Popular 'Rock Band' Video Game Going Country

MTV Games, Harmonix Reps Confirm Hit-Country Music Joining Songlist

Dec 5, 2008 Lisa L. Rollins

For some devoted rock fans-turned-gamers, it was just a nasty rumor. But thanks to country music's perpetual fan base and popularity, "Rock Band'" is diversifying.

Country singer-songwriter Dierks Bentley will be among the first to publicly "spill the beans," as it were, when it comes to confirming that the popular Rock Band video game will soon indeed expand its musical canvas to include some of country music's biggest hits as part of an upcoming RB release.

According to information from Country Music Television's Web site, Bentley—who's a Rock Band-gaming enthusiast—will discuss country music's foray into the Rock Band fray during the Dec. 5, 2008, broadcast of the CMT network's Top 20 Countdown show with host Lance Smith.

Jared Brickey, a Nashville-area gaming enthusiast and video-game reviewer, said game-developer Harmonix, by expanding its RB franchise via the country-music format, is simply staying ahead of the competition curve.

“As country music becomes more and more popular, it’s only natural for it to eventually partner with its video-game counterpart," Brickey remarked in a Dec. 5, 2008, interview with Suite 101. "Rock Band won’t be looking to reinvent their own wheel when they release Rock Band DLC, but the game should give some love to a music genre that has been ignored by both Guitar Hero and Rock Band until now.”

Country Stars Debut on Rock Band Video Game for PS3, Xbox 360

Per CMT blog posts, country stars Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, the Dixie Chicks and Brad Paisley will be among the first artists whose rockin'-country hit songs will be infused into the Rock Band playlist for its PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Xbox 360 formats come Dec. 16, 2008. Reportedly, the country tunes will be added, or downloaded, only through Rock Band's online store; thus, none of them will find their way to the PS2.

Although some RB gamers have gone back and forth via blog posts on the pros of cons of including country music within the popular game franchise's current repertoire of some 400-plus songs, there was no official word whether Rock Band's developers actually intended to explore the country genre. Until, that is, now.

Hit Country Music, Country Concert Listings Showing Up on Rock Band Site

Recently, a gamer known as "Sayburr" within the Rock Band online forums noted that RB's official Web site had augmented its "Events" section to include a concert-tour listing for 2009 Grammy Award nominees Brooks & Dunn, long one of the hottest country-recording and touring acts around.

Additionally, per an online RB forum post by "HMXHenry," which is the screen name of one Harmonix staff member, "We'll have country in RB sooner or later. Ideally, we'll have all the various sub-genres that people are clamoring for (hardcore punk, goth, ska, etc.) eventually. We haven't shut the door on anything."

Most Rock Band Gamers Open to Today's Country Singers & Songs

From all indications, most country fans aware of the upcoming country-music content that will be available on the Rock Band DLC release later this month are excited to hear their music of choice included on RB, even those who don't call themselves die-hard country fans seem to be OK with the music option.

"I may not be the biggest country music fan, but I’m all about divesification," wrote blogger "JP" on the rockbandmods.net Web page, "and I’m sure that there are a lot of Rock Band fans and future Rock Band players that would be very excited to see the inclusion of some country music in the game."

Moreover, added blogger "Weasel" on the same site, "I for one would love to have Big and Rich's Ballad of a Cowboy in Rock Band. ... (T)hat would be sweet."

Sources

Bonaguro, Alison. Rock Band purists not so sure about country. Dec. 3, 2008, blog post on www.cmt.com.

Crecente, Brian. Rock Band 2 going country? [Update]. Posted Dec. 4, 2008, at www.kotaku.com.

McElroy, Justin. Country coming to Rock Band 'sooner or later.' Posted Oct. 2, 2008, at www.joystiq.com.

Personal communication, Jared Brickey, Dec. 5, 2008.

Rock Band gone country? Blog posting by JP, Sept. 18, 2008, at www.rockbandmods.net.

The copyright of the article Popular 'Rock Band' Video Game Going Country in Country Music is owned by Lisa L. Rollins. Permission to republish Popular 'Rock Band' Video Game Going Country in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Rock Band game for PS3

Dierks Bentley part of rockin'-country RB playlist

What do you think about this article?

---

NOTE: Because you are not a Suite101 member, your comment will be moderated before it is viewable.

post your comment

What is 5+9?

Comments

Dec 19, 2008 7:45 AM

Guest :

Will they have any Taylor Swift songs on there??? Will it be able to play on ps2???

Dec 19, 2008 3:05 PM

Lisa L. Rollins :

Thanks for the comment. It's my understanding it will not work on PS2 (see the fifth paragraph of the story), but it's very possible that, at some point, Taylor songs will be added to its song list for download. Just check the game's home page, linked to in the story.

Dec 21, 2008 8:56 PM

Guest :

John Hartz
We have been waiting for this for a long time!! I hope they add more songs! From Garth Brooks to Brroks & Dunn and Taylor Swift the music is awesome!

Feb 1, 2009 5:16 PM

Guest :

They need to come out with the Country Rock Band On Disc. Not everybody has internet access on there game systems. I think it would be a great idea and think it would surpass the rock band series original game. down loadable content would not benefit me and would only piss me off for the game systems. I love everything from country to death metal and I know there is alot of people like me that would want it on disc.

4 Comments