So, short hijacking a tour bus or beating up brawny security guards and storming the stage, what's the next best way to have the ultimate primal interaction with our favorite songs? Well, the clever folks at Guitar Hero 111 have sussed that one - rock 'n roll stardom is yours in your own living room.
The latest player in the digital downloading revolution (and the never ending bid to get punters to actually pay for their music) is the gaming world, which is astutely changing the face of music by releasing the most anticipated albums on the game console, at the same time as the actual record hits stores. Forget your old CD player, pick up the guitar and play along whilst you listen to the new releases from the biggest rock bands in the world.
Metal pioneers Metallica, better known for their adversity towards the digital music revolution, were the first to simultaneously release their new album 'Death Magnetic' through Guitar Hero 3's 'World Tour' edition in a revolutionary move following Guns 'n Roses single release of 'Chinese Democracy' through gaming competitor 'Rock Band 2'.
The popular video game is quick to revolutionize the way we hear music, and interestingly enough many Metallica fans are adamant that 'Death Magnetic' sounds better on console than it does on disc.
Riding on the victory of the successful sync release, the metal gods also confirmed there will be an all-Metallica Guitar Hero edition due to be released in the first half of 2009 where gamers will have the option to play as the band themselves through a career mode simulating Metallica's rise to metal stardom.
Any more interactive and you might as well be on tour!
With the uprising of change within the industry and record labels sinking like ships, it appears that nothing in the business is the same, and after a long period of heads in the sand, it appears the music industry is finally making headway in capitalizing on the digital revolution.
And it only took them ten years.
Is there more money in releasing videogames over records? With times as tough as they are, it's no surprise that even artists are feeling the pinch of a deteriorated economy.
With all the mediums available for music consumption it begs the question, how do you listen to music, and is it damaging the industry we so passionately love? The more music the better we think, and it never hurt to mix a few of our favourite worlds. Pearl Jam have done a deal with Harmonix to make their debut album 'Ten' into a game for Rock Band.
The band has already announced a major re-issue of the album next year in four formats. The Rock Band game will become available on the same release date, and will also include the complete album. The Pearl Jam song 'Alive' was included in Rock Band 2.
'Ten' was the big album for Pearl Jam. It sold 12 million copies in America alone even though it never topped the charts. 'Ten` peaked at no. 2 in America.
Excuse me; it's time to be a rock star in my living room!
Copyright : MTV Australia
