Harmonix re-tunes The Who DLC

[UPDATE] In lieu of Who's Next, 12-song best-of compilation from West London legends will hit Rock Band for PS3, 360 on July 15; full song list announced.

During last year's E3 Media and Business Summit, MTV Games and Activision unleashed increasingly impressive riffs to explode the eardrums of those about to rock with plastic instruments. From the Harmonix-developed Rock Band stage, the former Guitar Hero developer said it was in the process of bringing full album downloads to its new rhythm game, with The Who's 1971 classic rock radio staple album Who's Next to play the opening act.

Nearly a year on, Who's Next has yet to find its way onto Rock Band's online storefront. It now appears that will be the case indefinitely. As part of this morning's announcement for Rock Band 2, Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos told the Associated Press that The Who's much-acclaimed album will not be available in full as Rock Band DLC, because "we were unable to locate all the masters."

As consolation to some, and perhaps good news to others, Rigopulos said that instead of Who's Next, Harmonix has teamed with Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey to create a 12-song best-of compilation pack of master recordings that they were able to track down. The Who compilation will be released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions of the game on July 15, with songs priced at $1.99 individually and $19.99 for the complete set.

While Harmonix did not reveal the entire contents of the best-of pack, the AP's report did mention "My Generation" and "Who Are You," respectively from the 1965 and 1978 albums of the same names. As revealed earlier today, songs downloaded for the original Rock Band will be fully compatible with the just-announced sequel, due to arrive first on the Xbox 360 in North America this September.

[UPDATE] Today, MTV Games and Harmonix officially announced The Best of The Who: Rock Band Edition, aka The Who 12 Pack. As previously noted, The Who 12 Pack will arrive for both Xbox Live and the PSN on Tuesday, July 15.

The Who 12 Pack is listed below.

"Amazing Journey"
"Baba O'Riley"
"Behind Blue Eyes"
"Eminence Front"
"Going Mobile"
"Leaving Here"
"My Generation" (Live at Leeds)
"Real Good Looking Boy"
"Sea & Sand"
"Summertime Blues" (Live at Leeds)
"Who Are You"
"Young Man Blues" (Live at Leeds)

65 Comments

  • peetowser

    Posted Jul 13, 2008 11:31 am GMT

    Awesomeness and sweetness!

    Sad that the Who's Next album can't be done...

    Also I won't complain about the song selection, choosing 12 Who songs in a carrer spanning over 40 years is sure to leave out some jewels...

    But I'm really glad such an historic act gets the recognition they deserve and will get even more recognition from younger music fans who never had the chance to listen to them...

    Now start looking for the master tapes of Dream Theater's Metropolis pt2 Scenes from a Memory, Harmonix! Or Six Degrees', or Train of Thought's, even Systematic Chaos would do if you only had that...

    That was my only complaint with Rock Band, it lacked comtemporary metal and progressive, aside from a couple of great songs... Maybe DT's Panic Attack will be in RB2, but the choice of that song when you could be rocking The Glass Prison, Pull me Under or Under a Glass Moon is confusing me...

    It's a good song, but not one of their best IMO, and unless you really hate your RB bass player, I don't see myself doing it over and over again like say Critical Acclaim by Avenged Sevenfold which is a blast to play on drums and guitars...

    Anyways, Long Live Rock and thanks Harmonix for putting out Who songs, you really made me a happy gamer!

  • peetowser

    Posted Jul 13, 2008 11:26 am GMT

    Awesomeness and sweetness!

    Sad that the Who's Next album can't be done...

    Also I won't complain about the song selection, choosing 12 Who songs in a carrer spanning over 40 years is sure to leave out some jewels...

    But I'm really glad such an historic act gets the recognition they deserve and will get even more recognition from younger music fans who never had the chance to listen to them...

    Now start looking for the master tapes of Dream Theater's Metropolis pt2 Scenes from a Memory, Harmonix! Or Six Degrees', or Train of Thought's, even Systematic Chaos would do if you only had that...

    That was my only complaint with Rock Band, it lacked comtemporary metal and progressive, aside from a couple of great songs... Maybe DT's Panic Attack will be in RB2, but the choice of that song when you could be rocking The Glass Prison, Pull me Under or Under a Glass Moon is confusing me...

