What are the top 5 best-selling gaming franchises that use popular music?
Why are these games choosing to license hit music?
When you think of video game music, what comes to mind? Many game enthusiasts would point to the epic soundtracks from games such as Final Fantasy, Super Mario, Skyrim, or old-school classics such as Doom.
A common feature these games share is that they all use composers to create music specifically for their games.
However, proven by the triumphs of games such as Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Taxi, fantastic game soundtracks are not limited to in-house creations. Many games incorporate commercial music, which requires licensing — the process of obtaining permission to use copyrighted music.
In this article, we’re diving into the top five highest-grossing games that use licensed music, exploring how they obtained these licences and uncovering the motivations behind their inclusion.
4=) NBA2K
- Year of Release: 1999
- Developer: Visual Concepts
- Current Publisher: 2K Sports
- Estimated franchise sales: 130 million
- Music Genres: Rap music and others
- Music from artists such as: Travis Scott, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Young Thug, John Legend etc
- Record label partnerships: Columbia Records, Def Jam, Warner Records, NinjaTune, ColorsXStudio and Low Profile
Tied in fourth place are the games NBA2K and Madden. Music plays a crucial role in these game franchises, and for NBA2K, Rap is by far the most represented genre. It’s no secret that basketball and rap have been intertwined for decades, as shown by NBA players like Shaquille O’Neal and others who’ve dabbled in rapping, and Rap stars such as Drake who frequently references basketball in his music. Most notably, in Drake’s song 0 to 100/The Catch Up, he raps the line “I been Steph Curry with the shot / Been cookin’ with sauce, Chef Curry with the pot, boy” which references the NBA player Stephen Curry’s shooting accuracy on the court.
Given basketball’s strong influence in the world of music, it’s quite fitting that commercial music found its way into NBA2K. The franchise has worked with major record labels, including Columbia Records, Def Jam, Warner Music, and independent artists via platforms such as SoundCloud.
4=) Madden NFL
- Year of Release: 1988
- Developer: EA Tiburon
- Current Publisher: EA Sports
- Estimated franchise sales: 130 million
- Most Popular Music Genres: Various
- Music from artists such as: Nirvana, Blink182, OutKast, Jack Harlow etc
- Record label partnerships: Interscope Records, Artista (Sony Music Entertainment), Universal Music Group and others
Just like the NBA, The NFL also has strong links to music. Every year, the game’s soundtrack is widely anticipated and The NFL itself is well known for its Superbowl halftime show, a musical event that has staged some of the most celebrated artists from The Who to Beyoncé. Madden NFL boosts excitement by featuring popular commercial music in its soundtracks, appealing to a broad audience and elevating the gaming experience. With the help of partnerships with music labels secured by EA, Madden NFL can secure the rights to songs that reflect current trends and player preferences, capturing the energy of the NFL.
3) Need For Speed
- Year of Release: 1994
- Developer: Criterion Games & Firemonkeys Studios
- Current Publisher: EA
- Estimated franchise sales: 150 million
- Most Popular Music Genres: Electronic music, Rock music and others
- Music from artists such as: AVICII, Major Lazer, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers
- Record label partnerships: Because Music, XL Recordings (Beggars Group), Universal Music Group (Virgin EMI Records) and others
Need For Speed docks in at third with an estimated revenue of over 150 million sales. The franchise enhances its adrenaline-fueled races with a pulse-elevating soundtrack featuring a mix of established and emerging artists.
Although the game features a wide variety of musical genres, electronic dance music, which is well-suited to the game’s fast-paced gameplay, is widely used. Overall, the music in Need For Speed enriches the gaming experience, solidifies the franchise’s identity, and sets it apart from other racing games.
2) FIFA
- Year of Release: 1993
- Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
- Current Publisher: EA Sports
- Estimated franchise sales: 325 million
- Most Popular Music Genres: Various
- Music from artists such as: Glass Animals, Major Lazer, Billie Eilish, Gorillaz, Skepta etc
- Record label partnerships: Universal Music Group (Republic Records and Polydor), Mad Decent, Interscope Records and others
In second place is FIFA, the reigning champion when it comes to sports games that use licensed music. By investing millions into acquiring the rights to the hottest chart-topping tracks, the franchise utilises the benefits of commercial songs to appeal to its millions of game players and stay current with the latest trends in music.
1) Grand Theft Auto
- Year of Release: 1997
- Developer: Rockstar North and others
- Current Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Estimated franchise sales: 385 million
- Music Genres: Rap music, 70 hits, 80s hits, 90s hits and others
- Music from artists such as: Rihanna, Britney Spears, Wham!, Bobby Brown, The Backstreet Boys, Maroon 5, Gorillaz, Marvin Gaye, The Black Eyed Peas, Curtis Mayfield, Yuna etc
- Record label partnerships: Rockstar Games’ Record Label, Universal Music Group (Def Jam and Motown Records), Sony Entertainment Music (Jive), Columbia Records and more
In first place is none other than the action-packed, open-world game Grand Theft Auto (GTA). As the highest-selling franchise that utilises licensed music, GTA has struck deals with major record labels to bring an unforgettable soundtrack to the game. The licensed music blends seamlessly into the gameplay, intensifying the atmosphere and setting the tone for the captivating open-world experience. Players can tune into in-game radio stations while cruising the virtual city, with music ranging from Rap to Rock to Pop, expertly curated to fit the game’s setting and enhance the player’s experience.
Additionally, Rockstar Games created its own record label, Rockstar Games Music, to control soundtrack production and distribution for their video games. Owning their music rights lets them sell and distribute soundtracks through various channels, helping them expand the reach of their brand.
As seen by the success of the franchises listed above, incorporating commercial music into game soundtracks has proven to be a successful strategy for game developers, despite the complexity of music licensing.
What Blokur aims to do is to make music more accessible for games developers by simplifying the process with our digital licensing service.
Gaming-related companies already trusting Blokur’s expertise include Reactional Music, which specialises in music for video games, and an undisclosed international video game publisher with over 100 games.
If you want to simplify music licensing so your team can focus on creating the best games possible, get in touch with Blokur today!
