Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s soundtrack tops Billboard’s Classical Album Chart with 18 million streams since launch

One of the first things I heard about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was how incredible its soundtrack is, so I was already expecting big things, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. So it comes as absolutely no surprise at all that the album has topped the charts.

“Our soundtrack is connecting far beyond what we ever imagined,” Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 says on social media. “Over 18 million streams since launch. Wow.” The album is currently sitting at number one on Billboard’s Classical Album Chart & Classical Crossover Album Chart, number 13 on the Official Soundtrack Album Chart, and number 31 on the Official Album Download Chart.

There are 154 songs in Expedition 33, running in at eight hours and nine minutes, and it’s absolutely baffling how every single one of them is a banger. The cutscene, map, and fight scene music are all equally great, but my favourite has to be Monoco’s theme. The album and the composer Lorien Testard, who had previously never worked on a videogame soundtrack, deserve all the recognition they get.

Expedition 33 has been doing well with more than just its album, though. The JRPG managed to sell over 1 million copies in just three days despite being on Game Pass. French President Emmanuel Macron even gave the game a shout-out on Instagram: “You are a shining example of French audacity and creativity.”

I’m nearing the end of Expedition 33, and I love it so much that I’ve decided to momentarily abandon the story and go back to complete all the side content. There are more portals to explore, trinkets to grab and bosses to fight to keep me occupied for some time. Although not all the portals lead to a massive map, some are just one open space with a single item to be found in it.

I realise my need to keep the game going is probably due to my inability to let go of things that I love. But if these little explorations eke out another 20 hours or so of quality time with the disaster expedition paired with a beautiful soundtrack, then I’ll gladly take what I can get.