Pokémon Favorite songs from each generation

[Bui]

Regardless of what I've ever thought about any given generation, one thing that's always remained consistent about the Pokemon franchise is that the music has always been great. I was thinking recently about my favorite songs from each generation I've played, and now I'd like to know what your favorites are!

Here are my top 3 songs for each generation (plus some honorable mentions), complete with links to each of them! I used FR/LG versions of the songs for gen 1 only because I never really played the originals, but every generation after uses the original music.

Gen 1 (based on Fire Red and Leaf Green versions)
1. Gym Leader/Elite Four Battle
2. Elite Four Champion Battle
3. Cinnabar Island
Honorable Mention: Celadon Game Corner

Gen 2
1. Credits Theme
2. Route 26
3. Azalea Town
Honorable Mentions: Kanto Trainer Battle , Saffron City

Gen 3
1. Frontier Brain Battle
2. Team Aqua/Magma Leader Battle
3. Route 111 (Desert)
Honorable Mentions: Bike Theme , Team Aqua/Magma Battle

Gen 4
1. Frontier Brain Battle (my favorite in the series)
2. Mount Coronet
3. Route 228 (Night)
Honorable Mentions: Game Corner , Cynthia Encounter

Gen 5
1. Skyarrow Bridge (my second favorite in the series)
2. Team Plasma Battle
3. Rare Pokemon Encounter
Honorable Mentions: Legendary Battle , Final Battle vs N

While I have played through Gen 6, I've only done so once and therefore there aren't any songs that really stand out to me. Perhaps if I were to play through it again... I've also never played 7 or 8 though I have heard some of the music. However, without having heard all the songs as well as experiencing them in the context of each game I don't feel as though I can fairly call any of them my favorites quite yet.

 

[Croconaw]

I think Gen 3 had some great music. I haven’t played past Gen 4, though, so my options were very limited.

 

[Bui]

I think Gen 3 had some great music. I haven’t played past Gen 4, though, so my options were very limited.

While I don't have a whole lot of experience with the Hoenn games, there are a lot of great songs among the ones I can remember. My favorites above were just the ones that stood out the most among those I could recall, as most of my time with those games was before I really started focusing on game music as much as I do now. I'm sure my list would probably change a bit if I were to play the games a little more and gain more experience with them.

 

[Kamex]

My favorites are from Gen 2 and Gen 7. I really admire the sublime music in the Gen 2 games like the city/town tunes. The rival theme is really cool too. In Gen 7, I love the Island Kahuna Battle Music and the Elite 4 theme. In addition, the routes all have beautiful themes that I adore.

Gen 1 has some good songs too, like the Gym Leader theme. The Hoenn games have some great music too. I like the Lilycove City and Verdanturf Town themes a lot. In addition, the Zinnia Battle Theme was pretty awesome. Gen 4 has sublime music and I loved the route themes. Cynthia's theme and her battle music is cool! The Frontier Brain Battle Theme in Platinum and HG/SS is really awesome and I've loved it since childhood.

In Gen 5, I like the Aspertia City theme a lot. Gen 6 has really beautiful music like the route themes and Professor Sycamore's theme. I also loved the Kalos Gym Leader Battle Music and Laverre City has a very lovely theme too. In Gen 8, Marnie's Battle Theme is awesome and I think the Galarian Legendary Birds theme was great as well. The Gym Leader Theme was nice too and the route themes in Sword/Shield are very sublime.

Overall, I think all of the generations have nice music, though I like Gen 2 and Gen 7 the most.

 

[Snek]

My favourite music is from Gens 3 and 5, gen 5 being my favourite music gen. Of the gen 5 music, my favourite track is Route 11, doesnt matter which season because they're all great. I also really like Volo's battle theme in Legends Arceus, probably my favourite battle theme.

 

[_confused_piplup_]

I am obsessed with gen 4, so definitely the generation with the music I liked the most. The ones I like the most are:

- Cynthia's battle (my 2nd fav in the whole series)
- Game Corner (my 3rd fav in the whole series)
- Barry's music
- Spear Pillar
- Cyrus' battle
- Title screen is pretty cool
- Battle Frontier
- Dialga's and Palkia's theme. My fav in the whole series. I am obsessed with it. Indeed, part of it is in my signature lol.

After gen 4, my fav music is in gen 3 and I love the trumpets too lol

 

[Bui]

I am obsessed with gen 4, so definitely the generation with the music I liked the most. The ones I like the most are:

- Cynthia's battle (my 2nd fav in the whole series)
- Game Corner (my 3rd fav in the whole series)
- Barry's music
- Spear Pillar
- Cyrus' battle
- Title screen is pretty cool
- Battle Frontier
- Dialga's and Palkia's theme. My fav in the whole series. I am obsessed with it. Indeed, part of it is in my signature lol.

After gen 4, my fav music is in gen 3 and I love the trumpets too lol

Great picks! Gen 4's music is amazing and to me is only narrowly beaten by Gen 5. Nearly all of the songs you listed are among my favorites from the soundtrack, but then I could say that almost every song in the Gen 4 soundtrack is a favorite of mine.

 

[_confused_piplup_]

Great picks! Gen 4's music is amazing and to me is only narrowly beaten by Gen 5. Nearly all of the songs you listed are among my favorites from the soundtrack, but then I could say that almost every song in the Gen 4 soundtrack is a favorite of mine.

Yes, gen 4 music is amazing. I like some gen 5, but I would say my tip three is still gen 4, gen 3 and gen 6!

 

[Yoshi155]

I’ll name a few here.

Gen 1: Champion Blue battle theme. No contest.
Gen 2: Some I like are the gym leader theme and Red’s theme (I know it’s technically Lance’s theme but let’s be honest, most people care about it because of Red).
Gen 3: Steven’s theme. I know I’ve said the champion theme three times but I swear it’ll change in Gen 4. Surfing’s theme is also decent.
Gen 4: Actually, I take back what I said before. It might be Cynthia’s theme. But I do think that Route 209 is also good.
Gen 5: I’m going to be honest. I don’t really care that much about this gen. I like Iris’s theme and the gym battle theme, and it’s cool how they added a low health theme which is also good, but I can’t really name anything else.
Gen 6: This is the last gen I’ve really cared about. I don’t really have a pick for it, though.