If you are going to be in Los Angeles during E3 week and you consider yourself a fan of video game music, then it is a moral imperative for you to get yourself a seat for the Video Games Live concert happening at the Nokia Theater L.A. Live on June 6th. Why you ask? How about if we tell you that The Feed has exclusive details on who the special guests and performers are going to be, along with what video game soundtrack music will be making its debut as a part of the Video Games Live line up! We caught up with VGL creator Tommy Tallarico, just before he took off for a pair of VGL concerts in Malaysia next week, to give us the details.

Now to be fair, for those already attending the Video Games Live concert during E3 week who don’t want to know the surprises ahead of time, you've been spoiler warned! But, if you need convincing to get yourself into this amazing concert and don’t mind some spoilers, prepare to have your mind blown.

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With the recent passing of Adam Yauch, founding member of the Beastie Boys, it’s time to look back at how his work touched so many people. Adam lost his fight with cancer today at the age of 47. Even if you are not directly familiar with the work of the Beastie Boys, you probably hear much of their music from video games through out the years.

From music games like Guitar Hero and DJ Hero to action games like Madden 10 and Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, the sound of the Beastie Boys brought high energy and a sense of fun to just about any game they appeared in. Their music spanned generations as well as cultures. From the loneliest geek to the most popular jock, we all sign to the tops of our lungs when we hear the chorus of “Fight For Your Right.”

Though Adam will be missed, his presence will live on for generations both through his fans and those who have yet to discover him in the virtual world.

Thank you, Adam.

Musician/YouTube guy FreddeGredde has taken 34 tracks from some of the most famous video games and made them rock. He smashed it all into one rock medley that truly must be heard to be believed. Check it out in the video below.

Square Enix has launched Square Enix Audio. Square Enix Audio is a free music streaming service split in to channels for each game. Currently, titles include games like Xenogears, Drakengard, Final Fantasy 13, Sengoku IXA, SaGA and El Shaddai. The site's mostly in Japanese for now, but it's easy enough to navigate. All you've got to do is select a game and you'll be able to listen to music from its soundtrack, buy the songs, and tell your friends what you're listening to via their social media integration. I listened to some Xenogears while I wrote this post. Memories!

Once they add new games to the service (like Chrono Cross, because it has the best soundtrack ever), and translate it to English, I can totally see myself listening to Square Enix Audio all the time while at work. What about you?

Source: Andriasang

Usually when gamers rap about video games, you wish they just wouldn't. But Dan the Bull is an exception. You'll want to check out his angry opinion on DLC in the video below for his jam called DLC PLC, I promise. Guy's got flow, you must admit.

Of course, if you'd rather listen to "real" rappers rap about games and tech, instead of gamers rapping, there's one cool, innovative source: G4's own regrettably discontinued web series Freestyle 101. Start with the great Del, then spend all day listening to the rest.

Pop music might not be on your iPod rotation, but video games have warmed up to them over the years. More than just audial wallpaper, there’s a method to this musical madness. As games have matured, the way that they utilize popular music has matured with them. Now if only popular music could do the same.

More often than not, you can guess the music a game will feature before you even open the package. Is it action, adventure, RPG, or a shooter? Then you can probably expect some instrumental music not far removed from Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings. Is it spooky? Then some shrill off-key piano is probably in store. Indeed, BioShock was praised for its haunting melodies, but were they really that different from any other survival horror game?

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Harmonix, the makers of the amazing Rock Band series of music games, will be debuting a new title on X-Play next week. Tune in on Tuesday April 3rd at 6:30 ET for an exclusive reveal that might just knock your head clean off your neck.

I'd love to tell you all about it, but I've been sworn to secrecy. You, on the other hand, should feel free to speculate wildly in our comment section.

It has been nearly two years since we've heard new music from 8 Bit Weapon. The good news is, these West Coast champions of chiptunes are back with a new set of songs which will appeal to fans of classic video gaming as well as electronic music aficionados. The Feed has taken Bits With Byte for a spin, has some sounds from it for you to hear and a link for a free download from the album.

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Roaming the galaxies in Star Wars: The Old Republic can sure work up a good thirst. Luckily, there are cantinas around to slake that dry-as-a-bone feeling. And what goes better with a bar than an awesome bar band? Nothing, we say. Nothing at all. And here, for your dark, evil pleasure, is the best of those bands, the amazing black metal juggernaut called Dethstarr, with their hit, 'Forced Entry.'

Bang your head. Hard.

I've always been a huge fan of video game music, and it's no question that The Legend of Zelda series features some of the best there is. Violinist Taylor "ViolinTay" has created a beautiful Zelda Medley with her violin, and even made her own backtrack. Check it out below.



What's your favorite song from the entire Legend of Zelda series? 

We are only a few short days from the launch of one of the most anticipated games of 2012 with Mass Effect 3. The Feed spoke with three of the five composers behind the music of ME3, Sam Hulick, Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco, and the creation of the music for the game. We and the composers have kept this as spoiler-free as possible for you, so don’t be afraid to come inside for a look and a listen, as have samples of some of the incredible sounds they’ve created for the closing of the Mass Effect trilogy.

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When The Feed ran a recent article about video game soundtrack albums that were worthy of a Grammy Award nomination, one thing was made very clear in the comments. The majority of people who chose to post their thoughts said Deus Ex: Human Revolution, composed and performed by Michael McCann, would have been their choice for a game soundtrack Grammy nom. And we agree with you. If you haven’t experienced the music from this game yet, we’ve been given several tracks from the Deus Ex: Human Revolution soundtrack album for your ears to feast upon. Come on in and press play.

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X-Play's resident rocker, JP Shub, had the chance to play Bandfuse: Rock Legends. If you're thinking that this game is just another Guitar Hero clone, then think again. Unlike past rhythm games that have attempted to teach gamers how to play guitar, Bandfuse: Rock Legends uses real guitar tabs which gives the game a different look and gives gamers actual skills that can be applied outside of the game. Check it!

G4 reviews editor Dana "The Chameleon" Leahy and I have a running discussion about whether it's possible to talk about games and nerdy stuff and be "cool."  I'm still not sure how I feel about the issue, but the below Pokemon Rap video tries very, very hard... does it succeed? Let us know in our comments section.

Acclaimed comic book lovin’ rapper Murs joins host Blair Butler on Fresh Ink Online this week for reviews of Batman, Catwoman, Wolverine, X-Factor, Powers, Glory, Conan, Daredevil, and Blue Beetle.

Make sure to support Murs’ upcoming comic, Yumiko: Curse of MerchGirl, on Kickstarter. It’s a collaboration with publisher Josh Blaylock and artist Jose Garcia, and will feature an accompanying 10-song album that follows the story. Go to Merch-Girl.com for more information or tweet him @MURS.

Make sure to visit us on Twitter and Facebook.

And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-version of Powers from Graphicly.com via the link below.

 

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