Minecraft – Volume Alpha

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Minecraft – Volume Alpha
Close-up image of a Minecraft grass block rendered in 3D, viewed from the corner.
Soundtrack album by
C418
Released4 March 2011
Genre
Length58:59
Label
C418 chronology
Life Changing Moments Seem Minor in Pictures
(2010) 		Minecraft – Volume Alpha
(2011) 		72 Minutes of Fame
(2011)
Minecraft soundtrack chronology
Minecraft – Volume Alpha
(2011) 		Minecraft – Volume Beta
(2013)

Minecraft – Volume Alpha is the first soundtrack album by German electronic musician Daniel Rosenfeld, known by his pseudonym C418. It was independently released on 4 March 2011 as the first installment of the soundtrack for the video game Minecraft. Since 2015, physical editions of the album have been issued by record label Ghostly.[3][4]

Volume Alpha comprises most of the music featured in the game, as well as other music included in trailers and instrumentals that were not included in the game's final release.[5] In 2022, the album peaked at number five on the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, and was nominated for the category at the Billboard Music Awards of 2022.[6] Rosenfeld released his second soundtrack album for the game, Minecraft – Volume Beta in 2013, with a completed third album remaining unreleased due to licensing disputes with Microsoft.

Background[edit]

In early 2010, Rosenfeld began collaborating with Minecraft creator Markus Persson through internet forum TIGSource. He was given responsibility for developing the music and sound effects of the still in-development game.[3] Rosenfeld was forced to adapt to Java's "terrible sound engine" and took inspiration from Dwarf Fortress in creating the soundtrack, due to its "lovely guitar music" despite the game's "basic ASCII art for imagery".[7]

Composition[edit]

Deciding to "work with experimental simplistic acoustic music that doesn't actually tell you anything about the game", a key objective of Rosenfeld's work was to be unobtrusive, explaining "I almost hoped that [players would] only notice [the music] when something interesting happens in the game".[8]

Rosenfeld composed the soundtrack using Ableton Live along with "a ton of extra software and plugins" and synthesisers including a Moog Voyager.[7] He took inspiration from the soundtrack of Blueberry Garden, which he described as "piano music [recorded with] a really terrible microphone on top of the piano". Experimenting with this technique, Rosenfeld claimed the final release consists of "about 80 percent electronic and 20 percent acoustic".

Track 18, "Sweden", is the most popular song in the soundtrack of Minecraft, having Gold certification in the United States.[9] In April 2021, it was also the most streamed video game song on Spotify.[10] The track begins with a slow piano chord progression that turns into a melody as strings appear. The strings then stop as the piano changes keys alongside horns. Pizzicato strings then repeat the main theme before a glockenspiel and the piano finish the song.[9]

Release[edit]

On 21 August 2015, the first physical releases of Minecraft – Volume Alpha were released by record label Ghostly, as an LP and CD.[11] The LP version features a sparser track listing compared to the digital release.[12] The album's artwork features a 3D model of a block of grass from Minecraft. On some vinyl pressings, lenticular printing is used to give depth to the blocks in the image. Since the first pressing, Ghostly has re-pressed the album several times due to high demand.[13]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Mojo[15]

Writing for AllMusic, Andy Kellman praised Volume Alpha's replay value, stating that "none of the recurring elements is pronounced or simple enough to become fatiguing with repeated play".[14] Stephen Worthy of British music magazine Mojo said the album contains "some of the most influential pieces of music of recent times. Some of the loveliest, too."[15]

Keith Stuart of The Guardian praised the album for acting as the "perfect accompaniment" to Minecraft. Stuart compared his compositions to those of Brian Eno and Erik Satie because of their minimalistic, ambient qualities.[7] For the Los Angeles Times, Raymond Tsai called the track "Sweden" an "embodiment of the aesthetic of playing in a survival world", praised its mixture of sadness and grandiosity.[9] Digital Trends called "Sweden" one of the "simple classics" of the game's soundtrack.[16]

Legacy[edit]

Volume Alpha is a popular album to listen to while studying, especially for teenagers and young adults.[17][18] In 2019, the University of Delaware's magazine The Review called the soundtrack "arguably the best ambient album to be released this decade", citing "Sweden" and "Mice on Venus" as "perfect ambient songs for studying".[19]

The album has received enduring praise from listeners for encompassing "nostalgia in its purest form".[20] Writing for The Boar in 2018, Jamie Hornsey reflected on their memories with Minecraft, saying "every remembered feeling [was] imbued with an overwhelming sense of presence thanks to C418’s ambient pieces."[1]

Track listing[edit]

Notes

  • Songs from Volume Alpha featured in Minecraft: Java Edition did not use the track names on C418's release until October 2023.[21] Previously, they were listed in the game's code with alternate names– for example, "Subwoofer Lullaby" was "hal1", and "Minecraft" was "calm1".[22]
  • "Droopy Likes Ricochet" and "Droopy Likes Your Face" are taken from C418's 2010 album, Life Changing Moments Seem Minor In Pictures. The earlier of the two songs was featured in the first official trailer for Minecraft.[23]

