What do developers look for in game music?

#1 It really depends on what developer/game project/level you are talking about. Generally, all game music should be the following:

*Good
*Looping
*Non-vocal

Sometimes people like to use non-looping music as sort of atmospheric augmenters. Really, if you want to do game music, you should get in contact with a developer who needs some and get the scoop on their tastes and ideas for their game.

I'm actually working on a project now that will require music. It will most likely be a month or so before I can tell you exactly what I'm looking for though. Drop me an email at syreal[at]syrealgames.com with some samples of previous work if you are interested. I'll keep you in mind when I get to the music production stage of development.

#2 Thanks for the input, I dont know if I'm ready to do anything "serious", but I will definitely keep you in mind.

#3 Castlevania has some of the best music. It never irritates you, is appropriate to the game, and never gets obnoxious. I'm sure you can download the tracks from somewhere and listen to them.

For a bigger, more grand project, I think Final Fantasy games have done it perfectly.

#4 I'think it's very simple: you listen the tracks on the webpage of a composer, you value and choose if that music are good for you. If music don't work you click on another page of another composer :). fortunately there're many composer sites on the web, in varies communities etc...

#5 I've had an idea for connecting music tracks. Every place has several tracks that are very similar, but fade into each other depending on the situation. A calm place might have the softest version of the song, while a battle in this place will have a more intense version with a special theme to it. Some places within larger areas might have a special, more emotional part to the song.

It might be tedious to impliment, but it'd be a wonderful break from that generic 'encounter music' that never changes from place to place.

I'm surprised I ever continued playing Oblivion with its poor variability in music. >_>

#6 More importantly than even having the best music, you need to have the relationships, or at least be willing to build relationships with developers you work with.

#7 The kind of music you'll be making depends on the type of game it's for, and obviously, what kind of music you make. In general though, the music should:
*Do what Kevin James said
*Get the rythym/feel/emotion going for a particular part of a game (make the player sad during a sad scene, pumped for a boss battle)
*Not get in the way of gameplay. The music shouldn't distract the player from the actual game, it should fit with the setting, while being in the background.