Song Selection FAQ | Forums

[DanAmrich]

It is amazing how many of the top 40 artists we already have songs for. I guess people want more.

By our count, 18 of those bands are represented in the game with at least one track (19 if you count SRV, but we felt it was really not an SRV song, he was just a guest with Albert King). Some of those artists' DLC packs came out after people requested them, so that explains some of it -- but we definitely get people asking for second packs, which is fine.

We plan to go back to get fresh data again shortly, and I'm very curious to see what the results are for, say, the last three months, especially after this spike in attention and awareness for the request app.

[DanAmrich]

It is amazing how many of the top 40 artists we already have songs for. I guess people want more.

By our count, 18 of those bands are represented in the game with at least one track (19 if you count SRV, but we felt it was really not an SRV song, he was just a guest with Albert King). Some of those artists' DLC packs came out after people requested them, so that explains some of it -- but we definitely get people asking for second packs, which is fine.

We plan to go back to get fresh data again shortly, and I'm very curious to see what the results are for, say, the last three months, especially after this spike in attention and awareness for the request app.

[DanAmrich]

My question is do you always look at the request or do also look at the top bands in an era or genre and go after them to?

We do both. I mean, we are all musicians here; several of the people who create the tracks are themselves guitar teachers, composers, and musical historians. So we have our own wishlist but then we check that against the users and mix and match. Sometimes user requests reinforce what we were thinking, other times they help us see a new opportunity, but the big guys are usually on our wish list too. (From the way people sometimes interact on Facebook, I wonder if they expect us to say "Metallica? Say, that is a swell idea!")

My other question is do you also look at songs from the artist and go this song was a massive hit and try to obtain the rights. For example lets say band A has 4 albums and only one album had the most popular songs. ONE SONG is fast another one ISslower and another is a ballad would still go after the ballad?

The style of the song doesn't matter so long as we feel it's going to be compelling to play; if that means two of three songs we request are ballads, that's okay, as long as those songs would be interesting when you put them in the context of the game. But we definitely do consider popularity of a song -- chart position when it was released, pop culture awareness since, current popularity as evidenced by plays on YouTube and Spotify and things like that -- and generally try to bring the hits. Cake's "I Will Survive" and "Short Skirt Long Jacket" were hits, but "Stickshifts and Safetybelts" was a deeper cut that was simply fun to play and offered something new to the library, so we got to have it both ways.

[DanAmrich]

My question is do you always look at the request or do also look at the top bands in an era or genre and go after them to?

We do both. I mean, we are all musicians here; several of the people who create the tracks are themselves guitar teachers, composers, and musical historians. So we have our own wishlist but then we check that against the users and mix and match. Sometimes user requests reinforce what we were thinking, other times they help us see a new opportunity, but the big guys are usually on our wish list too. (From the way people sometimes interact on Facebook, I wonder if they expect us to say "Metallica? Say, that is a swell idea!")

My other question is do you also look at songs from the artist and go this song was a massive hit and try to obtain the rights. For example lets say band A has 4 albums and only one album had the most popular songs. ONE SONG is fast another one ISslower and another is a ballad would still go after the ballad?

The style of the song doesn't matter so long as we feel it's going to be compelling to play; if that means two of three songs we request are ballads, that's okay, as long as those songs would be interesting when you put them in the context of the game. But we definitely do consider popularity of a song -- chart position when it was released, pop culture awareness since, current popularity as evidenced by plays on YouTube and Spotify and things like that -- and generally try to bring the hits. Cake's "I Will Survive" and "Short Skirt Long Jacket" were hits, but "Stickshifts and Safetybelts" was a deeper cut that was simply fun to play and offered something new to the library, so we got to have it both ways.

[toymachinesh]

I also find it interesting that 50% of the bands in that list have been included in the catalog.

So much for "not listening to fans" right?

[kingratt]

Are there any limitations regarding different time signatures and song length? Mainly in reference to prog rock bands.

[Steel_Nirvana]

I also find it interesting that 50% of the bands in that list have been included in the catalog.

So much for "not listening to fans" right?

It's clearly pandering to insipid mainstream drivel. Duh.

[fredyellowone]

Great Read Dan. BTW someone requested a cool feature on the infographic webpage posted by the Ubiblog.

"It would be cool if your requests were linked to your uplay account so you could see what you already requested."

I would like that, too.

[Master_Cylinder]

I love the infographic for the top 40 band requests but I'd also like to see a ranked list of most requested songs with the number of times each was requested.

[Moodyblues57]

But you've made 403 requests since then, eh?

Yes, 403 requests for The Story in Your Eyes, as of this morning. Is it wrong?

[jagaroth40]

Would you consider bass only or predominantly bass packs?

[Master_Cylinder]

Would you consider bass only or predominantly bass packs?

They could do Spinal Tap - Big Bottom, that one was performed with 4 basses, but then we'd need amps that go up to 11.