. It’s the trumpets.

• Team Skull Battle- So unique and fun, reminds you how refreshing Team Skull really is. Love that they brought back the Unova-like bg voices.

The vocals saying “Team Skull” kind of remind me of Roxie’s song at her gym in B2/W2. “P-O-K-E-M-O-N, Pokémon!”

Also Elesa’s gym with “Are you ready?” and “GIVE ME WHAT I NEEEEEED!” Remember that?

 

[mysticalglacia]

Why does it remind you of Sinnoh? Sunnyshore, maybe? I could see the similarities as Konikoni and Sunnyshore are both seaside cities.

Some of Gen 7’s music also has a Hoenn vibe for me, like Route 8. It’s the trumpets.



The vocals saying “Team Skull” kind of remind me of Roxie’s song at her gym in B2/W2. “P-O-K-E-M-O-N, Pokémon!”

Also Elesa’s gym with “Are you ready?” and “GIVE ME WHAT I NEEEEEED!” Remember that?

KoniKoni to me sounds like a mixture of Sunnyshore, the Game Corner, and the Galactic HQ (all great themes in their own right). It being a seaside city kind of adds to that too.

Alola’s music sounds like it drew some heavy inspiration from Unova, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, and that’s what I think really makes the OST shine.

[you mentioning the gym themes in BW/BW2 makes me want them back so bad! Game Freak, take notes]

 

[NovaBrunswick]

[you mentioning the gym themes in BW/BW2 makes me want them back so bad! Game Freak, take notes]

Maybe they’ll return in Gen 8? The Switch now has the possibility.

E4 Battle- Finally another intimidating E4 theme! I though Kalos’ was fine but this one really brought back the genuine intensity of previous E4 themes. Plus the Smash remix is literally godly.

I don’t remember Kalos’s E4 theme at all (I don’t really remember much of Kalos’s music, I haven’t played X/Y in a long time). The last E4 theme that really had something going for me was Unova’s. I think Sinnoh’s was just the Gym Leader theme, but in a different key.

Lusamime Battle- Aether’s themes in general are great, but the intensity and expression of the composition reflect Lusamine perfectly. Really well done.

Do you mean Lusamine in her “normal” form at Aether, or the form she takes when she’s fused with Nihilego in Ultra Space?

 

[KyogreThunder]

Vast Poni Canyon, since it conveys the adventure feel very well. I also like the wild Pokemon battle theme, the Totem Pokemon theme and regular Trainer battle theme.

 

[Victreebong]

Ultra Beast Battle and Solgaleo/Lunala battle themes, also Guzma’s and Plumeria’s.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

Ultra Beast Battle and Solgaleo/Lunala battle themes, also Guzma’s and Plumeria’s.

I literally only heard five seconds of Solgaleo and Lunala’s theme, because I used my Master Ball to catch Nebby as soon as he came up, so I don’t really remember what it sounded like. Ultra Necrozma’s is epic, though!

 

[Victreebong]

@NovaBrunswick

YouTube. Pretty dope track.