Jingle Jingle Jangle

I think it's safe to assume that if you've ever spent much time playing Rock Band, you'll be able to relate to this.  Nearly every time I hear a song on Sirius or on my Zune I'm thinking to myself, that would make an awesome DLC for Rock Band.  I can really start to pick up the drum lines and how they might chart.  I'm listening for how intricate the bass line is or if the vocals are in key or are more Mick Jagger in execution.  It adds a whole new dimension to the listening experience.  It also can lead to a little frustration.  The more songs I hear the more I want them to be in the game.  The longer some of my favorites aren't in, the more disappointing it can be when we get relatively obscure releases.  But, it's still fun to hear songs in a new light and dream of the day I might be able to play along.

I was thinking about that today as I was watching TV.  Then a very scary thing happened....

You know that commercial for freecreditreport.com?  You know, the one with the Gen Y (or is it Z now?  I can't keep up) guy dressed in a pirate suit singing a little jingle in the restaurant.  It's kind of a catchy little diddy.  I sing along sometime when I'm at home much to the chagrin of my wife.   Well anyway, that song once again popped up during a commercial break and I found myself quietly singing along.  Then listening for the bass line. Then the drum track.  Then it got scary.  How long until some company puts their jingle into Rock Band?

It's the next logical step in marketing isn't it?  Corporations have been using music to sell product for as long as there's been marketing.  Rock Band provides a huge captive audience that craves new tracks to play on a weekly basis.  Sure, maybe freecreditreport.com wouldn't cost the end user to d/l.  Harmonix could probably just make a nice profit by charging the company directly for the exposure.  Still though,  I'm not sure I'm ready for my play list to be filled with Coke and Shampoo commercials.  I would guess that there would be an enormous backlash for doing so.  After all commercials aren't very "Rock and Roll".  But if I'm in charge of finding ways to make money at Harmonix, I'm thinking about it.