GAME MUSIC
When the Grammy Awards are handed out February 23, don't be surprised if an onstage winner sends tear-filled thanks to his coder, not his mother. This year, for the first time, music from computer games will compete against movie and TV tunes for best soundtrack album, song, and instrumental.
While it might be hard to imagine the composer of, say, "Doom Level 1" sharing the dais with Beck, game soundtracks have become much more than just aural wallpaper. The MP3.com site runs a popular Game Soundtracks area, and the Videogame Music Archive (www.vgmusic.com) will record its 2 millionth visitor this spring. The genre's Young Turks - Will Davis of Battlemorph, for instance - are being joined by old-guard rockers like David Bowie (Omikron: The Nomad Soul) and Yes (Homeworld).
Game soundtrack creators hope the Grammys will be good not only for the industry's image, but also for its bottom line. Says Quest for Glory V composer Chance Thomas, "There is definitely money to be made here, and I want to get me some of that."
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