Imagine trudging through a desolate, post-apocalyptic landscape, your boots crunching against volcanic ash, a spectral baby cooing in a pod strapped to your chest, and a towering stack of cargo wobbling on your back. You’re Sam Porter Bridges, the world’s most overworked delivery guy, in Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding. Just as you crest a jagged peak, the wind howls, the camera pans out to reveal a breathtaking vista, and suddenly, Low Roar’s haunting “I’ll Keep Coming” swells in your ears. Your heart skips a beat, your eyes get a little misty, and you realize you’re not just playing a game—you’re living a cinematic masterpiece where music and story dance in perfect harmony. Welcome to the magic of Death Stranding, where the soundtrack isn’t just background noise; it’s the emotional glue that binds the game’s narrative to your soul. Buckle up, because we’re diving deep into why fans are obsessed with this game’s music and how it intertwines with its story arc to create a gaming experience like no other.
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The Soundtrack That Steals the Show
Death Stranding isn’t your typical video game. It’s a meditative odyssey about connection, loss, and rebuilding a fractured world, and its music is the heartbeat of that journey. Hideo Kojima, the mad genius behind Metal Gear Solid, didn’t just slap some generic tunes onto his 2019 masterpiece. He curated a soundtrack that feels like it was born from the game’s DNA, featuring artists like Low Roar, Silent Poets, CHVRCHES, and Bring Me the Horizon. The result? A genre-defying blend of post-rock, dream pop, synth-pop, and metalcore that’s as eclectic as the game’s bizarre world of ghostly BTs (Beached Things), time-accelerating rain, and Monster Energy-sponsored survival.
The official soundtrack, Death Stranding: Songs from the Video Game, boasts 22 tracks, with Low Roar dominating the lineup with 18 songs, alongside contributions from Silent Poets, CHVRCHES, and Apocalyptica. There’s also the Death Stranding: Timefall album, featuring original tracks crafted specifically for the game by artists like CHVRCHES and Bring Me the Horizon. These songs aren’t just slapped on for vibes—they’re narrative tools, meticulously placed to amplify the emotional weight of Sam’s journey. Whether it’s the melancholic strums of Low Roar’s “Bones” or the soaring synths of CHVRCHES’ “Death Stranding,” every track feels like it was written for that exact moment in the game.
Low Roar: The Soul of a Shattered America
Let’s talk about Low Roar, the Icelandic-American band that became the unofficial voice of Death Stranding. Fronted by the late Ryan Karazija, Low Roar’s music is a haunting blend of post-rock, folk, and dream pop, with a touch of Sigur Rós’ ethereal melancholy and Bon Iver’s introspective warmth. Kojima stumbled upon their album 0 in a record store in Iceland, and it was love at first listen. “It has an image of a newly born earth,” Kojima said, noting how Low Roar’s acoustic yet futuristic sound perfectly matched the game’s harsh, beautiful landscapes.
Tracks like “I’ll Keep Coming” and “Bones” (featuring Jófríður Ákadóttir) are pure magic. Picture this: you’ve been hiking for 30 minutes across a rocky wasteland, dodging BTs and cursing your overzealous cargo stacking. You’re exhausted, lonely, and questioning your life choices. Then, as you approach a key destination like Timefall Farm, the camera pulls back, the HUD fades, and “Bones” kicks in with its minimal production and aching lyrics: “I’m a long way from home.” Suddenly, your struggle feels profound, almost mythic. The music transforms a mundane delivery into a moment of transcendence, making you feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world. Fans on Reddit have raved about these moments, with one user saying, “I wanna play again just to trigger all the songs in-game.”
Low Roar’s inclusion wasn’t just a win for gamers; it was a game-changer for the band. Before Death Stranding, they were a niche act. Post-release, their global recognition skyrocketed, with streams surging and Patreon support pouring in. Karazija himself said the game saved Low Roar from “the gutter.” Tragically, Karazija passed away in 2022, but his legacy lives on in Death Stranding’s soul-stirring soundscape. Kojima himself noted, “Without [Low Roar], Death Stranding would not have been born.”
Timefall: Original Tracks That Hit Like a Truck (or a Floating Carrier)
While Low Roar’s existing catalog sets the tone, the Timefall album brings fresh tracks tailored to the game’s themes of connection, loss, and rebirth. CHVRCHES’ “Death Stranding” is the crown jewel, playing during the end credits and leaving players in a puddle of emotions. The Scottish synth-pop trio visited Kojima Productions in Tokyo, immersing themselves in the game’s story before crafting a song that captures its existential weight. With lyrics like “What will become of us now, at the end of time?” it’s both heartwarming and tear-jerking, a perfect capstone to Sam’s journey. Kojima himself said, “You can cry just by listening to this song.” And trust me, he’s not wrong.
Then there’s Bring Me the Horizon’s “Ludens,” a banger that blends their nu-metal roots with electronic flourishes. Created after the band visited Kojima’s studio, “Ludens” became a fan favorite, rekindling love from old-school metalheads and introducing new fans to their heavier sound. The track’s explosive energy mirrors the game’s intense moments, like battling a giant BT or sprinting from MULEs. Plus, the Timefall album’s vinyl release became a collector’s item, selling out faster than you can say “chiral network.”
