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I'm all in on this concept! Some of my favorite tunes are the credits themes and I don't see enough representation for them (SotN's ending theme, "I Am the Wind", or Metal Gear Solid 2's "Can't Say Goodbye to Yesterday" are great examples).

I'm "filled with determination" (💖) after partaking in OCR's 25th anniversary hangout in Discord, and after not watching Survivor as intended, and further not working on any of my three DoD entries like I was supposed to, I decided to write up an outline + checklist for what would be needed to run a project, to stop the inspiration in my head from swirling around like a whirlpool. The idea came as an almost random strike of inspiration; I know there was a direct reason why I came up with this, but I truly can't remember the chain reaction of thoughts that led me to it (if anyone remembers why I spilled this tangent, feel free to remind me, lul). But the main reasons for wanting to do this are: Now that TimeShift, an album celebrating the past 25 years, is complete, it would feel almost thematically appropriate to have an album that "signs off" on that sentiment, welcoming an era of the next 25 years to come. Credits songs tend to be a soft spot for VGM composers, often resulting in source tracks that are really damn good. If I were to direct a "first" album project, I would love to do one that invites multiple games and genres to be valid for submission. The idea is to have a 25-track album (one track per year) with an aim for a 12-month completion date (four deadlines; three months per deadline) that invites people to remix any game's credits theme. The name Exit Stage Left originates from theater terminology for "get off the stage, according to the actor's left," was popularized by Snagglepuss in the '60s and further solidified by Rush in the '80s. While this was my initial thought, I'm not entirely committed to the name, but I’m also not against it. I'm open to suggestions. Curtain Call could also be a more appropriate name, given that the premise of the album is to share gratitude for the hard work of everyone over the years and the musical inspiration they've provided, as well as to extend thanks for the community still being supported (and supportive) to this day. The phrase is synonymous with "Take a Bow," which fits the album's sentiment a bit better, but I feel like Exit Stage Left has an aura of swag surrounding it that I can't deny. It's kind of a toss-up at the moment. Regardless, the album would have bear visual themes to stage performance and theater, but I strongly emphasize that this would be in visual/grammatical style alone, as I would much prefer a wide variety of styles and genres be spread across the project (I can't say I personally would be interested in a 'Theater Soundtrack' style compilation album, not to mention how difficult that would be to produce). Any vibes, as long as the source plays during the Staff Roll at the end of a game/campaign**.   Various Considerations: Some games reuse title themes/other source tracks as their credits theme, and these wouldn't be eligible unless there's a valid reason to appeal the rule. e.g., Sonic Adventure 2 uses "Live and Learn" as the title theme, in mid-game cutscenes, and as one of the two credits songs. I would theoretically deem this a conditional approval if the ReMix emphasizes the lyrics of the song to it as the credits theme. Metroid Prime's "Staff Credits", however, is 99% exactly the same as the Title Sequence with 0 differences except the very ending of the song; this is a case where I would feel more inclined to make an exception, but will likely request a different song be selected unless it can be properly contextualized as a 'credits' style song (I am referring to this as the 'Metroid Prime Clause'**.) Some games feature multiple credits sequences with distinct tracks. e.g., Sonic Adventure 2 includes "Hero" and "Villain" storylines, each with unique credits themes. Both would be acceptable source candidates. However, for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, where the credits sequence transitions through "Lost Woods," "Zelda's Lullaby," and "Chamber of Sages," the remix would need to embody the transitions between these songs and emphasize the parts unique to the credits version. A remix solely of "Lost Woods" or "Zelda's Lullaby" wouldn't qualify. Some credits sequences use multiple tracks. As long as the credits are rolling, the track is acceptable as a source. e.g., Sonic Adventure 2’s credits include "Ending (Credits)" and "Live and Learn"; both would qualify. Conversely, in Donkey Kong Country, the fake-out credits during the King K. Rool fight wouldn’t qualify, but "The Credits Concerto" would Aligning with OC ReMix's rules, the song must be originally composed for a game, not composed and then used in a game (thank you for reminding me Seph!) It would be great to pull in some deep-cut OCR alumni for this project, but realistically, this may not be entirely possible. Still, it would be neat if an album about credits themes featured some long-standing names credited on the project itself. If this project is successful and well-received, I’d consider a follow-up album with the same format for title themes. But for now, I’m opting not to think too hard about that, but ultimately is why I feel motivated to enforce the 'Metroid Prime Clause'**.   But yeah, that's the idea! Please let me know if this is something you'd be interested in participating in, so I can attempt a rough headcount! Or further, if you have any feedback, thoughts, ideas, or questions, don't hesitate to share them ✨ ✨

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! OC ReMix = 25 YEARS OLD! 4,500 ReMixes later, video game music is STILL an art form! We've got a celebratory Zeal mix by JSABlixer from the upcoming anniversary album TimeShift, and we'll be doing lots more over the course of the next year to celebrate the creativity and impact of this powerful community! Thank you to everyone -- past, present, and future -- who have made OverClocked ReMix what it is. Please share some positive memories on how you discovered OCR, artists and tracks you love (original VGM OR ReMixes), let's go! :-D

Hear hear! Here's to 25 more!

Yeah, I thought it was all tracker modules that he downloaded to put in the game. The original artist is credited, though, so it's probably fine.