List your favorite tracks from Key's OSTs

[StarfishBender]

Nagisa - I think this is Maeda Jun’s best musical work, I love it so much it made me start playing piano again just to learn how to play it. It’s really simple but extremely beautiful and I listen to every night as a lullaby because it’s so calming.
Country Train - I don’t actually remember this song from the game that much but I love listening to it whenever I’m riding a train or trolley. It captures the feeling of riding a train through the countryside watching the world go by really perfectly. I also really like the interesting percussion and slightly more electronicy keyboard melody.

Nagisa / Nagisa Farewell at the Foot of a Hill - as you say simple arrangements but utterly beautiful, memorable and the tune that really IS CLANNAD

Country Train - I also love this song and it really cheers me up no end to hear it. I believe i is in the musical time sig of 6/8, the same as a jig and I can kind of imagine a version played on Irish traditional instruments - though I’ll stick with the original!

I’ll give a shout out to Distant Years too which I don’t remember in the game but is on the OST and builds wonderfully to a very optimistic ending

[waravim]

I have lots of favorite OST but if I choose one from each work, I select below

Kanon: Asakage
This is just amazing, when I started playing the VN, I fell in love with the theme.
Although I have some tracks which I’m not so much like in other VN, I love whole of Kanon OST. This may be because of the synthesizer are older than other works, so it gives me more nostalgic impression, which pretty well match with the VN.

AIR: Natsukage
Probably, this is the most famous sound track in key and I am also fond of this track. AIR have numerous good tracks and it is difficult to choose one. However, this sound track reminds me various scenes of the game such as lonliness of Misuzu, the swealtering heat of summer, and refeshing cool breeze of sea. So I think it is represnting the game and like it best.

CLANNAD: Shionari
CLANNAD, the extremely long novel has so many tracks. The length somehow weaken the impression of each track.
But out of these this piece strongly have an impact on me. This reminds me of heart breaking story part of CLANNAD.

planetarian: Gentle Jena
This game have not so much track. Starry sky and silence are recalled from the piece.

Tomoyo After: dear old home
This is also a nostalgic piece. It strangely sounds like ‘old home’

Little Busters:Ring! RIng! RIng
LB’s OSTs show new aspect of key’s OSTs, which may be derives from enjoyable daily life of LB. This at first sounds merry melody but lately convey some anxiety and lonliness.

Kud Wafter: Adagio for Summer Wind
Another summer song.

Angel Beats: Decisive battle
This is also new to me, sounds cool.

Rewrite:旅(Tabi journey)
This track also struck my mind when I started the game. It’s just beautiful.

And I also like the name of track. Some Rewrite tracks are named after flower and terms related to plants. Tracks like 芽吹き(Mebuki Bud), 花蕾( Flower bud), which imply birth or growth of plants are used in the common route, and as the story approaches to the end, tracks like 揺葉(Yuriha), 散花, which imply death of plants, are played. And finally when the route ends, we returned to the track Tabi, which represents start of another journey. This structure symbolizes circulation of life, and somehow relates to the theme of Rewrite and thinking about this design reinforce my preference for this song. We also have to remember the arrangement of the track are used as the ED of Moon&Terra arc.

Harmonia: Oppidum
The title theme, it represents the nostalgic world. I don’t know how to call it but I basically like stringed instrument are used like this.

I should check Charlotte tracks later…

[HandMC2]

Kanon: Fuyu no Hanabi

Air: Natsukage
This may be my favorite Key song.

Clannad: Nagisa and Nagisa ~ Saka no Shita no Wakare
I had trouble picking a favorite from Clannad since there are so many good choices. Clannad was one of the first anime I ever watched. I loved the scene at the beginning of the first episode where Nagisa is played and the animation changes from being dark to being full of color.

Planetarian: Gentle Jena
This is my favorite song by far from Planetarian. I think it perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere of the story. It is beautiful but kind of sad.

Little Busters: Either Boys Don’t Cry or Song for Friends

Tomoyo After: Hope
I really like the piano in this song.

