Saturday, December 13, 2008

Which Bands Deserve A Guitar Hero Game??

In case you haven't heard...Guitar Hero: MetallicA is due to come out in 2009 (see video).




I'm extremely excited about this and probably will spend the 100+ dollars for the whole setup when it comes out. What better way to teach my kid the way of the Mighty Met than have him use a tool he can relate with....Playstation 3.
But this news made me think with the success of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and the excitment building over GH:Metallica.....what other bands deserve a GH game of their own?
Now of course, you need bands with history and a long track list.....meaning Fall Out Boy is out of the question.
You need a band that has had excellent record sales over their career....so Guns And Roses is out. **BTW..did you see the numbers sold on Chinese Democracy....ouch!!**
You also need a band that is not only trendy for early 30 year olds....you need one that is trendy with kids 12+ as well.
So, here's 5 bands that I feel deserve a GH game of their own:

Admit it!!! You know Blink 182 music. You know their videos. You know everytime you hear "All The Small Things"...you sing along. You know that at most sporting event they play "Dammit" on the speaker system.

Did you know though that every major label album they've released went platinum (1,000,000 units sold) and they've had 10 singles in the top 10 on the modern rock charts.
Overall, their music is fun and fast paced. Very little "ballad" types and I personally would enjoy playing "The Rock Show" while making it rain with dollar bills.
Bon Jovi is easily the most requested band at any karaoke. From "Livin On A Prayer" to "Have A Nice Day"...their career spans well over 25 years.

They appeal of course to the 30 somethings who's adolescense was filled with Bon Jovi songs to the younger kids of now who see Jon Bon Jovi in the AFL and even to kids who watch CMT. Jon Bon Jovi is still cool to kids and a game would fit the GH label for sure.

Korn still are the kings of the so called "Nu-Metal" and have sold over 30 million albums worldwide. From their debut album in 1994 to now, even handling many lineup changes...they're still around making dark funky metal music.
You know a KoRn video game would do well because even though many that have grown up with KoRn have noticed how much different their music is today...it's still a hit with kids today because of it's dark tones and sense of struggle lyrics.

Plus KoRn have always been the ones to try new things with technology and a video game based around them would be easily promoted through multiple outlets. Sometimes it tough to get a band involved in promotion...this is one I'm sure they'd enjoy.

OK...don't start with the whole:
"OH ROCK, YOU'RE JUST SAYING PANTERA CAUSE YOU'RE A FAN OF THEIR MUSIC....DIMEBAG FOREVER. BLAH BLAH BLAH"

Pantera is one of those bands that people know and they fit the mold I talked about earlier.

People in their 30's know them as well as young kids.
Record Sales: 5 platinum albums (1 of which is a greatest hits album)
Long track list: "Mouth For War" "Walk" "5 Min Alone" "I'm Broken" "Cowboys From Hell" "Cemetary Gates"...etc.


Pearl Jam...the only surviving band of the "grunge" era where if you wore flannel and has long hair singing about depressing issues of real life.....you sold albums!!
Influencial = yes
Record Sales = yes
Track Listing = yes
I'll admit I'm not a big fan of PJ, but I respect how they've lasted through the nu-metal/hip hop/and nu-punk eras of the last 10-15 years in music.
They tour relentlessly and keep making album after album. 60 million sold worldwide and they keep em coming on a consistant basis.
Pearl Jam would probably be the best fit for the next GH game if they decide to continue making games around band's careers.
Anyway you look at it....the concept of making a game around a band and how their career progressed is an outstanding way for younger kids to learn about how bands of today are just as legendary of those in the 60's/70's that their parents insist is when music was music and today's bands are nothing like those of the past.
The debate will continue long past you and me are gone.

2 comments:

Anthony said...

Real answers:

Slayer
Van Halen
Pantera


What I REALLY think:

Mahavishnu Orchestra

jnewell69 said...

Van Halen
KISS