Could Social Gaming Save the Music Industry?

Ok, so my headline is a big question, but there is a core point here. Interlinking music with social media is not that new, but interlinking it with gaming, that is very interesting to me…

EMI has become the first major label to sign a partnership to sell music within a social game on Facebook using the social network’s Facebook Credits virtual currency.

The major label has agreed a deal with social games publisher MXP4 to make a range of tracks from artists including Lily Allen, Gorillaz, the Jackson 5 and David Guetta available within MXP4’s Bopler Games collection on Facebook.

Fans will be able to play a selection of rhythm games for free with 60-second clips of the songs, but will have to pay using Facebook Credits for access to the full songs. MXP4 struck separate deals with EMI’s recorded music and publishing divisions.