In the mid-1990s, a groundbreaking collaboration between Sony’s PlayStation and UK electronica titans like Leftfield, Orbital, and The Chemical Brothers redefined the relationship between music and video games. The futuristic racing simulator Wipeout, released in 1995, didn’t just offer blistering speed and neon-drenched tracks; it delivered a curated sonic experience that resonated deeply with a generation. This fusion of aggressive gameplay and cutting-edge dance music wasn’t merely a soundtrack; it was a statement. The game’s critical and commercial success, leading to dedicated soundtrack releases and subsequent installments featuring artists like The Prodigy and Sasha, cemented Wipeout‘s legacy as a pioneer. It established a gold standard for how meticulously chosen music could elevate a game from mere entertainment to a cultural phenomenon, proving that when the right sonic palette meets the right visual canvas, magic happens. This early success was a harbinger of the burgeoning industry that exists today, where music integration is a sophisticated, multi-faceted business.
Fast forward a quarter-century, and the art of synchronizing music with interactive media has evolved into a dedicated profession. The modern gaming industry now employs a robust ecosystem of audio directors, music supervisors, and A&R (Artists and Repertoire) experts. These professionals are tasked with the intricate process of selecting and integrating music, a task that varies dramatically depending on the game’s design and intent. Music can manifest as ambient radio stations within sprawling open worlds, like those found in the Grand Theft Auto or Watch Dogs series, or it can be meticulously dissected and re-edited for maximum impact in promotional materials, such as launch trailers. This evolution reflects a broader shift in how artists connect with audiences.
The Pandemic’s Catalyst: Games as a New Stage for Artists
The global COVID-19 pandemic, which brought a near-total halt to live music performances and touring, has inadvertently accelerated the convergence of the music and gaming industries. With traditional avenues for exposure and revenue severely curtailed, musicians, their management, and record labels are actively seeking new platforms to reach fans and generate income. Video games, with their vast and engaged player bases, represent a particularly fertile ground for this outreach. However, securing a place for an artist’s music within a game is far from a simple transaction. The nuanced conversations surrounding music synchronization—the complex process of integrating audio with visual media—often occur behind closed doors, making it a challenging landscape for newcomers to navigate. To demystify this process, industry experts from both the gaming and music sectors have offered insights into how artists can increase their chances of having their music featured in the next big gaming release.
The Gatekeepers of Sound: Who Decides What We Hear?
Within larger game development studios, dedicated in-house teams of music supervisors and A&R professionals collaborate with record labels to identify suitable tracks. Smaller studios or those with specific sonic requirements often engage external music consultancies. Ben Sumner, director at the music consultancy Feel for Music, explains that the process begins with a detailed brief, which can vary significantly. "Most people like music, but some are huge music fans from the off, and that often dictates at what point in the project we come in," Sumner notes. "Larger games will have audio directors, brand directors, and game directors, all of whom will have strong ideas on the sound they want to achieve with the game. Sometimes we come in and we’re just fine-tuning what’s already there. Other times, people don’t know what they want at all."
Sumner emphasizes the crucial role of objectivity in his work. "A big part of our role is objectivity, because people’s music tastes are so subjective," he states. "It’s about trying to bring in that objectivity to show how music appeals to certain audiences, how it fits with the game, and the cultural cachet that brings in with the whole branding." This analytical approach ensures that music choices align with the game’s narrative, aesthetic, and target demographic, rather than solely reflecting personal preferences.
The exponential growth of the video game industry has significantly lowered the barrier for communication and collaboration with the music business. Alex Hackford, head of A&R at Sony Interactive Entertainment America, observes that the perceived value of these cross-industry partnerships has increased dramatically. "The ease of access of having front-end conversations with labels and publishers about what the value of video game involvement… that bar has lowered because people have seen the impact of it," Hackford explains. "The ability for us to have more buy-in from partners in projects is getting a lot easier."
