Date
5-2019
Document Type
Capstone Project (Open Access)
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Department
Music & Performing Arts
Major
Contemporary Music
First Advisor
Lanier Sammons
Abstract
From the single-tone Pong (1972) to the meticulous composition and instrumentation in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s (2017) soundtrack, video game music has garnered great popularity amongst video game consumers, developing into its own genre of music with subsequent branching subgenres. Yet, is video game music a legitimate musical genre and market or a fad amongst game consumers? What can video game music offer to the music industry? Can the genre change the music industry as it stands today? Following a brief synopsis of the history of Video Game Music (VGM), I discuss arguments against and support for VGM’s legitimacy. I then go into VGM’s influence and legacy in popular music and in music business to answer whether VGM is a legitimate force in music today. Finally, I discuss upcoming business ventures that blend gaming and other industries together.
Recommended Citation
Sundiam, Jaycie, "Video Game Music and Legitimacy" (2019). Capstone Projects and Master's Theses. 561.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes_all/561
