According to Luminate’s 2024 Year-End Report, the convergence between music and video games has been a crucial element for the industry this year. Initiatives such as collaborations, appearances, events, and concerts on virtual platforms are defining the music consumption figures.
Gaming as a Catalyst for Music Consumption
One of the most notable collaborations of the year was the “Fortnite Remix,” which brought together artists like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice, and Juice WRLD in a campaign during November 2024.
This partnership not only attracted millions of followers to the game but also generated a significant increase in the streaming of these artists’ catalogs. Week after week, each of the artists involved in the campaign experienced a notable rise in their streams, demonstrating the power of video games as a music discovery tool.
According to Luminate, hip-hop/rap listeners in the U.S. are 67% more likely than the average to discover music through video games. This data highlights the importance of integrating music into interactive experiences that connect with different audiences.
In this sense, video games not only play a role in music discovery but also generate a sustained increase in the consumption of more classic catalogs. Luminate’s report reveals that more iconic bands saw a rise in their streams after being featured in video games through campaigns and collaborations, emphasizing the industry’s ability to give new promotion to already established repertoires.
New Spaces for Artists and Fans
The report also highlights how virtual events in various video games, such as Roblox, are transforming the way fans interact with their favorite artists. For example, the K-Pop group TWICE organized a virtual Meet & Greet with their superfans, resulting in a 6.4% (+2.6 million) increase in their global streams in one week after the event was announced.
These initiatives not only bring artists and listeners closer but also open up a range of business opportunities. Virtual platforms allow artists to explore ticket sales, digital merchandise, and other monetization formats beyond traditional models.
An additional aspect highlighted in Luminate’s report is the impact that video games and other related digital spaces have had on emerging genres. Fans of genres like Afrobeat or J-Pop are more likely to discover new music through platforms like Twitch, expanding the growth possibilities for these genres.
Music documentaries, like the one made this past year about “The Beach Boys,” have also shown an increase in interest in artist catalogs, reigniting a rise in streams. In the case of this group, their weekly global streams grew by 3.6% after the documentary’s premiere.
The Role of Superfans
Superfans also play a key role in the success of these strategies. According to Luminate, 73% of K-Pop superfans and 75% of rock fans purchase physical merchandise, while 69% of hip-hop/rap superfans prefer attending virtual events, and 68% of Afrobeat fans have attended concerts in 2024.
This data indicates the need to adapt marketing strategies based on how fans prefer to consume music, as this is the way to maximize connection with different types of audiences.
Gaming and Music Trend in 2025
The synergy between gaming and music will continue to be a trend in 2025. As video games establish their role as another music discovery mechanism, these spaces will continue to develop to blur the lines between the physical and virtual.
The next step for artists and other industry stakeholders will be to understand these new dynamics and leverage them to connect with their audiences in innovative ways. In an ecosystem where user experience is one of the most important elements, video games could be the next global music growth pathway.
