Report: 25 million played music games in April, banjo sales at all-time low

by David Hinkle { Jun 26th 2009 at 5:45PM }

You may not know this, but April is actually the biggest month of the year for banjo sales in the US. You see, the annual Jugband Jamboree takes place in April each year, across various states in the country, but nobody attended this year thanks to those darn Guitar Heroes, Rock Bands, and Singstars.

A new report (via GI.biz) came up with the data, based on research done by firm Interpret. In fact, aside from the staggering 25 million US gamers that got down with one music game or another, data showed that these gamers purchased 67% more CDs than those who didn't enjoy rhythm-based games. In addition, 29% of these wannabe rockers actually downloaded or streamed a music video in the past three months (compared to the 15% that partook overall), and 45% listened to music via a social network (versus 32% overall). So, as much as celebrities like to bash these kinds of games, it's helping more folks get into music, which, to us, is a good thing.

Tags: activision, guitar-hero, harmonix, interpret, mtv, music, report, rhythm, rock-band, singstar, sony

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tyler @ Jun 26th 2009 5:52PM

I think that is great.

linx-ibarra @ Jun 26th 2009 5:53PM

let the music begin

DaveMcRae the Haiku Artist @ Jun 26th 2009 5:54PM

Oh my sweet Banjo
Nobody likes to play you
It is really sad

Girugamuk (Moptimus Slimed) @ Jun 26th 2009 6:13PM

Guitar Hero Time
While my banjo gently weeps
I rock out on screen

DaveMcRae the Haiku Artist @ Jun 26th 2009 6:26PM

Plug in the guitar
Choose your song and jam away
You are a rock star!

Hashbrown Hunter (OneGiantCluster.blogspot.com) @ Jun 26th 2009 6:35PM

Are these haikus or something?

Girugamuk (Moptimus Slimed) @ Jun 26th 2009 6:41PM

But why no banjo?
We could all use some country
In our Fire and Flames

DaveMcRae the Haiku Artist @ Jun 26th 2009 6:56PM

It's a Haiku-off!
Sharpen your pencils and write
poetry prevails

Girugamuk (Moptimus Slimed) @ Jun 26th 2009 7:46PM

Haikus are easy
Five,Seven,Five syllables
Creates a nice poem

DaveMcRae the Haiku Artist @ Jun 26th 2009 8:13PM

This has not been wise
Now I get spammed with emails
me and my ideas

juanissimo07 @ Jun 26th 2009 5:58PM

I only clicked on this story for the Banjo details... which unfortunately there weren't any.

David Hinkle @ Jun 26th 2009 7:23PM

Welcome to Joystiq, gaming blog. Hope you enjoy it! :)

False @ Jun 26th 2009 6:02PM

But most of the comments here complain about how music games are tired and played out. I'm so confused!

Apollo @ Jun 26th 2009 6:08PM

This is good news..........

.....Now when is the Floyd going to join a piece of the action?

Nap @ Jun 26th 2009 6:26PM

Guitar Hero: Banjo-Kazooie

Rodrigo @ Jun 26th 2009 6:38PM

please don't give activision ideas!

Dahk @ Jun 26th 2009 6:27PM

Ahem, here we go:

CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SOOOOOON

Coldbrand @ Jun 26th 2009 6:38PM

Celebrities can go suck off a gorilla, they're not special, people discovering new meaningful music is universally a good thing if it'll draw them away from what's jammed down our throats on MTV and the radio.

Dethgar @ Jun 26th 2009 6:41PM

You can get laid by playing the guitar. You likely won't get laid playing Guitar Hero/Rock Band, unless you're in some kind of tournament and a bus of fat chicks shows up.

Obi-Habby @ Jun 26th 2009 7:59PM

Are you reading my blog again?

rkrocks123 @ Jun 26th 2009 9:13PM

People who don't play guitar get laid too, you know.

Nickytetlow @ Jun 27th 2009 3:31PM

Or maybe

Just Maybe

That's not why some people learn to play guitar in the first place

LE GASP!

eipxen @ Jun 26th 2009 8:51PM

I agree with the statement in the last line, and think it's true, and think it's a good thing, but technically these stats don't prove that, since the whole increased music appreciation trend reflected in the stats could mean that the people who bought music video games were the people more interested in music games in the first place

I've certainly found more music through rock back/guitar hero though, so I certainly believe it