Jazz Band Takes Home Grammy for Mario Medley Performance

Gaming’s iconic mascot recently helped a jazz cover band snag a Grammy Award. The 8-Bit Big Band won the accolade for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella with their track “Super Mario Praise Break” at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

This talented ensemble is celebrated for its jazz renditions of beloved video game tunes and released a four-track medley last summer in honor of Mario. The “Gospel Mario Bros Medley” includes jazz covers of the “Super Mario Bros Theme” from Super Mario Bros., “Bob-Omb Battlefield” from Super Mario 64, “Gusty Garden Galaxy” from Super Mario Galaxy, and “Athletic Theme” from Super Mario World.

The YouTube description for “Super Mario Praise Break” captures the spirit perfectly: “The princess might be in another castle, but the lord is in the house today! If HE has brought you to another level, go ahead and bless him!! No blue shell thrown against me shall prosper!!” It’s definitely worth a listen.

This isn’t The 8-Bit Big Band’s first Grammy win; they previously took home the same award for their cover of “Meta Knight’s Revenge” from Kirby Super Star in 2022. They were also nominated in 2025 for their rendition of Persona 5’s “Last Surprise” and received a nomination this year for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for their album Orchestrator Emulator.

Austin Wintory and Sword of the Sea won the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media, while K-Pop Demon Hunters made history at the event. Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, and Billie Eilish claimed the top honors for Album, Record, and Song of the Year, respectively.