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Polls: Single sells five times as many copies in "Rock Band" versus iTunes

Posted by aubin on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM (EDT)

Following a recent report that many bands were signing on to Guitar Hero and Rock Band as a new way to distribute their music comes the news that singles released in the games are outselling even the dominant music store, Apple's iTunes.

According to this Reuters report, Motley Crue placed its new single, the title track from "Saints of Los Angeles," for sale as a downloadable track on "Rock Band" well in advance of the album's release date, which has been pushed back to June 24. The only other places to obtain the track was iTunes and Amazon.

According to data provided by the band's management, the track was downloaded more than 47,000 times via the Xbox 360 version of the game alone in the first week after it became available. By comparison, the same track received slightly more than 10,000 downloads via digital services like iTunes and Amazon, according to Nielsen SoundScan. With video game versions of tracks clocking in $1.99 versus iTunes' $0.99, the games offer a real alternative way to sell music.

Would you buy music from a band you liked inside a video game?

Update: There was a problem with the poll provider. It's working again now.

Games and Technology (46 comments)

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Seriously.

Dante3000 (rich) (May 27, 2008)

Wow...47,000 people are still willing to put money in Tommy Lee's fannypack?
What the fuck is wrong with people. Once you get past how cheesy it is to sing "Dr. Feelgood" at a drunken party there is nothing redeeming about this band musically.
Srsly...
-Dante

1+ Reply

AndyP (May 27, 2008)

But come on, boobcam!

I'm kidding...

skaboom (May 27, 2008)

Not surprising really. Bands need to find new ways to market themselves, a way to provide something users can't grab for free off the internet. This proves that fans are still willing to pay for music, it just has to provide something in addition to the song itself.

(by the way, your poll isn't working)

IDontHaveAnAccountYet (May 27, 2008)

Uh...I buy music from bands I like.

PS: Motley Crue isn't one of them.

4x4Grimreaper (May 27, 2008)

maybe people started realizing that iTunes sucks ass.

niveK82 (May 27, 2008)

The song was 80 points ~ $1 on xbox live.

I'm a coworker got it based on the fact it was an extra song for only a buck.

The poll isnt working for me, but I do buy music from bands i live in a video game. I hope they keep making more clash songs available. Only one more month until 'Doolittle' is available!

2+ Replies

clam_tears (May 27, 2008)

This dude lives in a video game! I hope it's not Resident Evil...that would be scary.

niveK82 (May 27, 2008)

It is more like Custard's Revenge. I do have to dodge arrows but every once in a while I get to rape an Indian

niveK82 (May 27, 2008)

*Custer's

Cyanotic (May 27, 2008)

Best typo ever.

iamnormie (May 27, 2008)

part of that is that I dont think people know the song exists in the real world. In rock band, and especially on the 360 its been advertised along with its cheaper than normal 80 point cost. Lots of people bought it for the heck of it.

I'm not one of them mind you because the song is horrendou and would rather spend my money on more Fallout Boy or maybe "I'm a little tea pot".

Problematiclogic (May 27, 2008)

Sure, I'd buy a song for Rock Band if it was a song I knew had a crazy guitar solo in it, but for a song I'd never heard before I don't think I'd be tempted.

MrStylson (May 27, 2008)

Keep in mind that this is Motley Crue, a truly horrendous band. People will buy the song on Rock Band because it's a new song to play, even if it's a song they don't necessarily like. There are many songs in Guitar Hero that I'll play, but I would never listen to outside of the game aspect.

People realize it's a shitty song, but will pay for something new to play.

1+ Reply

Demetris83 (May 28, 2008)

my thoughts exactly. When buying for the game you're not just buying a song... i don't know anyone who turns rock band or guitar hero on just to listen to music

Ollywood (May 27, 2008)

Never been a fan of Motley Crue really but "Saints of Los Angeles" is a solid tune

1+ Reply

Ollywood (May 27, 2008)

take that back. I just listened to it again. It was fun to play drunk though, I remebered it being better.

