Official Board Game Soundtracks
Music for Board Games
Do you enjoy listening to music while playing board games? I definitely do — having something playing in the background sets the mood, and when the music actually builds the game’s atmosphere, it’s just perfect. But did you know that there are official soundtracks made specifically for board games? And no, I don’t mean the ones from digital versions of board games.
I was surprised by this myself. A while ago, I was posting about Wingspan on Nintendo Switch to my Instagram, and Spotify recommended some tracks from the game’s soundtrack. Naturally, that made sense — it was the digital edition. But it made me wonder: do physical board games also come with official music? So I started clicking and digging around… and to my surprise, some of them absolutely do.
Why Make a Soundtrack for a Board Game?
For digital board games, it’s obvious why soundtracks exist — the app usually plays background music during gameplay. In many cases, though, these tracks aren’t officially released as separate albums. Wingspan is an exception, with a digital album you can actually stream online.
There are also board games that are based on video games — titles like This War of Mine, Frostpunk, or the upcoming Mass Effect board game. In those cases, it’s fair to say that soundtracks exist (even if they weren’t created for the board game versions), since they share the same universe and atmosphere.
But let’s get back to physical board games. Some titles come with app integrations, and those apps may include ambient tracks or background soundscapes. Sometimes publishers go further and release these compositions separately — either digitally or even in physical formats. What really surprised me was discovering that some tabletop-only games (with no app required) have their own official soundtracks too — though these are rare.
Why Would a Publisher Release a Board Game Soundtrack?
There are a few reasons for this. The first is marketing. Bonus content like this makes fans feel appreciated and helps build good PR for the publisher. Soundtracks might be released as free digital downloads, as exclusive extras in collector’s editions, or even as standalone albums available on Spotify, Bandcamp, or physical media like CDs and vinyl.
Sometimes soundtracks are tied to crowdfunding campaigns and are used as stretch goals. In these cases, the soundtrack might only be available to backers and not released publicly later. Still, fans often end up sharing those files on forums or fan sites. As they say: "Seek and ye shall find."
Which Board Games Have Official Soundtracks?
Below is a list of physical board games that have official soundtracks. It’s not long — because let’s face it, for most publishers, making an album doesn’t make financial sense. But if you love music and immersive gameplay, these are worth checking out. Each title includes a Spotify link where you can listen for yourself. Some links cover multiple games by the same composer or publisher.
The 7th Citadel
Kemet
Chicken Chicken
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1FTFQmjaVZdeWxRW8485ku/discography
Aeon's End
Spirit Island
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0jvzItZunyhpbzoU8LNQG9/discography
Abyss
Chronicles of Crime
https://open.spotify.com/artist/02D9CrHgItV9f2sLlhqaBw/discography
Darwin's Journey
Iwari
Tang Garden
Rise of Tribes
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QeOTvgKapo3vrevBkf67s/discography
Escape the Dark Castle
https://open.spotify.com/album/2HtREmiOYzZSXPy23lX574
Lost Ruins of Arnak
Septima
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5JkCPRjqKS7RfQFiGNSYVZ/discography
Machina Arcana
https://open.spotify.com/album/0Xi1GQk86R8biL6nzH77GJ
Sleeping Gods
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0PcNKURpuXk3Ib2UgVz1Ym/discography
So, there you have it — a brief overview of board games that come with their own official soundtracks. I probably missed a few, or maybe some of these albums were originally intended for digital adaptations I didn’t know about. Either way, if you’re looking for music to accompany your tabletop sessions, check out these official tracks — you might be surprised at how much they enhance the experience.
