10 Reasons Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Soundtrack Was More Influential Than The Beatles
2. It Kept Ska-Punk Bands In Employment Beyond The 90s
Let’s take a moment to appreciate a fun fact. The year is 2019. Goldfinger and Less Than Jake have just completed touring the UK and Europe together. Goldfinger and Less Than Jake. In 2019.
These are bands who, by all laws of probability, should have been gone from existence by around 2002. However, 20 years on from the release of the original THPS game on the PlayStation, these two bands are still selling enough tickets to fill sizable venues with beer-swigging 25 to 40 year olds.
The impact THPS had on the careers of similar bands cannot be understated. This game solidified ska-punk as a genre associated with skateboarding and the lifestyle that went with it. This was no longer a weird phase in music, but a defining moment in its history. These guys have had careers that have spanned for decades, purely off the back of having their songs and many like theirs featured on these games.
Therefore, the THPS soundtrack has kept people in gainful employment, brought performance arts to many different corners of the planet and has contributed to the economies of the countries these bands visit.
What exactly did The Beatles do for Reel Big Fish?