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Soundcheck

Thursday, October 18, 2007
  • Halo 3
    Halo 3

    What Can Music Learn From 'Halo 3'?

    With CD sales in the cellar, the music industry may want to tour a hotter property in pop culture: video games. Today on Soundcheck, we find out why games like the new 'Halo 3' are raking in money and fans. Plus: the Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman plays live in our studio.

A 'Halo' Over Music Sales

The new Xbox 360 video game 'Halo 3' tallied $300 million in sales during its first week in stores. At a time when musicians are lucky to move a million albums (at $20 apiece) in their first week of release, Pitchfork columnist Chris Dahlen explains how the music industry could reclaim the prestige and market share it ceded to video games.

Tell us what you think: What can the music industry learn from video games? Leave a comment here.

Chris Dahlen's 'Halo 3' column on Pitchfork

Jens Lekman

Sweden's Jens Lekman has built a cult following of fans who love witty storytelling from their songwriters. ("She said that we were just make believe/but I thought she said maple leaves.") Lekman talks about combining funny stories with orchestral disco on his second CD, "Night Falls Over Kortedala."

Jens Lekman web site

Introducing our Video Contest

Soundcheck

John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.

In Studio: Angel Deradoorian

Soundcheck

The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.

Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico

Soundcheck

Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.

In Studio: Stephanie McKay

Soundcheck

The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.

In Studio: The Decemberists

The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.

Sound Off

Soundcheck

Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.