Dante3000 (rich) (May 27, 2008)

It does make some sense though. I mean you pay $2 and you can play the game in Rock Band or whatever or you can pay $1 to listen to it...or download it for free and just dump $2 into Rock Band.
As long as they can keep adding songs exclusively (without kids figuring out how to rip and share them), they'll keep selling. Shit who wouldn't pay an extra $2 for another level on Mario 3 or (dare I say) Parapa the Rapper?
-Dante

IamMclovin (May 27, 2008)

MOTLEY FUCKIN CRUE!!!!!!

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8+ Replies

MattRamone (May 27, 2008)

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show rest of comment

listofdemands (May 27, 2008)

for the win!!!!!!!
-nic

branden (May 27, 2008)

greatest comment of all time dude. hahaha im still laughing at this.

freesandwich (May 27, 2008)

amazing

MrStylson (May 27, 2008)

Thank you so much...

sugarfull (May 27, 2008)

Perfect.

VictorIkpeba24 (May 28, 2008)

Whaow, what an artist!!

SuperKing (May 28, 2008)

I'm just replying so that this awesome comment/thread will be saved in my history.

Sliced-T (May 27, 2008)

Why don't you just pay some one to puke in your ear. Motley Crue? Fucking gross.

eighty (May 27, 2008)

if you've bought a shitty ringtone for more money anyway, you might as well be stoked.

I-type-poorly (May 27, 2008)

This is no surprise that more people ironically "rock out" to a Motley Crue song on a toy guitar than seriously listen to them.

2+ Replies

el_matt (May 27, 2008)

Haha, can we make this the comment of the day?

dlangl4 (May 28, 2008)

Absolutely.

HonestAbe (May 27, 2008)

How could anyone have aproblem with this?

scorpiondeathlock (May 27, 2008)

i havent heard this song and i dont really care too but how can you deny the geniusness of "kickstart my heart"?

ToddRundgren (May 27, 2008)

People are just buying it to play a new song, its not like they actually care or listen to these bands. Sure, bands are making money this way, but at what cost? For some wastie to play it on a toy guitar and never listen to your band outside of that context.

Cyanotic (May 27, 2008)

I have Rock Band, but haven't downloaded any songs because I never actually play it.

Would I buy music from a band I like in a game I like? Fuck yes.

BarleyPat (May 27, 2008)

So I've never acutally played Guitar Hero, Rock Band, ect... Not specifically against it, just not really interested.

2+ Replies

royalt (May 28, 2008)

We had "hobby day" at our high school for all the kids to find new hobbies and avoid evil drugs. One of the teachers brought guitar hero, and I brought a bunch of guitars, basses, drums, etc. There were about 25 kids in the guitar hero class and about 4 in my class. There's something really disappointing about that.

MsJustinChris (May 28, 2008)

Did you at least point out that guitar hero leads to using heroin hero?

BarleyPat (May 28, 2008)

Ha, I forgot about that one!

WorryRock (May 27, 2008)

Look guys, the important thing here is that "The only other places to obtain the track was iTunes and Amazon. "

warped (May 27, 2008)

I don't buy the songs unless they are by a band I like.
That's why I have a couple Ramones and Clash songs to play in Rock Band.

fallingupwards84 (May 28, 2008)

surprised no one has said the obvious yet: you can illegally download an mp3, but you cant illegally download a Rock Band file for your Xbox. thats the reason.

1+ Reply

Edia_Ave (May 28, 2008)

strangely enough, i didn't even think about that. and that is a very good point.

BusinessSocks (May 28, 2008)

rockbandnews.org

AnarchyPants (May 28, 2008)

I think it's a great value, you get:

- the Song
- Guitar parts
- Vocal parts
- Drum parts
- and to a lesser extent the bass parts

chrisafi (May 29, 2008)

I only buy CDs and Vinyl (65 votes)

This is bollocks, 35% of people on this site do not only buy CD's and vinyl :P

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