April, 2013 saw what was believed to be the last installment in Harmonix's ludicrously long-running DLC support of its Rock Band franchise. With the release of Don McLean's "American Pie", the studio ended its five-year run of weekly downloadable song updates, seemingly putting the franchise itself on ice for the foreseeable future as well. It was a sad, but poignant conclusion to the plastic instrument craze that gripped seemingly the whole of video games for like a solid four or five years.

Except that it wasn't a conclusion at all. Today, we have learned that Rock Band wasn't dead, but just biding its time, waiting for the right moment to reemerge and rock once again. Finally, the developers at Harmonix have found the songs intended to reinvigorate the brand and return the plastic instrument genre to its former glory.

OK, probably not. In reality, Harmonix has randomly decided to toss out a trio of new songs from the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Arctic Monkeys, and the Foo Fighters. The new tracks--"Shepherd Of Fire", "R U Mine", and "Something from Nothing", respectively--will retail for the usual price of $2 on the Xbox Live and PlayStation marketplaces, starting tomorrow (January 13).

When asked if this new release would be the start of a continuing trend of new Rock Band DLC releases, Important Harmonix Spokesperson (and, for disclosure's sake, former co-worker of mine) Eric Pope rubbed his spokesburns vigorously and hastily changed the subject to how trim my figure looks of late. So, perhaps this is just a random, one-off thing, or maybe Harmonix is looking to test the waters and drum up interest for something else Rock Band related in the future. Given the rumors kicking around of Activision wanting to bring back Guitar Hero, it would make a certain amount of sense.

....I can only say "wow". I am surprised as anyone about this. I'm not sure if I can pull out enough plastic instruments let alone the disk to see and buy this though.

Rock Band 4 incoming maybe?

Hell my 360 is practically a Rock Band dedicated device at this point anyway, so these tracks are a no brainer to me. Though I hope that if they release a Rock Band 4 it comes out for the PC, the fact that all my rock band stuff is tied to a dying console is a bit scary.

Spokesburns.

I would happily play R U Mine. I want to be part of this madness

Did I wake up in 2012 again?

something literally no one wanted - the harmonix motto

@i_stay_puft: So that's what was wrong with Microsoft, it was being run by a silverback gorilla.

This is very cool... It's just a shame I don't care about any of those songs.

more like Alex Newsvarro

Haha, love the phrase "spokesburns" used here.

I can probably use this with Rockband Blitz right?

Consider my eyebrow officially raised. I'll take whatever Rock Band you're willing to give me, Harmonix.

rock band never had my kind of music.

The Jeff prophecy has come true!

@mollusklingers: I did, very much! =D

Not much of a fan of any of those songs, but I'll gladly buy them to show Harmonix how much I want a PS4 Rock Band. I'd be very happy with monthly DLC also.

That's a fuckin fantasic nick for Alex, Newsvarro.

I like it.

I have really missed your writing style Alex. I'm glad the artist has picked up the brush once again.

I laughed, because it's kinda true.

I would gladly pay for a new Guitar Hero / Rock Band for my Xbox One/PS4. Cool for people that still own it, though, I suppose.

Not the kind of bands I pull out plastic instruments for.

HATEFUL. HURTFUL.

-Spokesburns

Yes, you are re-living that John Cusack movie.

I'm ready, Harmonix. Hit me with your rhythm stick.

I really, REALLY want a new Rock Band or Guitar Hero. Just do one, and then a bunch of DLC, for the new systems. I miss rhythm games.

After Rocksmith I can't go back, but maybe for the drums I would. Speaking of that, have you guys seen how much RB3 drum sets are going for these days? Holy crap, people are crazy.

This is just to drum up interest in D4 shirt DLC.

Who needs to sing about The Day The Music Died when we can sing about "The day the music came back unexpectedly"?

I don't want any of these tracks, but I still play Rock Band frequently (multiple times a week), so I'll pick these up just to support the insanity that is Rock Band DLC in 2015.

The truth wears spokesburns.

very bizzare but I'm definitely in the mood for a new Rock Band for the new consoles. (Also would mean buying new kit as I dumped all of mine when I immigrated to Canada)

@pope: hi there, apparently my name is "no one" definite buy here, along with Rock Band: Japan, never forget

Give me a PC release or just build the software into the/an instrument that i can hook up to my TV. Otherwise, i'm good, thanks.

Oh man... if this means a new Rock Band (probably not, but why put out new Rock Band DLC after giving it such a big sendoff if it's not to build hype for something?) I will be ever so happy.

The question is, though: How? The costs of making a new Rock Band would surely far outweigh those of us still interested in a new Rock Band, right? And even those of us interested are probably not exactly champing at the bit to buy new plastic instruments. But there would have to be new instruments, because a new sequel would have to be at least cross-gen if not current gen only.

So yeah... if it IS that, fucking awesome. I still adore rhythm games. But I'm not exactly holding my breath, either... ah well. We shall see if anything comes of this.

I don't know if I could ever play another Rock Band game again, because of DLC.

Let's say Harmonix announces RB4, coming in late 2015 for all consoles. Well I would want to get the PS4 version....but I have invested over $1000 in instruments and DLC for the 360 which I packed away 2 years ago basically. Unless they find a way to transfer those licenses (for some $ of course) to another system or services, I can't, in my best interest, buy a different version of the game knowing I'm basically sinking those previous costs. Tough situation for them but that is how it is sadly from my perspective.

One of my friends did extra work for a music based videogame a month ago. He said he had to film good and bad reactions to a song played at a music festival (which I assume will be the framing device for the game?). He said he only did it because of the and I quote "fit birds" and then said whenever he was on camera he just mouthed "this is shit, this is fucking shit" over and over again.

I assume this is rock band or guitar hero and look forward to seeing my mate in whatever it is.

R U Mine is a good addition. Time to buy more Rock band DLC.

To be fair Alex, your figure looked quite trim in the GOTY stuff.

I'm not going the lie, the prospect of new Guitar Hero/Rock Band stuff on the PS4 excites me greatly.

I am hoping Harmonix brings it back on new consoles. Ideally it would:

1. Let you use the old instruments

2. Import your purchased library and songs from previous games you own

3. Add a online jukebox mode, where you pay for time (i.e. have access to everything for like $5/hr)

can we have Guitar Wolf dlc

Good stuff I'll happily bust out my Rock Band gear.

IT GIVES ME HOPE! Maybe I can finally get more Beatles Rock Band DLC. I mean I won't. But I want it. God I want it.

lord knows where all my rock band gear is at this point, but i feel like i should buy this just to show them there's interest in more rock band.

Whoa!

might as well have been 3 One Direction songs for all the interest I have in songs by those three unfathomably popular beat combos

Super exciting! I have to make sure the batteries in my guitar and pro drums are still good.

I can't see Rock Band or Guitar hero making any sort of comeback especially after Rocksmith 1/2014 came along and did it but with real guitars and did so really quite well. Granted, Rock Band is strictly a game and Rocksmith is a learning tool first and game second, but I think a lot of people like myself are going to look at a new generation of plastic guitar game, balk, and go back to trying to nail the actual guitar solo for Freebird on Rocksmith.