As music labels struggle, bands thrive in games

By Lisa Baertlein

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - It is a dark time for record labels and mainstream radio, but the people who pick music for video games say there has never been a better time to be an aspiring rock star.

"There are more opportunities than ever before. I would much rather be a young band right now than 10 years ago," said Steve Schnur, referring to a time when record companies and radio station owners held the keys to what got heard.

The worldwide executive of music at Electronic Arts Inc., which is the biggest video game publisher, put a once unknown Southern California band called Avenged Sevenfold in multiple games including EA's "Need for Speed: Most Wanted" racing game and its perennially popular "Madden" football game, which is considered prime real estate.

The band, also known as A7X, has since gotten a Warner Bros Records contract and its songs are now familiar to millions of gamers.

Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand crossed the pond, winning U.S. fans after its music was in games like "Madden NFL 2005," soccer game "FIFA 2005" and racing title "Burnout 3: Takedown," said Schnur, who also led the music selection in "NBA Live 2003" -- the only video game soundtrack to go platinum.

"We're a new medium that delivers music in a new and interesting way," said Alex Hackford, artist and repertoire manager for Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Hackford has worked with bands in all stages of development, including Stab the Matador, a young band from upstate New York.

He put them in baseball game "MLB 06: The Show." From there, he said, the band got a booking agent and a national tour.