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Games: Can videogames save the music business?

It is official, music games kick ass.  Not only do gamers like to have their faces melted by “classic” rock riffs, but stuffy corporate types are licking their lips over their investment in kids’ desire to rock out.  In October, Guitar Hero III: Legend of Rock sold 1.4 Million units in 6 days.  For music industry vets, this may sound paltry compared to the halcyon days of 1 million first day CD sales, but each unit comes with the game and a Les Paul model guitar controller for around $80.  We’re no mathletes but that is a ton of cake for a glorified air guitar simulator.  Columbia House used to shake that out of us after giving away 12 cds and 5 years of crappy direct mail to do it! 

What does this mean for music industry?  Well with the release of Rock Band over Thanksgiving (the PS2 version comes out Dec 18), the stakes got a lot bigger as the game sold out in a matter of days.  While actual sales numbers for November have not been reported, it is nearly guaranteed that the $170 kit (game/drums/guitar/mic) will show that the music genre has established itself as a mainstay in the videogame market for years to come.  Dee Snyder may not have understood the movement he started when he wrote “I Wanna Rock” but it is indisputable that millions of us nerds heeded the call and are ready for more.  Need proof?  Check the clip:

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