The Evolution of Video Game Music from the Early 1980's to the Present Day?
 

I'm trying to get some research into how music has involved within the video game industry. from how the technology has advanced to enable higher definition sound, to the instrumentation and the way the music is made.

The timeline is definitely a bit different depending on whether it's home computer games, arcade games or console games. There's even a huge difference in how sound technology between the C64, the Amiga and DOS based computers.

I still remember playing games with PC Speaker sound... ugh...

It's a pretty big topic and I don't personally know of any specific books on the subject, although you'd imagine one or two would exist.

Well, the biggest shift was probably when CD based games came around, allowing games to have fully orchestrated songs (like the intro of Wild ARMs). Before that, it's just shades of chiptunes. Although, to be fair, there was variety among composers, even considering the severe limitations.

Btw, I heard Michael Jackson composed the music for Sonic 3. Never confirmed, but still a fun rumor.