In Their Own Words: Madden NFL 16 Development Director Benjamin Ramsour
2015-07-13
Electronic Arts
Go inside the soundtrack for Madden NFL 16.
Licensed music is returning to Madden NFL 16. Learn how and why from Madden Development Director Benjamin Ramsour.
The Sound Of TDs
Between 2003 and 2012, Madden averaged over 5 songs per year by bands that went on to top the music charts. That is our goal again. Madden NFL 16 will feature a soundtrack from a diverse roster of soon-to-be-breakthrough artists we think our fans are going to love.
When you pop in Madden NFL 16 you’ll be dropped into the middle of an interactive, cinematic experience where you become part of a dramatic Super Bowl comeback. This is made more powerful by, among other things, a professionally scored musical composition.
We worked with JunkieXL, a composer who has created the music for Mad Max, 300, and other movies and games to create the track. We recorded with a live, 60-piece orchestra in Nashville, and added an additional 30 tribal drums to the piece to really make the user feel the intensity of the moment.
Musical Memories
My obsession with Guns ‘n Roses began to take shape when I was eight years old. To this day, I still think “Appetite for Destruction” is the best album of my lifetime. Some of my favorite albums of the ‘90s are Pearl Jam’s “Ten”, Dave Matthews Band’s “Crash”, The Refreshments “Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy”, Garth Brooks “Double Live” and the Blue Album by Weezer. I’m from Missouri, so Nelly has always been my favorite rapper. I learned how to drive a stick shift to the “Country Grammar” album.
I vividly remember popping in Madden NFL 2003 and hearing Andrew W.K.’s “Party Hard”. It got me so jacked to dominate my roommate in our first game of the year.
I’d have to say Madden NFL 06 was my favorite soundtrack of the decade. I discovered the Arctic Monkeys, 30 Seconds to Mars, and Fall Out Boy through that game. It also featured cuts I liked from Tech N9ne, Memphis Bleak, the All-American Rejects, and the Foo Fighters, among others. My favorite non-Madden soundtracks are The Legend of Zelda and MVP Baseball 2005.
Building the Playlist
To research the soundtrack for Madden NFL 16, we started listening to potential tracks back in February. The labels send tracks to an EA office in LA that either were recently released or are going to be released around the time Madden NFL 16 comes out at the end of the summer. We also ask for nominations from the dev team.
Want to hear some classic Madden NFL Trax? Check out the Madden NFL Football profile on Spotify, and stay tuned throughout the NFL season for curated playlists from your favorite players.
Learn more about Madden NFL 16 here.
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