Rock Band songs tops 2.5m downloads, 200+ songs in pipeline

by James Ransom-Wiley { Jan 18th 2008 at 1:00PM }

Rock Band wannabes have downloaded more than 2.5 million additional songs trumpets MTV, exceeding the game publishers expectations and opening up a new stream of revenue for a "challenged" music industry. The most popular downloads have been 3-song packs, led by the Metallica bundle, and The Police and Queens of the Stone Age collections. As for individually downloaded tracks, the "Juke Box Hero" cover has taken top billing, followed by the "Fortunate Son" cover and Weezer's "Buddy Holly". Not surprisingly, all of the top downloads except "Buddy Holly" were included in the first DLC release.

With more songs arriving each week, Rock Band has made Guitar Hero III's sporadic DLC updates look like an amateur act (though Activision's sequel has a considerable lead in total software sales) – and there are no signs that MTV and company are letting up. More than 200 downloadable songs are currently in the pipeline for 2008, including long-awaited full album releases and music directly related to gaming (similar to GH3's Halo track), reports IGN. Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President of MTV Games, explained that this massive DLC commitment "changes the approach [for a sequel] from one that's purely about new music to one that's about new features." This suggests that if there is a Rock Band sequel, we'll be able to tote our millions of downloads along for a second tour. Rock on!

Gallery: Rock Band

Tags: dlc, ea, harmonix, mtv, music, psn, rock-band, rockband, xblm

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

qbix @ Jan 18th 2008 1:07PM

I'm crossing my fingers for a Pixies pack. A lot of their songs would be so much fun to play in Rock Band.

SID SPACE @ Jan 18th 2008 1:52PM

I haven't heard enough of the Pixies' stuff to disagree with you, but I found the one song of theirs that is already in the game (Wave of Mutilation) to be rather boring.

qbix @ Jan 18th 2008 2:24PM

I actually agree with you. That wasn't the best choice in my opinion. Instead they should've included "Monkey Gone To Heaven", "Hey", "Debaser", "Gigantic", "Gouge Away", or "Into the White". Then again, it comes down to taste, but these songs would be fun to play IMO.

Jack @ Jan 18th 2008 4:17PM

Gigantic! Oh man what a great pick. I think that would be fun for all. Who doesn't want to sing along to that song? "Where is my mind" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven" would be cool too.

Crazy 88 @ Jan 18th 2008 1:08PM

I wish GH3 would have weekly song downloads. It would have been very nice. Maybe it is time to trade it in for Rock Band.

jsn @ Jan 18th 2008 6:17PM

time? Welcome to last year..

raptorspike @ Jan 18th 2008 1:20PM

Can we please get Rock Band on the Wii ASAP? I'll gladly drop the $170 for the big box. But I don't want to drop the $300-400 for a 360 (I refuse to ever buy a playstation)

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 18th 2008 2:33PM

You're missing out. And this is coming from an ardent member of the NDF.

Nate @ Jan 18th 2008 3:34PM

You can share the song downloads if you go PS3. I'm sharing with 3 other people, so each song only costs me 50 cents (for the $1.99 songs)

copa @ Jan 18th 2008 1:24PM

"This suggests that if there is a Rock Band sequel, we'll be able to tote our millions of downloads along for a second tour."

I'm sure Harmonix would love to see this, but this would be a licensing nightmare. It is very unlikely that Harmonix is licensed to re-use these songs for free in all of their future projects, and renegotiating these licenses will in many cases involve approaching each of the individual artists.

I think the best we can hope for is substantial patches to the existing Rock Band game, and waiting until holiday of 2009 for a true sequel.

As I mentioned elsewhere, the attach rate on these songs are insane. The NPD analysis says that one million units of Rock Band moved across all platforms in November and December. A chunk of those units went to PS2 owners who don't get DLC, and another chunk went to people who don't even play online.

This means your average online user bought 4-6 songs each. A lot of people were skeptical about the whole 'Rock Band as a music platform' thing, but these early numbers really seem to validate the strategy.

