Your Top-5 shmup soundtracks

[KAI]

1-Garegga
2-Darius Gaiden
3-Ibara
4-Radirgy
5-Under Defeat (Dreamcast)

[FIL]

In b4 touhou.

Also Lords of motherfucking Thunder.

[Deca]

Garegga will probably always sit at #1 for me, but I don't really feel like I can name 4 more definitive favorites in any order. I'll just list four more that I love.

Dai Fukkatsu Black Label
Viewpoint
R-Type Leo
G Darius

A very...special...honorable mention to Legion Spinner-87

[DMC]

Garegga
Darius Gaiden
G-Darius
Soukyugurentai
Espgaluda

Common denominators are that all of these soundtracks are quite homogenous and each song fits with the others (which is rare in STG soundtracks which are often diverse). They seem very thought-through and have become defining characteristics of their games, and it's difficult to imagine respective game with a different soundtrack. For instance, the grandiose orchestra in Souky blends extremely well with its epic gameplay (similar to Sakimoto's Radiant Silvergun, an honorable mention). The bizzare vocals and chillout ambient music in latter Darius soundtracks mixes well with its ambient/psychedelic visuals and sometimes slow-paced gameplay. Ketsui honorable mention. V-V and Xevious far behind.

[mesh control]

no order.
G-Darius
Raiden Fighters Jet
Guwange
Karous
Mars Matrix

[KAI]

An example of how awesome Darius Gaiden Music is.

[FIL]

Don't forget the first 2 Dariuses, they had some great music too. Captain Neo, Zone 7 boss theme -later to become synonymous with (Hyper) Great Thing-, Cosmic Air Way, Olga Breeze, Say PaPa.

The last 3 became mainstays of the Zuntata live performances.

[KAI]

Heavy fucking metal Raiden!!!. The guy on the front knows the drill.

[Smraedis]

Metal Black
G Darius
Darius Gaiden
Einhander
Border Down

An example of how awesome Darius Gaiden Music is.

This concert was the first video I ever saw on YouTube.

[njiska]

Hard to think of a definitive Top5 for me.

Raiden
Mushi Futari
Judgement Silversword

Those i remember off hand.

[Kollision]

Mushihimesama
Salamander 2
Einhänder
Thunder Force IV
Android Assault

[Zengeku3]

In no particular order:

Undefined Fantastic Object
Ketsui
DDP Saidaioujou (could also put DFK here but my love for the music in that game is part 1.5, part Black Label. can't decide best)
Exceed 2nd Vampire REX
Mountain of Faith.

Spoken like a true Touhoufag.

[shmuppyLove]

1. Paperboy
2. Call of Duty
3. Frogger
4. Doom
5. Doom II

[cj iwakura]

5. Gleylancer
4. Touhou: Imperishable Night
3. Darius Gaiden
2. M.U.S.H.A.
1. Castle Shikigami II

[trap15]

1. Battle Garegga
2. Kyuukyoku Tiger
3. Akai Katana
4. Hishouzame
5. Tatsujin Oh (if anything, just for the stage 2 track)

[MathU]

It seems Kou Hayashi and Daisuke Nagata have been involved in one too many games.

[chempop]

Not necessarily a top five, just 5 memorable ones.

MUSHA
Hellfire
Soukyugurentai
Thunderforce (series)
Ketsui

[xbl0x180]

Gate Of Thunder (in general, it is one of the best video game music scores)
Gokujou Parodius
Exzeal
Mushihimesama Futari
Eschatos

Honourable mention: A few tracks from Super R-Type

[Zetzumarshen]

Submersive Awareness, Battle Garegga, arcade.
Kagome-Kagome, Imperishable Nights.
On the Verge of Madness, Mushihimesama Futari.
Interception, Ketsuipachi.
S E L F, Darius Gaiden.

[Bananamatic]

daifukkatsu black label
psyvariar
psyvariar 2
chorensha 68k
HELLSINKER

[jepjepjep]

1. Battle Garegga
2. Fire Shark
3. Ketsui
4. DOJ
5. Tatsujin Oh

Honorable mentions go to Batsugun, Soukyugurentai, and Mahou Daisakusen.

[Lord Satori]

in no particular order

jets n guns gold
zirconia 2 battle
tyrian
Touhou Subterrainean Animism
soldner X 2


yeah, I don't have much experience with japanese Shmups.

[EmperorIng]

- G-Darius
- Darius Gaiden
- RayForce
- Gradius III
- Metal Black

I suppose it's a bit lop-sided of me. I can't help it; I genuinely think that ZUNTATA has made the greatest game soundtracks of all time. In fact, in particular, I think RayForce is one of the best-crafted game osts of all time (even if RayStorm is more hummable and catchy) - the way how every track in the game compliments and enhances what is going on at the moment really makes me marvel at how great a game RayForce is. The same is similar with G-Darius, which I think is OGR's magnum opus, and him at his most surreal and experimental.

In fact, all of the best ZUNTATA soundtracks perfectly compliment their games - they're more than just a collecting of catchy tunes, but set the tone and atmosphere of the game very well.

But look at me gushing.

Gradius III gets in there on the sheer force of the greatness and catchiness of its soundtrack. You cannot hear that sand-world theme and not be ready for a great time. It's hard to pick between Gradius, G II, and G III (I haven't played enough of Gradius IV and never touched V), but I think I go with the sheer volume of classics in Gradius III.

Honorable Mentions:
Darius, Darius II, RayStorm, RayCrisis, Batsugun, Twin Cobra/Kyokoku Tiger, Thunder Force III, IV, V, Battle Mania Daiginjou, Radirgy, and many more, ha. Does Bosconian count? Because fuck, Yuzo Koshiro is da bomb.
Postscript:
I really don't like playing Ikaruga but I really love its distinctive, driving electro-orchestral score.

[Op Intensify]

I can't appreciate Garegga and Batrider's soundtracks as much now that I know they're full of ripoffs, unfortunately.

[trap15]

To my knowledge, only Batrider has actual covers, and that's just the 2 normal boss tunes (which are pretty rockin' covers too).

[chum]

Mahou Daisakusen, Flame Zapper Kotsujin, Silver Surfer, UFO and Sexy Parodius.

It's tough to narrow it down to just five. Too many excellent osts out there...

[Drum]

Biohazard Battle (needs more love - probably my fave)
Lords of Thunder
Zero Wing
Hellfire
Gradius II

[Ixmucane2]

Taking into account that I usually play emulated games with the sound turned off,

Tyrian
Hydorah
Stella Vanity
Jets'n'Guns
Genetos

[emphatic]

Ketsui
Battle Garegga
Flying Shark
DDP-DFK BL
DDP DOJ

[ciox]

1.Psyvariar Revision
2.Radiant Silvergun
3.Ketsui (impossible to decide between the 3 versions of this OST, they all have their strengths)
4.DDP DOJ
5.Battle Garegga (even though to me listening to this OST just consists of looping Stab and Stomp)