What is yalls favorite zone music?

Not sure if this belongs here, but im so normal about FFXIV music.

Specifically about zone themes, what are some of y'alls favorites and why??

Mine is easily is a fathers pride, the Yanxia day theme. To me its both melancholic and also nostalgic. The fiddle in it is my favorite, it's so pretty.
My second favorite is probably Ill Mhegs day theme, Fierce and Free. I love how its a bit disorientating, almost hazy. You cant piece together the lyrics, I assume its their language but it comes across as random gibberish. Yet it sounds lively and whimsical. Perfect fae song.

Tell me abt your favorite zone themes! I love musical analysis and unpacking why songs make us feel certain things.

I also could listen to Fierce and Free all day, and I just got A Father's pride for my house.

A Father's Pride has a double meaning for Kitali, both because she grew up in Doma and was the moon of her father's eye. She learned how to use a lance from him.

Whispers of the Land is the one I put on loop the most (Rak'Tika village music/Gridanian starter cutscene music).

It took me a bit to warm up to the Labyrinthos day theme, but I like it a lot. However, it doesn't outshine the night theme, Dreams of Man, for me. It still retains that whimsy that feels surprising for Sharlayan, at least in my opinion, but also carries this melancholic wonder to it. Which feels apt, when you realize what the Sharlayans have been preparing for this entire time when you yourself get to see it for the first time.

Kind of a basic answer here, but as far as non-city zones, Close in the Distance (and all its iterations) just absolutely wrecks me every time I hear it. Honorable mention to Neath Dark Waters (Amaurot) for hitting me right in my feelings when I heard the live version at Fan Fest last year.

LilBittyMonster wrote:

I also could listen to Fierce and Free all day, and I just got A Father's pride for my house.

A Father's Pride has a double meaning for Kitali, both because she grew up in Doma and was the moon of her father's eye. She learned how to use a lance from him.

Whispers of the Land is the one I put on loop the most (Rak'Tika village music/Gridanian starter cutscene music).

I love that about Kitali, I do feel like the song almost has a comforting aspect to it. It's tempo and vibe does sometimes remind me of something from childhood.

Also, Whispers of the Land is great. I just got to Rak'tika on my alt in Slitherbough and its a vibeeeeeee. Also weirdly comforting.

PaintedScales wrote:

It took me a bit to warm up to the Labyrinthos day theme, but I like it a lot. However, it doesn't outshine the night theme, Dreams of Man, for me. It still retains that whimsy that feels surprising for Sharlayan, at least in my opinion, but also carries this melancholic wonder to it. Which feels apt, when you realize what the Sharlayans have been preparing for this entire time when you yourself get to see it for the first time.

I was actually gonna put the Labyrnithos day theme on my list as well! It is weirdly fun and whimsical for the context of the story XD
I've heard it annoys some people when played on loop but I love it. I like how the music almost gives an impression of going up and down and up and down. Given the song is called "The Labyrinth" I think that aspect is fitting.

TheDeerLord wrote:

Kind of a basic answer here, but as far as non-city zones, Close in the Distance (and all its iterations) just absolutely wrecks me every time I hear it. Honorable mention to Neath Dark Waters (Amaurot) for hitting me right in my feelings when I heard the live version at Fan Fest last year.

Im so jealous you heard Neath Dark Waters live, I would have burst into tears lololol, im sure it was beautiful.
Close in the distance is so great. One of the very few zones with like an actual lyrical song playing but it works. Given you dont go to Ultima thule alot in game (maybe besides tribal quests) it makes it extra impactful. It always reminds me of the last bit of Endwalker, which also made me cry a lot (in a good way)

Tough question, there are so many tracks that I really love. In no particular order:

Unchanging, Everchanging from Lakeland feels triumphant, and I always save Dwarf dailies for the daytime since I prefer it to the night theme. I'm the opposite in Il Mheg, I prefer The Faerie Ring - the piano trills get me every time.

I love both the night and day themes for the Azim Steppe, but Drowning in the Horizon sticks in my head more. I associate it with Makhali's childhood and upbringing, and from time to time I afk her on one of the stone fingers surrounding The Dawn Throne as if she flew her Yol out there. It lets me listen to the music while I plan shots. 

For some reason, The Nautilus Knoweth reminds me of the Al de Baran theme from Ragnarok Online, so I have a soft spot for it. 

Last but definitely not least, Neath Dark Waters. I really love how well integrated the ticking is. Sometimes you can almost forget it's there, but it never stops, like time itself. It conveys a feeling of hurry at times, and a reminder of stasis in others. I don't really know how it does it.

Mine is the Aleport theme, Saltswept. I never get tired of listening to it! I have a good handful of La Noscean characters, so it really feeds into that joy. My second favorite is the Kugane theme, Crimson Sunrise, because of the Stormblood leitmotif that it contains.

If we do include the city themes, then The Nautilus Knoweth is also up there as an all-time favorite for me. I'm a big fan of jazz guitar in general, so getting a stripped back, jazz guitar led version of the melody from Flow was the perfect blend of those two things. I definitely sat in Old Sharlayan leveling crafters and listened to it on loop more than I would like to admit, but it still holds up, even hours later.

ascendedhypothesis wrote:

Tough question, there are so many tracks that I really love. In no particular order:

Unchanging, Everchanging from Lakeland feels triumphant, and I always save Dwarf dailies for the daytime since I prefer it to the night theme. I'm the opposite in Il Mheg, I prefer The Faerie Ring - the piano trills get me every time.

