Rock Band DLC tops 6M, in-game music store opens

[UPDATE] Free update adds streamlined venue for purchasing songs to XBL and PSN later this week; downloadable songs hit sextuple-platinum milestone.

When MTV Games and Harmonix turned the lights up on Rock Band in November, the game came packed in with 58 songs, the vast majority of which were master tracks from original artists. However, thanks to weekly additions of new tunes and track packs, Harmonix has more than doubled that initial offering, boasting a sizable repertoire of more than 125 tracks from acts from the early '60s all the way up to the modern day.

A look at the new storefront.

Fans of Harmonix's rhythm rocker have responded in kind; the game's publisher announced today that Rock Band's downloadable content has gone six times platinum, with more than 6 million songs having been purchased over Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. Although not altogether surprising, the feat is impressive, considering the cumbersome out-of-game interface that players must grapple with to access the optional content.

Luckily, years of rock overload haven't left Harmonix with deaf ears, and MTV Games revealed today that the long-clamored-for in-game music store would finally open for business for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game later this week. The Rock Band Music Store will be added to the game via a free downloadable update, and promises a more streamlined venue for previewing and purchasing individual songs and full track packs.

Available tracks can be sorted and previewed.

Once downloaded, the Music Store will be accessible through the game's main menu, and virtual rockers will be able to sort downloadable tracks by artist, title, genre, album, or pack. The store also features album art, as well as a brief audio preview of the song and a detailed breakdown of the difficulty of each tune by instrument. A complete list of all downloadable songs to date is available on Rock Band's official Web site.

[UPDATE] In a post to Harmonix's Web site for Rock Band, senior designer Dan Teasdale laid out a variety of other game tweaks and updates that will be included in the free update later this week. Rockers who take their toy guitars on the road in Band World Tour mode will now have access to more fans and transatlantic venues at easier difficulties. Harmonix has also ironed out a bug in this mode that was limiting song selection, as well as improved phoneme hit detection in certain tracks. The update also includes console specific tweaks, with the PS3 edition's microphone latency being improved and band logos now being visible through Xbox Live. Harmonix also promises that both editions will benefit from improved loading times of downloaded tracks.

85 Comments

  • threedown

    Posted Mar 26, 2008 10:16 am PT

    this update is more than i would have ever expected from any company. and it didnt cost anything, i just started my game up and it automatically updated it. i dont mind forking out 5-10 bucks a week either for new songs, its not that much money compared with the amount of entertainment i get from it

  • BringTheBlood

    Posted Mar 24, 2008 9:46 am PT

    niiiiiiiiiiice! this is exciting, i need new stuff to play. great update, gotta love the good news.

  • zyxomma100

    Posted Mar 24, 2008 9:23 am PT

    Dang. Nice update. I think I might pick up this game tonight... I've been on the fence about this for some time now.

  • David_Kniffin

    Posted Mar 24, 2008 7:15 am PT

    Wow, this is one sweet update! I wish Guitar Hero III had support like this.

  • cheesemonkey199

    Posted Mar 24, 2008 2:25 am PT

    argh!!! when are they gonna bloody release it in the UK

  • BrushedMetal

    Posted Mar 23, 2008 10:56 pm PT

    i should say mist people were affected, not all

    articles about the outage on engadget: http://www.engadget.com/search/?q=Xbox+Live+outage

  • BrushedMetal

    Posted Mar 23, 2008 10:27 pm PT

    how about some Linkin Park? there old stuff would be great on this game like Hybrid Theory and Meteora. sure there is a little rap but it goes awesomely well with the music

  • MCRFan2708

    Posted Mar 23, 2008 1:36 pm PT

    Need to get MCR in the store

  • sniper_basic

    Posted Mar 23, 2008 5:45 am PT

    I absolutely love the store. It's so easy to preview the tracks and browse. It's just so much better than using the XBL store.

