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Akira Yamaoka Reveals Impressive Musical Lineup for Play For Japan: The Album

All proceeds for the album are funneled right back into earthquake and tsunami relief.

A number of my close industry colleagues have spent an enormous amount of free time the last few months dedicated to raising money for Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief through Play For Japan. One of the earliest projects discussed was a collaborative album featuring gaming's most renowned composers. It's finally coming to fruition in June, headlined by Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka.

"The encouragement I've received has energized and gives me hope," said Yamaoka in a video introducing the album. "With these artists, my goal is to channel that energy into this album and to share all the warmth and compassion I've received with videogame and music fans around the world."

The album drops sometime in early June (a specific release date is expected "soon"), and Yamaoka even managed to get Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano to spend some time and draw album art.

As for the lineup, have a look:

No Caption Provided
  • == TEASER ==Akira Yamaoka (Shadows of the Damned) | “Ex Animo”
  • Arthur Inasi (Harmonix) | “We Are One”
  • Bear McCreary (SOCOM 4) | “Maverick Regeneration”
  • Chance Thomas (Lord of the Rings Online) | “Rise Up”
  • Hip Tanaka.β (Mother) | “HVC-1384″
  • Inon Zur feat. The Lyris Quartet (Dragon Age) | “Remember“
  • Jason Graves (Dead Space) | “Necromancer”
  • Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros.) | “Super Mario Medley On Two Pianos”
  • Laura Karpman (Everquest II) w/Lisbeth Scott | “Pine Wind Sound“
  • Laura Shigihara (Plants vs. Zombies) | “Jump“
  • Mitsuto Suzuki (The 3rd Birthday) | “Play for You”
  • Nobuko Toda (Metal Gear Solid 4) | “Reminiscence”
  • Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) | “Every New Morning“
  • Penka Kouneva (Prince of Persia) | “White Cloud”
  • Sean Murray (Call of Duty) | “The Temple Stone”
  • Tommy Tallarico (Advent Rising) | “Greater Lights“
  • Woody Jackson (Red Dead Redemption) | “Moshi Moshi”
  • Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger) | “Dimension Break”
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patrickklepek

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Edited By patrickklepek

A number of my close industry colleagues have spent an enormous amount of free time the last few months dedicated to raising money for Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief through Play For Japan. One of the earliest projects discussed was a collaborative album featuring gaming's most renowned composers. It's finally coming to fruition in June, headlined by Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka.

"The encouragement I've received has energized and gives me hope," said Yamaoka in a video introducing the album. "With these artists, my goal is to channel that energy into this album and to share all the warmth and compassion I've received with videogame and music fans around the world."

The album drops sometime in early June (a specific release date is expected "soon"), and Yamaoka even managed to get Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano to spend some time and draw album art.

As for the lineup, have a look:

No Caption Provided
  • == TEASER ==Akira Yamaoka (Shadows of the Damned) | “Ex Animo”
  • Arthur Inasi (Harmonix) | “We Are One”
  • Bear McCreary (SOCOM 4) | “Maverick Regeneration”
  • Chance Thomas (Lord of the Rings Online) | “Rise Up”
  • Hip Tanaka.β (Mother) | “HVC-1384″
  • Inon Zur feat. The Lyris Quartet (Dragon Age) | “Remember“
  • Jason Graves (Dead Space) | “Necromancer”
  • Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros.) | “Super Mario Medley On Two Pianos”
  • Laura Karpman (Everquest II) w/Lisbeth Scott | “Pine Wind Sound“
  • Laura Shigihara (Plants vs. Zombies) | “Jump“
  • Mitsuto Suzuki (The 3rd Birthday) | “Play for You”
  • Nobuko Toda (Metal Gear Solid 4) | “Reminiscence”
  • Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) | “Every New Morning“
  • Penka Kouneva (Prince of Persia) | “White Cloud”
  • Sean Murray (Call of Duty) | “The Temple Stone”
  • Tommy Tallarico (Advent Rising) | “Greater Lights“
  • Woody Jackson (Red Dead Redemption) | “Moshi Moshi”
  • Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger) | “Dimension Break”
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shootermcclay

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Edited By shootermcclay

Yah

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ironscimitar

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Edited By ironscimitar

Cool line up of songs.

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Aus_azn

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Edited By Aus_azn

"Impressive".

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benjaebe

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Edited By benjaebe

Yamaoka is brilliant. The song list is really good as well.

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mandrewgora

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Edited By mandrewgora

two of my favorite dudes.

