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'Guitar Hero' Amps Metal Sales

Rock star wannabes turning to real bands

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 28, 2007 12:07 PM CST

(Newser) – Red-hot video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is helping lift heavy metal sales, the Boston Herald reports. Massachusetts metallers Killswitch Engage have seen CD sales top half a million since being featured in the game—pretty good going in the age of illegal downloads. The guitar simulator game has been a big bonus for struggling metal bands.

Lead singer Howard Jones welcomes the boost in sales but doesn't plan to scale down the band's heavy touring schedule. He's loving the buzz the game has built around the band, but with all that time on the road over the last year, he hasn't got around to playing it himself.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Activision Inc. provided this photo of a Guitar Hero III video game set. New this time around are online guitar battles and original recordings instead of remakes. The likenesses of real guitar rockers... (Associated Press)

Activision manager Daniyel Garcia demonstrates "Guitar Hero 3" videogame, during the E3 Media Business Summit at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, Calif., Wed, July 11, 2007. (AP Photo/Stefano Paltera) (Associated Press)

Heavy metal stalwart Killswitch Engage has seen album sales soar since being featured in "Guitar Hero." ((c) evilmutent)

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'Guitar Hero' Amps Metal Sales