From Stardew Valley to Animal Crossing to Harvest Moon, the game genre commonly known as the “Farming Sim” often features calm, relaxing music. Farming Sims music often makes explicit reference to musical elements associated with rural environments, such as Country and Folk music styles, but also incorporate subtler elements rooted in the concept of the “pastoral”: a trope with a surprisingly long musical history! The podcast hosts will present their favourite examples of Farming Sim music, and will discuss how these songs are structured to keep the listener engaged – but not too engaged – and relaxed – but not too relaxed!

Music Tracks:

· “1AM” Animal Crossing New Leaf Music: (12:07-12:20)

· “10AM” Animal Crossing New Leaf Music: (26:22-26:41)

· “5PM” Animal Crossing Original GameCube Soundtrack: (11:54-12:07)

· Goat Simulator “8-bit Super Happy Version”: (21:29-21:49)

· Goat Simulator “Main Theme”: (2:38-3:05), (17:36-18:02), (26:57-27:21)

· Deadmau5 “Petting Zoo”: (21:53-22:09)

· Harvest Moon Back to Nature “Spring”: (6:47-7:11)

· Harvest Moon “A Wonderful Life: Breeze”: (19:48-20:14)

· Harvest Moon “Animal Parade: Summer”: (25:41-25:53)

· Harvest Moon Back to Nature “Title Theme”: (5:01-5:21)

· Harvest Moon Back to Nature “Town Theme”: (5:21-6:11), (25:55-26:18)

· Harvest Moon “Dance”: (23:35-23:59)

· Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony: (13:57-15:31)

· Stardew Valley “Distant Banjo”: (23:27-23:33)

· Stardew Valley “Fall”: (17:03-17:34)

· Stardew Valley “Spring”: (9:11-9:53), (18:38-19:13), (24:48-25:33)

· Stardew Valley “Overture”: (8:00-8:21), (16:01-16:40)

· Stardew Valley “Summer”: (8:21-9:11), (28:02-25:05)

· Stardew Valley “Winter”: (9:53-10:46)

· Story of Seasons “Spring Theme”: (4:35-4:57)