SID SPACE @ Jan 18th 2008 1:58PM

I was a little hesitant about DC before Rock Band (which is why I won't download extra Halo maps or UNO decks), but their excellent selection has changed my mind. I've downloaded 10 so far. It'll be up to 16 by the end of Jan.:)

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 18th 2008 2:49PM

Unless its already written into the previous contracts: Licensed songs will work with future RB games.

copa @ Jan 18th 2008 2:56PM

Crono, you're speaking a little bit outside of your expertise, here.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 18th 2008 3:35PM

I'm just saying its a possibility. If harmonix was serious about RB as a platform, they would have ensured to the best of their ability that all legal arrangements reflect that. After all, songs on CD play in all CD players. Why not song on Rock Band play on all Rockbands?

Wayne @ Jan 18th 2008 4:46PM

The Rock Band 1 songs will lack tracks for cowbell, flute, and keyboard that their Rock Bank 2 bretheren will contain.

Michael @ Jan 18th 2008 1:31PM

I would love to see some Incubus on Rock Band. I've bought about 6 songs. If there is a song I like I buy it. I rock it out with my wife with the PS3.

Ghen @ Jan 18th 2008 1:31PM

If you've ever made songs for the PC game frets on fire you know that guitar tracks can be completed to 100% perfection in 45 minutes by someone who knows what they're doing. So basically I say 1 song is 8 hours of work in Rock Band for 1 individual. Put 5 people on it and you can probably pump out a weeks worth of songs in a mediocre work day.

Now that's profit.

grapejoos @ Jan 18th 2008 1:35PM

Hopefully this massive gravy train will get bands like AC/DC and Led Zeppelin to consider opening up the vault. Those would be a sales bonanza. My personal wishlists are for a Broken Social Scene pack (dream on, I know...) and a Radiohead pack to add to the 2 songs they've released already. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think Paranoid Android would be fun as hell.

copa @ Jan 18th 2008 1:41PM

"If you've ever made songs for the PC game frets on fire you know that guitar tracks can be completed to 100% perfection in 45 minutes by someone who knows what they're doing."

That is so laughably wrong I don't know where to begin.

I will just say that they can achieve productions of scale on this, so you are correct that the DLC should be reasonably profitable for Harmonix.

Cesaria @ Jan 18th 2008 2:03PM

Yes, Paranoid Android would be amazing. Electioneering, There There, 2+2=5, Street Spirit, Just, and Bodysnatchers would also be awesome. Or they could just release full albums like Harmonix is promising. Although, Kid A and Amnesiac would be a little strange. Lol.

Andy @ Jan 18th 2008 2:42PM

Have you actually played RockBand? Each song has the singer, drummer, and guitar/bass players playing the song, with the song, accurately. Each song has to have the animations for the characters created.

jsn @ Jan 18th 2008 6:16PM

they've said it's about 30 days per song. With proper play testing I'd say that's probably accurate too.

sheppy2.0 @ Jan 18th 2008 6:55PM

Playtesting is the key part. Majority of people tend to agree, Rock band songs are wonderfully balanced no matter what difficulty you play. And there is a reason for that.

Harmonix as a company are comprised of absolute perfectionists. Evidence is only as far as seeing the difference between Guitar Hero II and III on the 360. You essentially have the difference of "We need this solo to just feel right on this song" and "Fucks sake, we're late. We gotta finish up Tony Hawk.... just put a cap on that song, we're done."

Bluesilo @ Jan 18th 2008 1:33PM

I've already bought like six songs and I can't wait for the Oasis pack next week!

flskdajfkl @ Jan 18th 2008 1:46PM

I'm extremely happy with how fast they are at pumping out DLC, and the variety in which they do! Once a week sure as hell beats "once in a few months" for GH. Rock Band wins.

Sam @ Jan 18th 2008 1:47PM

is there enough room on x360 hard drive for that many songs? i don't own rock band so i don't know how big each song is. (this is regarding the 20gb hd, not the 120)

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 18th 2008 2:36PM

They're about 6-12 meg a piece. Meaning 100 songs would take up .6-1.2 gig.

Plenty of space.

Rususeruru @ Jan 19th 2008 4:32AM

Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast was 30MB

greatslack @ Jan 18th 2008 2:05PM

I don't know how much innovation you could expect in Rock Band 2 if all the DLC worked with it. Perhaps they'll have a way to upgrade your old songs to include all the bells and whistles they're sure to add in Rock Band 2.

RPGJock @ Jan 18th 2008 2:06PM

I am black man who listen to Hip hop and Rap most of the time and even I love playing Rock Band. Its like a whole new world has open up to me. Bands I have never heard of before have been coming clear. I just wish they had some stuff from my man Prince or the 80's Micheal Jackson. Hell I like some stuff from Queen and Jimmy Hendrix also.

