# Music of Nier

The music of *Nier* is the body of video game music composed for the *Nier* series, an action role-playing franchise published by [Square Enix](https://www.edgepedia.org/square-enix), and it is centered on the work of composer Keiichi Okabe and his music production studio MONACA. The series' soundtracks, beginning with *NieR Gestalt & Replicant* (2010) and continuing through *NieR:Automata* (2017), *NieR Re[in]carnation* (2021), and the *NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...* remaster (2021), are noted for extensive use of vocals, heavy rearrangement of recurring themes, and lyrics written in a constructed language known as "chaos language."

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Lead composer | Keiichi Okabe, a Namco veteran and CEO of the music studio MONACA, composed the music for every mainline entry<sup>[1](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/dragon-quest/rpgs-like-dragon-quest-11-and-nier-automata-are-heavily-outsourced-square-enix-producer-says-with-surprisingly-few-devs-in-house/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://vgmonline.net/monacanier/)</sup> |
| First soundtrack | *NieR Gestalt & Replicant Original Soundtrack*, released April 21, 2010 on two CDs with a bonus remix track<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup> |
| Breakout soundtrack | *NieR:Automata Original Soundtrack*, released March 29, 2017 on three CDs<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup> |
| Vocals and lyrics | Singer Emi Evans performed most vocals and wrote lyrics in "chaos language," a made-up blend of existing languages<sup>[4](https://thekoalition.com/2017/the-music-behind-nier-automata-an-interview-with-emi-evans)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://dl.digra.org/index.php/dl/article/download/1053/1053)</sup> |
| Remaster soundtrack | *NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... Original Soundtrack*, April 21, 2021, 45 tracks on 3 CDs including 4 entirely new tracks<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup> |
| Concert history | The series' first official live concert was held April 16, 2016 at EX Theater Roppongi, followed by full orchestra concerts, fan festivals, and a European tour that drew 6,000 attendees in Paris<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2024/05/04/comment-le-jeu-video-remplit-des-salles-de-concerts-de-stardew-valley-a-elden-ring_6231528_4408996.html)</sup> |
| Critical standing | GamesRadar placed *NieR: Automata* 21st in its list of the 25 best video game soundtracks of all time<sup>[7](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-gaming-soundtracks/)</sup> |

## Composers and production

**MONACA and Okabe.** Keiichi Okabe, a former Namco composer who now leads the music production studio MONACA, has been the series' lead composer since the first game<sup>[1](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/dragon-quest/rpgs-like-dragon-quest-11-and-nier-automata-are-heavily-outsourced-square-enix-producer-says-with-surprisingly-few-devs-in-house/)</sup>. MONACA, the studio helmed by Okabe, is responsible for the music of [Yoko Taro](https://www.edgepedia.org/yoko-taro)'s games including the original *NieR Gestalt/Replicant*, *NieR: Automata*, and *[Drakengard](https://www.edgepedia.org/drakengard) 3*, with fellow MONACA members Keigo Hoashi, Kunyuki Takahashi, and Kakeru Ishihama among the contributing composers<sup>[2](https://vgmonline.net/monacanier/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://dl.tufts.edu/downloads/8910k757h?filename=ff365k03p.pdf)</sup>. Producer Yosuke Saito gave Okabe wide latitude during production of *Automata*, asking mainly for rearranged versions of songs from the previous game<sup>[9](https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2018/03/07/nier-automatas-composer-keiichi-okabe-reveals-the-secrets-behind-the-action-rpgs-award-winning-soundtrack/feed/)</sup>.

Okabe has described his approach to the original game's score in terms of its story: because the previous *Nier* was fantasy-like and its story fleeting and sad, he composed the music to be mysterious, delicate, and ephemeral<sup>[9](https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2018/03/07/nier-automatas-composer-keiichi-okabe-reveals-the-secrets-behind-the-action-rpgs-award-winning-soundtrack/feed/)</sup>. A [Tufts University](https://www.edgepedia.org/tufts-university) thesis on the series' music reports that the original *Nier* had its soundtrack largely developed separately from the game<sup>[8](https://dl.tufts.edu/downloads/8910k757h?filename=ff365k03p.pdf)</sup>. For *NieR Replicant*, the composers gave more concrete requests for how tones should sound, such as French-sounding or Spanish-sounding<sup>[10](https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/NieR%3AAutomata_Ver1.1a/Interviews)</sup>.

