Media and Music: FIFA 20, The World’s Game and The World’s Playlist

With every release, Electronic Art’s flagship “FIFA” video game franchise brings with it the year’s most energetic, diverse, and influential playlist. The recently dropped “FIFA 20” is no different, capturing 2019’s musical flavors perfectly while also making atypical additions as the franchise looks forward to a new decade.

In Media and Music, our writers take a deep dive into how movies use scores and songs to engage viewers, give new meaning and tone to some of our favorite scenes, and establish themes. It almost goes without saying, but there are spoilers abound.

Written by Adithya Srinivas

Football (fine, soccer) is undoubtedly the planet’s most popular and most played sport, and for the last 26 years, the leading way to bring the game to a virtual format has been EA Sport’s “FIFA” franchise. Year after year, over 45 million fans from across the world buy the latest edition for a chance to play as their favorite clubs and players against friends and users across cultures, countries, and continents.

However, “FIFA” publisher Electronic Arts has faced quite a bit of criticism over the past few years regarding the quality of the new editions of the game. Despite a new release every year with promises of updated software, it’s easy to understand why most players feel like they’re getting ripped off. The gameplay never seems to get noticeably better, the matches feel scripted, and the whole game just feels like it amounts to a glorified roster update without major new features. Add all the gambling/loot-crate controversies surrounding the Ultimate Team mode, and you’ve got a game that everyone sort of hates, but buys anyway. However, there is one saving grace — one part of the game that EA never fails to deliver on, one thing that almost every FIFA player enjoys — the soundtrack.

“FIFA” playlists have built a cult following over the last decade or so, and with good reason. They’ve always had a penchant for highlighting the biggest artists, giving a platform to underground unknowns, and introducing international hit-makers to wider audiences. Couple that with the enormous player-base, and “FIFA” has had the power to shape the musical tastes of an entire generation of young soccer fans. Major Lazer and Wyclef Jean way back in “FIFA 10,” Portugal. The Man and Foster the People in “FIFA 12,” The 1975 and Bloc Party in “FIFA 14,” and finally Kaleo in “FIFA 16” — all of these are artists considered to be important parts of the “FIFA” catalogue who countless people never would have been exposed to if not for the game.

It’s this legacy of influence and excellence that the latest installment, “FIFA 20,” is tasked to live up to. The playlist creators at EA answered the challenge with a 43-track listing that features all of the “FIFA”-isms we’ve come to expect, as well as few risky selections that are sure to ruffle a few feathers.

To start, it’s tradition at this point for “FIFA” to include at least one fiery, high-octane Latin hip-hop banger to set the tone. This year, they turn to Major Lazer and their track “Que Calor,” featuring vocals from Colombian artist J Balvin and Dominican artist El Alfa, and they do not disappoint. “Que Calor” can go toe-to-toe with any of the top club hits of the year, and its infectious flute-led production won’t have a hard time getting stuck in your head. Major Lazer isn’t the only chart-topper to make an appearance, as 2019’s big revelation ROSALÍA adds her duet with Ozuna, “Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi.” It’s not her most memorable song, but it’s still a fun tune that showcases her signature Spanish flair.

With hip-hop being as popular as it is right now, it should come as no surprise that there are a whole host of trap, dance-hop, and grime tracks all over the playlist. Young American rappers Tierra Whack, Dominic Fike, and GoldLink all make solid appearances while each bringing something different to the table. The shamisen (a three-string, guitar-like instrument from Japan) featured in the production of Tierra’s song “Unemployed” and the driving, high-tempo production of GoldLink’s “Zulu Screams” with African drums peppered throughout both bring elements from all over the world, a signature “FIFA” move. Grime legend Skepta is featured, sounding as impressive as ever with “Same Old Story,” a song with more low-key production that lets Skepta’s vocal performance shine. Another grime track, “Where & When” by P Money, features a far more hard-hitting beat and aggressive vocal delivery, and in many ways upstages Skepta in the track list.

Perhaps surprisingly, two Scandinavian acts come through with the best songs of “FIFA 20.” Swedish R&B/House vocalist Janice sings “Hearts Will Bleed,” a song that starts as though it’ll be a sensual ballad, but quickly turns into a dance-pop banger for the ages. The ominous synths, multi-tracked vocal harmonies, and heavy bass hits leave absolutely nothing to be desired. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Norwegian indie outfit Fieh give us the calming yet upbeat “Glu.” The track’s sassy vocals, warm brass, soothing bass, coffee-shop electric guitar, and kick-ass keyboard solo over a simple drum line hit all the right notes in the right places. “She Don’t Dance” by Everyone You Know, “Favourites” by THE S.L.P, and “Go Wild” by Friedberg are a few other highlights of the “FIFA 20” playlist.

One other key characteristic of the “FIFA” soundtrack is what can be called the annual “FIFA Song,” which is a track that assaults the listener with happiness using as many instruments and sounds in the mix as possible. This year, “Before the Moment’s Gone” by Child of the Parish easily takes the cake. The layers of groovy bass, plucky guitars with heavy reverb, washed out vocals, and highly repetitive backing synth riffs are almost tinnitus-inducing, but still find a way to make the listener enjoy the experience.

Every track (or almost every track) in the playlist has its appeal, but not all songs live up to the billing, even if they are decent. JB Scofield’s “Stretch It” is a fun trap rap cut, but it seems like he was trying his absolute hardest to get put into this game with the egregious amount of soccer player name-drops and references. The bands half•alive and Judah & the Lion contribute “RUNAWAY” and “Why Did You Run Away?” respectively, both of which are inoffensive indie-pop tracks, but that’s all they really are: inoffensive. American electronic production duo Sofi Tukker were the only real disappointment, as their song “Swing” is straight up annoying with its arrhythmic lyrical delivery of a Portuguese poem over a generic dance beat. However, these are really shallow lows, and don’t detract from the overall experience.

The “FIFA 20” soundtrack is a fantastic return to form from the relative slumps of “FIFA 18” and “FIFA 19.” From front to back, there’s a song for everyone, everywhere, capturing in essence what soccer is all about. There are “FIFA” players around the world that feel nostalgic about all the great songs that have backed their bedroom FIFA tournaments, so it is comforting that the next generation isn’t missing out on that experience. “FIFA 20” will likely miss out on getting the “classic” label, but it sets the bar high for a new decade of music in “FIFA.”

ANALYSISAfterglow ATXOctober 2, 2019