The WSJ has an interesting article this morning (username/pw required) about¬† EA forming a music label to sign artists for video game soundtracks. I don’t know much about this field, but this is fascinating.
Although Artwerk is not focusing exclusively on music for videogames, the first signed artist is Junkie XL, whose tracks appeared in EA’s top-selling games “Madden NFL 07″ and “Need for Speed: Carbon.” Artwerk says it is in negotiations with other artists.
The new label’s creation comes as Redwood City, Calif.,-based EA and other companies develop increasingly sophisticated sound tracks for videogames, which can cost as much as some Hollywood movies to produce. Artwerk allows EA to expand the investment it’s made in music studios well beyond computer games.
“It is time for the music industry to shake things up, break out new bands and find new ways to expose them on a global scale,” said Terry McBride, chief executive of Vancouver-based Nettwerk One Music, a music publisher.