UPDATED:
Since I wrote this piece Harmonix, surely not in response to this piece though the timing was definitely appropriate, announced several exciting developments on the DLC front.  First off we have the unique marketing approach of Motley Crue who are releasing the first single from their upcoming album "Saint's of Los Angeles" to Rock Band - a full two month's before the album is scheduled to hit the shelves!

Add to this the first Album release - Judas Priest's 'Screaming for Vengeance' and you could safely say things seem to be cooking up a bit over at the Harmonix offices.  More albums are promised to be on the way including Nirvana's 'Nevermind' and The Cars eponymously titled debut album - now surely a classic.

That said - Motley Crue and Judas Priest are hardly mainstream - and this comes home when returning to play through prior Guitar Hero releases this weekend.  There's a lot of good mainstream material out there that has made it's way to Guitar Hero but not yet to Rock Band.  Message in a Bottle (The Police) for example graced the GH line-up quite some time ago but was only finally released to Rock Band last week.

OK - we get that these are two completely different games and teams.  And there are licensing issues to be resolved.  All we're hoping is that Harmonix will stay the course that was evident in it's eclectic release list and try to bring us a solid mix of mainstream tunes alongside the more niche metal and rock titles.

*****


After nearly a month of niche and lackluster Rock Band DLC offerings we’re left to wonder what the heck is going on at the Harmonix camp. Oh, ok, sure – Serge Tankian (System of a Down) is not exactly unknown, and yeah, Boston is surely a classic group (two of the six Boston songs on tap are worth the trouble)but if you look at the offerings on whole – I’m seeing a very disconcerting trend towards niche song titles that stray too far from the mainstream which is where, in my humble opinion, the Guitar Hero franchise went wrong as well.

The problem is not the niche songs in and of themselves but the simple fact that this early on in the game’s lifecycle we’re seeing too many at the expense of the mainstream song titles that would appeal to a much larger audience. This raises valid concern for the true measure of artist support that Harmonix and MTV are seeing for this title if the best we can do week to week is dredge up videogame theme songs and more Harmonix-employee band titles. Where is the U2, Level 42 (would be awesome for Bass players!), Guns & Roses or how about James Blunt, Snow Patrol, Cold Play or John Mayer?

There’s enough new material emerging on a monthly basis that when taken into context of the vast historical list of excellent mainstream tunes leaves us with no drought for excellent material to keep the game alive and rocking.

Further concern can be drawn from the hints that Harmonix is focusing more on Rock Band 2 than on the existing title itself. Internal rumors talk of staffing increases – some we know of first hand – to focus on avoiding the Sophomore Slump for Rock Band’s eventual successor. If this is indeed what is happening – that we’re ‘saving up songs for the next version’ then I can safely say that this is a very damaging and short-sighted approach to the opportunity this franchise represents. There’s enough material and opportunity out there to continue driving revenue from Rock Band while still having a vast library to draw from with the follow-up.

Where are more free downloads with your favorite magazine? Why aren’t bands offering free versions of their songs with an album or concert ticket purchase? How come we don’t get Hollow Man from R.E.M.s most excellent Accelerate album when we purchase a concert ticket? If these kinds of talks aren’t happening on a weekly/daily basis within the Harmonix/MTV camp – reaching out to artists to evangelize the platform – then we’re simply not taking full advantage of the opportunity that DLC and Rock Band present.

Come on Harmonix – let’s pick up the pace and get that store you just built lit up – and please don’t wait until Rock Band 2 to light up that Album icon!