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[THE DUCK]

Thinking about how a good soundtrack can totally change the emotion/feel/energy in a movie, or even just one scene in a movie.

Why isn't mainstream music used more in.video games? I mean i know some games have amazing original compositions but it isn't always the case and it's not always good.

GTA is the only game that jumps to mind, and how it sticks in your brain. Is the cost to license too high high generally?

 

[NightmareFarm]

Mainstream music sucks.

 

[RagnarokIV]

Mainstream music sucks.

 

[Wildebeest]

Because the record industry is run by gangsters. Who you don't want to deal with.

 

[YCoCg]

Because music rights are way more strict compared to the 2000's, which you could say was the high point of video games featuring licensed music. Nowadays you'd have to pay an insane amount and then only get a limited number of years to sell your game, it used to be 10 years but now it's more like 5 years before having to patch it out or renew the license, and for a lot of companies it's just not worth the effort.

 

[Robb]

If you have composers hired I guess using licensed music makes little sense.

Not to mention you have to pay for the licensing and I would guess it also causes problems down the line with remakes and re-releases since you have to start renewing/replacing and/or removing tracks.

Everything becomes easier the more control you have over your content.

 

[THE DUCK]

The re-licensing issue is a good point.

Love or hate mainstream music, it does tend to have a lot of appeal to the masses. Some of it of very good quality which is missing from a lot of games. (Or a nostalgia factor that they can't get any other way)

 

[hemo memo]

Because mainstream music sucks.

 

[Beelzebubs]

Most of the sports games use licensed music but the rights are a pain in the ass. Look at GTA games on the PC. They slowly get their music removed.

 

[Bojji]

Custom OSTs are usually better, Japanese games excel at that (Nier, FFXVI, From games etc.).

But mainstream music can be used with great results in games, recent example is Atomic Heart:



Great use of Alla Pugacheva and Röyksopp. Game has amazing OST overall:

Spoiler

 

[bitbydeath]

You never hear of movies getting pulled because of music licenses expiring, gaming must get a bung deal.

 

[FatallyYours]

Depends what you mean by mainstream i guess. Mainstream music from today or from the setting of the game?

Different time eras had different takes on mainstream. Rock ruled the world during some times, so having games like Mafia 3 (60's rock) and MGS5 (70/80's rock) I'd say was mainstream music and works well in those games. Listening to kpop, adele, or justin beiber whilst playing MGS5 wouldn't have the same effect. Would t expect to walk around ResiEvil4 remake listening to 60's rock though

Fallout series with 1950's soundtrack works well because of the setting and aesthetic. Be weird going through Fallout listening to EDM. Fallout music when playing Fifa? No thanks.

Same with Tony Hawks the music went well with the game as that was the sound of the time, nu-metal was breaking out and in the charts, therfore "mainstream"

Music these days to me sounds very mass produced, autotuned, computer generated. I never listen to current radio stations on games like GTA as its boring to me. Much rather be listening to the "oldies" or the talk shows

 

[calistan]

You never hear of movies getting pulled because of music licenses expiring, gaming must get a bung deal.

It happens - compare the streaming version of When Harry Met Sally to an old DVD copy. It's more common in older TV shows, where they didn't predict the potential unlimited lifespan of these things on future formats, e.g. the Wonder Years, Malcolm in the Middle. Sometimes a song or two will be replaced in one version, then restored a few years later when they've renewed the rights. Only hardcore fans tend to notice.

 

[Bojanglez]

Music is pretty popular in Fortnite, I'd never heard of most people my son asks to listen to in the car, and usually when I ask where he heard it he says "Fortnite". Granted these are 10 second clips of songs with stupid dances, but nonetheless it seems it is a legit way of gaining a new audience.

But yes, the glory days of licensed music seem to have gone, or maybe we're just getting old. You would like to think that the industry is drawing up contracts that don't result in the mess that happened with GTA.