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Guitar Hero II Final Tracklist Revealed
- Thread starter adg1034
- Start date
beelzebozo
Jealous Bastard
Synthesizer Patel said:
anyone who likes guitar hero--or any of their games--is severely misguided.
i apply the same mentality to companies who've made games i love as much as guitar hero that i direct at someone like stephen spielberg:
he once made movies that i cherish and love, and just because i may or may not enjoy his newer stuff, he's got a pass for all the work i dug that he did in his more youthful directing days. he can do as he pleases.
so harmonix created guitar hero, thereby making my life in some fashion more enjoyable. if they do it again, that's gravy. if not, i've still got the first, right?
beelzebozo
Jealous Bastard
border said:
uh, i'm pretty sure they're not.
from what i understand, the cost of licensing for use of original recordings versus cover versions is exponentially greater.
though i have been wrong before.
charlequin
Banned
I find the complaints about the tracklist kind of ridiculous. Plenty of bands on here are playing their signature song, or close thereto: RATM, Kansas, GnR, freakin' Lynyrd Skynyrd (and they're the act I'd prefer to see something more obscure from: Freebird is pretty played out, while, say, "Simple Man" has a totally kickass guitar part.) And other bands have reasonably popular songs with good guitar parts: Police, Nirvana, etc. Sure, I guess I would've rather played "Dream On" or "Sweet Emotion" when it comes to Aerosmith songs, but, like... this tracklist is full of awesome songs that are gonna be a blast to play.
Also: after thinking it over, I agree: you're not likely to see anything popular (read: expensive) turn up as a microtransaction. X360 will probably get to play GH1 songs (still making it the best combined version, since you'll be able to play the GH1 songs with the improved GH2 HOPO mechanics), in-house songs, and possibly preview tracks for upcoming GH games (like, Metal Hero is about to come out, so they put one track from it up on Marketplace as a kind of demo) but you're not going to see Kashmir suddenly pop up as something exclusive to X360 owners.
You, uh, don't seem to know anything about music licensing.
A song has copyright associated with two parts: the melody/lyrics (the "publishing rights"), and the recording. Each is generally licensed separately, and often different people own the two sets of rights for the same song. The license to use the former is generally fairly cheap, while using the actual recordings of popular songs is astronomically expensive.
What Harmonix is doing is paying for the publishing rights to the songs in the game, and then recording their own version of the song for use in the game. They don't have to pay anything to the owners of the original recordings, even if their version sounds very similar. In fact, Harmonix have used that to their advantage in a few places. Licensing a song from Van Halen seemed to be pretty hard, apparently, but several of their most famous songs are covers; for GH2, Harmonix were able to license the publishing rights to "You Really Got Me," but then record a version for the game based on the Van Halen version, rather than the Kinks original.
Also: after thinking it over, I agree: you're not likely to see anything popular (read: expensive) turn up as a microtransaction. X360 will probably get to play GH1 songs (still making it the best combined version, since you'll be able to play the GH1 songs with the improved GH2 HOPO mechanics), in-house songs, and possibly preview tracks for upcoming GH games (like, Metal Hero is about to come out, so they put one track from it up on Marketplace as a kind of demo) but you're not going to see Kashmir suddenly pop up as something exclusive to X360 owners.
Methodis said:
You, uh, don't seem to know anything about music licensing.
A song has copyright associated with two parts: the melody/lyrics (the "publishing rights"), and the recording. Each is generally licensed separately, and often different people own the two sets of rights for the same song. The license to use the former is generally fairly cheap, while using the actual recordings of popular songs is astronomically expensive.
What Harmonix is doing is paying for the publishing rights to the songs in the game, and then recording their own version of the song for use in the game. They don't have to pay anything to the owners of the original recordings, even if their version sounds very similar. In fact, Harmonix have used that to their advantage in a few places. Licensing a song from Van Halen seemed to be pretty hard, apparently, but several of their most famous songs are covers; for GH2, Harmonix were able to license the publishing rights to "You Really Got Me," but then record a version for the game based on the Van Halen version, rather than the Kinks original.
You don't have to pay a license for the original recording if you are doing a cover version -- that doesn't even make sense. Why should it cost more to distribute my version of Let It Be than a guy that just puts the Beetles original version on a CD?
Everything I've read says that you pay a compulsory license on the cover and that's it.
Everything I've read says that you pay a compulsory license on the cover and that's it.
boredJonathan
Member
Wario64 said:
Number one question that now needs to be answered!
Long live the Freezepop.
Actually I just want actualy confirmation that they are on there. I know, I know, it's Harmonix they are going to be on there... but damnit I want comfirmation. Get Ready 2 Rokk was one of my favorite tracks to play on GH.
border said:
That's not the way it works with WaveGroup though. They get the rights to use the original recording, and then WaveGroup does a cover for the game. There's a advantage to using these covers though; they cut the tracks individually into masters and submasters so they can make it sound better (higher quality) and to get sound bits from songs. I don't think there's a master around of Dick Dales Misrolou or a High def recording of it
.charlequin
Banned
No, really, I don't know where you're getting this "license the originals" business from. Licensing the use of an original recording doesn't legally allow you to do a cover of the song; they're two completely different licenses. Furthermore, licensing the publishing rights is basically always going to be cheaper than licensing the original recording.
EDIT: "Publishing rights" might not be the exact right terminology.
EDIT: "Publishing rights" might not be the exact right terminology.
