Games Without Frontiers

The evolution of video games has been entwined with the music industry since the 1970s; dependent on related tech developments and targeting a similar consumer audience. Video games have become a significant revenue stream for music artists from e-sports, rhythm games, and titles like Grand Theft Auto. Now Fortnite, Minecraft, Twitch, and Roblox have changed the context for how music interacts with the gaming experience, and with the pandemic keeping people at home, have become a primary channel for many artists to reach their fans. In this episode of Musonomics, host Larry Miller of NYU Steinhardt explores the history of music, sound and games, and speaks to Jon Vlassopulos, the Global Head of Music at gaming platform Roblox, about the platform's music events, and what's coming in the future.