    It's a good song, but not one of their best IMO, and unless you really hate your RB bass player, I don't see myself doing it over and over again like say Critical Acclaim by Avenged Sevenfold which is a blast to play on drums and guitars...

    Anyways, Long Live Rock and thanks Harmonix for putting out Who songs, you really made me a happy gamer!

  • mrsnowy

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 10:12 pm GMT

    I'm Not Trying To Cause A Big S-S-S-Sensation
    I'm Just Talkin Bout My G-G-G-Generation!!!

  • venompunisher

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 6:56 pm GMT

    yeah i should have done some more research, my mistake, besides i just heard it on "XM 46 Top Tracks"

  • jimi_hendrix1

    Posted Jul 6, 2008 10:18 pm GMT

    Yeah venom, Were Not Gonna Take It is an earlier, different, better song by the who.

  • venompunisher

    Posted Jul 6, 2008 7:37 pm GMT

    abephroman, dude, We're Not Gonna Take It is played by Twisted Sister, not The Who

  • QingJao86

    Posted Jul 4, 2008 11:50 pm GMT

    Ummm The Who have been on Rock Band since the beginning... Won't Get Fooled Again was one of the orginal songs.

  • TrueProphecy22

    Posted Jul 4, 2008 4:58 pm GMT

    Ok, this might be a reason to pick up Rock Band for me..

  • abephroman

    Posted Jul 3, 2008 10:05 am GMT

    They should have put on We're Not Gonna Take It.

  • Dragonahcas

    Posted Jul 3, 2008 5:29 am GMT

    The Who finally on Rock Band? F*** Yeah Seaking!!

  • the_animals

    Posted Jul 3, 2008 2:04 am GMT

    "To all those people who are craving Zeppelin for RB/GH, the band probably has their own reason for denying the license. For all we know they might just want their music to remaing just that, music and not another "level" that is to be beaten in a video game. They might feel that having their songs in the game might lessen the artistic value of their songs. Besides it took Jack Black months of begging (begging for Gods sake) to the band to allow him to use "The Immigrant Song" in "School of Rock"."

    yeah because allowing puff daddy to use kashmir shows they really care about how their music is used.

  • MacBrother

    Posted Jul 3, 2008 1:17 am GMT

    Love the Who, a little disappointed that some of my personal favs didn't make the cut. I Can See For Miles, Boris the Spider (would LOVE to do the vocals on that), Punk and the Godfather (tremendous song), My Wife (I guess they didn't want one with trumpets). Oh well hopefully there will be more Who on the way!

  • -SPECTER-MIKE

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 9:32 pm GMT

    Sorry guys, I really had no idea that teenage wasteland was baba o'riley, but even better thats its on there!

  • Garren666

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 5:42 pm GMT

    To all those people who are craving Zeppelin for RB/GH, the band probably has their own reason for denying the license. For all we know they might just want their music to remaing just that, music and not another "level" that is to be beaten in a video game. They might feel that having their songs in the game might lessen the artistic value of their songs. Besides it took Jack Black months of begging (begging for Gods sake) to the band to allow him to use "The Immigrant Song" in "School of Rock".

  • americanidiot57

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:21 pm GMT

    Specter Mike-What mafiathug said. The song commonly mislabeled "Teenage Wasteland" is actually called "Baba O'Riley". Along with the fact that a leaked screenshot reportedly points to "Pinball Wizard" being a disc-based song on Rock Band 2, it seems like all your Who-based fantasies are coming true.

  • mafiathug69

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:12 pm GMT

    specter mike- you mean baba o'riley? it's on there lol. looks like a few excellent tracks on here, going mobile and eminence front are FANTASTIC tracks, even if keith moon wasn't on ef.

  • -SPECTER-MIKE

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:16 pm GMT

    Yes "Behind Blue Eyes", to bad no "Pinball Wizard" or "Teenage Wasteland" though

  • plutoknight

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 12:12 pm GMT

    All you people giving HMX grief for no Who's Next.