  • djstyles92

    Posted Mar 22, 2008 7:36 pm PT

    i want AC/DC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and maybe billy talent =P

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Mar 22, 2008 12:56 pm PT

    great game

  • mhfurniture

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 9:33 pm PT

    please put the album Elect The Dead by Serj Tankian on the music store. please

  • mhfurniture

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 9:29 pm PT

    if they add some more of Serj Tankian's songs, that'll be amazing. i bought his song called Beethoven's C*** and it rocks. in case you didn't know, he's is the lead singer of the band called system of a down. i'm his biggest fan and he rocks!!

  • NanoElite666

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 8:25 pm PT

    This game's finally getting some more metal. Scanning the list of currently available tracks, I see "Shockwave" by Black Tide, "D.O.A." by The Haunted, and "Thrasher" by Evile. That's some good metal stuff right there.

    Now, if only they got ahold of Evile's "Armored Assault"... Oh man, that would kick sooooooo much ass.

  • Timstuff

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 7:46 pm PT

    Awesome news! You won't be seeing THIS kind of support from Guitar Hero. Cractivision would rather just sell you a new game.

  • Watch_Me_Xplode

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 4:32 pm PT

    HELL YEAH!!! Harmonix truly loves the fans. They keep giving and giving.

  • jd7-03

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 1:01 pm PT

    AWESOME!!!! I LOVE ROCK BAND!!!

  • hovanPS3

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 11:59 am PT

    Guitar Hero WHAT???
    Rock Band is where it's at !!!

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 10:06 am PT

    Geez louiez you guys will buy any crap song they put out there. Only about half the DL songs are actually worth purchasing. "Roam", "The Grateful Dead" songs no ones heard of?? Please

  • ChickenHounk911

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 9:41 am PT

    Im glad to see all this DLC stuff, yes even though we have to pay for it, but C'mon someone is working on this stuff, they need to get paid. I just want the full ablum downloads already, can you say Nirvana's "Nevermind"..oooohohhhhh!

  • snarple_basic

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 8:12 am PT

    jawshoeuh you just have to make something everyone will get addicted to, and release a ton of little over priced extra's that people will feel they need.

  • jawshoeuh

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 7:25 am PT

    dlc- the cash cow of the future. how do i get in on this?

  • Brainy142

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 7:21 am PT

    Nice

  • NeleNel

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 6:22 am PT

    I like this new storefront. Rock Band is opening up my musical knowledge, and a lot of the DLC i've never heard before.

  • brutalbrian

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 1:31 am PT

    Can we hurry up and get this update on the 360?

  • ghost867

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 9:38 pm PT

    Well sure is nice of them. Glad to see they're supporting the game with more then, IMO, overpriced DLC. Personally, I find the DLC to be too expensive for what it actually is, but again, that's just my opinion. When I compare it to the other legal methods of purchasing music, what you get for the game doesn't really compare for me. And since I'm a fan of Rock Band, but not a huge fan, personally the DLC doesn't interest me at all.

    I like that they're adding an in game store though, it's definitely a smart idea. I'm glad they're updating Band World Tour, because it seriously needed an update. I can't play drums on Expert, and the fact that I need to at all, let alone this early one is ridiculous. I would like to see them patch it so that you don't have to play at higher difficulties, it just helps you move things along easier. Since the Band World Tour system as a whole is very flawed. Plus no online play, which is a huge let down. That I would like to see incorporated some how. The other bug fixes and tweaks are also a plus.

    Though the second they come out with a good wireless guitar, I'll drop $60 and buy it. Though until then, I'm sticking with my Gibson. On the Fender, I like having the Select/Back button close to my pinky, so I can go into Star Power/Overdrive easier. I also like the length of the Fender, and the braille like dots on the buttons. But I really hate that crappy strum bar, which is their way of trying to force people to strum up and down, and try and make Bass play differently, and I hate the whammy, which is God awful. Plus it's not wireless. So when I'm out, I prefer to use the Gibson from GH3. I'm waiting Harmonix....

  • lewser5

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 7:05 pm PT

    Finally i can preview the tracks and get the tweaks i need in the game. Thanks Harmonix, now how about getting a better strummer for that guitar.