GrimReaper
Member
Beast and the Harlot FTW! I was planning to buy this one anyway, but I'm happy to see it confirmed for the game.
charlequin said:
They liscence both, or try to get the original. Some bands (READ: Most) don't wan't them having the original to chop up into pieces and mutilate. That's why you only have about 2 original songs in Guitar Hero 2 (Primus and one other). Otherwise, they get the rights to have WaveGroup cover the song.
Again though, why would you pay ridiculously expensive license fees for the original recording when the original recording isn't even going to go on the disc? It doesn't make any sense. WaveGroup can record a cover without paying for anything. You only have to start paying licenses and royalties once that cover version is distributed digitally or mechanically.
border said:
Because they secure the rights for the song first THEN tell WaveGroup to make a cover of the song. If it was as easy as telling WaveGroup, "We want to use one of your covers" then that'd be crazy, but instead they have to liscence the song, then get WaveGroup to cover. WaveGroup is a production company though, they're not a cover company anyways, which I'm sure has something to do with it.
boredJonathan
Member
Methodis said:
Boo! I would want to not buy Guitar Hero 2 if there was no Freezepop, but I know my poor little rock/gamer soul couldn't stand it if I didn't. Damn you Harmonix!
I shall burn a candelight vigil in hopes for Freezepop love to grace my little pint sized guitar again.
charlequin
Banned
Methodis said:
Um.
1) That's not really the same as what you were saying above?
2) The originals they did get were the result of bands who own their own original recordings cutting them a deal. Primus went out of their way to give them access to the original recording at a bargain price. That's an unusual situation, not their normal operating procedure (as can be seen by the fact that there are zero originals in GH1, and 2 out of 40+ songs in GH2.)
EDIT:
Methodis said:
You keep saying this but I suspect you keep failing to understand that cover rights and original-recording rights are completely separate, and Harmonix/WaveGroup/etc. only need the former, cheaper group of rights to do what they do.
Stabby McSter
Member
Please stop while you're ahead.Methodis said:
Gigglepoo said:
Harmonix owns a patent on the engine, and I think Sony owns it now. I'll dig it up tomorrow and post it. There is a liscence on the name. Amplitude WAS called Frequency 2, until -at release - Sony changed the name to Amplitude to try to appeal to a bigger crowd. Again, i'll have to dig this all up later.
They secure the compulsory license fees on the song (not the recording) before making a cover, obviously. But they don't need the rights to the original recording to make the cover....I'm still not sure why you think they do.
The reason they don't use the originals is because it's super-expensive. I doubt the artists care that much about their songs being cut up -- look at how many volunteered their stuff to be chopped up in Frequency and Amplitude.
beelzebozo
Jealous Bastard
Methodis said:
freezepop is in-house?
boredJonathan
Member
Methodis said:
I could have swore that AntiGrav had a Freezepop song in it. I even though that one of the KRs had a Freezepop song in it. I know it wouldn't be unheard of, but still... it would definately be out of the norm.
border said:
Sorry if I got it mixed up, I'm not good at that stuff, I just know it costs too much to have "exclusives" that are big names.
Anywho here's a story about Amplitude:
Harmonix was looking into scoring a song from Linkin Park (this was at their prime, when they where popular and admitalley it'd be fun to play one of their songs in Amplitude). When Harmonix confronted Linkin Park if they could use one of their songs, Linkin Park said No because, "We don't want the average consumer messing around with our songs" and treating their songs like they're masterpieces. Also I'm sure Sony let Harmonix slide alot on the rights on Amplitude, since some of the bands on Amplitude's list are Sony BMG artists.
JohnTinker
Limbaugh Parrot
I would kill for a co-op version of the Eagles' Hotel California. The guitar solo at the end with 2 players would be epic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eCO7fv1sm4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eCO7fv1sm4
PhoncipleBone
Banned
I think the tracklist looks badass. There are quite a few things on there I dont know, and a lot that I know and love, and to me that is the best part of it all. It allows me to be exposed to something I didnt know or didnt know I didnt know.
And thank god they have Freebird for the finale, no other song on that list can close out the game.
And thank god they have Freebird for the finale, no other song on that list can close out the game.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
yeah, basically:Gigglepoo said:
it's not going to happen. I really really would like to see it (Amplitude was my favorite game until GH) but I'm not holding out hope for it.Methodis said:
DarkGiygas
Member
lolol avenged sevenfold in the final tier
Wolves Evolve
Member
The track selection is great, much richer than the first and representative of broader types of guitar work. I would love to see Punk Hero and Metal Hero sub-games released (a la Singstar) rather than standalone full-price gimmies. I suspect, however, that there will be a third GH (GHOUL?) before that happens.
The only song missing from GH in my mind is Husker Du's "Don't Wanna Know If You Are Lonely".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0AhLkf7sms&mode=related&search=
If they used the Green Day cover, I'd kill everybody involved.
The only song missing from GH in my mind is Husker Du's "Don't Wanna Know If You Are Lonely".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0AhLkf7sms&mode=related&search=
If they used the Green Day cover, I'd kill everybody involved.
Yes.Methodis said:
There's no Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is..., Panic! At the Disco, White Stripes, AFI, Yellowcard, CKY, Green Day, Killers, My Chemical Romance, etc.
The original had a few I liked, but really it just seemed I was listening to KISW-FM or KLOS-FM.
Foo Fighters and Avenged Sevenfold are cool. I just hope the 20 extra are cool.