## Chaos language and vocals

The most distinctive feature of the series' music is its vocal writing. Emi Evans, the lead singer for almost all the songs on the original *Nier* soundtrack, was given artistic freedom to sing in totally made-up languages<sup>[11](https://www.emuglx.org/reportaze/emuglx-on-gamescom-2016-nier-automata-interview/)</sup>. Okabe explicitly did not want traditional lyrics and asked Evans to create her own; the result, known among the fan community as "chaos language," combines words from languages such as Gaelic, manipulated so that the syllables sound vaguely familiar without being intelligible<sup>[8](https://dl.tufts.edu/downloads/8910k757h?filename=ff365k03p.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://dl.digra.org/index.php/dl/article/download/1053/1053)</sup>.

Evans has said that the fictional language has no grammar, but that she creates the lyrics in a way that sounds lyrical<sup>[10](https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/NieR%3AAutomata_Ver1.1a/Interviews)</sup>. She returned for *Automata*, saying that after singing for *NieR Replicant* she had dreamed of working on a sequel and that the recording felt much more personal because she had grown fond of the original songs<sup>[4](https://thekoalition.com/2017/the-music-behind-nier-automata-an-interview-with-emi-evans)</sup>.

## Structure and rearrangement

**Extensive variations.** The soundtracks are built on recurring themes that reappear in many arrangements. The first *Nier*'s end theme, "Ashes of Dreams," had four versions, all sung by Evans<sup>[12](https://www.rpgfan.com/music-review/nier-automata-original-soundtrack/)</sup>.

GamesRadar's assessment of the *Automata* score highlights this willingness to change at a drop of a hat, from the gentle guitar and vocal accompaniment of "City Ruins" to the over-the-top "Grandma/Destruction," held together by vocal performances and melancholic piano<sup>[7](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-gaming-soundtracks/)</sup>.

## Soundtrack releases

The official discography, published through Square Enix Music, spans original soundtracks, arrangement albums, vinyl, and concert recordings<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.

- *NieR Gestalt & Replicant Original Soundtrack* (CD, April 21, 2010), two discs covering both versions of the game, with the unused "Maou \- White-note remix" as a bonus track<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- *15 Nightmares & Arrange Tracks* (December 8, 2010), collecting the DLC background music with newly supervised arrange tracks<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- *NieR Tribute Album \-echo\-* (September 14, 2011), on which artists including world's end girlfriend, sasakure.UK, and Schroeder-Headz covered the original game's music<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- *Piano Collections NieR Gestalt & Replicant* (March 21, 2012), produced by Okabe with arrangers including Hoashi, Ryuichi Takada, Yuri Misumi, Keiko Higuchi-era Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles composer Kumi Tanioka, and Masatoshi Kouda<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- *NieR:Automata Original Soundtrack* (CD, March 29, 2017), three discs of the game's background music<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- Vinyl editions of both soundtracks and a combined box set (December 20, 2017), with LP jacket art drawn by *Tokyo Ghoul* creator Ishida Sui<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- Orchestral arrangement albums for both games and a special box edition (September 12, 2018), supervised by Okabe, plus *Piano Collections NieR:Automata* (April 25, 2018)<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- *NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... Original Soundtrack* (April 21, 2021), 45 tracks on three CDs including four completely new tracks<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>, followed by a choir arrangement album (March 2, 2022) and the *\-10+1 Years\-* vinyl series (September 15, 2021) with character-themed records such as Kainé and Emil<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.
- *NieR Re[in]carnation* soundtracks (2021 onward) by Okabe and Shotaro Seo, including a chill-out arrangement album (August 3, 2022) with nine artists such as ermhoi and Sapphire Slows<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/88201/Keiichi-Okabe--Shotaro-Seo-NieR-Re%5Bin%5Dcarnation-Original-Soundtrack/)</sup>.
- *NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Original Soundtrack* (April 26, 2023), 15 tracks of new and rearranged music for the anime adaptation<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>.

Distribution has broadened over time. Square Enix offers more than a dozen *Nier* albums on Steam, including special arranged selections<sup>[14](https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/steam-has-quietly-become-the-best-place-to-buy-videogame-soundtracks-even-for-games-that-were-never-released-on-pc/)</sup>.

## Concerts

The music supports an unusually active concert program. The first official live event, *NieR Music Concert & Talk 《滅ビノシロ 再生ノクロ》*, was held on April 16, 2016 at EX Theater Roppongi and sold out immediately<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>. The *NieR Music Concert ≪人形達ノ記憶≫* tour played Tokyo, Osaka, and Taiwan in 2017, with all performances selling out and the final show at Yomiuri Hall on May 5, 2017 released on Blu-ray<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>. The series' first full orchestra concert, *NieR:Orchestra Concert 12018*, took place September 17, 2018 at Pacifico Yokohama<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>, and the 10th-anniversary *NieR:Theatrical Orchestra 12020* was held without an audience on March 29, 2020<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>. *NieR:Automata FAN FESTIVAL 12022* ran two performances at [Tokyo Garden Theater](https://www.edgepedia.org/tokyo-garden-theater) on November 25 and 26, 2022, staged from the perspectives of the characters 2B and 9S<sup>[3](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)</sup>. A European *NieR:Automata* concert tour organized by Overlook Events drew 6,000 people in Paris in February<sup>[6](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2024/05/04/comment-le-jeu-video-remplit-des-salles-de-concerts-de-stardew-valley-a-elden-ring_6231528_4408996.html)</sup>.

