Five Music Acts that Should Be Video Game Characters

Music stars have had their share of video game success, and I don't mean in games like Guitar Hero or Rock Band. I am referring to non-music simulations like Michael Jackson's Moonwalker or Revolution X featuring Aerosmith. With virtually every big movie spawning a video game, shouldn't musicians be getting some love too? Most music acts are already bigger than life and perfect candidates for video games. Here are five popular music acts that I think would make for excellent video game material:

5) Kanye West
Kanye seems to have a lot of haters out there, so he would be an excellent choice for a nemesis in a video game. Imagine a game where players get to pummel him at a music studio or concert. An on-rails shooter might fit the bill, or mixed martial arts game (where you could play as Taylor Swift, perhaps?) might work too. Given the chance to beat up on this polarizing figure in the music industry might just make for a great game.

4) La Roux
This androgynous female lead singer of the eponymous band is known for songs like Bulletproof and Tiger Lily. The video for Bulletproof features a lot of cool graphics and could be the take-off point for a fun adventure/action game. La Roux's looks, which are kind of a combination of a young David Bowie and a young Annie Lennox, would be well-suited to something in the science fiction genre. Picture something like Metroid with a lot of hip clothes and makeup instead of the fancy weapons suit and you may end up with a popular game.

3) Marilyn Manson
In appearance, this guy may as well already be a video game character. His corpse-like makeup and freaky contact lenses look like somebody you might spot during a game a Resident Evil. The genre for a game with Manson would have to be horror, as his appearance wouldn't work well in anything else. He could portray either the playable hero (or antihero) or the villain. This would definitely be an M-rated game.

2) Dr. Dre
This guy would make for a quintessential action hero, with his deep, powerful voice, and rugged looks. A game set in an urban location would be ideal for him, a place where he could carry lots of weapons and lay the smack down on any ne'er-do-wells. He could be a one-man wrecking force in a game like Grand Theft Auto or even a Godfather -styled game (the Drefather?).

1) Lady Gaga
You knew she had to be on the list, right? Currently a dominant force in music and culture, a video game seems like a natural avenue for her to express her unique brand of fashion. I can see a game where she plays a superhero with a lot of costumes, each having its own special powers, in which she defends her "monsters" from those that think she is either overrated or too over-the-top. With her level of popularity, any video game she might star in would be a huge seller.

Sure, these artists can simply make a ton of money by allowing their material to be used in music simulation games, but why stop there? Becoming a playable character in a video game would delight their fans and probably create new ones who would buy the music just become they love the video game (with the possible exception of Kanye West).