Looking for New Music? Try a Video Game
April 4, 2007 — -- Odds are the name Tom Holkenborg doesn't ring a bell. Nor his house DJ name, Junkie XL. But a quick listen to some of his music and you'll have no trouble recognizing this Netherlands native.
A 21st century renaissance man, Holkenborg, who splits his time between remixing, composing, producing and performing music, is best known for his 2002 remix of Elvis Presley's hit "A Little Less Conversation" for the movie "Ocean's 11."
Holkenborg's unique blend of electronica with a vintage twist is now cropping up everywhere -- on TV, in movie theaters, on the radio, and now, thanks to a recent partnership with Electronic Arts and Nettwerk Music, in video games.
"If we look at the older games like Mario Brothers and Pac Man, they needed to make a tune that was generated by that simple little computer, so automatically that became an electronic music piece," said Holkenborg in an interview with ABC News. "Nowadays a lot of electronic music producers like to make music for games because they can reach their fans."
Over the past decade, video game music has evolved from homegrown electronic beeps and robotic swirls used in classic games like Mario Bros and Pac Man to actual music created by up-and-coming or even well-known bands and singers licensed out from leading record labels, such as Def Jam and Interscope Records.
Holkenborg's new deal takes things a step further -- he's teaming with a new label which will sign and develop artists specifically for digital distribution, putting them on iTunes and other Web-based music stores.
"The most exciting part of the label, Artwerk, is that it's a joint venture between the biggest videogame producer, EA Games, and Nettwerk, the record company," said Holkenborg. "At the end of the day, it's a normal record deal as it is with any other record company."
Unlike a normal record label, however, Artwerk is firmly planted in the digital world as it hopes to entice the millions of gamers who are already listening to these soundtracks on games like SSX Blur and Madden NFL '07 to buy a song or two on iTunes and give Artwerk an edge on music sales.
Holkenborg, who was the first artist to sign to the Artwerk label, is excited about this new venture. "The sales of video games are so massive," he said. "A successful video game can sell anywhere between 6 to 50 million copies -- there are barely even recording artists out there, even the very successful ones, that can come close to those numbers."
Using Technology to Succeed
Holkenborg's diverse resume is a result of today's shifting music industry. While CD sales and record label revenue continue to decline, Holkenborg, like many of his contemporaries, has managed to stay afloat by taking advantage of new opportunities and technologies available to up-and-coming artists.
"For me, [technology] is the future. I still talk to people that say, 'If they really like your music, they go out and buy your CD.' Well, that's the past. Kids today are sharing music with each other on iPods or iTunes &30133; they're sharing MP3s through their phones," he said.
Even his DJ name reflects his desire to push the envelope and take risks when it comes to his craft. He's known as Junkie XL; the "XL" stands for "expanding limits." When the Artwerk opportunity presented itself, Holkenborg quickly stepped up to the challenge to associate himself with one of the hottest trends in music production and marketing.
The creation of Artwerk, and other video game music labels, signals a shift within the music industry toward a more technologically advanced media and a savvier customer.
Holkenborg sees the integration of music and games as just the tip of the multimedia iceberg. "I think we're heading to a complete multimedia experience," he said. "Ten years from now, watching a movie, listening to music, playing a video game -- this will all be combined into one package."