Harmonix Stole My Lunch Money

As much as I like the game Rock Band, I'm getting to the point where I'm starting to compare Harmonix, the producers of the game, to oil companies. The prices on their downloadable content (DLC) are getting ridiculous. When the makers of Halo, Bungie Studios, released additional DLC, there were complaints over the pricing. Many thought they were just trying to gouge their faithful fans of whatever they could get, but not giving enough for the cost. And that was over just a few multiplayer maps for a whopping $10.00.

When Rock Band was released it, the game disc came with 58 songs included on the disc (45 starting + 13 bonus, unlockable). Even with the wild assumption that half of the game costs covered the rights to the songs and costs in getting the songs to a playable format, that's only about $0.50 per song. I'm willing to bet the costs were even less than that.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am still the sucker who's downloaded all the songs so far. I like the music and don't mind getting music from artists I'm not familiar with. True music fans shouldn't be afraid of expanding their tastes to new music. The problem I have is when you compare the costs of the DLC to the end user with that which was included with the game, we're being charged at least 3-4 times as much. The average cost of a DLC song is $1.71. Maybe it's just me, maybe it's not, but that seems a bit extravagent, especially considering what is getting released.

If I'm going to be charged that much for my DLC, is it too much to ask for more popular bands/songs? I don't mind the occasional new stuff or up-and-coming band (Freezepop), but can't they make the majority of the DLC good music? I'd like to see more stuff like Journey, Queen, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Led Zeppelin--and a little less stuff like Freezepop, Them Terribles, and The Material.

Below is listed ALL the DLC for Rock Band. As it comes out, I'll try and keep this post updated and current.

193 DLC songs for 26,520 Microsoft Points - $331.50

Aug 12, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
480 - Roadrunner Records 01 Pack
Aesthetics of Hate - Machine Head
Clouds Over California - Devildriver
Constant Motion - Dream Theater
My Curse - Killswitch Engage
Runnin' Wild - Airbourne
Sleepwalker - Megadeath


Aug 5, 2008 (560 Microsoft Points - $7.00)
160 - Toxicity - System of a Down
160 - B.Y.O.B. - System of a Down
240 - Crüefest 02 Pack
Face Down in the Dirt - Motley Crüe
Rescue Me - Motley Crüe
Life is Beautiful - Motley Crüe

Jul 29, 2008 (560 Microsoft Points - $7.00)
160 - They Say - Scars on Broadway
160 - This Is It - Staind
160 - Electric Crown - Testament
160 - Yomp - thenewno2

Jul 22, 2008 (760 Microsoft Points - $9.50)
440 - Nine Inch Nails 02 Pack
Burn
Capital G
Last
160 - Devour - Shinedown
160 - Junkies for Fame - Shinedown

Jul 15, 2008 (1600 Microsoft Points - $20.00)
1600 - Best of The Who
Amazing Journey
Baba O'Riley
Behind Blue Eyes
Eminence Front
Going Mobile
Leaving Here
My Generation (Live at Leeds)
Real Good Looking Boy
Sea and Sand
Summertime Blues (Live at Leeds)
Who Are You
Young Man Blues (Live at Leeds)

Jul 8, 2008 (640 Microsoft Points - $8.00)
160 - Snow ((Hey Oh)) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
160 - Tell Me Baby - Red Hot Chili Peppers
160 - Closer to the Heart - Rush
160 - Working Man (Vault Edition) - Rush

Jul 1, 2008 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - Crüefest 01 Pack
Down at the Whisky - Motley Crüe
Time Is Running Out - Motley Crüe
Who's Going Home with You Tonight - Motley Crüe
FREE - Promised Land - Vesuvius

Jun 24, 2008 (1960 Microsoft Points - $24.50)
1520 - Doolittle Album (The Pixies)
Debaser
Tame
I Bleed
Here Comes Your Man
Dead
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Mr. Grieves
Crackity Jones
La La Love You
No. 13 Baby
There Goes My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away
440 - Weezer 01 Pack
Dreamin'
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived
Troublemaker

Jun 17, 2008 (560 Microsoft Points - $7.00)
160 - Critical Acclaim - Avenged Sevenfold
160 - Afterlife - Avenged Sevenfold
160 - Hammerhead - The Offspring
80 - Rock n' Roll Dream - Crooked X

Jun 10, 2008 (400 Microsoft Points - $5.00)
240 - MTV2 01 Pack
Moving to Seattle - The Material
A Clean Shot - The Myriad
Bullets & Guns - Them Terribles
160 - Girls Who Play Guitars - Maximo Park

Jun 3, 2008 (880 Microsoft Points - $11.00)
440 - Disturbed 01 Pack
Indestructible - Disturbed
Inside the Fire - Disturbed
Perfect Insanity - Disturbed
440 - Jimmy Buffet 01 Pack
Cheeseburger in Paradise - Jimmy Buffet
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffet
Volcano - Jimmy Buffet

May 27, 2008 (1200 Microsoft Points - $15.00)
1200 - The Cars Album (The Cars)
Good Times Roll
My Best Friend's Girl
Just What I Needed
I'm in Touch with Your World
Don't Cha Stop
You're All I've Got Tonight
Bye Bye Love
Moving in Stereo
All Mixed Up