Angel Beats: Unjust Life
This song makes me want to cry every time I heart it. It always makes me think about Yuri’s speech in the classroom in episode 12

Rewrite: Tabi
I always listen to Tabi on the start screen before loading the game. I also really like Sanka, Scene Shifts There, and Radiance.

Charlotte: Katsudou Nisshi

Harmonia: Terrarum

[StarfishBender]

Tomoyo After: Hope

Although this piece acts as the game’s title screen theme, its placement within the main story gives the feeling that this song is meant to be the main theme of the entire game. Hope is a calming, if a tad melancholy piece that is both soul-stirring and heartwarming, if not also just as sorrowful as many of Maeda’s pieces. This may be Maeda’s instrumental masterpiece for perfectly conveying the feel of Tomoyo After’s story on its own merits, as well as being a really nice new age piece that would define Maeda’s style in modern Key titles.

Now I have to admit not really taking in the soundtrack at all while I played, and always just rushed through from the menu screen, but listening again to the tracks this stands out as my favourite from Tomoyo After too.

It’s just beyond beautiful - I just can’t put it any better than you have already

[Echo]

Here is my list and the ratings. They were based on how it sounds and how well it matches the story:

1. Toki wo kizamu uta - Clannad Afterstory OP (10/10)
2. Yami no kanata e - Rewrite Kotori, Lucia, Chihaya routes ED (10/10)
3. Scattered flowers - Rewrite OST (10/10)
4. Yuriha - Rewrite OST (10/10)
5. Rewrite - Rewrite Moon route OP (10/10)
6. Roaring tides - Clannad OST (10/10)
7. Philosophyz - Rewrite VN OP (9/10)
8. Town, Flow of time, People - Clannad OST (9/10)
9. Ignis memory - Rewrite IM theme song (9/10)
10. Sorrowless - Rewrite OST (9/10)
11. Radiance - Rewrite OST (8/10)
12. Bravely You - Charlotte OP (8/10)
13. Tabi - Rewrite OSt (8/10)

I know there is a separate topic for OP and ED. I will explain in detail about my ratings there in the near future!

[Zosonte]

Kanon: Remnants of a Dream
Music box tracks are beautifully simple to me, and this particular song plays during the most memorable part of the novel for me, where (Shiori’s route spoilers) Yuuichi runs out into the night to find her, and the fountain scene afterwards. It’s a track that combines nostalgia, love, and sadness into one.

Air: Tori no Uta
This song introduced me to many things; to Key, to my love of the sky and nature, to myself. It holds a deep and special meaning to me that I simply can’t put into words. It’s my favorite track from Key and it showed me light when I was in darkness.

Clannad: Roaring Tides (I)
This is a very sad song, and it makes me swirl with emotion when I listen to it. Just remembering (Kyou’s route spoilers) her confession in the rain to Tomoya still gets to me, perhaps because it’s a moment more people including me can relate to as opposed to some Key routes. The hopeless romantic in me fantasizes what I would do for someone I love, given the chance. I love what it can do to me, how it can remind me that I’m human, and that it’s okay to cry.

Planetarian: Metronome
This track worms its way into my brain whenever I hear it, and I know I can’t fight back so I just nod my head to the happy rhythm, and think of the lively girl with the scrap bouquet.

Rewrite: Scattered Flowers
My second favorite track from all of Key’s works. When I hear it, I ask myself: “What matters to me? What will I protect?” This song is just so incredibly beautiful. Somber, simple, and emotional, it made me fall in love with Rewrite the moment I heard it. I conjure images of Sakuya and Kotarou, and it inspires me to be a better, stronger person.

Harmonia: Todoketai Melody
Ayaka’s voice is just heavenly and the melody is great too. I don’t have much else to say about this one.

[grooven]

I don’t think I posted in this This is minus Openings and Endings. But will include insert songs.

Kanon - Yakusoku So long ago when I was first introduced back in 2002. This song reminds me of of the openings for each episode’s narration and the sad, yet poetic words that went along with it. For me it invokes the whole nostalgia of Kanon, winter and all the early memories of Key.

