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Report: MTV Games, WMG enter licensing stalemate

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Mar 4, 2009 1:04 pm PT

The Hollywood Reporter says Rock Band publisher and record label have reached deadlock over usage fees, may delay new content.

Warner Music Group is one of the largest record labels in the world, but it may be some time before any more of its artists appear in MTV Games' Rock Band franchise. Following on from disgruntled comments made by WMG CEO Edgar Bronfman in August, Wired reported last month that MTV Games is now "boycotting" the label in response to the company's demand for increased licensing fees.

As it turns out, Wired's characterization isn't the only spin on the situation. Speaking with sources at both WMG and MTV Games this week, The Hollywood Reporter reports that the disagreement is better termed as a "stalemate." According to the news trade, MTV at some point put in a request to WMG for a number of new licenses, but, in line with Bronfman's stance, the record label returned a counteroffer that the Rock Band publisher was not amenable to. Therefore, MTV Games is holding off on further license requests until an arrangement with WMG can be settled on.

As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, a number of WMG artists have had their tunes released as part of developer Harmonix's weekly releases of new playable songs through Rock Band and its sequel this year, including the Grateful Dead and the Pretenders. Others, such as Jane's Addiction and its Nothing's Shocking album, are still planned for release later this year.

However, the licensing agreements for the aforementioned WMG artists were reportedly arrived at before the record label changed its stance on the issue. As a result of the dispute, The Hollywood Reporter claims MTV Games will run out of new WMG music by early summer, and it may take up to five months after a resolution has been agreed on before the label's artists once again begin appearing in the game.

39 Comments

  • jjdomo

    Posted Mar 9, 2009 10:52 am PT

    @barilli71 . . . Ten comes out the week of March 24th. I'm so amped for it!

  • senorbusyman

    Posted Mar 7, 2009 8:22 pm PT

    at least WB should help out by releasing new tracks like the Metallica Track Pack 02 or an Aerosmith Track Pack!!!

  • raiding_kvatch

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 3:31 pm PT

    Warner should realise that A Rock Band = $£$£$£$ and B Rock Band creates huge publicity for a band, look at what Guitar Hero did for Dragonforce

  • barilli71

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 10:38 am PT

    Hopefully they don't revert back to releasing cover versions of songs.
    BTW - when is the Pearl Jam-Ten album suppose to be out?

  • shady_825

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 10:33 am PT

    So let me get this straight: Warner doesn't like money?

  • Autolycus

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 10:27 am PT

    greed sucks, now you wont have any body to feed your endless need for more... Good job forgetting where the real power lies... in the people.

  • bassmaniac20005

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 6:51 am PT

    As long as the music of U2, Led Zeppelin, Bloc Party, The Cure, and The Allman Brothers Band aren't owned by a company under WMG, I could care less.

  • Hedfix

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 6:37 am PT

    Well I guess if you don't like it then you can boycott WB products until it's resolved.

  • David_Kniffin

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 5:36 am PT

    amkalfus, games are about money too... in case you never noticed.

  • lukefartedagain

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 5:20 am PT

    @mikefat I have long wanted to play Story of the Year (now signed to Epitath).

  • solidusScott

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 4:53 am PT

    I wonder how much of all these licensing fees go to the actual artists.

  • method115

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 4:43 am PT

    @carpe_Noctum Dude get serious I'm so tired of internet keyboard warriors claiming to know business tactics better then the company that owns it. Unless you own a company as large as Warner please sit down and hope for the best. Whatever you do, don't try to convince us that you know how to run Warner better then they do.

  • justinrscott

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 3:04 am PT

    http://investors.wmg.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=182480&p=irol-infoReq

    You can light up WMGs website at the above link. Let them know how you feel!

  • Carpe_Noctum

    Posted Mar 5, 2009 12:02 am PT

    The rich never have enough money and are never happy. This is why I give no money to these companies. There is PLENTY of music out there for MTV Games to use without catering to Warner. Warner must not realise that they will be hurting their own bottom line in the end as the Rock Band games get their music out there and it generates interest which in turn sells music.What knuckleheads.

  • gp3tron

    Posted Mar 4, 2009 9:44 pm PT

    frack WMG.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Mar 4, 2009 7:41 pm PT

    There goes are good music

  • Vash67

    Posted Mar 4, 2009 6:13 pm PT

    First Youtube, and now Rock Band? Warner Music thinks way too highly of themselves. I hope MTV and Harmonix don't give into their demands. Both Youtube and Rock Band/Guitar Hero have greatly helped expand musical boundaries and if WMG thinks that being part of it all isn't worth it, let them go. When they finally notice the hit they'll be taking in their wallets, they'll be dying to make any deal offered to them.

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Mar 4, 2009 5:13 pm PT

    I just want the music already!

  • gnbfd

    Posted Mar 4, 2009 5:06 pm PT

    @mikefat

    DUDE!
    Metallica, Hendrix, Van Halen, Alice Cooper, Megadeth, ACDC, A7X, Disturbed, and the Chili Peppers are on WMG.

  • mikefat

    Posted Mar 4, 2009 4:55 pm PT

    Maybe now MTV and rock band will go to some good music companies like Epitath and Victory to get some good music instead of junk like the pretenders or greatful dead. How about some freaking music that people who actually play your games listen to ftw!

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