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Harmonix Talks About Rock Band Albums

albumsrb.JPG You may have noticed that in the Music Store, coming with the Rock Band update later this week, is a reference to albums. In fact albums have their own selection (with a Coming Soon next to it) on the front page of the Music Store. But still no official word about when albums may be coming. What gives?

When we sat down with the game to check out the new menu at GDC we asked our Harmonix guide just that. He said that albums were a very important goal for the game and that Harmonix was in the "process of finalizing albums."

It sounded to me like one of the hang-ups might have been figuring out pricing and how to deal with people who have already bought chunks of albums through Harmonix created music packs. But it's definitely on it's way and soon. So take heart.

8:00 AM on Thu Mar 20 2008
By Brian Crecente
4,445 views
39 comments

Comments

  • Neat. Still not buying the game though. I'll let my friend drop 270 for the kit, plus 10 per song pack.

    It's no fun playing alone anyway. I'll console myself over them being better than me when I'm sitting lopsided due to my fat wallet. =3

  • I was promised The Who and I'm getting very impatient waiting for my Baba O'Riley. But I have full confidence Harmonix will deliver soon....I hope.

  • I can see how the fact people may have purchased parts of the albums already may be a problem. Maybe they could make it so the points those people spent on the individual songs allow them to adjust the price on a sliding scale. For example, if you brought 2-3 songs already you can deduct x amount of points from the price. And so on and so on.

  • Please give us Metallica's 'Black' album.

    Also, Setzer: you can play more than one instrument at a time. I use my headset to sing while playing either bass or guitar. It's more fun than you might think. And, the game is $240 bucks, which isn't that much in the grand scheme of things.

  • setzer its 170 for the pack and 5.50 for packs

  • Yeah, I really can't express how much fun it will be to play through a beloved album. It really fits the new way to experience music that Harmonix is going after.

  • Oh and yeah, Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted would make me wet myself in every wonderful way possible.

  • Image of ca$h ca$h at 08:38 AM on 03/20/08 *

    It's been half a year. The Who's Next full album was announced before the game. Get on it alreadys.

  • Just said it in the last thread, but I'm waiting patiently for Siamese Dream, Black Holes and Revelations, and Vulgar Display of Power.

    I will buy all of those the day of release.

    Probaby Nevermind, too.

  • so does this mean, that whenever the fateful day this game is released here in chippy ol' UK, we'll only have like a 3 month wait for a full album??

    /sarcasm

    i can see peoples aggitation for the album packs, but i'm more aggitated for the actual games release here!!

  • I haven't bought any songs for the game because of potential price savings to be had by purchasing an album.

  • Yeah I was thinking at least it may be sorted by the time we get the game here in Ireland (ETA: 17th March 2011). But then there will probably be copyright laws and such nonsense.

    It is a great idea though. Would really give you a different perspective on favourite albums. Does raise the question of what they could possibly do with a sequel though, 'cept add more instruments like keytars and the like. I suppose hat is Harmonix's problem though, and we should enjoy what they give us until then. If the game was actually released over here, that is.

  • @LaserJudas: I wish the game was only $169 like in the US. Once we get it here in Sweden it looks like it will cost SEK1999, which is about €199, or $310... I hope the rest of Europe won't be hit as hard.

  • @jimb213:

    Hell YEAH. I want Geek U.S.A. and Fucking Hostile, even though it will probably break my pedal again.

  • I hope they release the songs individually as well. I don't want the whole Whos Next album, I just want 2 tracks from it.

  • @jimb213:

    Wow have all those albums been mentioned as album releases before? Nice!

  • Give me Nirvana - Nevermind and I will be a happy gamer and rocker.

  • @y2julio: Yeah, I've been waiting on "Smells like Teen Spirit" since the first guitar hero.

  • @Ulquiorra: word. the only reason why I bought rock band was when I saw that they would release Nevermind as a full album download. Months later and I'm still waiting.

  • @Setzer IIDX: It's $170/$5 but who's counting?

    Still not excited about full albums. Like most people I'll probably just buy one or two songs.

    What I find most interesting is that people will dump on Guitar Hero for making an Aerosmith/U2/Beatles/etc version...but then are just as excited to plop down cash to pickup 12 or more tracks from one artist for RB.

    I'm trying to avoid DLC from band's already in the game because I like the variety. I don't want to turn RB into Guitar Hero: Nirvana... (Look at all the Police songs for example)

  • @Setzer IIDX: Yea, your pricing is way of there little buddy. I'd tell you to take math, but, we'll it's not a math problem it's an issue or knowing what you're talking about.

  • I would love to see Album releases soon! I can't see how they would release the Nirvana or The Who albums since one or more of the songs are already available from the start. I would love to see a Kittie album for sure, perhaps Spit or Until the End? Also, The Offspring - Greatest Hits. *drools* Hehe...;D

  • @rvcontre: No, they're not confirmed or even talked about by Harmonix, I'm just daydreaming and hoping that someone from Harmonix is reading this and gets some really good ideas for future album downloads...

  • If Weezer's "blue album" is available as a downloadable album, Rock Band will go from "favorite game of all time" to "favorite anything of all time." =w=

  • Still waiting for,
    "Out here in the fields!"

    Can't WAITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

    Also, where's my IKARUGA?

  • Speaking on behalf of the younger ones in my home...

    Rock Band needs some Hannah Montana Songs!
    And more pop/rock stuff...

    Also Drowning Pool - Bodies

    Some Evanescence songs...

    AND EAGLES - HOTEL CALIFORNIA!


  • Every bit of rock band news kills us Pal users a little more.

  • @TheApprentice: I hope you're joking about the latter stuff in your comment.

    Gotta say though we definitely need some more Creedence: Up Around The Bend, anyone?

  • Aside from songs that users may have already purchased, there are some other potential problems:

    -Songs that are already part of the game (non-DLC) like In Bloom and Won't Get Fooled Again. Will these be downloaded also? If not, will those songs be missing when you play the albums in Rock Band 2?

    -There is no way to PLAY an entire album yet, or to create any other sort of playlist (aside from an up to 4 song playlist in certain parts of the Band World Tour). I hope they patch it so people can create playlists, instead of just patching it so people can play whole albums.

  • The problem with a GH Aerosmith, vs full albums in Rock Band is that GH Aerosmith centering a game around one band. If Rock Band only released DLC from one or two bands, I would be mad. But so far they have a pretty big variety.

    Another thing is, Harmonix has never hinted at any albums after Nevermind and Who's Next. Sure they have said there will be full albums, leading us to believe there will be more than just those two, but so far there have been no news on other albums. My point is, do you really think they are planning on releasing albums that already have songs released? Albums seem to be a huge undertaking. I wouldn't expect more than 3-4 by the end of the year.

    @XbhaskarX: There has never been an indication of a Rock Band 2. In fact it seems HMX is set on not releasing one at all. As far as the playlists, where does anyone get the idea we will be able to play the songs together? It just never seemed like it was HMXs intention to let you play the album straight through, just to let you experience the songs.

  • @Word Man: Latter?!?! So you're a Hannah Montana man, eh?

  • @JerryJax: WHo cares, I want Nirvana!!!

  • @The Whaleman:

    Actually, I said it was $240 here in the US. But, your point remains the same: you guys get kind of boned.

  • I've been waiting for Who's Next for so long that I had given up hope. It's comforting to know that they haven't abandoned the downloadable albums, I hope we won't have to wait too long now.

  • @GOLD5: O.O Maybe, what of it? :P

  • It's totally unrealistic, but I sure would like to have Husker Du's Zen Arcade...

  • "Who's Next" was definitely one of the selling points of Rock Band for me, but I think we all need to go with Guns 'n' Roses' advice have a little payeeyatience (speaking of which, Guns 'n' Roses would be a great addition...even though Slash is basically owned by Guitar Hero now). The game really hasn't been out that long, and they've already released a crap ton of dlc. I doubt they're sitting in their office toying with us. Let's take a look at the big picture here.

    Nobody's done it yet on this message board, but my favorite are the people that make hollow threats like "They better release Who's Next soon or I'm going to..." do what? Seriously, you're just going to sit on your couch and bitch about it and then buy the album when they eventually release it anyway.

    I say we lobby harder of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles (no ignorant Beatles-bashing please...they're awesome and everyone knows it), and AC/DC, and some Queen (why not?) before we all start throwing our fantasy albums out there.

  • @TheApprentice: Frak that. Rock Band Needs Pink Floyd.

    I'd give organs (possibly even ones that actually belong to me), to get Pink Floyd in Rock Band, possibly even entire albums - though I could possibly see getting a double-charge for some albums, Ummagumma and The Wall, for instance (and those were 2-disc albums anyway). Failing this, then certain specific songs would be great (Shine on You crazy Diamond Pts I-VI, Money, Comfortably Numb, Learning To Fly, Take It Back).

  • I'm hoping we see some NIGHTWISH one of these days.

    Those songs can go over 10 minutes long and they're a blast, with a great singer and an altogether great band. We'll see.

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