Do people really not take note of the OST of anime/games while enjoying them? I find it really hard not to notice since the sound in media I find to be one of the more important facets of its enjoyability. Like take this scene from the most recent episode of Nige Jouzu for instance, the OST during bursts with obvious Lupin influence and it makes sense given that Tokiyuki's playing thief and also making his big escape during the scene. The bombastic more samba-ish style fits very well with it and provides a more exciting scene due to it. If it weren't there and it was just some normal epic orchestral soundtrack the difference would be astronomical I feel. You wouldn't have the same lighthearted adventurish feeling to the scene that relays Tokiyuki's own emotions.
Similarly in something like SH2 after
Pyramid head kills Maria after you make your escape without her, this plays
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcsySeJSVD0 . It's somber and slow, amplifies the guilt James feels and forces you to dwell on your actions
even if it's one of the parts of the game that can't be avoided, you don't know that. The impact wouldn't linger as long without the OST pulling you back into it.
So I really have to wonder if people that say they don't notice actually don't notice, or if they just don't think too much on it.