Summary
Minecraft’sincredible soundtrack is undeniable. “Sweden,” “Subwoofer Lullaby,” and “Moog City"are all absolute classics. A player can go hours, even years, thinking these ambient tracks are the only songs in the game. That all changes when a slash of a sword causes a skeleton to drop a strange record.
A little research will lead players to a crafting bench, where they can surround a diamond with planks of any variety to produce aJukebox. Once one of these bizarre discs is right-clicked into the newly placed Jukebox, a whole new world of music is opened up.Music Discshave become an ever-present loot drop inMinecraft, one whose pool steadily expands. As this collection grows, it’s good to look back and figure outwhichMinecraftMusic Discs are the best of the best.
21Blocks
Discordant Notes, Yet Wildly Nostalgic
The longest song in the collection of Music Discs,“Blocks"can sometimes feel like it. After a bit of buildup, its upbeat chiptune attitude carries through the opening of the song up until the end, when it switches to a more melancholy, ethereal sound. It encapsulates so much of whatMinecraftis all about, switching from exciting and hopeful to mysterious and foreboding.
The opening feels especially long, with notes that played at a strange rhythm that throw the entire track off balance. That’s not to say it’s a bad song, necessarily. It evokes a specific feeling of nostalgia, while also capturing the sensation of playingMinecraft. It’s not terrible, there are just many other Music Discs that are better, or more interesting.
2011
Lost And (Never) Forgotten
Easily the spookiest song of the bunch,“11"brings up so many questions. Who does this recording belong to? Why is the original recorder so scared, and why is he breathing so heavily? What’s chasing him? Will the player one day find out? That, and easily having the coolest sprite of all the discs, makes this Music Disc especially unique.
Funnily enough, in the albumMinecraft - Album Beta, a song titled"Eleven"can be found; exclusively on that album, in fact. It opens the same way as “11”, but transitions into a beautiful piano piece. It almost feels like this is the repaired version of the disc. This only brings up more questions.Questions that will likely remain forever unanswered.
19Mall
Venturing Forth
A very low-key song,“Mall"works perfectly to build the player’s drive to venture forth into an undiscovered world. It sounds almost as if it starts underwater, giving it a truly unique sound. The percussion keeps a steady excitement building throughout, acting as the heartbeat of the song, as the keyboard makes heavy swings in various directions.
Due to its low-key nature, it never truly stands out any further. It works for what it is, and can certainly instill a desire to dive deep into the ocean to find a lost temple, but there are many other Music Discs that do just that, but much, much more.
1813
Chimes Of The End
“13"continues the trend of creepy numbered Music Discs. It has a cave-like atmosphere, with water dripping in a cavernous landscape. Halfway through, it completely drops out, before returning with more vigor, with loud crashing and splashing joining in. The odd timing and switch-up certainly add to theuneasy tone of the piece.
As a gust of wind blows in, signaling the piece’s closing, it only brings more questions. Questions that the fan base took upon themselves to attempt to answer. By combining “11,” “13,” and the upcoming piece, “5,” they combine to create a story that still doesn’t necessarily come together. Theories have been proposed, but nothing concrete has been established. It’s all simply bizarre.
17Mellohi
Dark Circus Vibes
“Mellohi"has such a specific sense of self. It almostevokesDon’t Starvelevels of spooky whimsy, while still maintaininga playful attitude. This is a song the pillagers would throw a party to, one with plenty of ill-gained potions to go around. It’s bouncy, it’s fun, and most importantly, it’s strange.
Hearing this track inspires so many ideas for futureMinecraftcontent. A roaming circus, populated by mobs unseen in most lands, or any biomes at all, all while this joyfully plays with in the background. The Tim Burton-like feeling of uneasiness and joy is palpable and needs to be tapped into further.
16Tears
Ghastly Delights
One of the newer music discs inMinecraft,“Tears"has an identity all its own. Comprised of altered Ghast noises, there’s truly nothing that sounds remotely familiar. The perfect tune to composecomplicated Redstone contraptionsto, composer Amos Roddy did an incredible job on his very first Music Disc.
The idea of turning mob cries into a song is an ingenious one that doesn’t seem feasible on paper, but it flows remarkably well here. Incorporating Creeper hisses, Wither cries, or Piglin snorts into a song seems inevitable at this point, and judging by “Tears,” they could work just as well, if not better.
155
Creeping Terror
The capper, and most recent of the numbered trilogy,“5"dropped in 2022, with easily the most complicated method of obtaining any Music Disc. This song is a lot of stomping, a bit of breathing, and some “calming” music in the background, interrupted by more ambiance, more running, more breathing, before eventually devolving into a messy nightmare of noises.
This is concluded with the roar of a Warden, seemingly ending the game of whatever unfortunate soul this original recording belonged to. This seemingly gives answers to questions around “11” and “13,” but still doesn’t necessarily give everything. The primary theory is that these three discs together tell the story of an unfortunate adventurer who meets their end at the hands of a Warden; a brutal way to go.
14Creator (Music Box Version)
Winding Lullaby
The only variant Music Disc,“Creator (Music Box Version)“sounds like a genuine lullaby from long ago. Something one would hear as a bedtime story was read to them as a child. A folktale passed from generation to generation. It’s a far cry from the original version of the song, but it has its own compelling nature.
Lena Raine stands tall alongside C418 when it comes toMinecraftmusic, and she consistently proves that she belongs right next to C418 in terms of recognition. The generation that grew up withMinecraftfrom the beginning will have nostalgia for C418, and the generation after will see Lena Raine in the exact same standing.
13Cat
Joyous Whimsy
One of the most nostalgia-loaded songs in the game,“Cat"can bring joy to any server. It starts off so curiously, before flinging the player into a really calm, upbeatchiptune beat.It has a sense of familiarity, while being wholly itself. It would fill anyone with enough curiosity to press on further and discover what’s out there for themselves.
The ending, where it’s just the chiptune synths for a moment, before returning to that curious tune, is gorgeous, and it gives a distinct 2010s feeling like no other. It feels like a warm audio blanket, a cozy return to the past that feels just like home.
12Ward
Funeral…Fun?
Starting such a funky song off with a rendition of Chopin’s “Funeral March” is certainly an interesting choice, but"Ward"pulls it off expertly. Opening with such a dour tune and following it up with a bouncy upbeat song is instantly charming and funny; it creates this incredibly comfortable atmosphere.
Once the disc has played for long enough, it goes silent and returns with a really hopeful tune, building wonder and excitement for the future, and it all has this underlying sense of adventure. That’s exactly what “Ward” is: an adventure of a song, one that truly takes the listener on a journey to get to a perfectly satisfying conclusion.