And the only reason Rock Band has jump ahead of GH3 at this point, is there is no guitar peripheral that you can buy separately. Once all those first and third party guitars and drums start coming out for Rock Band, the number will shoot up again....

Cesaria @ Jan 18th 2008 2:09PM

My personal wishlist for bands: Radiohead, The Cure, Pink Floyd, Modest Mouse, The White Stripes, and Wilco. Give me those, and I'll give you my money. Make it happen, Harmonix.

MasterInsan0 @ Jan 18th 2008 3:40PM

Pink Floyd. Yes. It must happen.

Raikage (Wii FC 5508 0487 4434 0992) @ Jan 18th 2008 4:37PM

MODEST MOUSE RIGHT MEOW!!!

KTHX

copa @ Jan 18th 2008 2:15PM

You lost me at Michael Jackson, but I am 100% with you on Prince. With his all-around musicianship, his songs that aren't too keyboard-heavy would be perfect for this game.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 18th 2008 2:41PM

Michaels Work has way to much synth to be rock band viable.

It'd be great for singstar though.

Yeef @ Jan 18th 2008 3:14PM

Actually, certain songs, like Beat It, could work pretty well. It's got a guitar solo and everything and I'm sure there are tons of people who would love to sing it. Sure the drums are and bass parts aren't that exciting, but it's certainly no worse than something like Roxanne or Attack.

As far as Hip Hop goes, I think it'd be harder to track down songs that could work well in Rock Band, but they are out there. Some stuff from The Roots or something like Blue Black Jack from Mos Def could work.

Lars @ Jan 22nd 2008 3:29PM

He said "80's Micheal Jackson". MJ had a lot of guitar-heavy stuff back then when his music was actually good.

Eric @ Jan 18th 2008 2:28PM

WILCO FUCK YES! That would be awesome. I have downloaded everysong they have released so far and have not been disappointed.

This game Needs, Queen, The cure, The Smiths, Johnny Cash, The beatles, Billy Idol, Bright Eyes, Elliott Smith, Heart, The Doors, Joy division..... fuck i could go on.

Cesaria @ Jan 18th 2008 2:40PM

I agree with everything on your list. I want the whole I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning album by Bright Eyes. Truly a masterpiece of our time. Not to mention no one would have a hard time singing like Oberst.

Eric @ Jan 18th 2008 3:21PM

Yes you have no idea how bad i want to have a electronic Duet with Emmylou Harris, on Landlocked Blues.

Dash @ Jan 18th 2008 2:28PM

Loving the game and the songs, only one thing missing:

More cowbell!!!

Andy @ Jan 18th 2008 2:38PM

Ummm... That song is on there...

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" – Blue Öyster Cult

Judd @ Jan 18th 2008 2:54PM

I'm almost wishing that they didn't mention Grateful Dead to begin with. Then the fact that I haven't any news about it in 4 1/2 months wouldn't be so bad.

I'm not even saying give me a release date. But Harmonix, could you please at least confirm that it's still in the works?

seamonkey420 @ Jan 18th 2008 2:54PM

yea.. maybe they could actually pay the royalties that activision wants so that us PS3 owners can use our damn GH3 gibson's in Rock Band!!!! not like they made a few bucks off of the DLC..

please?? yea.. we wish right..

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 18th 2008 3:37PM

Pay royalties for something they're not legally entitled to? F that.

rawkersparadise @ Jan 18th 2008 3:32PM

If there was one rap/rock song that I would love to see is cypress hills ROCK SUPERSTAR remix. check it out online, it rawks

rawkersparadise @ Jan 18th 2008 3:35PM

other one offs I wouldn't mind seeing is
lust for life - iggy pop i think
bad reputation - forget the artist

Eric @ Jan 18th 2008 3:36PM

Thin Lizzy

rawkersparadise @ Jan 18th 2008 3:44PM

whole albumes, some I wouldn't hesitate at all to buy right away.

pearl jam - ten
janes addiction- ritual de lo habitual
green day- american idiot
flaming lips - yoshimi album

by the way what do you think albums should cost? think it should be determined on the number of songs, or the length of the album as a whole? or should all albums cost around the same. I would pay 10 dollars for those albums easily . ( actually I won't tell them honestly how much I would pay cause I would pay a whole lot more to play drums in a janes addiction set.)