Relive the Epic NBA 2K14 Soundtrack That Defined Basketball Gaming History
I still remember the first time I fired up NBA 2K14 - that iconic opening sequence with LeBron James staring down the camera while "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis blasted through my speakers. That moment perfectly captured what made this game's soundtrack so revolutionary. As someone who's spent years analyzing both basketball culture and gaming experiences, I can confidently say NBA 2K14's soundtrack didn't just accompany gameplay - it defined an entire generation's relationship with basketball gaming. The way those 42 tracks seamlessly blended with the on-court action created something truly special, something we haven't seen replicated with the same impact since.
What made this soundtrack work so well was its incredible diversity while maintaining thematic cohesion. You had Eminem's "Survival" perfectly matching the intensity of clutch moments, while Daft Punk's "Around the World" provided that smooth backdrop for franchise mode sessions that lasted deep into the night. I must have played hundreds of games where the transition from Kendrick Lamar's "Now or Never" to The Black Keys' "Lonely Boy" somehow always seemed to sync up with pivotal moments in the fourth quarter. The curation felt personal, like the developers understood exactly what rhythm and energy basketball fans wanted from their gaming experience. Even today, when I hear "We Still in This Bitch" by B.o.B, I'm instantly transported back to those virtual courts.
The cultural impact extended far beyond the game itself. I've lost count of how many people I've met who discovered artists through this soundtrack - myself included. Before NBA 2K14, I hadn't really given Chance the Rapper much attention, but "Everybody's Something" became one of my most played tracks that year. This wasn't just background music; it was a carefully crafted cultural artifact that reflected basketball's position at the intersection of sports, music, and youth culture. The soundtrack moved over 8 million units in its first month alone, and I'd argue at least 20% of those sales were influenced by the buzz around the music selection.
There's an interesting parallel between how music enhances gaming experiences and how rhythm affects real-world athletic performance. Just last week, I was watching a Korean Basketball League game where Suwon faced Wonju DB Promy. The way Suwon couldn't maintain their momentum after an 83-76 victory the previous day reminded me of how the right music can sustain energy levels. In that previous win, Cagulangan's performance - 10 points, four assists, three steals, and one rebound - demonstrated the kind of rhythm and flow that the NBA 2K14 soundtrack so perfectly complements. When players find their groove, whether in virtual or real basketball, there's a musicality to their movements that the game's soundtrack somehow managed to capture and enhance.
Compared to today's NBA 2K soundtracks, which often feel like randomized playlists, the 2013 edition had a distinct personality. Each track felt intentionally placed, contributing to what I consider gaming's most immersive audio experience. The developers understood that basketball isn't just about the sport - it's about the culture surrounding it, the fashion, the attitude, the music. They curated not just songs but moments. I'll never forget how "Started From the Bottom" would hit right as you were mounting a comeback, making those 15-point deficits feel surmountable.
What's particularly fascinating is how the soundtrack has aged. Seven years later, these tracks still hold up, both as standalone music and as nostalgic triggers. I recently played 2K14 again for research purposes (and okay, maybe a bit of nostalgia), and the music instantly brought back that same excitement. The soundtrack's legacy lives on in today's basketball gaming experiences, though I'd argue none have quite matched its cultural relevance. Current editions feature more tracks - usually around 50 compared to 2K14's 42 - but lack the same curated feel that made every song feel essential rather than just filler.
The business impact was substantial too. Multiple artists reported significant streaming bumps following their inclusion - I remember reading that Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment saw a 300% increase in Spotify plays in the months following the game's release. This demonstrated the 2K series' growing influence as a music discovery platform, something the developers would lean into even more heavily in subsequent editions. Though personally, I think they've never quite matched the magic of the 2013 selection.
As I look back, what makes NBA 2K14's soundtrack so memorable isn't just the quality of individual tracks, but how they worked together to create a cohesive atmosphere. The way "Are You Sure?" by Knux would play during loading screens created these perfect little moments of anticipation. The transition from high-energy tracks during gameplay to more contemplative pieces in menu screens showed remarkable attention to the player's emotional journey. It understood that basketball gaming isn't just about simulating sport - it's about capturing feeling, energy, and culture. That's why, even after all these years and numerous sequels, when basketball gamers debate the series' peak, the conversation invariably returns to that legendary 2013 soundtrack that set the standard for everything that followed.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
