Rock Band Gets Blue Oyster Cult and Motorhead

Harmonix and MTV Games, the two entities behind the highly successful Rock Band music simulation franchise, have announced that the downloadable songs, which will be made available this week for their videogames include releases from Blue Oyster Cult, Hawkwind, I Mother Earth, Motorhead, Nazareth, and Rage Against the Machine.

It's an eclectic rock-themed package set to be released on the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii later today and on the PlayStation 3 on January 28. The new pack brings the number of bands featured on the Rock Band Music Store to 390, while the number of songs long surpassed 1,000. Harmonix and MTV Games are committed to offering new content for their titles as 2010 progresses.

The full list of tracks released this week includes: “Godzilla” and “Transmaniacon MC” from Blue Oyster Cult; Hawkwind singing “Master of the Universe;” “Levitate” from I Mother Earth; “Killed by Death '08” by Motorhead; the 2008 re-recording of “Hair of the Dog” from Nazareth and Rage Against the Machine singing “Bulls on Parade.” The two Blue Oyster Cult tracks are among the most popular the band has ever released, with Transmaniacon MC opening their first album in 1972.

Those interested in picking up the tracks will need to pay 160 Microsoft Points, 200 Nintendo Wii Points or 1.99 dollars when buying them on the PlayStation Network Store.

While releasing new tracks for the older Rock Band games, Harmonix is also working on a new standalone product. Green Day Rock Band has been announced to arrive in 2010 and will continue the trend of focusing on one band at a time, which began with The Beatles Rock Band last year. There are also rumors that the developer is working on Rock Band 3, which might take on the next step and teach gamers how to play a real-life instrument.