AIR - Summer Lights/Natsukage: Okay so WAY back before wikipedia was a think or any English sites with info I stumbled on many Japanese sites. I downloaded a midi version of this song and loved it so much. This was I think after the 2002 Kanon anime and was looking for an info of AIR possible. This song in the full version is pure beauty it encompasses so many emotions of summer, Misuzu, sadness, and hope.

Aozora: I don’t think I need to explain this one. It is just gut wrenching, watching the whole scene with Misuzu and Haruko. I was exposed to it in 2005 when the anime first aired, even though I knew some of the end, I was literally a blubbering mess. The best was seeing Lia perform this at AX 2016.

Clannad: Nagisa: I just love this song, it reminds me of Summer Lights. It has that same hopeful, yet sad undertone. It really just rounds out everything about Nagisa and her journey in this song. I always imagine her waiting at the bottom of that hill. Not to mention the great version of the Ending they made with this.

Gensou: That creepy yet mysterious tone sets up perfectly for the illusionary world. It’s so eerie and spine chilling. You get that feel that nothing exists. I think there is a vocal version of this that exists which really hits home the emotions even further.

Hurry Starfish: Such a great uplifting song that is totally Fuuko, fantastic.

Sore wa Kaze no Youni: Love her theme I would get pumped every time I heard it. So mischievous and charming at the same time.

Little Busters: Faraway/ Song for Friends: God I love these songs. It really brings together every meaning in this game, all the beautiful memories both happy and sad meld into this one song.

Nothing Happened In This World: I love this song so much. It reminds me of Gensou, from Clannad it has that absolute feel of defeat, but it also terrifies me at the same time.

Planetarian: Gentle Jena: This one just speaks to me that this is the official theme of the song, plays in my head with any memory of Yumei. Best song.

Tomoyo After: Destroyer: I loved this song even before playing the game. I had a remix on a CD I bought and since I’m a huge trance fan this was great. I can’t recall when it plays in the game but I love it either way. Resonator is amazing as well but i don’t have the same nostalgia associated.

Hope This is just classic Maeda, a beautiful score that invokes so many feelings. Sets up the whole tone of the game.

Rewrite: Journey Easily the best track of the game for me. I loved it the most, so beautiful with that hint of magic, beauty…a journey in it’s self.

Angel Beats: Ichiban no Takaramono This part just one of the best parts in the anime, poor Yui So many building emotions in this one feels so genuine and heartfelt.

SSS Theme: Man, I remember that trailer and watched it over and over again without seeing moving animation, just stills. It’s so epic and has that classic sad under tone.

I will have to get back on Charlotte and Harmonia.

[StarfishBender]

I know I should say more about each choice, but the overriding reason for them all is that they have the most emotional impact, and some really capture a moment such as the first time we hear Natsukage and meet Misuzu. Angel Beats is the most difficult as honestly, aside from GlDeMo, the music doesn’t do that much for me.

Overall I prefer instrumental to vocal and in particular piano music (pretty obvious from my choices!). For vocals I prefer ballads on the whole, with Aozora my favourite.

Kanon

Non Vocal: Fuyu no Hanabi
Honorable mention: Yumi no Ato

Vocal: Last Regrets

AIR

Non-vocal: Natsukage
Honorable mentions: Sousei, Kaisouroku, Kotowari, Futari

Vocal: Aozora

CLANNAD

Non-vocal: Nagisa: Parting at the Foot of the Hill
Honorable mentions: Country Train, Roaring Tides 2, Distant Years

Vocal: Chiisana Tenohira

Tomoyo After

Non vocal: Hope

Vocal: Life is Like a Melody

Planetarian

Gentle Jena

Little Busters

Non Vocal: Boys Don’t cry
Honorable mentions: Faraway (instrumental), Lamplight, Osatou Futatu , Synchronicle, Exotic Toybox

Vocal: Faraway

Angel Beats / Girls Dead Monster

Non-vocal: My most Precious Treasure (instrumental)

Vocal: Thousand Enemies
Honorable mentions: My most Precious Treasure/Ichiban no Takaramono, Brave song

Harmonia

Non Vocal: Oppidum
Honorable mention: Rruinus

Vocal: Todoketai Melody

I can update this now I’ve played through Rewrite

Non vocal: Sun Bright
Honourable mentions: Nirinsou, Anthurium

Vocal: Watari no Uta
Honourable mention: Philosophyz

[koioniaku]

Man, Dango Daikazoku is just a classic, I mean, come on.

