November 15, 2001

9:13 AM

Microsoft gets Xbox tunes for a song."We said, `Hey, we really want to promote these artists and promote who they are and what they stand for.'" All Your Bass Are Belong To M$ (for free). [nytimes]
posted by gazingus (7 comments total)

I was more surprised at the bands that went along with it -- why wouldn't a company get the music for nothing if there are bands (and labels! and band's managers!) silly enough to go along. If you're going to sell out, fer chrissake actually get paid!

Of course, this assumes that the promo value of the inclusions in the games wouldn't be worth much in the end. I don't think they will be. Am I wrong?
posted by BT at 9:25 AM on November 15, 2001

MTV: We want to show videos of your music to millions of kids and not pay you for it. You get all that advertising for free. [Barring, of course, the millions it cost to produce the video].

Mucsicians: Cool, when to I meet Carson?

Microsoft: We want to include your music in a program that you didn't design, code or market. Millions of kids that fit your demographic (punk, snowboarding videogame players) will hear it. Other companies are paying money to place their billboards in our racing games and soft drinks in Munch's Odysee. You get the advertising for free, without having to lift a finger.

Musicians: Dude, you're evil. Slasdot is right.
posted by eyeballkid at 9:31 AM on November 15, 2001

wow, i can't type today
posted by eyeballkid at 9:33 AM on November 15, 2001

It's a Music CD with a bonus 'game sampler disk.' Wouldn't it make more sense to have a 'game sampler disk' with a bonus Music CD? I mean, it is a game system afterall.
posted by mkn at 10:29 AM on November 15, 2001

i tried to read this, but the trailer (the whole thing) for LOTR playing in the sidebar was too distracting, in a good way of course...
posted by johnboy at 1:08 PM on November 15, 2001

How ripped off do you want to feel today?
posted by clevershark at 4:31 PM on November 15, 2001

Given the chance, I would give up a song I had been written or involved with for nothing or almost nothing to Microsoft or any other video game maker. If a song appears in a video game, the player will most likely hear it over and over again, and may put some time into finding out about my band. Video games are a good chance for exposure to underground bands.

A great example (though they're not that underground) is Sega's use of Bad Religion songs in Crazy Taxi. As an employee of an electronics department at the time, I heard songs like "10 in 2010" over and over again, knowing that hundreds of kids were being subtley introduced to the band that had gotten me into punk rock.
posted by drezdn at 10:48 PM on November 19, 2001