I love both the night and day themes for the Azim Steppe, but Drowning in the Horizon sticks in my head more. I associate it with Makhali's childhood and upbringing, and from time to time I afk her on one of the stone fingers surrounding The Dawn Throne as if she flew her Yol out there. It lets me listen to the music while I plan shots. 

For some reason, The Nautilus Knoweth reminds me of the Al de Baran theme from Ragnarok Online, so I have a soft spot for it. 

Last but definitely not least, Neath Dark Waters. I really love how well integrated the ticking is. Sometimes you can almost forget it's there, but it never stops, like time itself. It conveys a feeling of hurry at times, and a reminder of stasis in others. I don't really know how it does it.

Agree so hard on the Lakeland music thing! I think it really represents the stubborn hope of the people of the crystarium, while also being a little somber. And i do love a good piano trill. My fav use of them in FFXIV music is in the tsukuyomi fight.

And Neath Dark Waters is sooo good it makes me insane. It's so sad, and quiet and somber. Song of all time

mandervillious wrote:

Mine is the Aleport theme, Saltswept. I never get tired of listening to it! I have a good handful of La Noscean characters, so it really feeds into that joy. My second favorite is the Kugane theme, Crimson Sunrise, because of the Stormblood leitmotif that it contains.

Saltswept is such a good shanty. It makes me really nostalgic for some reason, reminds me of being in aleport when I first began playing the game. A lot of the ARR music does that to me lol

Kuganes theme is great as well, it gets stuck in my head all the time. Cant get enuf of those leitmotifs

TheDeerLord wrote:

If we do include the city themes, then The Nautilus Knoweth is also up there as an all-time favorite for me. I'm a big fan of jazz guitar in general, so getting a stripped back, jazz guitar led version of the melody from Flow was the perfect blend of those two things. I definitely sat in Old Sharlayan leveling crafters and listened to it on loop more than I would like to admit, but it still holds up, even hours later.

Its sooooo chill i could fall asleep to it. I recently got the Endwalker vinyl and this song is on it. Some city themes get a bit much when you're grinding and listening to them 24/7 but Sharlayans is chill af.

 i think its smart that its the first zone you enter in endwalker, yet contains the flow leitmotif right off the bat. it has you recognizing the song right away, its smart!

Close in The Distance is definitely one of my favorites and I have definitely spent time in game just vibing in the zone and enjoying it.
Before that, Contention, the day time theme from Zenith. I had that scroll playing in my house for a long time to give it calming and melancholy vibes.

(Now I have Pulse scrolls playing lol)

eldritchBat wrote:

Close in The Distance is definitely one of my favorites and I have definitely spent time in game just vibing in the zone and enjoying it.
Before that, Contention, the day time theme from Zenith. I had that scroll playing in my house for a long time to give it calming and melancholy vibes.

(Now I have Pulse scrolls playing lol)

Close in the distance is a classic!!
I also totally forgot about Contention, it's beautiful. Heavensward is my favorite OST, so this is an A+ choice. 
I remember this song because Zenith is RIGHT next to the moogle tribal quest area. Meaning you teleport into this zone with this beautiful, sad music and go like two steps to the right and its the goofy moogle music XD

amaurot wrote:

eldritchBat wrote:

Close in The Distance is definitely one of my favorites and I have definitely spent time in game just vibing in the zone and enjoying it.
Before that, Contention, the day time theme from Zenith. I had that scroll playing in my house for a long time to give it calming and melancholy vibes.

(Now I have Pulse scrolls playing lol)

Close in the distance is a classic!!
I also totally forgot about Contention, it's beautiful. Heavensward is my favorite OST, so this is an A+ choice. 
I remember this song because Zenith is RIGHT next to the moogle tribal quest area. Meaning you teleport into this zone with this beautiful, sad music and go like two steps to the right and its the goofy moogle music XD

Heavensward's OST has most of my favorite songs in it tbh Really A+ music.
(Purple lanner was my go-to mount for a long time just for the music.   )

Beyond the Wall is currently Rowan's theme. It kinda snuck up on me when I was doing Anata dailies (especially because their music is a bit over the top), but I love the somber mood it gives, especially with the finger picked guitar. 

I'm also a sucker for Neath Dark Waters. It definitely adds to the misplaced nostalgia I feel whenever I end up in Amaurot.

I have The Nautilus Knoweth on my playlist in Rowan's house as well. The Ewer Brimmeth plays on the Island and I am forever grateful they put an orchestrion there.

i cant believe no one has mentioned Old Wounds yet, its such a gorgeous night theme! the Journeys album version has to be my favorite of all the arrangements theyve done so far, it hits right in the heart 🥺 its a must-have on Mitsue's house playlist (or it would be if i ever got around to furnishing the place,,)

Night Rak'tika, definitely

Always partial to the Lochs Night and Nobility Sleeps. it's been a while since I had any audio in game (computer broken) so umm maybe i'll give a listen through of all the area themes some day...