Abstract
Abstract This article argues that the dichotomization of aesthetic and social experiences is reductive. Music in popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) provides a provocative and relevant perspective on aesthetic experiences that are simultaneously social. A case study will consider music as both a gameplay mechanic and as a performative art in The Lord of the Rings Online (2007–), with Star Wars: Galaxies (2003–2011) as a point of comparison. This provides a more nuanced understanding of the interrelatedness of aesthetic and social experience, and touches on wider-ranging issues pertinent to the fields of ludomusicology, video game studies and performance studies, as well as musicology and aesthetic theory. In particular, the article will address the gamification of music, and the emerging possibilities of video games as both mass culture and aesthetic art.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
