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This question is a lot like asking if movie soundtracks are really worth it. Sure, most of them just treat it as background noise, but there are some truly amazing soundtracks out there.

Err… Guess who was selecting music for our wedding? And guess what I picked for the main event?

This makes us brothers.

And our wives sisters.
It only gets creepier from there.

I'm sorry too. I had no idea people were actually making mix tapes and listening to them at work or elsewhere. That's very surprising to me. No. Any particular um... track I should listen to, or all of it?

Easy... I was questioning, not attacking.

Not so. Movie music often includes lyrics, something game music rarely (ever?) does. IME game music has only been instrumental (though to be fair, I've only played older games). Further, movie music is often music frequently heard on the radio and may be strongly associated with a person, place, event, time, or generation. Further, these songs are heard by many, and so there's a communal aspect where many people share an understanding or feeling with a song, something not really shared with game music. Music videos can also help convey a message or imprint something on a community. Lyrics and context certainly aren't necessary, but I do feel they can potentially add to music. Some songs that have brought me to tears would not have done so sans lyrics.

My purpose certainly wasn't to criticize those who listen, or to suggest that GOG should stop doing it. I was honestly wondering about something that I didn't understand.

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I've certainly played games where the music really augmented the experience and made me enjoy the game, or even a certain portion, even more. However I've always considered the music as part of the game, and so if I really liked its music, I might want to play the game more. I don't think I've ever once thought of listening to game music out in my daily life.

Perhaps the closest is one theme from Temple of Elemental Evil which I found very soothing and used to listen to to go to sleep. But part of the allure was not the music, but where in the game the music was playing. So even if I had had the music as a separate file, I still would have run the game to hear it.

Another reason I found it curious is that, to my knowledge, game music is fairly easily accessible from the game files. Thus, it seemed to me that people were essentially asking for an extra copy of the music folder, which seemed strange. It's like asking for multiple exe files. Why? It made no sense to me.

I beg your pardon? I'm not really sure how to reply to this ... would you take offense if I called this stance (the stance, not you as a person) quote ignorant? Or if I told you that your experience seems to be very limited?

I don't even know where to begin addressing this.

First, lots of movie soundtracks are instrumental. I don't know why anybody would debate this. Just take a look at any online shop that has soundtracks.

Second, what's wrong with instrumental music? Some people tend to like it. Many people actually _prefer_ instrumental music when they're playing it in the background, since it doesn't detract so much from whatever they are doing.

Third, a _lot_ of games have non-instrumental soundtracks. I already mentioned "Baba Yetu" from Civ4, this game has (off the top of my head) probably two dozen non-instrumental tracks. I've recently played GTA4, which has loads of tracks from The Who, Bob Seger, ELO, and more artists than you can shake a stick at. Especially choruses have been a staple of computer game musics for more than a decade.

Well, you've learned now that the world is more diverse than you thought. :)

Have fun trying to extract Midi tunes from old games ...

_Especially_ for the older games that you seem to be talking about, extracting their music is far more elaborate than copying over some files. Rather, it's a jungle of proprietary formats, some even specific to just one single game.

Anyway. Sorry if this reply sounds offensive (I have a hunch that it might, but I'm really just astounded by the ... umm ... no, it's probably impossible to say that without it coming across as derogatory. Let's just say I'm astounded.

To end this post on a lighter note, and to show that video game music is a far bigger part of contemporary entertainment than you may have thought, here's a video that I like (the music is from Tetris, in case you don't recognize it):

Complete History of the Soviet Union

Edit: Also, please note that many of the people who are interested in soundtracks, like to get them in a better format than that provided in-game. I often see people asking for soundtracks in FLAC format, for example.

I'd suggest to play the game first actually (I generally prefer to discover soundtracks in context), it's one of the best videogames ever for many reason, its usage of background music is one. If not, I suggest the whole soundtrack, as it goes sort of crescendo (with the in-game fights, emotional stakes, and situations, getting more and more intense). It's a typical game soundtrack, whick means that most tracks are made to "loop", and so, have no precise beginning+end structure, but they are still great. Also, the game and the soundtrack end with a song.

As said by another, this is very wrong. Go see a movie. How many times do the background music have actual singing ? Most soundtracks are purely instrumental, songs are the exception.

Also, many people prefer music without (often poor) lyrics. Think jazz, classical music, etc...

You, sir, have an appropriate taste. I shall now put on my tophat and discuss current happenings with you.
And there's also Warrior within soundtrack. See? Lyrics.

I just wish we could get the full soundtracks. One of these days I need to rip my CD versions for this.

In keeping with the more educational turn that this thread has taken, here's the "Baba Yetu" song from Civ4 (Attention! Lyrics! ;) ):
Baba Yetu

And the main theme of Morrowind, which for some reason still sends shivers down my spine although I have listened to it hundreds of times:
Morrowind Main Theme

Enjoy :)

Yes, I like to listen to soundtracks while driving. :)

Yes, definitely. There are plenty of excellent soundtracks out there worth listening. Bastion's soundtrack, for example.

I've never played any Civilizations games before but that music was phenomonal. Morrowind on the other hand I've listened to quite a bit especially the theme song. :)