Cover songs were commonly used in 8-bit video games of the 1970s-1990s for several reasons: 1) Game programmers were tasked with composing music but lacked formal musical training, so adapting existing songs was simpler than composing original music. 2) Tight development schedules meant there was little time to compose original music, so using covers saved valuable time. 3) The limited hardware of 8-bit systems made it difficult to generate complex original music, so simplifying and adapting existing songs was necessary. 4) Copyright laws were less rigidly enforced for 8-bit games, allowing unlicensed use of covers within a "gray area" of acceptability.

1. Cover Songs in 8-Bit Video Games CONFERENCE PRESENTATION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF POPULAR MUSIC (IASPM.CA). Karen Collins, University of Waterloo

2. Why so many cover songs,and why did they disappear?

3. 8-Bit ? Isn't that like, so... 1984??

4. 8-Bit Games = Revolutionary + Influential The Apple II was designed around games

5. Commodore brought PCs to the home market through GAMES 8-Bit Games = Revolutionary + Influential

6. Techniques developed by composers led to the creation of modern sequencing software . 8-Bit Games = Revolutionary + Influential

7. Not covering... “ artist”-based games

8. Not covering Chiptunes

9. FOCUS Uses of other people's music (cover versions) in 8-Bit Games for seemingly “random” reasons....

11. I Am 8-Bit

12. I Am 8-Bit

13. I Am so NOT 8-Bit

15. California Games (1987) (licensed Kingsmen)

16. Frantic Freddie (1983) (unlicensed pop)

17. Int'l Karate (1986) (unlicensed film)

18. Buffalo Bill (1989) (traditional)

19. Acid Drop (1992) (classical)

20. So, why covers?

25. And that's just the hardware!

28. Geeks...

29. ... are not Rock Stars.. .

30. The time to development... and the lifecycle

31. In the game world, The programmer was God . (Larson)

32. Note there was no tying of music to content of the game...

33. or a rather spurious connection at best... ...uh, Water Music?

34. Captain Comic (Color Dreams 1988)

36. Grey Areas are Great

37. Copyright's “grey areas” in the age of 8-Bit

39. So... Where have all the covers gone?

40. A Changing Industry ...

41. Nintendo...a Conscious Effort to be Different

42. A New Game Music Aesthetic

43. An attempt to adapt ...(or emulate)

44. New Technology... Redbook Audio in Games

48. 2007 Tarriff 22A

50. Still want more?? Ashgate, UK 2008 MIT Press, US 2008