    Did ya know that someone STOLE an ENTIRE-FREAKING SIDE of Masters from Who's Next?

    Yea. That is totally under HMX control. In fact, the fact that Baba O'Riley is on that list is indescribably awesome because it was rumored to be on the side that was stolen -- either it wasn't or it was and they miraculously found another master. So yea. Stop blaming MTV/HMX/EA. Not their fault. If you want Who's Next as DLC, go hunt down the filthy criminal yourself and steal the masters back!

    Wait..this comes to the PSN? On a Tuesday? SERIOUSLY?

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:05 am GMT

    Hey that's not the Best of!!

  • curua02

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:04 am GMT

    See, this is what GH: Aerosmith should have been. A "best of" DLC to an existing game, rather than a fluffed-up track list and a whole new disk to switch out.

  • otanikun

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 6:30 am GMT

    Sweet, love The Who, but they need to start delivering more on these downloadable albums, I mean if they announced them shouldn't they be available already, nearly a year after it's release?
    And RB 2 is coming out at the end of this year, so they need to try and step it up a notch.

    Plus I'd love to see more colorful bands on there, maybe more foreign artists like AKFG *Asian Kung Fu Generation* or even Dir En Grey; or more domestic bands such as Disturbed, Godsmack or Korn, or even more classic rock like Styx, Rush and Kansas.
    But that's just me.

  • gmagnus

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 3:03 am GMT

    "RB2 comes out not even a month after RB comes out in england for U.K. PS3 owners "

    Well, it's not like you're gonna be able to BUY it one month after. You'll probably be waiting several months again.

  • omegabyte

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 11:48 pm GMT

    A best-of compilation actually sounds more appealing than the original album.

  • punkpunker

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 10:54 pm GMT

    woohoo! the who is coming!!

  • azrael2514

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 10:49 pm GMT

    I know I'll get knocked out for this but I'm gonna say it anyway. I want a Best of Foreigner DLC album. Now let me defend myself. Imagine rocking out to Urgent, Cold as Ice, Dirty White Boy, Double Vision and Feels Like the First Time. If this came out I would do a little dance, make me a fancy belt that grants me all the powers of this 70's super group and rock out like a mad man. Journey would be awesome too, to be able to do the Cartman version of Come Sail Away would be too funny for words. And for the fans of newer music maybe some more Red Hot Chili Peppers (but please no Higher Ground), Tool would be awesome and more DethKlok. Thanks for your time.

  • keyser27

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 8:53 pm GMT

    Oh man. Zeppelin would be great. Everyone knows this. But it just hasn't been meant to be yet... same with AC/DC etc.

    Personally, I would rather them NOT release it than do it with covers. As much as I love that they have some Rush... well. You know where that's going. Supposedly Moving Pictures is up for the album treatment. If it's original masters, then awesome, but I don't like the covers, though they generally aren't too bad, but I'd rather have the original for something like Zep. I'm kind of mad at Zeppelin anyway. I blame them loosely for Winger, Warrant, Motley Crue, Enuff Z'Nuff, White Lion, Whitesnake, Poison, Extreme, Firehouse, Skid Row, Slaughter, and every other weeeaaaaak hair band from the 80's. If Robert Plant would've gotten a haircut and looked/sounded more manly we could have been spared 6-8 years of absolute tripe.

    But that's just me and misplaced aggression. Give me punk anyday.

  • Attack_Dog

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 8:15 pm GMT

    What's wrong with led zeppelin?

  • mikefat

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 7:49 pm GMT

    Only thing I don't understand is why they don't do best of albums instead of crappy full albums with one or two good songs. Wouldn't a cars album with stuff from the 80's be better then the album with only the best buy song on it? Wouldn't a pixie album with more diversity make more sense than the artsy one released? You got another thing coming if you think anyone really knew any of the priest songs on that download. MORE BEST OF ALBUMS FOR THE WIN! How about Journey's Greatest Hit's or Metallica Binge and Purge? Some Nirvana unplugged. Stuff like that where you get all the big songs pimped out and ready to go. I bet you can sell those for 20 bucks a pop all day! And since I'm on the Rock Band wish list...MORE FREE SONGS!!! You dudes are making a mint off some of us...I own 198 songs. GIVE UP SOME LOVE!!!

