Rock bands were among the first musicians in the world to fully embrace the concept of marketing and merchandise. KISS are still touring today, as reported at nme.com, but back in the 1970s they led the way, producing an extensive range of branded goods that made them a fortune. Other bands followed suit and music merchandise stalls became a regular feature at gigs and in music stores.
Casino rocks
The arrival of the internet made global licensing even easier and opened the door for new partnership opportunities. In recent years, the names of some of the world’s biggest rock bands have featured heavily in the world of casino slot games. There are many sites offering video slot games and scores of brand-new online casinos opening in Canada every year, as listed on Bonus.ca. One of the top game providers, Play’n GO, have pioneered the heavy rock/slot crossover market.
Rock legends
Yet, it’s not contemporary rock bands who are signing up to this very modern phenomenon. Most of the rock-themed video slots feature bands from decades gone by. KISS, who are currently in the middle of their farewell tour, have marked the occasion with a tour-themed slot called KISS: Reels of Rock.
Another breakthrough star from the 1970s, Alice Cooper, also has his own slot game. Alice Cooper and the Tome of Madness attempts to capture the essence of the theatrical rocker. Released in 2021, the game is based on a backstory featuring a blank journal that connects Alice to parallel dimensions that threaten his existence.
ZZ Top were formed in 1969 and have sold an estimated 50 million albums worldwide. They enjoyed major commercial success in the 1980s and are still touring and recording today. Their slot game, ZZ Top Roadside Riches, features iconic images from their ’80s heyday, when they were rarely out of the charts.
Megastars of the 1980s
At the same time as ZZ Top were topping the charts in the 1980s, English band Def Leppard were also on course for mega-stardom after summoning their inner pop demon, as described by singer Joe Elliott in the Guardian.com. Their 1983 album Pyromania sold over 10 million copies, but that was eclipsed by 1987’s Hysteria, which shifted more than 20 million copies worldwide. Their video slot game revives the days of big dreams, big drums, and even bigger hairstyles. Unlock the hidden sugar in the game to launch the “Pour Some Sugar on Me” feature, which is inspired by the hit of the same name, and features some cool visual syncing with the symbols on the reels.
Power metal masters
The genre of German power metal is represented by Helloween, a product of the 1980s speed metal craze. Despite their velocity, the band show no signs of slowing down having topped the German charts with their eponymous 2021 album. As well as having their own branded slot, they also recently launched a comic book and a range of action figures.
Other bands to feature on video slot titles included thrash metal band Testament, glam rockers Twisted Sister, Guns ‘n Roses, and pioneers of the late 1970s new wave of British heavy metal, Saxon. We are still not quite sure why the video slot/heavy rock mash-up works so well, but they are clearly a hit with casino slot players, so who are we to argue?