[Kagura]

I haven’t seen or played everything, but I’ll answer for the visual novels and anime I’m familiar with.

Kanon:

Umaretate no Kaze- Possibly the most beautiful soundtrack I’ve ever heard. The visual novel version is great but I prefer the 2006 anime rendition much more as it adds more emotion. This one and Mai’s theme, Shoujo no Ori, top my Key soundtracks list.

Air:

Sousei- This little hidden gem has to be the most powerful piano piece in any Key anime or vn. It plays during a very emotional part of the visual novel involving Michiru that still brings me to tears to this day. Also have to throw in Tori no Uta because it’s just too iconic to gloss over.

Clannad:

Town, Flow of Time, People- Every key visual novel has a track like this when the protagonist is reflecting. It’s soft and as emotionally vulnerable as the characters themselves. However, I feel like Clannad gets this right more so than other Key vn’s.

Planetarian:

Ame to Robot/Hoshi no Sekai- This is a true tie. I’m a big fan of Shinji Orito, but oddly enough he did none of the soundtracks for Planetarian. Instead Magome Togoshi, a long time collaborator of Orito’s composed most of these tracks alone and the result is an absolute masterpiece that really fits the desolate atmosphere of Key’s darkest and shortest visual novel.

Charlotte:

Bravely You- I don’t remember that much about Charlotte other than it involving kids with powers and a very disappointing finale. But that isn’t to say that it’s all bad. The opening and ending songs are very memorable and I still listen to these to this day.

Little Busters:

Little Busters Jumper version- I have an honest confession to make on Little Busters. While Refrain is one of my all time favorites, there isn’t much that jumped out at me in it’s soundtrack. I absolutely love the opening and it has a lot of energy to it, but so many of the tracks seem to blend together to the point I can’t really distinguish one I like the most. It’s really my only complaint about an otherwise good series with a ton of content.

Harmonia:

Towa no Hoshi e- If there’s one word that describes Harmonia, it’s departure. This is the final visual novel to feature the art of Itaru Hinoue and seems a bit like the staff were burned out at the time. What stood out to me the most was the emphasis on what constitutes humanity, and this song brilliantly captures the spirit of hope in a world where everyone’s dreams have all vanished in the dying days of their world.

Angel Beats:

My Precious Treasure- I forgot just how much of an emotional roller coaster this one was. Maybe not the most impactful on me since other anime have done this concept as well, but this beautiful song match the impact of other favorites of mine like Last Train Home from Anohana and Lost my Pieces from Toradora.

Tomoyo After:

Love Song- It took me awhile to play Tomoyo After as I thought it wouldn’t be worth it, but oh how wrong I was. This deserves an anime as well but I doubt we’ll get it at this point. As for the soundtrack it’s pretty similar to Clannad but certainly more piano heavy. Being a fan of softer piano and strings laden songs, I loved it. Love Song and Life is Like a Melody benefit a lot from using real instruments that Key didn’t have the budget for early on.

And that’s about all I can think of. I don’t know much about Rewrite or Summer Pockets so I can’t add anything for those unfortunately.

[BeanCurd]

I guess I’ll post my favorite Key OST here as well. I already posted my fave Key Heroine Themes before.

Kanon:
Yume no Ato - I know this is like a different version/variation of Last Regrets, but I just have a soft spot for music box like style of music and I really like this track, plus, it’s just a memorable music for me.

Yakusoku - It’s the music box—!

AIR:
Reminiscence - The only thing I can say is, I just love the piano here, it felt simple, yet emotional for me.

Semigoromo - I can’t explain why I like this. I just simply like it. I guess, I just love the atmosphere that this music gives me.

Planetarian:
Mattaki Hito - Maybe an odd choice but honestly, I just love how this music plays at that certain scene, it really hits me hard and it gave me a heavy feeling when listening to this while reading that scene.