  • Krazy-K

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 6:09 pm PT

    Now this is what you call DLC!!! I can't wait for so more songs to come out!

  • ALLoY1717

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 5:52 pm PT

    OK I think I can speak for everyone when I say that this update better come with a hell of a lot of new tracks including some Green Day, finally.........

  • solideagle13

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 5:51 pm PT

    Harmonix=Happy

  • meluvulongtime8

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 5:25 pm PT

    Keep up the good work Harmonix!!!

  • drank53

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 5:24 pm PT

    First they release The Haunted and At the Gates songs DLC and now this? Harmonix Rules.

  • Livebythesword

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 5:10 pm PT

    This is pretty sick... maybe I should get some cash together for this one... Come on IRS refund get here quicker... haha. In the mean time a tip of my hat to Harmonix... as Colbert would say

  • Jedi_Osborn

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 5:08 pm PT

    Rock band is awesome!!!!

  • mikefat

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 5:02 pm PT

    They should be putting out 10-20 songs a week. They'd sell...I'd buy them if they don't suck. ROCK BAND FTW!

  • resident_rozza

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 4:48 pm PT

    can we have it for Europe now please?

  • XY12Burnz

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 4:23 pm PT

    Sounds like a great download. Can't wait to get it.

  • Lucidmike78

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 4:08 pm PT

    6M is an amazing number considering they haven't even begun to scratch the surface on songs I would like to buy.

  • Somini posted Mar 20, 2008 4:04 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Somini

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 4:04 pm PT (hide)

    Great, for those who likes these kind of games, but I'll never buy a game which forces me to buy peripherals. especially not one who forces me to buy add-ons every week, which will force me into bankrupcy within half a year.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 4:01 pm PT

    Sounds like a great update.

  • Dark_Dude_98

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:55 pm PT

    I wish they'd spend their time releasing it in Europe instead of improving it over there.

    That's not to say that I'm ungrateful for the updates, in fact I'm glad they're doing them so you Americans can enjoy the game better. I just wish they'd atleast release a date for the release of the game here in Europe, or give us a quarter atleast! Come on Harmonix!

  • Batalskar

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    Not to steal the first line of Starcraft II but.....Hell, its about time.

  • franky111

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:23 pm PT

    yay music

  • dracula_16

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:23 pm PT

    Awesome. Previews of songs will lead to more sales for them, and more money for them means more songs for us. Everyone's happy.

  • Jab7604

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:17 pm PT

    I guess its time for me to penny out the dough and grab Rock Band.

  • LittleTauren

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:14 pm PT

    YEEEEEEEEEEES! I actually live in Switzerland and the Xbox Live I have to connect to is the German one....great...just great.
    But hopefully now I can get some DLC before Summer!

  • Agreb91

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 3:04 pm PT

    Rock Band is just getting better and better.

  • chibi-acer

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 2:41 pm PT

    Awesome improvements! My biggest problem with buying new songs is that I'm not a big music geek, and don't know most songs/bands by name. The preview function will save me a lot of time, since I've been resorting to Youtube for all my previews.

  • BrushedMetal

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 2:34 pm PT

    YES! after i grab the new Halo 3 map pack i'm getting more points for more songs

  • kenshinhimura16

    Posted Mar 20, 2008 2:33 pm PT

    I only need to know If I can use a regular CC to buy the songs now, or if I have to go trough the PSN user as normally.

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Tags

harmonix

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!

Related Game

Rock Band Boxshot
Rock Band

Game Stats

  • Rank:
    312 of 59,115
    (up by 15)
    X360 Rank:
    76 of 1,490
    Tracking:
    6,734 Track It»
    Wishlists:
    3,248 Wish It»
  • Users Now Playing:
    3,215
  • Number of Players:

    1-4, 4 Online Online Modes: Competitive

  • Top 5 User Tags:
    1. rock
    2. music
    3. drums
    4. band
    5. guitar
  • Teen Rating Description

    Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language. Learn more

Full Game Details »Close
Also on

Recent News

See All News »

Site Blogs