May 20, 2008 (1440 Microsoft Points - $18.00)
160 - Beetlebum - Blur
160 - Countdown to Insanity - H-Blockx
160 - Hier Kommt Alex - Die Toten Hosen
160 - Hysteria - Muse
160 - Manu Chao - Les Wampas
160 - Monsoon - Tokio Hotel
160 - New Wave - Pleymo
160 - Perfekte Welle - Juli
160 - Rock 'n' Roll Star - Oasis

May 13, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie
160 - Train in Vain (Stand by Me) - The Clash
160 - Kool Thing - Sonic Youth

May 6, 2008 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - Scene 01 Pack
This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race - Fall Out Boy
Date with the Night - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It Hurts - Angels & Airwaves

Apr 29, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Red Tandy - The Mother Hips
160 - Time-Sick Son of a Grizzly Bear - The Mother Hips
160 - Zero - Smashing Pumpkins

Apr 22, 2008 (1200 Microsoft Points - $15.00)
800 - Judas Priest Screaming for Vengence Album
The Hellion/Electric Eye
Riding on the Wind
Bloodstone
(Take These) Chains
Pain and Pleasure
Screaming for Vengeance
You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Fever
Devil's Child

Apr 15, 2008 (600 Microsoft Points - $7.50)
440 - Classic Rock 01
Simple Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Message in a Bottle - The Police
Call Me - Blondie
160 - Saints of Los Angeles - Mötley Crüe

Apr 8, 2008 (240 Microsoft Points - $3.00)
240 - Harmonix 01
Rock Rebellion - Bang Camero
Shake - Count Zero
Sprode - Freezepop

Apr 1, 2008
FREE - Still Alive - GLaDOS

Mar 25, 2008 (800 Microsoft Points - $10.00)
800 - Boston 01
Peace of Mind
More Than a Feeling
Smokin'
Rock and Roll Band
Something About You
Hitch a Ride

Mar 18, 2008 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - Erache Thrash 01
Blinded by Fear - At the Gates
D.O.A. - The Haunted
Thrasher - Evile

Mar 11, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Crushcrushcrush - Paramore
160 - Beethoven's C*** - Serj Tankian
160 - Shockwave - Black Tide

Mar 3, 2008 (800 Microsoft Points - $10.00)
800 - Grateful Dead 01
China Cat Sunflower
Casey Jones
Sugar Magnolia
Truckin'
Franklin's Tower
I Need a Miracle

Feb 26, 2008 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - Nine Ince Nails 01
March of the Pigs
The Collector
The Perfect Drug

Feb 19, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Sex Type Thing - Stone Temple Pilots
160 - El Scorcho - Weezer
160 - Why Do You Love Me - Garbage

Feb 11, 2008 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - (Arguably) Punk 02
Complete Control - The Clash
Truth Hits Everybody - The Police
Teenage Lobotomy - Ramones

Feb 5, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Roam
160 - We Care a Lot
160 - Calling Dr. Love

Jan 29, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Siva - Smashing Pumpkins
160 - Working Man - Rush
160 - Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial) - Coheed and Cambria

Jan 22, 2008 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - Oasis 01
Don't Look Back in Anger
Live Forever
Wonderwall

Jan 15, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Action - Sweet
160 - Last Train to Clarksville - The Monkees
160 - All the Small Things - Blink-182

Jan 8, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Die, All Right! - The Hives
160 - Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
160 - The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden

Jan 1, 2008 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - Gimme Three Steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd
160 - Hard to Handle - The Black Crowes
160 - Limelight - Rush

Dec 25, 2007 (800 Microsoft Points - $10.00)
160 - Attack - 30 Seconds to Mars
160 - The Kill - 30 Seconds to Mars
160 - Dirty Little Secret - All American Rejects
160 - Move Along - All American Rejects
160 - Song with a Mission - The Sounds

Dec 18, 2007 (480 Microsoft Points - $6.00)
160 - My Iron Lung - Radiohead
160 - Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders
160 - Buddy Holly - Weezer

Dec 11, 2007 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - Punk 01
Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks
I Fought the Law - The Clash
Rockaway Beach - Ramones

Dec 4, 2007 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - Black Sabbath 01
N.I.B.
Sweet Leaf
War Pigs

Nov 27, 2007 (440 Microsoft Points - $5.50)
440 - David Bowie 01
Heroes
Moonage Daydream
Queen Bitch

Nov 20, 2007 (2280 Microsoft Points - $28.50)
160 - Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
160 - Juke Box Hero - Foreigner
160 - Bang a Gong (Get It On) - T.Rex
160 - My Sharona - KnackThe Knack
160 - Cherry Bomb - RunawaysThe Runaways
160 - Joker & the Thief - Wolfmother
440 - Metallica 01 Pack
Ride the Lightning
Blackened
...And Justice for All
440 - Queens of the Stone Age 01
3's & 7's
Little Sister
Sick, Sick, Sick
440 - The Police 01
Can't Stand Losing You
Synchronicity II
Roxanne