Best Licensed Music
As games become more and more like movies, it only makes sense that they should have soundtracks. The record industry has taken notice as well--product placement in a hot video game is excellent advertising to a youthful demographic. And as a result, soundtracks have gotten a lot better in recent years. But what's interesting about our finalists this year is that they represent not only the soundtracks with the hottest new bands, but also the soundtracks that pay homage to the past. Here are the finalists for Best Licensed Music of 2004:
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The music of the 1960s and 1970s is practically synonymous with the Vietnam War, since many songs were penned to protest it. The soundtrack to Battlefield Vietnam features many of these unforgettable tunes, helping capture the era in the game perfectly.
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When the premise of your game is that dozens of the world's best rappers and hip-hop artists get together for some good old-fashioned wrestling and street fighting, it only makes sense that the soundtrack would shine, and Def Jam: Fight for NY does not disappoint.
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This is a veritable musical anthology of the heady 1990s. The soundtrack is packed with rock, country, rap, metal, and more. The music is well woven into the game, and you can sit back and enjoy the likes of George Clinton, Guns N' Roses, and N.W.A. while cruising the hood.
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Red Dead Revolver drew inspiration from the unforgettable spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s. This game features a memorable soundtrack with tunes composed by Ennio Morricone himself. Morricone wrote the music for all of Sergio Leone's classic movies, including The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
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It's expected that a Tony Hawk skateboarding game would feature great music, but Tony Hawk's Underground 2 exceeds expectations. Rather than simply pack the soundtrack with songs from the latest bands, the game features an inspired and eclectic mix of both old and new.
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And the Winner is...
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