Games out to save Music
It’s no secret that Music has been facing a crisis with declining song and album sales in the past few years due to the advent of piracy. As the record companies are continuously searching for a solution to their problems through itunes type of services it seems that the answer lies elsewhere.
The videogames industry has been booming in contrast with the US expanding by 43% in revenues last year alone. MTV has spotted this trend and also that its own viewers are regular gamers. That is why they collaborated with Harmonix and Electronic Arts to develop Rock Band to rival Red Octane’s Guitar Hero which is published by Activision.
The latest figures show that as both Rock Band and Guitar Hero made more songs available to play via download gamers have been actively purchasing them. In two months Rock Band sold 2.5million additional songs via download. What makes this even more remarkable is the fact that the game has only been released in the US so far with a European release in spring. The Metallica three-pack of “Ride the Lightning”, “Blackened” and “And Justice for All” is the best selling “Rock Band” download. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on the other hand which was a worldwide release has sold 5million songs since it began adding downloadable content in early November.
There is no reason to restrict the music-games link to just Rock Band and Guitar Hero and it is very likely that record companies will try to include downloadable music in games such as FIFA, GTA or Skate.
Games may just be the Hero of music,
Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need I need a hero I’m holding out for at hero ’till the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ’till the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life Larger than life