Rock Band content priced

By Robert Purchese Published 15 November, 2007

Dated and detailed, too.

Harmonix, EA and MTV have finally told us how much it will cost to download extra music for Rock Band, and isn't an arm and a leg.

According to GameSpot, all we will be shelling out for three-pack bundles is 440 Points (GBP 3.74 / EUR 5.12), while individual tracks will set us back between 80 (GBP 0.68 / EUR 0.93) and 240 Points (GBP 2.04 / EUR 2.79). Unfortunately nothing has been decided for full albums - although we expect something like 1200 Points as the asking price (GBP 10.20 / EUR 13.96).

Developer Harmonix also rolled out is content plan for the weeks following US launch on 20th November

Week of November 20, 2007: (* - asterisk denotes a cover version)

Metallica Pack

  • "Ride the Lightning" - Metallica
  • "Blackened" - Metallica
  • "And Justice for All" - Metallica

The Police Pack

  • "Can't Stand Losing You" - The Police
  • "Synchronicity II" - The Police
  • "Roxanne" - The Police

Queens of the Stone Age Pack

  • "3's and 7's" - Queens of the Stone Age
  • "Little Sister" - Queens of the Stone Age
  • "Sick Sick Sick" - Queens of the Stone Age

Individual Tracks

  • "Fortunate Son" as made famous by Creedence Clearwater Revival *
  • "Juke Box Hero" as made famous by Foreigner *
  • "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" as made famous by T-Rex *
  • "My Sharona" as made famous by The Knack *
  • "Cherry Bomb" as made famous by The Runaways *
  • "Joker & The Thief" - Wolfmother

Week of November 27, 2007

David Bowie Pack

  • "Moonage Daydream" - David Bowie
  • "Heroes" as made famous by David Bowie &
  • "Queen Bitch" as made famous by David Bowie &

Week of December 4, 2007

Black Sabbath Pack

  • "N.I.B." as made famous by Black Sabbath *
  • "Sweet Leaf" as made famous by Black Sabbath *
  • "War Pigs" as made famous by Black Sabbath *

Week of December 11, 2007

Punk Pack:

  • "Rockaway Beach" - Ramones
  • "I Fought the Law" - The Clash
  • "Ever Fallen In Love" as made famous by Buzzcocks *

Week of December 18, 2007

Individual Tracks

  • "My Iron Lung" - Radiohead
  • "Buddy Holly" - Weezer
  • "Brass in Pocket" as made famous by Pretenders *

Rock Band is due out in the US on 20th November, and in early 2008 in Europe.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (21) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Killerbee #1 4 years ago

    tracks will set us back between 80 (GBP 0.68 / EUR 0.93) and 240 Points (GBP 2.04 / EUR 2.79).

    Why the disparity? Is it 68p for rubbish ones and £2.04 for the good stuff? Or is it based on song length?

    TBH, I think Sony got it right with their Singstar pricing - 99p flat rate. That's all it needed.
    Edited by 1 at 15/11/07 @ 10:39

  • AcidSnake #2 4 years ago

    Blackened!

    Sounds great...GH watch out!

  • Der_tolle_Emil #3 4 years ago

    The range of the prices of single songs is a bit questionable but I find the pricing generally quite acceptable and it looks like there will be a lot of DLC.

  • homerramone #4 4 years ago

    10 quid for the full album. Bit steep considering you can actually buy the real album for almost 1/2 that in some cases !

  • jaxon58 #5 4 years ago

    Have they annouced the cost of the actual game/kit yet? If not, I find it strange that they've decided on the DLC before the cost of the game.

  • rhubarbandcustard #6 4 years ago

    I no longer watch live football, I instead play fifa
    I no longer watch live motorbike racing, i instead play motogp
    I no longer watch top gear/ fifth gear, i instead play pgr and forza

    I predict:
    I no longer listen to music, I instead play Rock Band and Guitar Hero
    Am I alone?

  • Triggerhappytel #7 4 years ago

    This sounds a little needlessly over-complicated.

    I agree with Killerbee; SingStar's flat 99 pence per track is the way forward.

  • Stu #8 4 years ago

    "Have they annouced the cost of the actual game/kit yet? If not, I find it strange that they've decided on the DLC before the cost of the game."

    Ditto.

  • barnard666 #9 4 years ago

    it seemes expensive to me, I buy all my music and dont download anything, however I am buying a CD that will last me for many years, I dont think that music that is only part of a game should cost the same.

    it seems odd that they arent just doing the whole thing on a per track basis seeing as you dont get any saving for buying a "pack"

  • thefinn #10 4 years ago

    "Have they annouced the cost of the actual game/kit yet? If not, I find it strange that they've decided on the DLC before the cost of the game."

    Well, considering the game is out in the US on Monday, they probably have decided on a price point over there, even if no price is known for the European version.

  • sickpuppysoftware #11 4 years ago

    I'd imagine the cheaper prices are for the "as made famous by" tracks with the more expensive prices for the original versions.

  • sanctusmortis #12 4 years ago

    Bear in mind also very little work goes into making a song suitable for Singstar - there are programmes that can work out keys and pitch for singing, and as such they're much easier to do. In Rock Band, they have to sort it into 4 streams, then decode them into the data they need, and then set up the difficulties. Not nearly as easy, hence the cost.

  • shido #13 4 years ago

    Oh yes. Metallica. Yes. Yes.

  • Fyzzu #14 4 years ago

    "Have they annouced the cost of the actual game/kit yet? If not, I find it strange that they've decided on the DLC before the cost of the game."

    In the US, yes. Over here, no. I would assume that these are the US points prices, and the amount in GBP/Euro is simply the amount those point would cost over here. I doubt there'll be any discrepancy in points pricing though.

  • erp #15 4 years ago

    ouch.

  • WinstonChurchill #16 4 years ago

    "it seemes expensive to me, I buy all my music and dont download anything, however I am buying a CD that will last me for many years, I dont think that music that is only part of a game should cost the same. "

    The programmers have to put 16 different sets of note placings for each song, as well as do equivalent 3D model movement syncronisation.

    This is slightly more complex than merely listening to something.

  • paulf #17 4 years ago

    record companies have been looking for new ways to make money, and this looks like a good one. Only a matter of time before you see an album released with rockband/ GH/ songstar gameplay included. Then MTV will have a video channel that you can play along to

  • kangarootoo #18 4 years ago

    Seems to me that the varying prices is simply a result of varying license fees. If anything, the savings on the cheaper tracks are being passed on to gamers.


    "I dont think that music that is only part of a game should cost the same."

    I quite agree. In the game, not only do you have the license cost of the track, but you also have the manhours it takes to add gameplay, carried out by an individual whose wages need paying. So I would expect the game version to cost more :)

  • Kazzahdrane #19 4 years ago

    I've said all along that whether or not I get this game depends on the DLC and its pricing. A couple of albums by bands I really like would swing Rock Band from "looks good" to "must have". May mean I'm easily pleased but can't beat playing/drumming/singing along to your favourite songs!

  • NewYork #20 4 years ago

    Cheaper than Singstar. Plus instruments.


    RAWK.

  • NBAoz #21 4 years ago

    I hope that they have plans to release songs and albums of the Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers.