Home computers only, no other platforms.

Consider creativity, sound chip limitations and technical achievement, composition (melody or hook, progression, complexity), dynamics (range between quiet and loud, soft/diminuendo and hard/crescendo), pitch range, punch, instrument and instrument envelope variety and quality, and so on. We're going by original release dates.

Try to say something about your favorite(s), it's more fun to read!

Poll:
https://linkto.run/p/6M9A5RAE

Music links (multiplatform list):
https://minirevver.weebly.com/vgm-1989.html

Previous winners:
1987: Ys 1 followed by The Last Ninja 1

Thanks, I like your polls and links!
Even if the threads don't bring much discussion, I find it quite interesting.
Voted and waiting for upcoming polls. :)

So to choose only from those in the poll behind the link, or any computer game?

Either way, from that poll list:

#1 goes to Space Quest 3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbXTKuObCQ

#2 goes to Silpheed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1ELx7zRUFQ

#3 goes to Quest for Glory:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHhpbE1zOys

EDIT:

#4 goes to A-10 Tank Killer (not fully sure if this is 1989 or 1991?):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvL5K5R6YsU


Why? Because Sierra + Roland MT-32 = total winnage!

I am nervously waiting for the year 1991 poll because far too many great PC Roland MT-32 soundtracks were released that year... So I guess I have to present top three again. Some of them are probably not included as choices in the official poll.

Not really into music, so I lack knowledge but is there any reason why it's the PC-88 version of Ys III and not the PC-98 one? And in a similar vain, how come Falcom's other two releases (Star Trader and Dragon Slayer VI) of 1989 aren't on the list?

Thanks, yeah I've noticed retro PC music often tends to be overshadowed by console music in these discussions and polls, so I wanted to focus specifically on PCs and this forum seems lilke the best place for it besides gamefaqs.

@timppu You can make a top list, but only the one you pick in the poll counts as a vote, or if you picked Other in the poll, mention that game here and I'll make note of that. SQ3 is in the poll so you can just vote for it.

I think A-10 is from 1989, I have it listed as such anyway. But I'm not 100% sure.

Since you can only vote for one game it seemed unnecessary to list tons of games in the poll. I think the OPN version of YS 3 is the only one from 1989.

I just didn't want to list too many games and didn't find those quite as good (or well known) as what was listed. Those are still on the list on the site though.

Edit: No I actually haven't been able to find an OPNA version of Ys III, so that's why it wasn't listed. The uploads on YT are all OPN, same as PC-88.

I also haven't found Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes OPN for PC-88 (the youtube uploads ar all either opna or remastered versions with added stereo and reverb), only PC-98 which is from 1990.

If I've understood right, A-10 Tank Killer version 1.0 was from 1989, and version 1.5 was kind of a "re-release" in 1991.
However, I am unsure if the 1.0 version had the same Roland MT-32 music as the 1.5 version.

EDIT: Yeah the Mobygames page says:

"Version 1.5 re-released in 1991 added 7 new scenarios set during the Operation Desert Storm in Iraq."

Still unclear if 1.0 had the same music, but since only the 7 new scenarios was mentioned, I presume so. I have only seen the 1.5 version IIRC.