Awards and nominations[edit]

List of awards and nominations for Minecraft – Volume Alpha
Awards Year Category Result Ref.
Billboard Music Awards 2021 Top Dance/Electronic Album Nominated [24]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for Minecraft – Volume Alpha
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[40] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Release history for Minecraft – Volume Alpha
Region Year Format Catalogue Label Ref.
Various 2011 Digital download, streaming – Independent [5]
United States 2015 LP GI-243 LP Ghostly [12]
CD GI-243
United States, Europe 2016 LP (second pressing) GI-243 LP [41]
United States 2020 LP (third pressing) [42]
CD (reissue) GI-243
2022 LP (fourth pressing) GI-243 LP [41]
Various 2023 LP (fifth pressing) [43]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Hornsey, Jamie. "The lasting power of Minecraft's procedurally-generated music". The Boar. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  2. ^ Ward, Adam (9 July 2015). "Gaming's Best Ambient Tracks". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b Pangburn, DJ (30 June 2015). "Minecraft's Composer Explains Why the Music Is 'So Weird'". Vice. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  4. ^ Patston, Manning (18 June 2020). "Minecraft fans alert: C418's legendary soundtrack is getting a physical release". Happy Mag. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Minecraft - Volume Alpha, by C418". C418. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  6. ^ Atkinson, Katie (15 May 2022). "Here Are the 2022 Billboard Music Awards Winners: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Stuart, Keith (7 November 2014). "How Daniel Rosenfeld wrote Minecraft's music". the Guardian. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  8. ^ Bleep, C418 - Minecraft Volume Alpha. Bleep., retrieved 20 September 2022
  9. ^ a b c Tsai, Raymond (17 May 2019). "Review: German musician known for Minecraft soundtrack C418's latest, 'Sweden'". HS Insider. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  10. ^ Gardner, Matt. "Spotify's 25 Most Streamed Game Songs: Smash Hits, Snubs And Surprises". Forbes. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  11. ^ Fact Magazine (23 June 2015). "Minecraft soundtrack to receive vinyl release this summer". Fact Magazine. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  12. ^ a b Cox, Jamieson (23 June 2015). "One of Minecraft's soundtracks is getting a fancy physical release". The Verge. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Ghostly label announces reprint of Minecraft Volume Alpha Vinyl". The Ongaku. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  14. ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "Minecraft Volume Alpha Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  15. ^ a b Worthy, Stephen (20 November 2015). "Less computer game soundtrack, more instant ambient classic" (PDF). Mojo. p. 89. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  16. ^ Gurwin, Gabe; Hicks, Michael (24 October 2021). "The Best Video Game Soundtracks of All Time". Digital Trends. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  17. ^ Drewel, Izzy Fonfara. "Music of Midterms: Students' favorite songs for studying". Marquette Wire. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  18. ^ Brookes, Tim (27 February 2022). "Video Game Soundtracks Are Great Background Music for Focus". How-To Geek. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  19. ^ Tridone, Evan (12 May 2019). "Five fantastic albums to put on when studying | The Review". Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  20. ^ Hornsey, Jamie (31 January 2018). "The Lasting Power of Minecraft's Procedurally-Generated Music". theboar.org. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  21. ^ "Java Edition 23w43a". Minecraft Wiki. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  22. ^ Coles, Jason (23 December 2020). "The best songs in Minecraft". PC Gamer. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  23. ^ "Minecraft Volume Alpha". C418. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  24. ^ Atkinson, Katie (15 May 2022). "Here Are the 2022 Billboard Music Awards Winners: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  25. ^ "Australiancharts.com – C418 – Minecraft - Volume Alpha". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  26. ^ "Ultratop.be – C418 – Minecraft - Volume Alpha" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  27. ^ "Ultratop.be – C418 – Minecraft - Volume Alpha" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – C418 – Minecraft - Volume Alpha" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  29. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – C418 – Minecraft - Volume Alpha" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  30. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Veckolista Album Fysiskt, vecka 21". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  32. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  33. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  34. ^ "C418 Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  35. ^ "C418 Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  36. ^ "C418 Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  37. ^ "C418 Chart History (Soundtrack Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  38. ^ "Soundtracks – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  39. ^ "Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  40. ^ "American album certifications – C418 – Minecraft Volume Alpha". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  41. ^ a b C418 - Minecraft - Volume Alpha, February 2016, retrieved 20 September 2022
  42. ^ "C418 - Minecraft Volume Beta | RECORD STORE DAY". recordstoreday.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  43. ^ Jerry. "Minecraft - Volume Alpha vinyl soundtrack reprinted". The Ongaku. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
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