Other Timefall gems include “Ghost” by Au/Ra and Alan Walker, which nails the game’s eerie isolation with lines like “I’m so scared that I’ll end up alone,” and Major Lazer and Khalid’s contributions, which add a futuristic pop vibe. These tracks don’t just play in the background; they’re woven into the narrative, triggering at pivotal moments to make you feel every ounce of Sam’s struggle.
The Story Arc: A Musical Journey Through a Broken World
Death Stranding’s story is a wild ride. You play as Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus), a courier tasked with reconnecting a fractured America after a cataclysmic event unleashed BTs and Timefall rain that ages everything it touches. Your mission? Deliver packages, build bridges (literal and metaphorical), and unite isolated colonies via the chiral network. It’s a tale of loneliness, hope, and human connection, and the music is the glue that holds it all together.
Kojima doesn’t just use music as ambiance; he wields it like a director scoring a film. Songs are strategically placed to punctuate key moments, often called “needle drops.” As you near a destination after a grueling trek, the camera pulls back, the HUD fades, and a track like Silent Poets’ “Asylums for the Feeling” or Low Roar’s “Don’t Be So Serious” kicks in. These moments are pure Kojima magic, turning a delivery into an emotional epiphany. One fan on TheGamer described it as “experiential texturing,” where the music elevates the mundane into the sublime.
Take the journey to Mama’s Lab or Timefall Farm. After hours of solitude, scaling an “unscalable” peak, or crossing a treacherous river, a song like “Breathe In” by Low Roar hits, its stripped-back guitar and strings wrapping you in a cocoon of reflection. The music mirrors the story’s themes—loneliness, perseverance, and the faint hope of reconnection. It’s no wonder fans on Reddit and X rave about these moments, with one user saying, “Kojima’s Walkman magically auto-plays the best track you’ve heard in six months.”
The narrative synergy doesn’t stop there. Tracks like CHVRCHES’ “Death Stranding” amplify the game’s existential questions, while “Ludens” fuels high-stakes action. Even the in-game music player in Sam’s private quarters lets you listen to collected tracks, making the experience feel diegetic—like Sam’s actually chilling with his favorite tunes. It’s a shame there’s no portable music player (fingers crossed for Death Stranding 2!), but the Safe House player adds a cozy, immersive touch.
Why Fans Are Obsessed
So, why do fans lose their minds over Death Stranding’s music-story combo? For starters, it’s immersive as hell. The game’s 20-100 hour runtime means you’re spending serious time with these tracks, and they become part of your emotional memory. As MIDiA Research notes, over 8% of console and PC gamers listen to game soundtracks monthly, and Death Stranding’s vinyl soundtrack sold out instantly, proving fans want to relive these moments.
The music also creates a crossover effect. CHVRCHES fans might pick up the game to hear “Death Stranding” in context, while gamers discover Low Roar and become lifelong fans. This synergy benefits both industries—artists gain exposure, and the game gains emotional depth. Bring Me the Horizon’s “Ludens” even helped them reconnect with their metalcore roots, winning back old fans and solidifying their status with 13.7 million Spotify listeners.
Then there’s the nostalgia factor. Live orchestra tours like Strands of Harmony bring Death Stranding’s music to life with visuals, letting fans wallow in their fandom. These concerts, combined with the game’s 650 million streams and 1.3 million album sales, show how deeply the music resonates.
Looking Ahead: Death Stranding 2 and Beyond
With Death Stranding 2: On the Beach set to release in 2025, the bar is sky-high. The sequel’s co-composer, Woodkid, is already making waves with tracks like “To the Wilder” and “Tmrrw,” which shift from haunting to industrial to match the game’s evolving tone. Caroline Polachek and Gen Hoshino are also on board, and Troy Baker (Higgs) will be singing, thanks to Kojima spotting his YouTube performances. The sequel introduces a personal music player, letting you curate your own vibe—a feature fans have begged for since the original.
Woodkid’s procedural music system, where songs morph based on your actions (e.g., drums kicking in when you run), promises to take immersion to new heights. If the original was a masterclass in music and storytelling, Death Stranding 2 might just redefine the art form.
Final Thoughts: A Love Letter to Connection
Death Stranding’s music isn’t just a soundtrack; it’s a love letter to human connection, a reminder that even in a broken world, beauty and hope persist. Whether it’s Low Roar’s melancholic anthems, CHVRCHES’ soaring end-credits track, or Bring Me the Horizon’s metalcore banger, the music elevates the game’s story into something unforgettable. Fans love it because it’s not just a game—it’s an experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
So, next time you’re scaling Sodapop’s law says you’ll enjoy this game more if you crank the volume. Grab your headphones, queue up Death Stranding: Songs from the Video Game on Spotify, and let Sam’s journey wash over you. You’ll see why this series has fans singing its praises—literally. Lilliputian style.
What’s your favorite Death Stranding track? Let us know in the comments below, and keep hiking those chiral trails!
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