Harmonix and MTV Games have announced that the entirety of Pearl Jam's new album Backspacer will be added to the Rock Band Music Store of Downloadable Content (DLC) for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii this week. The album hits shelves today, September 20th 2009, and will also be added to the Rock Band Music Store for Xbox 360 today, for Wii on September 22nd, and for PlayStation 3 on September 24th. Additional tracks from Megadeth and The Fratellis will be available for download next week for Rock Band Unplugged on PlayStation Portable (PSP).
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411mania talks about this week's game releases. Highlights include Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days, Raiden IV, and The Beatles: Rock Band.
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Mad Catz has revealed a new officially licensed Rock Band peripheral, the Electro-Harmonix Overdrive Pedal for Rock Band 2 Guitar Controllers. Set to arrive in Europe in late September, Rock Band and The Beatles: Rock Band players will never miss a beat with this durable accessory fro PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.
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Harmonix and MTV Games have announced that two three-packs of songs from bands appearing at the Penny Arcade Expo this weekend will be available for download in the Rock Band Music Store of Downloadable Content (DLC) next week for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. The packs feature Jonathan Coulton, MC Frontalot, Paul & Storm and Freezepop.
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IncGamers reports that next week's Rock Band update will see tracks from Freezepop, Jonathan Coulton, MC Frontalot, Paul & Storm, 3 Doors Down, AFI, Audioslave, and Jackson 5, in addition to a smattering of other tracks on Wii and PSP.
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Harmonix and MTV Games have announced that a five pack of songs from new wave rockers Talking Heads, as well as singles from Avenged Sevenfold, The Jam, Oasis and Rage Against the Machine will be available in the Rock Band Music Store of Downloadable Content (DLC) next week for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
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Music artist who criticise Rock Band and other music games of distracting kids from playing real instruments are taking "a narrow perspective of things", says Harmonix's John Drake.

"I think they're missing the point. I think that they don't understand why it's a phenomenon," Drake told CVG. "From my perspective, anything that gets kids interested in music and gets kids playing music in their house that isn't an MP3 they stole off the internet, is a good thing.
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The GameSoundCon conference is partnering with Rock Band developer Harmonix to add sessions to its novice-focused September L.A. event for those who want to create and publish music on the user-supported Rock Band Network.

Announced in July this year, Rock Band Network allows musicians to upload their own songs to the service, making their work accessible to Rock Band players as paid downloads.

But it's not just a matter of recording a piece and clicking "upload." Tracks must be mixed according to certain Harmonix specifications, outfitted with MIDI gameplay information, then peer reviewed before being put up for sale on the Network's store. As with Xbox Live Indie Games (formerly Xbox Live Community Games), authors will be paid royalties on a quarterly basis.
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Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that singles from Fleetwood Mac, Billy Idol, Jet and, making his Rock Band debut, Tom Petty will be available in the Rock Band Music Store of Downloadable Content (DLC) next week for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3).
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BeefJack writes: This week sees a quiet release of songs for all 3 ofof the major music games. Available on August 25th for Rock Band:"

Available as a single.

Billy Idol
Mony Mony
Rebel Yell

Fleetwood Mac
Don't Stop
World Turning
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Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that singles from Fleetwood Mac, Billy Idol, Jet and, making his Rock Band debut, Tom Petty will be available in the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content next week for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.
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Speaking at Gamescom 2009, Alex Rigopulos, CEO and co-founder of Harmonix, the world's leading developer of music-based games and a part of Viacom's MTV Networks, today confirmed release details for the three Beatles albums that will be available for purchase as downloadable content in The Beatles: Rock Band Music Store by the end of this year. Abbey Road will be released on October 20, 2009, followed by the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in November and Rubber Soul in December.

Additionally, Rigopulos revealed that tracks from Queen, Nirvana, Tom Petty, Elton John, Iggy Pop, The White Stripes, Pantera, Talking Heads, Korn, The Raconteurs and more will be among the artists coming to the various offerings across the Rock Band platform.
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At gamescom today, Harmonix CEO and co-founder Alex Rigopulos revealed that tracks from Queen, Nirvana, Tom Petty, Iggy Pop, The White Stripes, Pantera, Talking Heads, Korn, and The Rancontuers would be coming to Rock Band.
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Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 Systems
The Foo Fighters three-pack is the second pack available from the American rockers for Rock Band fans and features All My Life and Lonely As You from the band's Grammy Award-winning fourth album One by One, as well as I'll Stick Around, from the band's self-titled 1995 debut album. Founded by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters have won three Grammy Awards, with all six of their albums being nominated.
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BeefJack writes: "With Guitar Hero 5 on the horizon we've been seeing a slight bump and dip in DLC. Rock Band or Haromix have been consistent as of late and this week is no exception. With over six bands this week including the second song pack by Foo Fighters which includes the huge single All My Life and a personal favourite I'll Stick Around, drummers especially should keep an eye out for that track if nothing else."
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EA is not ready to give up the Rock Band - Guitar Hero fight just yet, and today announced plans to release the 'Metal Track Pack' this October. The track pack will add 20 songs to Rock Band's already epic 800-song catalog, and will release on Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii. The retail price of this pack will be $29.99.
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Though developers and publishers may be allured by the mass-market potential in making a music game, Activision-Blizzard admitted yesterday that the genre is facing tough times.

Last night during its earnings call Activision Blizzard admitted that the music game genre is "down significantly".
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Harmonix and MTV Games today announced they will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the theatrical release of This is Spinal Tap, by making available newly recorded versions of the song s featured in the cult classic film and its 1984 soundtrack album. The songs will be available in the Rock Band Music Store of Downloadable Content (DLC) next week on the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and Wii.
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BeefJack writes: "I hate music journalism, maybe it's just me (or more likely music journalism) but I find it far too opinionated, with other forms of media critics seem to judge the film, book or video game etc based upon facts and industry standards rather then personal preference. So it's ironic that each week I become as close to a music journalist as I've ever been when I write these sections, and I find out that it's actually pretty hard to write about music you have no favour for."
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Viacom, parent company to MTV Games and Rock Band developer Harmonix, said sales of its music game suffered during the quarter "due to the soft retail environment", helping to drive a decline in revenues for the company.

For the fiscal quarter ended June 30, revenues in Viacom's Media Networks division, which houses MTV Games, dropped 8 percent to $1.97 billion. Viacom attributed the decline to "a 41 percent decline in ancillary revenues driven by lower sales of the music video game Rock Band."
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