Itsukushimi Fukaki - Like I said earlier, I have a soft spot for music box style (tbh idk how else I’ll call it) plus playing this in the VN, it made me feel sad but at the same time, it gave me hope as well.

CLANNAD:
Shionari and Shionari II - This always gets me every single time that this plays during any emotional moments. I just love this track so much, it’s repetitiveness makes it really memorable for me.

Negai ga Kanau Basho - What can I say? This beautiful music never fails to make me cry.

Tomoyo After:
Hope - Definitely one of my all time favorite Key OST and title screen theme. I just love how it slowly build ups from the beginning until the end. It’s simply beautiful!

Harmony with Sorrow - This one stuck on me as well. Very emotional music for an emotional scene in the VN.

Little Busters!:
Born Into This World - Another one of my all time favorite OST (especially in LB!) and title screen theme as well. Idk, there’s just something about this track that separates from the others. And I really love this as a title screen music. It just gives me a mysterious vibes and it draws me in to the world of LB! every time I listen to it.

Little Melody - Another one of those simple emotional piano tracks for me. It never fails to make me cry when this one plays out.

Rewrite:
Tabi - Probably the best Rewrite track for me and another good title screen theme as well. I think Tabi represents what Rewrite is, plus, it has a lot of good variations as well like Watari no Uta etc.

Fertilizer - Surprisingly, I like this music. It just reminds me of those normal, fun days of Kotarou and co. It’s really catchy for me. (Plus, it has a good vocal version as well)

Harmonia:
Vitae - I can’t completely explain why I like this but I guess I just love how refreshing this music was.

Oppidum - A good title screen music. Idk what to say aside that I kinda like the style of this music.

[Kanata]

Key always has great soundtracks for their Visual Novels, I think Rewrite has the most memorable and best soundtrack out of them all though.

Air: Natsukage (Summer Lights)
Funnily enough, I haven’t read or seen anything from Air except for the opening and this song. I heard it one of the Key Medley videos and it’s definitely a great enough soundtrack but just hearing it that it’s worth mentioning.

Clannad: Machi, Toki no Nagare, Hito (Town, Flow of Time, People)
Clannad also has so other good memorable tracks are worth to put on here, but I don’t think any of them could top this track. It feels so omnipresent and so central to Clannad. Once I hear this song so much feeling just comes to me, it as if I feel Tomoya’s pain and loneliness. At the time of my life where I watched this, I was just leaving public school and everything was so uncertain and changing. I also felt a loss of what to do, that even know many years later I still feel the emotion that this track gives me.

Little Busters: Tatta Hitotsu no Mahō no Kotoba (Only One Magic Word)
While I think “Born Into This World” and “The World Where Nothing Happened” are also very great soundtracks in LB! (which in my opinion has one of the weaker soundtracks of Key) I would say this song is also very special the scenes where it is played really are magical, and also show the true essence of the Little Busters!

Rewrite: Sanka (Scattered Flowers), Yuriha (Swinging Leaves)
Rewrite has so many great tracks that it’s honestly hard to pick which are the “best” since honestly all of them are so good. Though, I think these two are really great at being emotional tracks that actually makes you feel for the situations you are put in to. Honestly, they are both beautiful tracks in their own right; sorrowful, intense and dramatic. They have a slow build-up into this just onslaught of powerful emotions.

Unfortunately, I cannot remember really any tracks from Kanon. Though it might be because I didn’t read the VN but it’s still surprising that none of them pops out to me. I still need to read Planetarian, Air, Harmonia, Tomoyo After, Angel Beats so this list still missing a lot but hopefully, I can add them later on.

I guess it is worth mentioning Angel Beats (anime) 's Theme of SSS is a really great track. It’s just an epic track that makes you feel like you are actually a part of the force that is trying with their lives to stop some god or unstoppable being.

That said there are still many other wonderful tracks in VNs that aren’t these and some other arranges. Personally I think Rockstar Buster’s “Only One Magic Word” and “Incommunicable Message” are great. I’ll have to add Vocals song to this eventually too.