Sony’s commitment to music integration is evident in projects like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which featured four original tracks released simultaneously across digital streaming platforms (DSPs), within the game itself, and as a physical release. These tracks were accompanied by gameplay-centric music videos, a strategy also employed in partnerships for Death Stranding. Hackford indicates that such integrated music campaigns are becoming a standard practice, with a clear ambition to expand these initiatives further.
The Discovery Engine: Getting Your Music Heard
While the desire for widespread music discovery is universal, there’s no single, foolproof method for getting a track into a video game. Duncan Smith, head of music at Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, articulates the core principle: "Every game has different criteria, so it depends on what the game is trying to say and what kind of music it requires: is it gonna benefit from having a contemporary tracklist with big artists on there, or will it benefit looking at more obscure bands that can enhance the experience?"
Given the sheer volume of music available to supervisors, artists must proactively enhance their discoverability. The consensus among industry professionals is that making music accessible across as many platforms as possible is paramount. This includes major streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Google Play, and YouTube. Stephen Root, vice president of development creative services at Codemasters, highlights Spotify’s utility: "I do use Spotify a lot because it’s nice and easy to use while also having a great interface. When we were working on our soundtrack for Dirt 5 at the time, Spotify was an easy way to build a playlist and share it around with the key people in the company."
The benefits of broad accessibility can be serendipitous. Jim Hodge, vocalist for the metal band Mastiff, shared his surprise when CD Projekt Red approached them for Cyberpunk 2077. "We honestly thought it was a wind-up until we started speaking to them properly," Hodge recalled. "They wanted an unreleased track and we’d literally just been in the studio the month before to record. At the time, we were out of contract, which made it much easier to release the track. Having a track on one of the biggest games ever released is absolutely nuts, and hearing our music in the game still freaks us out." This experience underscores the potential for unexpected placements, especially for artists who have music readily available and are unburdened by restrictive contractual obligations.
While being signed to a major record label can offer advantages through dedicated A&R efforts, it is not a prerequisite for game placements. Labels often facilitate specialized listening sessions where industry professionals like Stephen Root can scout emerging talent. "I spend most of my time working on who’s up and coming," Root states. "Figuring out which artists these labels are investing their time into and why they think are going to be really successful artists." However, the landscape is inclusive. Unsigned artists and those on independent labels have numerous opportunities.
Duncan Smith from Sony emphasizes that commercial metrics are not the sole determinant of a track’s suitability. "One of the reasons I love this job is that, most of the time, we’re looking for music that enhances the experience of the game or scene," he says. "Most of the time, it doesn’t matter how many hits, streams or views that artist has had. The priority is to find music that enhances that experience, makes it compelling, and connects with the player. So in that sense, you don’t have to be on a major label."
Even within large entities like Sony, there’s an openness to external talent. Tom Mackay, Sony’s president of premium content A&R, asserts, "At the end of the day, good music is good music. Is there a predisposed goal to predominantly put Sony Music artists into our projects? Of course there is. But would I be shortsighted and at the same time potentially shackling the game or project by only considering Sony artists? Of course I would be. It’s a careful balance. If an amazing record came in that was perfect for the game and everybody loved it, we would never stand in the way of that."
Cultivating a Unique Identity: The Power of Originality
Beyond accessibility, developing a distinctive artistic identity is crucial for making a lasting impression. Joe Henson, from the musical composition duo The Flight, advises artists to find their unique voice. "Don’t just try and do what other people do because they already do that," Henson suggests. "Don’t just try and do epic, orchestral music because everybody does that. If you have a unique instrument, use that instrument." This sentiment is echoed by Duncan Smith, who believes that a singular sound is more likely to capture the attention of the right people. "Develop your own sound and have a strong identity. Don’t chase the tail of whatever is popular in games or in music sync," Smith advises. "Stick to the fundamentals of developing your own identity, and then make the effort to try and get in touch with the likes of myself and Alex. Find out what we’re working on, try and develop a relationship, and if you make the effort it will cut through." The long-term benefit of this approach is that a strong identity can lead to future opportunities, even if the immediate fit isn’t apparent.
