You know that feeling. That hollow, vibrating ache in your chest when those first two notes of a detuned acoustic guitar hit. It isn't just a soundtrack. For anyone who has sat through the credits of Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, The Last of Us music is a sensory trigger for trauma, hope, and the crushing weight of a world gone quiet. It’s weird, honestly. Most games go big with orchestral swells to make you feel like a hero. But Gustavo Santaolalla? He went the opposite direction. He made it feel small. He made it feel lonely.
It’s been over a decade since we first met Joel and Ellie, yet that score hasn't aged a day. Whether you're playing the 2013 original, the Part I remake, or watching Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey on HBO, the sonic DNA remains identical. It’s the heartbeat of the franchise. Without that specific, gritty, minimalist sound, the game is just another zombie shooter. With it? It's a tragedy you can hear.
The Ronroco and the Sound of the End
Most people assume the main theme is played on a standard guitar. It isn't. Not exactly. Gustavo Santaolalla, a two-time Oscar winner who had never scored a video game before this, used a ronroco. It’s a small, ten-stringed Andean instrument from the charango family. It has this distinct, shimmering decay that sounds almost like a memory fading away.
He didn't want a "Hollywood" sound. He wanted something that felt like it was covered in dust.
Santaolalla’s approach was basically the antithesis of modern game scoring. Instead of writing themes for specific characters or recurring "boss fights," he focused on the mood of the environment. He used old, out-of-tune guitars. He recorded in rooms where the acoustics were slightly "off" to capture a sense of unease. He even played some instruments with his fingernails or hit the strings with kitchen utensils. This isn't polished. It's raw.
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If you listen closely to the track "The Choice," the melody is almost agonizingly simple. It’s just a few notes. But the silence between those notes is where the story happens. In the world of The Last of Us music, what you don't hear is just as important as what you do. Silence represents the millions of lives lost to the Cordyceps fungus. It represents the emptiness of an overgrown Pittsburgh or a deserted Lincoln.
Why the HBO Series Kept the Original Vibe
When Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin started adapting the game for TV, there was never a question about the composer. It had to be Gustavo. Changing the music would have been like changing Joel’s face—it just wouldn't be the same person.
Interestingly, the show adds layers that the game couldn't. It uses licensed tracks like Depeche Mode's "Never Let Me Down Again" to signify specific plot points through radio codes. But even these 80s synth-pop hits are framed by the oppressive weight of Santaolalla’s score. The transition from a upbeat pop song to the haunting, low-frequency hum of the apocalypse creates a jarring contrast that sticks with you long after the episode ends.
Beyond the Main Theme: The Texture of Part II
By the time we got to The Last of Us Part II, the world had changed. The story was darker, more obsessed with the cycle of violence. To reflect this, the music had to evolve. Santaolalla returned, but this time he was joined by Mac Quayle, known for his work on Mr. Robot.
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The mix is fascinating. You still have the acoustic, folk-inspired themes for Jackson and the moments of respite. But then you have these industrial, pulsing, synth-heavy tracks that play during the encounters with the Seraphites and the WLF.
- The "WLF" themes are aggressive. They use distorted percussion that sounds like heavy breathing or a heartbeat under stress.
- The Seraphite (Scars) sections utilize terrifyingly primal sounds—whistles and low-pitched drums that blend into the forest noise.
- Ellie’s guitar isn't just a prop; it’s a gameplay mechanic.
The "Take On Me" cover by Ellie (Ashley Johnson) in the music shop is probably the most famous musical moment in the sequel. It’s a quiet, vulnerable scene in a game that is otherwise relentlessly brutal. It’s a reminder that these characters are still kids, or were supposed to be. They have tastes and memories and favorite songs. The music bridges the gap between the monster-slayer and the human being.
The Technical Magic of the Banjo
In the second game, Santaolalla leaned heavily into the banjo, but not in the way you’d hear in a bluegrass band. He played it slowly, letting the metallic twang ring out and then die. It sounds cold. If the ronroco represented the warmth of the first game—the blossoming relationship between a father and daughter—the banjo in Part II feels like the sharp edge of a knife.
Critics often point to the track "Allowed to be Happy" as a standout. It's hesitant. It feels like the music is afraid to be beautiful because it knows something terrible is right around the corner. That’s the genius of this soundtrack. It doesn't just narrate the scene; it predicts the emotional fallout.
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How to Experience The Last of Us Music Properly
If you're just listening to these tracks on your phone speakers, you're missing half the experience. The production is incredibly spatial. To truly "get" it, you need a setup that can handle low frequencies and wide dynamic ranges.
- Vinyl is the way to go. Mondo has released several pressings of the soundtracks. There’s something about the warmth of analog vinyl that suits Santaolalla’s "imperfect" recording style perfectly.
- High-fidelity headphones. Use something open-back if you can. The way the reverb trails off in tracks like "All Gone" is much more impactful when you can hear the "air" around the notes.
- The "Music" menu in-game. Both Part I and Part II have a dedicated section where you can just sit and listen to the unlocked tracks. It’s actually a great way to decompress after a stressful combat encounter.
The Legacy of a Minimalist Masterpiece
Most video game music is designed to pump you up. It’s meant to make you feel powerful. The Last of Us music does the exact opposite. It makes you feel vulnerable. It reminds you that you are one person in a very big, very broken world.
The influence of this score can be seen everywhere now. You hear echoes of it in modern survival games and even in film scores that opt for "gritty realism" over cinematic bombast. Santaolalla proved that you don't need an 80-piece orchestra to tell an epic story. You just need a guitar with a bit of character and the courage to let the silence speak.
Honestly, the music is the reason the ending of the first game hits so hard. When Joel makes his final, world-altering choice, the music doesn't judge him. It doesn't play a "villain" theme or a "hero" theme. It just plays that same, steady, melancholic rhythm. It leaves the morality up to you.
Actionable Ways to Dive Deeper
If you want to go beyond just listening, here is how you can actually engage with the music of this universe:
- Learn the "Main Theme" on guitar. It’s actually surprisingly accessible for beginners. It’s played in a non-standard tuning (usually a variation of Drop D or even lower), which gives it that heavy, resonant bottom end. Look for tabs that specify the use of a ronroco if you want to be a purist.
- Watch the "Making of" documentaries. Specifically, the "Grounded" documentary for the first game and the "Grounded II" for the sequel. Seeing Gustavo in his studio, surrounded by bizarre instruments, really helps you appreciate the craft.
- Listen to Santaolalla's other work. If you like the vibe of TLOU, check out the soundtracks for Babel or Brokeback Mountain. You can see the evolution of his style and how he brought that "sparse" aesthetic into the gaming world.
- Play with the In-Game Guitar. In Part II, the guitar mini-game is surprisingly robust. People have recreated everything from Pink Floyd to Dire Straits using the touchpad. It’s a great way to understand the physics of the sounds used in the score.
The music of The Last of Us isn't just background noise. It’s a character in its own right—one that stays with you long after the console is turned off and the screen goes black. It's the sound of what remains when everything else is gone.