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Game Music Continuing To Gain Recognition

Posted by simoniker on from the bleep-to-orchestras dept.

Thanks to Yahoo/Chicago Tribune for their article charting the continued rise in popularity of videogame music. The piece quotes a music agent as saying: "Record companies are realizing that this is the new radio", and another commentator points out: "Consumers would rather download than pay $15 for a CD, leaving the record industry scrambling for revenue. How do they monetize music? License to video games." However, when it comes to stand-alone game soundtrack CDs, "sales aren't earth-shattering yet", and specific numbers are referenced for the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City soundtrack, of which "...the most popular CD, 'V-Rock,' sold 42,300 copies."

5 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Even so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Call me the worst kind of geek, but about all I listen to are Game soundtracks. However this is ill news for myself and others who have similar taste, because it sounds more like companies targetting game platforms for their contemporary licensed crap, rather than original music from various titles getting recognition.

    I hope this doesn't phase out the querky and strange genre that is video game music, because it's definitely unique to itself. I'll take classic Zuntata over the lastest hot hits of record-label-X anyday, and I'll cry myself to sleep the next time I play a title who's full score is by some craptacular pop-group. (The Final Fantasy Series is well on it's way on that one).

    1. Re:Even so... by Servo5678 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      However this is ill news for myself and others who have similar taste, because it sounds more like companies targetting game platforms for their contemporary licensed crap, rather than original music from various titles getting recognition.

      I agree. At times like these we need more Koji Kondo (composer of some of the most classic Nintendo tunes including music from Zelda, Mario, and more) and less corporate synergy and licensing deals. I feel like I'm watching the lowly commoners invade another of my interests. First AOL brought the unwashed confused masses to the Internet, then Big Business moved in with its advertising and scumware, and before I knew it the good 'ol days of the anything-goes mostly-civilized web were gone.

      This just goes to show that when something goes mainstream, it starts to become crap. Koji Kondo, come home!

  2. Game Inspired Bands? by Gothic_Walrus · · Score: 5, Informative
    Just a heads up for those of you who don't know...there are plenty of great bands that do covers of video game music.

    The Neskimos do punk rock covers of NES songs

    Te Minibossses are more of a ska band. Like the Neskimos, they mainly cover NES era game music.

    Hard rock more your style? Try Game Over, a self-described "Nintendo Metal" band. Not very much up for download on their site, but what's there is good.

    And let's not forget OC Remix, the unofficial hub for remixes of game music.

    The cool thing is, a lot of this music is actually quite good. Give it a shot. And by the way...yes, all of the MP3s on these pages are legal to download. Enjoy. :)

    --
    Goo goo g'joob.
  3. VGM = Pop music in U.S. by Webapprentice · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As the other poster said, it seems the majority of game players, who are not hardcore gamers, don't care for original game music. Some people even turn the sound off and play their own music.

    Using licensed pop music that was not originally created for a game can create a mismatch with the game environment. I've often thought, "How does this song relate to the game?"

    I think using licensed soundtracks will apply mostly to U.S. created console games. The Japanese games will most likely still have
    original music. My musical tastes lean heavily toward Japanese game music, so I will ignore U.S. created game music.

  4. How about no, Scott by lvdrproject · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I hate to be an elitist, but most of this crap isn't 'game music', any more than DMX and 50 Cent are 'movie music'. What's happening is not game music gaining recognition. What's happening is (mostly American) game developers recognising that stealing songs off MTV and sticking them in games is profitable. HOORAY. I would have never guessed that the trash that stays at number one on TRL is the same kind of music that people would like in games!

    The real game music artists are the people like Nobuo Uematsu, Motoi Sakuraba, Sound Team jdk, and Yasunori Mitsuda. While the article mentions the Call of Duty and Medal of Honor soundtracks (composed by Michael Giacchino and Chris Lennertz, respectively), which is cool, those are definitely not the focus of the 'recognition' that game music is supposedly gaining. Compilations of licensed rubbish are the kind of 'game music' that's gaining recognition.

    The American game developers (primarily EA, of course, but EA probably owns 80% of the American game industry anyway) have discovered that it's not only easier and cheaper to license music, but it's also more profitable, because now they can make money off the compilation albums. When they start selling even the basest of real game soundtracks (like Final Fantasy) domestically, then we can talk about game music gaining recognition. :(