For as long as video games have existed, new and exciting ways to enhance the audio-visual experience have sprung forth in an attempt to ensure that new games are as aurally-exciting as they are enjoyable thanks to the addition of music.
Over the years though, video games have gone on to become even more influential than some contemporary artists, often surpassing traditional records and singles as some of the most anticipated releases of the year.
Does this mean that the music industry will soon be all about 4K graphics and consoles? Well, not quite, but it does mean that more often than not, the two fields will collide in new and unexpected ways. Of course, that’s where Sonos smart speakers and soundbars provide an easy and premium audio experience while you sit back and enjoy the content you love.
Sonos are committed to turning things up to eleven by making sure your TV, gaming, and music experiences are the best they can be. Start with the all new Ray or a Beam soundbar for dramatically clear sound, with the option to expand your system over time (you’ll feel that enhanced bass when adding a Sub).
To honour the Sonos commitment of bettering the audio-visual experience, we’ve taken a look at some of the most unexpected collisions between music and gaming (that would be best complemented by the Sonos listening experience). For a full rundown of the Sonos product range, be sure to check out their official website.
D’Angelo Releases a New Single Via Red Dead Redemption 2
If there’s two things that you should know about D’Angelo, it’s that he’s known to take his sweet time to release new music, and that he absolutely adores Red Dead Redemption. In fact, when D’Angelo ended a 14-year drought of new music with the release of Black Messiah, fans likely didn’t expect that his next single would arrive via a video game.
However, that’s exactly what happened when Rockstar Games unveiled Red Dead Redemption 2 in October of 2018. With the likes of Josh Homme and Willie Nelson on the soundtrack, it was already clear that the audio aspect of the game was world-class, but it was the inclusion of D’Angelo’s “Unshaken” that made headlines.
Apparently, D’Angelo was such a fan of the original Red Dead Redemption that he used to show up to the Rockstar Games studios and gush over the game during marathon sessions spent playing it. As a way of showing his love, he recorded “Unshaken” for the game, which was exclusively available via its soundtrack for three months until it received a standalone release in early 2019. As it stands, it’s D’Angelo’s most recent single, so who knows what Red Dead Redemption 3 may hold.
Michael Jackson and The Mystery of Sonic the Hedgehog 3
It’s already well-known that 1992’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 already contains some of the best video game music of all time, but in theory, 1994’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 should have surpassed this notion thanks to the supposed involvement of Michael Jackson.
As the story goes, Jackson had already worked with Sega on 1990’s Moonwalker, so as a noted fan of Sonic, he came on board with the team to compose music for the third game. Reports claimed that fully-formed tracks were made and included on the game, but Jackson’s work was ultimately stopped due to some legal issues at the time, and while the music was used on the game, he was uncredited.
However, some team members claimed that Jackson have put it forth that Jackson preferred to have his name left off due to how the game’s sound chip made his work sound. Either way, it remains officially a mystery as to whether nor not Jackson’s music made it into the game, though it appears to be generally accepted that he at least composed the soundtrack to levels such as ‘Carnival Night Zone’ and a few others.
Radiohead’s Virtual Exhibition
Back in 2021, Radiohead were busy celebrating the dual anniversaries of their turn-of-the-century albums Kid A and Amnesiac. As such, they were in need of a rather special way of paying tribute to the iconic visuals that graced these records. But how do you hold such an impactful art exhibition in the modern age? A touring gallery show? Social media? For Radiohead, the answer was to apparently join forces with the world of video games.
Teaming up with Epic Games, the alt-rock icons presented their Kid A Mnesia: Exhibition in November of 2021, which not only boasted unheard music, but presented an interactive audio-visual celebration of their beloved records. Gracing PlayStation 5, PC, and Mac, the multi-platform celebration was one for the history books, and served as a testament to Radiohead’s desire to push boundaries.
Post Malone Joins Up With Magic: The Gathering
When Post Malone was born in 1995, soon-to-be-iconic tabletop card game Magic: The Gathering was gearing up to celebrate its second birthday. Just over 26 years later, the two facets of pop culture phenomena joined forces for an unexpected collaboration.
Announced in the final days of 2021, Post Malone and Magic: The Gathering announced that they had teamed up to celebrate the return of Friday Night Magic (FNM), a global play program which was celebrated by millions of players across the globe every week.
Of course, diehard fans of both Posty and Magic: The Gathering might already have been across the former’s love of the game, with rumours circulating that the chart-topping artist once spent over half a million dollars to nab one of the game’s rarest cards: an alpha edition Black Lotus.
