Big beat spread into mainstream culture through film and video-game soundtracks, not only record sales

Beyond the singles charts, big beat gained cultural prominence through major soundtracks. The platinum-certified soundtrack to The Matrix (1999) featured big beat tracks; the genre appeared in films such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001); and the Wipeout video-game series (original Wipeout 1995 plus Wipeout 2097 and Wip3out) featured big beat artists including The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Propellerheads and Fluke. The Wipeout pairing is documented as a pioneering example of cultural crossover between gaming and electronic music. The teachable point: soundtrack placement was a second, media-driven channel that carried big beat to audiences who never bought dance records.

Examples

The Matrix (1999) soundtrack: 1.4M+ US copies, includes big beat. Wipeout series: Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, Propellerheads, Fluke. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) film.

Assessment

Name two media (film or game) that carried big beat to mainstream audiences and explain why soundtrack placement is a distinct crossover mechanism from chart sales.