Game Music Served Up as Muzak

Not sure how I feel about this one. From the gaming end of things APM has supplied some of the most generic rock, hip hop, and electronic music for underachieving games like LA Rush and NFL Fever 2004. Now, thanks to a deal with EA, they’re flipping things around.

“The first 10 CDs produced through this agreement span numerous musical genres. “Medal of Honor-Redemption” provides powerful orchestral cues while “The Sims: Jazz Lounge” lays out groovy retro tracks and sweet bossa novas. The thumping “EA Sports Rock” offers gritty rock, driving beats and hard-core electronica which contrasts with the sweeping, cinematic orchestral cues and transitions of “Medal of Honor.” The music scores from the selected EA titles, which were originally created for use in video games, were edited by APM Music into tracks ideal for licensing into television, film, commercial and new media productions. An additional 10 CDs are planned for release each year, continuing to draw from EA’s existing and upcoming video game releases.”

So, quality music tracks from games are being reworked for use in other media. On one hand it makes me proud to think that someone someday may hear a subtle Medal of Honor theme in a trailer for Band of Brothers II: The War Back Home and discover that it really got its start nearly ten years ago in a video game. On the other hand, are you trying to say game music is so generic that it can easily be packaged, sold, and shoehorned into a Buffalo Wild Wings commercial as the butt-rock anthem for Tuesday Night Wings?

Oh wait, this is a deal with EA, it’s just about making a few million more bucks.