In April of this year, we published a piece on music for games. In it we discussed how music and games are becoming increasingly symbiotic in their relationship. Shortly thereafter, Vivendi Universal Games announced that No Doubt would not only be providing the music for their upcoming game, Malice, but character voices as well. The group said that as a band growing up in the video game generation, they find the fusing of video games and music exciting.

"Having our songs in Malice is another way to get our music to people who might not otherwise hear it," said No Doubt’s lead singer Gwen Stefani, "We make music - that's what we do and we love to share it."

Also, since the publication of our first article on music and games, we went to a rock concert. The first one in a long time. By the end of the night, with our fists almost involuntarily pumping toward the sky, we were reminded just how powerful music can be.

In a report last year on the future of games, Jupiter Media Metrix, new technology analysts, predicted that the music industry could gain the most in the near-term from steady growth in the connected console market. According to the Jupiter analysts, dynamic or user selectable music soundtracks will add replay value and excitement to gameplay. Publishers can extend a game's lifespan and gain cross-promotional partnerships by having musicians release special singles and remixes for use as game soundtracks. With the music industry suffering from one of its worst years ever, and as the industry becomes increasingly consolidated and controlled by a select number of big players, musicians are looking even more for other outlets for their music.

As designer Bruce Shelley points out in this month’s interview, "psychologists study the phenomena of mental engagement and call it flow, the psychology of optimal experience." In addition to gaming, Shelley notes, people find flow in many different activities such as listening to music. Certainly, games and music are two emotionally powerful mediums. A combination of the two seems a match made in "flow" heaven.

While there are few bands in the world on the No Doubt level of fame, there are definitely more than a few bands turning out equally catchy and adrenaline-pumping music. One such band is Jibe, a Dallas-based band who toured this summer with Nickelback, Default, and Jerry Cantrell on the Jim Beam Road To The Rackhouse Tour. And whose music got our fists pumping.

With well over one thousand shows under their belt, the band has made a name for itself as one of the most dynamic live acts Dallas has to offer. Along with three successful independent releases under their belt, their rigorous touring schedule has taken them from intimate rock clubs to music festivals and arenas. Along with Nickelback, Default, and Jerry Cantrell, Jibe has shared stages with such acts as Creed, Lit, Oleander, Our Lady Peace, Fastball, Suicidal Tendencies, Toadies and many more.

Jibe’s music has been described as a good soundtrack for cruising down the highway with the top down, or climbing on the rooftop and screaming your heart out to the world. And if their song "Yesterday’s Gone" doesn’t get you jumping, then not much will. Jibe’s charismatic lead singer Joe Grah finds playing videogames and playing music both very personal experiences, and, combined, he believes either experience can be even more intense.

When speaking with local bands and owners of independent labels, virtually all see gaming as a nice chance to promote a band's material, a great opportunity for use as imaging tool, and good press fodder. While Andrew Lasky, manager of the band The Pasties, sees gaming as a nice chance to promote a band’s material, he says "no one has really figured out how to ‘break’ a band through gaming." Nevertheless, music and games appear to be growing increasingly intertwined. Sega recently announced that its band line-up for its Crazy Taxi 3 soundtrack will include Methods of Mayhem, The Offspring, and Bad Religion. Further, Activision’s upcoming Street Hoops will feature tracks from Cypress Hill, DMX, Method Man Master P, and Ludacris.

For developers wanting to license music for their games, Jay Powell of Octagon Entertainment advises leaving the music licensing to the publisher unless you have an excellent contact source in the music industry. "If you want to license certain songs, I would approach the publisher with ideas or examples of music you would like to license," says Powell. "The bigger publishers will have a better chance of getting these songs for your game."

For lovers of games, music, and flow, the soundtrack trend seems to be a good one. And, if game soundtracks can get bands like Jibe in front of an even bigger audience, then all the better. When asked whether Jibe would lend their music to a game soundtrack, "Absolutely," says Grah. "The point is to get the music out to the people. We’re a rock band. We want people to rock."