AOL Cranks Up The Tunes

May 5, 2005, 4:52 am EDT
Total comments: 12

AOL readies up a radio station dedicated to video game music.

New Station Highlights Original Music Scores from the World's Most Popular Video Games

New York , NY – May 4, 2005 – Video game music has come a long way since "Pac-Man" and "Super Mario Bros." As original video game scores gain in both complexity and popularity, the AOL Radio Network, AOL's leading online radio service, today announces the addition of the Video Game Scores station to its more than 200 originally programmed station offerings.

Launching today, the station features original scores from such popular video games as "Halo 2," "Metal Gear Solid 3," "Metroid Prime," the "Final Fantasy" series and many more. The station builds upon the earlier success of "Final Fantasy Radio," which was available exclusively on the AOL Radio Network from November 2003 through April 2004. The Video Game Scores station is available at AOL Keyword: Radio under the Soundtracks/Themes category.

Talkback

kennyb27May 05, 2005

I'll log into PGC Radio, then I might check it out.

*Three hours later*

AOL...what?

MaleficentOgreMay 05, 2005

don't worry guys. PGC radio will always be #1 in my heart. AOL sucks anyway.

RobageejamminMay 05, 2005

Everything I knew about radio has been shattered...

Might I actually be able to turn the radio on and hear my music in the future? I really hope this sticks

But yea, duh, of course Im gonna listen to PGC radio. Who wants to hear GTA songs all day?

Ian SaneMay 05, 2005

I have a feeling that this isn't going to be all that great just because of past experiences with how the mainstream (which AOL is part of) does anything regarding videogames. We've already seen a TV station and an awards show for gamers and both are so terrible that no one with any legitmate interest in games watches them. And of course there are all those terrible videogame movies. Videogames have this problem where the industry is huge but the interest is very hardcore. The average Joe likes games but not enough where they're interested in game related content. Yet game related content is aimed at the average Joe instead of gamers.

Anyone who seriously wants to listen to a gaming radio station wants to hear Top Man's theme from Mega Man 3. But odds are this radio station won't play stuff like that. Their target market will be the guy who plays games with licenced music and listens to CDs while he's playing games.

"Video game music has come a long way since 'Pac-Man' and 'Super Mario Bros.'"

Yet those two themes are more popular than any game music from the last ten years. That right there exposes the problem. People who like game music would want to hear the classic Mario theme.

vuduMay 05, 2005

Quote
"Video game music has come a long way since 'Pac-Man' and 'Super Mario Bros.'"

Yet those two themes are more popular than any game music from the last ten years. That right there exposes the problem. People who like game music would want to hear the classic Mario theme.

I'm trying really hard, but I can't picture the music for Pac-Man. I'm a failure. Can someone please hum a few bars to jog my memory?

TheYoungerPlumberMichael Cole, Associate EditorMay 05, 2005

Yeah, when a press release dismisses the Super Mario Bros. theme, I'm worried.

Besides, don't you need an AOL service (AOL for Broadband) to even listen? Meh.

cronotrigger913May 05, 2005

Yes, I can't stand AOL. I think it is possibly the worst program on the internet right now, being in the mainstream category, but I don't know, their Radio program is not too shabby. I give PGC radio props for bringing to the table some great music, but I want to hear more than just Nintendo music. You guys are gonna miss out on some great songs, like ones from Halo, Fable, and even the great Final Fantasy. I got that AOL Communicator program where I can just access Radio all I want, without going on AOL itself, so I'm definitely glad for that. And I was disappointed when they got rid of the Final Fantasy station. I've only just started to listen to the new station, so I don't know if they start repeating songs often or not, but for right now, I'm enjoying some great songs, no matter who's supplying it.

ViperVisorMay 05, 2005

I e-mail'd AOL about getting a station for video game music.

I helped make this happen. YAY

nickmitchMay 05, 2005

Traitor!

NephilimMay 05, 2005

This is a great thing
This is a proper online radio station which which is FULLY licenced
meaning nintendo and other artists will get money from each track played
shrugging it off just cause AOL made it, is very silly, hopefully yahoo will follow with there radio

KirbySStarMay 07, 2005

I don't care as long as the RIAA doesn't use this as an excuse to crack down on people sharing videogame music.

mantidorMay 08, 2005

Quote
Originally posted by: kennyb27
I'll log into PGC Radio, then I might check it out.

*Three hours later*

AOL...what?

I feel so silly to discover just now the PGC station, now my Nintendo music sessions wont be limited to the Zelda orchestrations and Metroid Prime music that I listen almost daily.

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