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Yummylee

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Edited By Yummylee

Red Dead Redemption, Mosh Moshi? Don't recognise that title from the soundtrack. Moshi Moshi sounds like the ''ahoi-hoi'' of Japan.

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Animasta

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Edited By Animasta

are these all new songs?

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Edited By mutha3

No Shoji Meguro(the Shin Megami Tensei guy)? too bad, that would have made this lineup even cooler.

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Edited By SirOptimusPrime

Fantastic! Yamaoka is fantastic, and the majority of those choices are awesome. The RDR, DA:O, Chrono Trigger, and PvZ songs are gonna be sick. 

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mutha3

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Edited By mutha3

This lineup is still goddamn impressive, though. Can't wait to hear it.

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Gerhabio

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Edited By Gerhabio

Sweeeeeet

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blake_brown

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Edited By blake_brown

Yamoaka is a genius composer.  this lineup is very impressive.

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recroulette

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Edited By recroulette

Pretty cool lineup. 

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drjota

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Edited By drjota

A wild Tallarico has appeared!

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AngelN7

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Edited By AngelN7
@mutha3 said:
No Shoji Meguro(the Shin Megami Tensei guy)? too bad, that would have made this lineup even cooler.
Totally with you also the lack of Takeharu Ishimoto (The world Ends with You) makes me sad
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shinluis

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Edited By shinluis
@DrJota said:
A wild Tallarico has appeared!
LOL hell yeah!
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kollay

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Edited By kollay

Ko Otani? :(

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umdesch4

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Edited By umdesch4

I will buy this. Hell, I'd buy it even if it wasn't for such a good cause!

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Lemmycaution217

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Edited By Lemmycaution217

Awesome.

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lockwoodx

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Edited By lockwoodx

I think I need this now.

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XenoNick

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Edited By XenoNick

Will totally purchase this. Awesome lineup of songs.

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TheHT

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Edited By TheHT

Oh Advent Rising, your music was so great.

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Jeust

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Edited By Jeust

I must be really ignorant, because apart from the games, those songs don't anything to me. 


I wish the best luck for the initiative though.
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eliminator

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Edited By eliminator

interesting,good cause to

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greenygrey

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Edited By greenygrey

That's an impressive line-up of excellent video game songs. I'm so glad Akira Yamoaka is listed there, he's one of the finest and unique video game music composers ever.

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Ryoman

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Edited By Ryoman

Do want. Badly. 

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SaturdayNightSpecials

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I believe they meant to call it "Japan? Thee Album"

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xpgamer7

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Edited By xpgamer7

I wish the Kow Otani was on there but you can't have everything. It's a great list and a wonderful idea.

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deactivated-5e49e9175da37

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Yamaoka is a Goddamn genius, and his contribution to Shadows of the Damned may actually surpass my excitement towards Mikami's and Suda's.

The song cuts themselves I can't speak for, but much like Brad and Wolf Blitzer, I'll involve myself in anything with Akira Yamaoka's name on it.

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PeasantAbuse

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Edited By PeasantAbuse

I'm sure the songs are good, but that album art is awful.
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Cybexx

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Edited By Cybexx

Pretty good line-up with a good mix of Japanese and Western musicians.

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sameeeeam

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Edited By sameeeeam

Shoji Meguro would have been a pretty good fit for this line-up.

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Edited By wadtomaton

Can't wait. The album art is just icing on the cake. =D

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Edited By TheFreeMan

Impressive line-up. I'm digging the album art, too.


Hope that this goes great for those involved and they get lots of support for Japan.
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Edited By vinsanityv22

Besides some obvious, small, issues - serious, who gives a crap about Call of Duty's composer/generic action movie music? You couldn't talk Martin O'Donnell to contribute a epic Halo medley? -, this sounds (mostly) fantastic. And if it's all for Japan, I'll definitely purchase:) Way to go Mr. Yamaoka.

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Edited By FCKSNAP

Tommy Tallarico

Sold. 
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Edited By tebbit
@Snapstacle said:

Tommy Tallarico

Sold. 

 Nobuo Uematsu 

Double-sold.
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Edited By Little_Socrates
@mutha3 said:
No Shoji Meguro(the Shin Megami Tensei guy)? too bad, that would have made this lineup even cooler.
My thought exactly, though this is still a great list.
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Edited By Enigma777
@TheHT said:
Oh Advent Rising, your music was so great.

I had no idea Tommy Tallarico was the composer.
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Edited By EthanML

Bear Mcreary, fuck yeah.

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Edited By DanK_

Mitsuda? Sold.

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Edited By dawnclover

I know I'm reviving an old thread but... Any other news on this?