The Art of the Approach: Navigating Professional Outreach
The ultimate goal for any artist is to ensure their music reaches the relevant decision-makers. However, crafting an email that garners attention can be a significant hurdle. A key strategy is to target specific games and franchises that align with an artist’s sound and aesthetic. Rather than a scattergun approach, meticulously researching and identifying potential fits is paramount. Tom MacKay highlights the importance of this alignment: "You want there to be a seamless creative bond of connectivity between the artist and what they represent—what they sound like, what they look like, and what they feel like, and how that fits with the game itself. You spend an immense amount of time with the director or the game developer to understand their vision, and then you meticulously start working through bands from all over the world to try to find those that will fit."
This targeted research can reveal the most relevant contacts. Ben Sumner points out that many artists overlook this crucial step. "Most people don’t want to do that work," he notes. Artists can identify key personnel by examining game credits for audio and music departments, or by leveraging professional networking platforms like LinkedIn and general search engines to find music supervisors and audio directors. Information about music used in trailers can often be found in YouTube video descriptions.
For artists who lack the experience or connections to navigate this process, engaging professional representation is a viable option. Stephen Root encourages artists to communicate their interest in gaming to their management or agents. "I would say to anybody that’s an artist, either on the cusp of being either signed or that has just been signed, to explain to their management about their level of interest in gaming," Root advises. "Ask them to find and approach companies to see where they can fit your music. I would definitely do that because I think it’s a really great thing to do."
Duncan Smith further recommends seeking out "sync reps," professionals dedicated to identifying commercial opportunities and connecting artists with the right industry contacts. "It’s important to make the effort to find out what we’re working on, and I think that’s where third-party sync reps can help," Smith explains. "Especially because it’s difficult to keep up to speed with what music supervisors are working on and develop that relationship. If you don’t have a label or a publisher with those types of relationships with music supervisors, find the right sync rep who can do that for you."
When submitting formal pitches, tailoring the approach to the specific individual and their work is critical. Alex Hackford emphasizes the importance of referencing games the contact has directly influenced, rather than generic cross-platform titles. "If you have a formal pitch, make sure you know who you’re pitching to and you’re referencing games that they’re working on, rather than referencing cross-platform products that aren’t gonna be as relevant to their work." Duncan Smith concurs, highlighting that personalized outreach stands out significantly from mass, untargeted emails. "Trying to develop a relationship and make the effort will always cut through—especially compared to some of the emails that we get where people have 50 different supervisors on one email and just hit send, without making the effort to find out what we’re working on."
Feel For Music, for instance, receives an overwhelming volume of submissions daily—between 200 and 250 emails. Ben Sumner admits that, even with the best intentions, it’s impossible to review every submission individually. However, he also notes the value of persistence and focus. "It might be hard for us to check out your music, but if you’re persistent, focused, and understand the places where your music might fit, that’s a great starting point," Sumner says. "Most people that get in touch with us, we’ll give them a chance. If someone drops me an email and it gets missed but sends me a follow-up, I’ll make sure it gets checked." This persistent yet targeted approach was instrumental in securing Sufjan Stevens’ music for the Life is Strange spin-off, The Amazing Adventures of Captain Spirit.
Technical Requirements and Production Readiness
Beyond artistic merit and strategic outreach, technical preparedness is essential. Artists must ensure their music is available in various file formats. For trailer submissions, providing "stems"—isolated tracks for each instrument—alongside complete stereo files is crucial. Ben Sumner explains, "Having your music in the right formats is really important. Do you have the instrumental version and do you have the vocals? We’re always going to need stems. If I put something into a trailer I have to rework it."
Furthermore, artists can proactively adapt their music for specific uses. Sumner suggests re-structuring tracks for trailers, moving away from traditional verse-chorus structures towards arrangements that emphasize intros, builds, and climaxes, which are more typical of trailer music.
The games industry, according to Joe Henson of The Flight, is notoriously difficult to penetrate, especially for composers. Unlike film and TV, where pre-production information can be more readily shared, the secretive nature of game development, often shrouded in Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), can make it challenging to gain early access or insight into upcoming projects. However, with annual franchises like FIFA and Call of Duty, artists can analyze release schedules to align their own music releases with game launch windows. Alex Hackford notes, "Eight to ten months pre-release is when we’re working on music; when we’re in that pitching process and actively working on music for a game." This foresight allows artists to proactively engage with the development cycle.
