The Forgotten Video Game That Kickstarted a Global Punk Rock Phenomenon

'Tony Hawk's Pro Skater' was a game that would alter the music industry and the gaming landscape for years to come. With its killer combination of kickflips, half-pipes, and iconic punk soundtracks, the game exposed a new generation to punk rock and brought a touch of counter-culture rebellion to suburban living rooms.

Released in 1999, 'Tony Hawk's Pro Skater' sold millions of copies and catapulted the skateboarder Tony Hawk into superstardom. However, the real magic happened when gamers popped the CD into their PlayStation consoles, and the unmistakable guitar riffs of punk rock bands filled the air. For many, this introduction to punk rock music was their first experience with the rebellious and raw power of counter-culture.

Gone were the days of neatly packaged pop music; 'Tony Hawk's Pro Skater' ushered in an era of bands that rejected commercialism and were defiantly unapologetic about their thoughts. With punk bands like Goldfinger, the Suicide Machines, and the Vandals making their way into mainstream gamers' consciousness, there was no denying the cultural significance of the game's soundtrack.

Millennials who grew up during the late 1990s have the video game to thank for opening their ears to sounds outside of mainstream pop music. Goldfinger's 'Superman', for example, is an inextricably linked memory for many - an ode to that nostalgia-filled past where discovering punk rock meant you felt part of an exclusive yet anti-establishment club.

'Tony Hawk's Pro Skater' created a wave that reached far and wide - music labels scrambled to sign punk bands with newfound optimism about mainstream appeal; record stores put punk rock back in their windows, years after industry experts deemed the genre dead.

However, it wasn't just the independent music scene that reaped benefits. The partnership between Tony Hawk's well-liked figure, iconic punk tracks, and the game's immersive experience caught the eyes of electronic arts companies and record labels who recognized the gold mine potential of music-based video game tie-ins.

And those tie-ins worked wonders. Neversoft's relentless attempts to combine other music genres with gaming eventually led to 'Guitar Hero' - a video game featuring aspiring air guitarists competing against each other, playing everything from Guns N' Roses to 'Iron Maiden'. Then came 'DJ Hero', based on dance-based and song-mixing console elements.

The importance of 'Tony Hawk's Pro Skater' extends far beyond one era of PlayStation users. A love child of two seemingly unrelated franchises - video games and punk rock, the historic title launched some unforgettable artists' famous careers and sparked a niche - allowing numerous video games to inspire independent art through song.