If only Activision got better songs...

Sounds like a good way to encourage record labels to get their music on Rock Band instead.

@Danarcho:
you speak the truth

So if they do what's implied, more popular artists can just pay to have their song featured, and smaller artists may not get featured? This is not good at all.
By the way: Greedo shot first.

Guitar Hero is basically dead in the water to me. Aerosmith version is not going to bring me back around anytime soon. Guitar Hero is to Galaga what Rock Band is to R-type imho.

Since when did Activision become the next Romantics?...........oh yeah.......

@Erwin: No...they're saying that an artist that IS featured, if they start making money from GH, then they'd want a cut of it.

Harmonix shouldn't have sold Guitar Hero, and just made Rock Band.

Sure they wouldn't have gotten the millions for selling the franchise, but they'd be rolling in tons more dough from Rock Band sales, have all the rhythm gaming attention still, have all the hookups in the music industry, and the bastardized Guitar Hero (who's primary goal is to make tons of money) that we have now wouldn't exist.

Oh, and Harmonix would be getting the attention they deserve. I hate having to explain to people why Rock Band isn't a rip-off of Guitar Hero.

Guitar Hero blows ass. I enjoyed the second (the first had too many lame covers), but the third was just crap. All of the real talent on Guitar Hero left with Harmonix. Guitar Hero/Activision now just represents corporate bloat and marketing muscle.

Heh, aren't these the same labels that are losing "millions and millions" in sales supposedly because of pirates? I'm sure they'll be all over giving Activision money...:roll:

Note that as far as I'm concerned the labels can burn, so this is funny to me ;)

@Luke Plunkett: Sorry, tired. Brain doesn't not work.

@Mit:
It's almost painful that people actually think Guitar Hero III came from the guys who made I and II. I have to explain it at least two times a day to morons at my store, and half the time they just stare at me with a "duh" stare and still buy GH3. Every time I successfully upsell someone from GH3 to Rock Band, my coworkers and I cheer. It's just too bad GameStop corporate doesn't like it when I make signs to tell the truth to the customers...

I once got yelled at for making a "Display Only, Sold Out!" box for our massive storefront Wii display, since it was drawing countless people into the store who would just leave disappointed when they found out we didn't have any Wiis.

@Erwin: Solo shot first, and Lucas has been a crazy old coot for decades now. His "reimaginings" are to be disregarded.

Duh'...

I don't remember Die Fantastischen Vier being number 1 on iTunes.

This is the stupidest thing ever. Guitar Hero is already making money off of the artists in the form of game sales. There are definitely people who buy the games cause they see some great songs on the list and want to pick it up. It's a mutual relationship that balances each other out, and now Activision, slowly becoming worse and worse than EA, want to cash in more on something they don't deserve.

Guitar Hero is dead. Everything Activision touches turns to poop. Unless they make an Esteban version, Guitar Hero is dead.

Activision and the music labels deserve each other. Screw them both.

@idkmybffgreg: Meanwhile, EA seems to be trying to right their ship in a lot of ways...

I'm gonna lift my personal boycott on EA and re-evaluate my subsequent Activision purchasing decisions.

Uh oh. Radiohead isn't gonna like this ...

Lego Han Solo shot first. So there.

With the music industry vomiting money like it is video games are probably their best bet for getting profits.

please please do this, I want to see labels throwing themselves at Harmonix.

@Len Bias Cocaine Surplus: "Kotick claims that, shortly after the game's release, "every single artist" who appears in Guitar Hero III saw their featured tracks become their most-downloaded on iTunes."

THEIR most-downloaded song. Not the overall #1.

So if Activision is gonna start making money off the bands in the game now in addition to the customers buying the game you'd expect them to pass along the savings to us and price their games and DLC a lot cheaper right?

HAHA yeah right!! They will continue to whore out their product in any way possible. Cramming in as much product placement as they can, charging as much for DLC as the customers will stand, making as many GH branded products as possible, producing hardware with built-in flaws that will inevitably break (detachable neck contacts) that force consumers to buy new overpriced guitars (that will purposly block compatability for other games anyway)
After being a die hard Guitar Hero fanboy for years, I have turned my back on that brand forever and devoted myself to the good folks at Harmonix.
Rock Band FTW

Too bad the entire tracklist of Rock Band has been decided and in the bag for a while now according to that increasingly correct leaked data file. I'm just pissed that they obviously have all those songs and will be releasing 3 a week for as long as possible to milk consumers.

So yeah Activision probably does have room to play if they haven't written off all their content yet.

This is such bullshit on so many different levels. And the sad thing is, no one that's responsible for the content will see any of this money. The devs probably won't see a dime from this financial finagling, and the musicians--as always--will be screwed. Another case of the suits trying to stuff their pockets at the expense of those responsible for the actual product. Disgusting.

Then again, I'd probably be more pissed if Guitar Hero 3's soundtrack wasn't mostly composed of folks who make a pretty decent living from music. But still--principles, and all that.

For that to work, wouldn't they have to, you know, sell dlc?

You're mad that Rock Band releases 3 songs a week? It keeps interest in the game high and hurts nobody. Guitar Hero 3 releases what, three songs a month?

As if artists on major labels aren't getting screwed enough as it is. Way to go Activision. Try and steal even more money from the lowest paid people in all of the entertainment business.

And really... it's not as though people hyped the games via posting the song lists long before launch - you know, so that people could see if music they know and like already is in the mix to make the GAME worth buying.

Thankfully Activision has absolutely no way of documenting a direct link to a song played by Player X on their games leading to an actual iTunes sale. Otherwise if this goes through, you can bet your ass that a LOT of bands will refuse to include their music in future releases. Just look at bands like NIN or Radiohead, who've opted to not work with major labels anymore due to the financial rape that occurs - I can all but guarantee that if Activision started asking NIN to pay them for being DLC for their game, Trent Reznor would tell them to shove it up their ass.

@Mit: Rock Band IMO is not as fun as Guitar Hero.. I hate the look of the note chart + the note charts are easier.. so yeah Rock Band is not a rip off of guitar hero because it sucks unless you're playing with friends.. as a single player game it blows.

@eastx:
"You're mad that Rock Band releases 3 songs a week? It keeps interest in the game high and hurts nobody. Guitar Hero 3 releases what, three songs a month?"

Try 3 songs every 6 months if that... sigh and their over priced =(

So, in exchange for using a band's song as a part of a money-making franchise with a large enough fanbase to run consistently into the black, Activision wants a cut of money that the band and label potentially make off of record and tour sales related to the song's inclusion in the game, as well as tour-based advertising?

hmmmm.

@Archaotic: Pretentious assholes like you are the reason why I don't go to gamestop. Are we supposed to feel sorry for you? God forbid you actually DO your job by explaining that they aren't made by the same companies. Twice a day, must be brutal *rolls eyes*

@BornToFlail: Do you expect them to hand them out for free? We all wish they would but we know that won't happen, idealistic much? They've been fair with their prices, and are keeping a steady stream of songs going, there is nothing wrong with that.