## Reception

The original game's music was extremely well received even though the game itself was not a bestseller, and the soundtrack is credited with helping the title gain a following<sup>[9](https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2018/03/07/nier-automatas-composer-keiichi-okabe-reveals-the-secrets-behind-the-action-rpgs-award-winning-soundtrack/feed/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[15](https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_US/tagged/products%3ANier)</sup>. *Automata*'s soundtrack was described by PlayStation Blog as award-winning<sup>[9](https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2018/03/07/nier-automatas-composer-keiichi-okabe-reveals-the-secrets-behind-the-action-rpgs-award-winning-soundtrack/feed/)</sup>, and GamesRadar ranked it 21st in its all-time list<sup>[7](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-gaming-soundtracks/)</sup>. Its end-credits song "Weight of the World" is a frequent subject of fan discussion, with listeners theorizing that the different language versions represent different characters' perspectives<sup>[16](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/what-are-the-best-and-worst-lyrics-youve-ever-heard-in-a-videogame-song/)</sup>.

## References

1. [RPGs like Dragon Quest 11 and Nier: Automata are heavily outsourced, Square Enix producer says, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/dragon-quest/rpgs-like-dragon-quest-11-and-nier-automata-are-heavily-outsourced-square-enix-producer-says-with-surprisingly-few-devs-in-house/)
2. [MONACA Interview: Revisiting the Music of NieR, VGMO](https://vgmonline.net/monacanier/)
3. [NieRシリーズ LINE UP, SQUARE ENIX MUSIC](https://www.jp.square-enix.com/music/lineup/series/nier/)
4. [The Music Behind NieR: Automata – An Interview With Emi Evans, The Koalition](https://thekoalition.com/2017/the-music-behind-nier-automata-an-interview-with-emi-evans)
5. [NieR (De)Automata: Defamiliarization and the Poetic, DiGRA](https://dl.digra.org/index.php/dl/article/download/1053/1053)
6. [Comment le jeu vidéo remplit les salles de concert, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2024/05/04/comment-le-jeu-video-remplit-des-salles-de-concerts-de-stardew-valley-a-elden-ring_6231528_4408996.html)
7. [The 25 best video game soundtracks of all time, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-gaming-soundtracks/)
8. [Infinite Incomplete Cycles: Musical and Narrative Analysis, Tufts University](https://dl.tufts.edu/downloads/8910k757h?filename=ff365k03p.pdf)
9. [Nier: Automata's composer Keiichi Okabe reveals the secrets behind the action RPG's award-winning soundtrack, PlayStation.Blog](https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2018/03/07/nier-automatas-composer-keiichi-okabe-reveals-the-secrets-behind-the-action-rpgs-award-winning-soundtrack/feed/)
10. [NieR:Automata Ver1.1a/Interviews, NIER Wiki](https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/NieR%3AAutomata_Ver1.1a/Interviews)
11. [EmuGlx on Gamescom 2016 – Nier: Automata Interview, EmuGlx](https://www.emuglx.org/reportaze/emuglx-on-gamescom-2016-nier-automata-interview/)
12. [NieR: Automata Original Soundtrack Music Review, RPGFan](https://www.rpgfan.com/music-review/nier-automata-original-soundtrack/)
13. [Keiichi Okabe + Shotaro Seo – NieR Re[in]carnation Original Soundtrack, Sputnikmusic](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/88201/Keiichi-Okabe--Shotaro-Seo-NieR-Re%5Bin%5Dcarnation-Original-Soundtrack/)
14. [Steam has quietly become the best place to buy videogame soundtracks, PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/steam-has-quietly-become-the-best-place-to-buy-videogame-soundtracks-even-for-games-that-were-never-released-on-pc/)
15. [Nier product page, Square Enix](https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_US/tagged/products%3ANier)
16. [What are the best and worst lyrics you've ever heard in a videogame song?, PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/what-are-the-best-and-worst-lyrics-youve-ever-heard-in-a-videogame-song/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Video game music › Game franchise soundtracks and themes*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license