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| Artwork for Super Mario Praise Break, the Grammy-winning Super Mario music arrangement. |
Video game music had a strong showing at this year’s Grammy Awards, and one of the biggest moments came from an unexpected place. A gospel-inspired Super Mario medley performed by The 8-Bit Big Band took home the Grammy for Best Arrangement, Instrumental, or A Cappella, marking a rare mainstream win for Nintendo music.
The winning track, Super Mario Praise Break, reworks several iconic Mario themes into a large-scale jazz and gospel arrangement, performed by a 30-plus member orchestra made up largely of New York–based musicians.
A Grammy Win Built on Mario History
The arrangement pulls from across decades of Super Mario games, blending the original Super Mario Bros. theme with tracks like Bob-Omb Battlefield from Super Mario 64, Gusty Garden Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy, and the Athletic Theme from Super Mario World.
The result is a fast-moving, rhythm-driven medley rooted in gospel tradition. A “praise break,” sometimes called a shout, is a moment in gospel music where tempo, percussion, and spontaneous movement come together. That energy carries the entire piece, turning familiar Mario melodies into something that feels celebratory without losing their identity.
This is the second Grammy win for The 8-Bit Big Band. The group previously won the same award in 2022 for its arrangement of Meta Knight’s Revenge from Kirby Super Star on SNES.
Nintendo Music, Recognized Outside Nintendo
What makes the win stand out is that Nintendo itself wasn’t nominated. As with the group’s earlier Kirby win, the recognition comes through reinterpretation rather than original soundtracks submitted by the company.
Last year, The 8-Bit Big Band was nominated for its arrangement of Last Surprise from Persona 5 but didn’t take home the award. This year, Super Mario Praise Break beat out several high-profile nominees, including work associated with Broadway and film performers.
Following the announcement, the group shared the news on social media, thanking listeners and calling out co-arrangers Bryan Carter and Matthew Whitaker for their work on the now Grammy-winning track.
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| The 8-Bit Big Band celebrating their Grammy win for Super Mario Praise Break. |
Austin Wintory Also Takes Home a Game Music Grammy
Video game music had another major win the same night. The Grammy for Best Game Soundtrack went to Sword of the Sea, composed by Austin Wintory.
Wintory has been nominated multiple times over the years for projects including Journey, Aliens: Fireteam Elite, and Stray Gods, but this marks his first Grammy win. His score for Sword of the Sea stood out in a category that often favours film adaptations and established franchises.
Several composers have previously praised the soundtrack for its range and emotional tone, noting how well it works both in-game and as a standalone listen.
A Big Night for Game Music Visibility
Between The 8-Bit Big Band’s Mario win and Wintory’s soundtrack taking top honours, this year’s Grammys quietly highlighted how far video game music has come. These aren’t novelty nods or side-category mentions. They’re wins in long-standing music categories, judged alongside traditional jazz, orchestral, and instrumental work.
If you’ve been following game music for years, this feels less like a surprise and more like overdue recognition. Mario melodies, in particular, have always had staying power. Seeing them reimagined and rewarded on a stage like the Grammys just makes that legacy harder to ignore.
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