    Thats all for tonight folks...Rock out with your #$%^'s out!!!

    Mike

  • PhantomPhoot

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 7:34 pm GMT

    DLC like this makes me want to keep my game.

  • bsbowman

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 7:15 pm GMT

    In addition to previously mentioned songs, I want "Miles" and something from Tommy besides Pinball Wizard.

  • Carpface

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 6:35 pm GMT

    Wow, thank you. The prospect of a Who album is what lead me to buy Rockband in the first place.

  • redbas

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 6:19 pm GMT

    Yeah, CSi Themes!!!!!

  • Jlotime

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 4:37 pm GMT

    WELL ITS ABOUT FRIKKIN TIME! i cant wait for The Who pack to come out, im dying to play some Baba O'riely!!!

  • keyser27

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 4:19 pm GMT

    I'm with generic dude.

    I love me some Pixies, but Doolittle may not have been the best choice for this game. Pavement's Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (or any later album), Built to Spill's Keep it Like a Secret (or any of their other albums), or even the Built to Spill Cover Band (Modest Mouse) would have been a better choice for that kind of thing. Still I'd love to have a Pixies Greatest Hits kind of thing, instead of Doolittle.


    Give us a free July 4 track pack: Little Pink Houses - John Cougar Mellancamp Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen American Woman - The Guess Who

  • keyser27

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 4:10 pm GMT

    Ohhh Pinball Wizard. Behind Blue Eyes. Bargain. A Quick One While He's Away. Baba O'Reilly. Just some begging.

  • spursboy92

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 3:53 pm GMT

    Are you serious, the song thing is cool, but the fact that RB2 comes out not even a month after RB comes out in england for U.K. PS3 owners - this is rediculous, 'm just gonna w8 and see how this 1 pans out

  • Bondfan626

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 3:05 pm GMT

    I will definently be getting this.

  • BigDaddy973

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 2:29 pm GMT

    My Dad will be so happy!

  • mattgm

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 2:23 pm GMT

    Everyone saying baba o rily should be in this are dumb do you now how boring the guitar and bass whould be on it. Its 3 power chords and 3 notes on the bass for the entire song and the songs 5 mins long!!!!

  • Ice_man_1985

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 2:22 pm GMT

    i want nottingham lace by buckethead

  • kick_it_sideway

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 2:19 pm GMT

    GH spends too much time on the next installment. Rock Band 2 has 80 songs and they still have new songs every week to DL for the current Rock Band.

  • games100

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 2:13 pm GMT

    I love the who so much, wish i had rock band, why don't they do this for GH III

  • soundsofsilence

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 2:08 pm GMT

    come on Pinball Wizard.

  • threedown

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 1:44 pm GMT

    ive bought all the DLC so far, yeah, i couldve gotten a couple of games for that much money, but seriously, ive never played a single game as much or for as long as ive played rockband, 7 months, and im still playing it? thats insane, so yeah, its worth the money to me, plus its fun for drunken parties!

  • RunnerGunner480

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 1:42 pm GMT

    please have baba o'riley!

  • cutmaclass1

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 1:13 pm GMT

    To people complaining about the price:

    The Cars and Judas Priest albums each consisted of 9 tracks. They both cost 15 dollars as packages, while under normal circumstances ($2 per song) they would cost 18 dollars. The packages saved you three dollars.

    With the Who, there are twelve songs that cost 20 dollars as a package while under the normal DLC price they would cost 24 dollars. This Who deal saves the buyer more money than either of the previously mentioned albums.

    If you've ever payed two dollars for an individual track on Rock Band, you have no right complaining about the price.

  • sbjedi

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 12:56 pm GMT

    Rock band got screwed up i europe hasnt even come out on ps3 over here yet and they announce the next one wonder how many years i will have to wait

  • Killer2401

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 12:54 pm GMT

    U2 plz.

  • Led_poison

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 12:44 pm GMT

    please get some guns and roses aswell

  • DarthMegalon

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 12:39 pm GMT

    Sweet, I'd rather have a "greatest hits" style album anyway.

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