Navigating the Business of Licensing and Collaboration
The licensing of music involves complex rights management. Artists and their representatives must have a clear understanding of who owns the various rights to their music. Alex Hackford highlights a common pitfall: "I’m dealing with a scenario now where there’s a track I really like but there’s a lot of questions around ownership, so I’m probably gonna have to drop it. That’s the last thing you want when you’ve already got as far as getting the song into someone’s hands." Addressing these ownership issues upfront is critical to avoid derailing potential placements.
Beyond securing a placement, artists should consider the added value they can bring to a project. This can involve collaborating on social media campaigns, offering unique promotional opportunities, or even integrating album artwork into game assets. Duncan Smith cites the example of DJ Shadow’s manager, who, during the development of Driveclub, negotiated for the artist’s album artwork to be featured on in-game cars, a collaboration that stemmed from proactive questioning about additional promotional possibilities. Similarly, the band Broken Witt Rebels created a music video using Dirt 5 gameplay footage, a gesture that deeply resonated with the development team.
Budgetary considerations are paramount in music licensing. Stephen Root explains his approach to curating the Dirt 5 soundtrack: "I look at the overall budgeting from the start and then I think about that and look at how many tracks it could potentially give us, as well as how that would break down across the game. I set three tiers of fees in terms of what I would look at. The way that broke out was splitting it between up-and-coming or newer artists, artists that were in the sort of middle ground of success, and then finally the big hitters." This tiered approach allows for a diverse soundtrack that balances emerging talent with established acts.
While the allure of substantial financial gain is present, it’s important to have realistic expectations regarding artist compensation. In the early days of games like Grand Theft Auto, royalty structures were more common, benefiting artists significantly. However, Ben Sumner notes a shift towards fixed-rate payments, a fundamental change in the industry. While some exceptions exist, particularly for writers registered with specific European performance rights organizations or in the realm of mobile gaming, royalty-based compensation is becoming less prevalent. Duncan Smith advises a pragmatic approach: "Try to have realistic expectations about a deal. Don’t get crazy imagining you’re gonna have a life-changing sum of money in your pockets. It’s more about being realistic, in addition to being good to work with, being helpful, and providing us with all the stuff we need." Building long-term relationships and repeat business through positive collaboration is often more financially sustainable than focusing on a single, high-value transaction.
The Enduring Impact: Music’s Power in the Digital Realm
The influence of music placement in video games can be transformative for artists. The punk-rock band Goldfinger famously attributed their track "Superman" becoming their "biggest song ever written" to its inclusion in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. For many, such placements are akin to receiving a "badge of honor."
The phenomenon of artists debuting new music within video games offers an unprecedented opportunity to reach millions of players instantaneously. Alex Hackford points to the significant streaming numbers jump for independent artist Lecrae following the release of two original tracks for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. This symbiotic relationship between the gaming and music industries is further exemplified by Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, which featured an eclectic mix of artists including Bring Me The Horizon, CHVRCHES, and Khalid. The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably accelerated this trend, with major updates to games like GTA V Online incorporating vast libraries of new music, and artists like Katy Perry and Post Malone collaborating with brands such as The Pokémon Company.
Tom MacKay confidently predicts a growing role for the gaming industry in shaping the music business’s strategies. "The gaming industry will play a larger and larger role in the overall way in which the music industry thinks, operates, and strategizes every day going forward," MacKay asserts. "I think the reasons for that is because of A), the effectiveness in the marketplace when you get it right, and B), the natural joy and excitement it brings to both the artists and fans." He concludes by emphasizing that the current integration is merely the "scratching of the surface," positioning gaming platforms as the new communal hubs and "water coolers" for younger generations. As technology advances and player engagement deepens, the harmonious convergence of music and video games is set to become an even more influential force in shaping cultural landscapes and artist careers.
About the Author
