rock band

If you've been holding off on picking up one of the popular rhythm-based video games like Rock Band or Guitar Hero because songs like Metallica's "Enter Sandman" or Hole's "Celebrity Skin" don't catch your fancy, then take note that an upcoming ... edition of Rock Band will feature 45 popular Beatles tunes. The game, titled "The Beatles: Rock Band," is set to ship September 9. In a special ceremony at the video game industry's annual E3 extravaganza in Los Angeles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, helped reveal the first ten of the title's songs. ... (view more)

Despite popular beliefs that video games keep people from engaging in real life activities, opting for Madden over football tryouts or Gran Turismo over studying for a license exam, in many cases games can actually stir interest in relevant ... activities. According to reports, games like Guitar Hero lead kids to pick up real instruments. Research conducted by the Youth Music charity in Britain now suggests that popular rhythm and music-based games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have probably led about 2.5 million kids to learn real-life instruments. In a report, Youth Music discovered that of ... (view more)

Some early buyers of the brand new and much-anticipated Guitar Hero: World Tour (which effectively rivals Rock Band by offering drums and a microphone) have complained that the "instruments" don't work as they should. It wasn't supposed to be like ... this. After a year in Rock Band's shadow, the original franchise that started this whole rock 'n roll video game thing, Guitar Hero, was supposed to reclaim its throne. If you haven't seen or played either Rock Band or Guitar Hero, you're missing out on one of the best party fads to ever hit the video game market. Players "strum" by flicking keys at ... (view more)

We're well aware that Rock Band and Guitar Hero have raked in plenty of cash for their makers, Electronic Arts and Activision, respectively. But, how have the artists whose music has appeared in those games fared after taking part in such a ... phenomenon? There certainly have been many rockers willing to take a chance on either game. Between three versions of Guitar Hero and a single (but very successful) Rock Band, a few hundred songs have been available at purchase, with access to even more through download (from Microsoft's Xbox Live or PlayStation 3's online service). Heck, there was even a ... (view more)

This past Christmas, most gamers wanted a Nintendo Wii. The little white console was in serious demand, and that meant it rarely made its way to that cozy little place nestled under the Christmas tree. The next best thing was surely Electronic Arts' ... Rock Band, the game simulating the life of a grungy, coke-sniffing rock star. Like the Wii, Rock Band was also tough to get your hands on. Launched first for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it offered a nice runner-up prize for those gamers unable to find Nintendo's console. It was also a great little gift for the hardcore gamer -- and there are ... (view more)

Many of us have simply accepted that the holiday season's hottest Christmas gifts are often hard to find. In some ways, that makes up about half of their appeal. However, for the two companies behind this season's most in-demand items, customer ... complaints are beginning to mount. Could it even affect their post-Christmas sales? Few of us are new to the Nintendo Wii shortage. Even those that haven't much interest in owning the cutesy little console -- myself included -- it's no secret that the device is very hard to get, and has been for a remarkable amount of time. In fact, finding the Wii has ... (view more)

So, Billy wants a new guitar this Christmas? By gosh, those things are expensive. He'll probably just give up, like he did with the drum set, piano, and karate. Why not just get him that Guitar Hero game? That's been the opinion of many parents and ... gamers in the last year, with video game sales -- led by a new music genre -- completely rocking other entertainment sources. According to a report from the NPD Group, total video game sales (including both hardware and games) have rocketed to $10.5 billion through October 2007, about $3.5 billion more than last year at the same point. (Source: ... (view more)

Too lazy to get off your duff, pick up a guitar, meet some friends with purple mohawks, and form a band? Me, too. That's why it's pretty likely that Electronic Arts' "Rock Band" is going to be a hit, even if the price point seems a bit steep. Gamer ... or not, you've probably heard of Guitar Hero. Like the Nintendo Wii, it's brought many casual players into the next-gen fold, offering untraditional approaches to gaming. Although Guitar Hero III is slated for this fall, it's being overshadowed by industry giant EA's Rock Band. Rock Band, which ships November 23 for Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, ... (view more)