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Video Game Music and Sound Design

A guide on accessing video game music resources and getting started with ludomusicology research.

How do I select video game music materials for my library?

As a library employee responsible for collection development, it can be difficult to know what to purchase for a video game music collection and where to purchase video game music materials. Where does one even start? 

As we have developed our video game music collection, here are some of the things the UNT Music Library staff have done to build out our collection:

  • Polled students about their favorite video games and video game music
  • Watched video game sales charts for best-selling video games and purchasing those soundtracks
  • Watched video game awards shows for updated knowledge of award-winning video games
  • Attended video game music conferences to see what scholars are discussing and interested in currently
  • Frequently checked our favorite video game music material vendors for new items 

Before purchasing, always check your library's purchasing policies. Auction websites, such as Ebay, are a great way to purchase out-of-stock, rare, or unusual video game music soundtracks and scores, but be wary for scams and knockoff items. Many video game music soundtracks are sold "pre-order only," as well, which means one will need to purchase the item before it is officially released and then wait until it is released for the item to be shipped. Due to this "pre-order only" status, many video game music soundtracks sell out quickly, so check with your library's purchasing policy to see if one can participate in pre-orders.

Video Game Music Soundtrack Vendors

iam8bit

iam8bit logo"iam8bit is a creative production emporium that's been boldly redefining the entertainment industry since 2005. Its collaborative works have taken a variety of forms, including groundbreaking community events, immersive art experiences, and exclusive collectibles, all designed to bring surprise and delight to people's lives. iam8bit played a crucial role in the vinyl renaissance, minting its first record in 2010, and is the industry leader in premium physical editions of top-tier games. iam8bit evolved into financing and publishing games under its iam8bit Presents imprint, including the smash hit Escape Academy; NES mash note Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum; and the upcoming chill vibes simulator Simpler Times. The company is based in Los Angeles and co-owned/co-creatively directed by Jon M. Gibson and Amanda White."

Fangamer

Fangamer logo"Fangamer is a small videogame merchandise company based in—and shipping from—Tucson, Arizona. We got started in 2008 with one goal: Celebrating our favorite games with products we actually wanted to own."

Materia Store

"Your life needs a soundtrack. Materia Store carries a curated selection of beautiful, inspiring, and fairly-priced video game music and other soundtracks. Everything we carry is fully licensed, which supports the composers, musicians, and creative communities who inspire us."

MerchBar

MerchBar logo"John Hecker and [Edward Aten] founded Merchbar to give fans one place to discover and buy merch from all their favorite bands. A place that is a joy to shop, magically matches you with merch from bands you love and provides an unrivaled shopping, purchase and return experience so you can buy with confidence."

Mondo

Mondo logo

"Mondo is pop culture brand, built for collectors. We work with incredible artists who share our passions to create posters, soundtracks, toys, and more – products that share a rare, unexpectedly vivid and timeless quality."

The YeeTee

The YeeTee logo"TheYetee.com is a website owned and operated by two artists— Mike and Glen. Both equal in amazing beards and their passion for awesome hi-quality screen printed t-shirts for low low prices. We're passionate about physical media. While we publish a lot of Video Game soundtracks— we also collaborate with VGM adjacent musicians to publish vinyl records, cassette tapes, flexi-discs and more."

Barnes and Noble

 

"Barnes & Noble.com leverages the power of the Barnes & Noble brand to offer online customers the Web's premier destination for books, eBooks, magazines, toys & games, music, DVD and Blu-ray, and related products and services."

Castlemania Entertainment

 

"CastleMania Entertainment specializes in accessories for gaming, music and movies."

Amazon

Amazon logo"Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, Earth’s best employer, and Earth’s safest place to work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon."

Video Game Music Scores Vendors

Amazon

Amazon logo"Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, Earth’s best employer, and Earth’s safest place to work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon."

Alfred

Alfred logo

"Alfred Music’s passion is supporting music education with a focus on quality methods, performance, and reference materials for teachers, students, and professionals, spanning every musical instrument, style, and difficulty level. Since 1922, Alfred Music has been a world leader in music education and has helped over 10 million individuals learn, teach, and play music through our pedagogically sound products. We currently have over 150,000 active titles and represent a wide range of well-known publications—from methods like Alfred’s Basic Guitar, Alfred’s Basic Piano Library, Premier Piano Course, Sound Innovations, and Suzuki, to artists like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and The Who, to brands like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, Rolling Stone magazine, and Billboard."

Hal Leonard

Hal Leonard logo"In its catalog of more than one million available titles, Hal Leonard represents many of the world's best known and most respected publishers, artists, songwriters, arrangers and musical instrument manufacturers. Its products are sold in more than 65 countries throughout the world through Hal Leonard offices and a large network of distributors."

 

 

JW Pepper

JW Pepper logo

"Founded in 1876, J.W. Pepper is the best online store for sheet music with over one million titles in stock. We offer sheet music for directors and performers alike as well as music equipment, accessories, and software to support your musical journey."

Wasabi Sheet Music

Wasabi Sheet Music logo

 

"At Wasabi Sheet Music, we ship sheet music sold only within Japan to countries all over the world."

Sheet Music Japan

 

 "Sheet Music Japan have a large selections of sheet music of Japanese subculture, for example, animation, video games, J-pop, and etc."

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