No matter how much stock you still put in Grammy nominations, the 2010 list of nominations does contain a milestone for gaming. Although Sid Meier's Civilization series is still pressing ahead in "Civilization 5" for PC and Mac and the Facebook-based "Civilization Network", "Civilization 4" is back in the spotlight as well, thanks to composer Christopher Tin, the Soweto Gospel Choir and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and their recording of the "Civ 4" theme "Baba Yetu," which has been nominated in the category of "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists."
The composition has since been put into rotation on Video Games Live setlists, and it also appears on Tin's album "Calling All Dawns," which nabbed him a second nomination in the category of "Best Classical Crossover Album" on Grammy.com. Tin's other video game credits include "World of Cars Online" and "Fantastic Four: The Rise of The Silver Surfer," according to a report on Gamasutra.
Even though "Civ 4" came out half a decade ago, it's still nice to see some light getting shone on Tin's accomplishments. The recording was honored in conjunction with Tin's album, not the game, so Firaxis probably won't get a statue if "Baba Yetu" goes all the way. The track pools from a wide range of international musical traditions and has a discernible "Lion King" meets "Battlestar Galactica" vibe to it, in case you haven't heard it before. If that's the case, I highly recommend checking it out.
What other video game themes out there do you think deserve to be honored outside of the games industry? Do you think "Baba Yetu" is worthy of a Grammy? Share your opinions with us in the comment section below.