I think people don't understand how big Rock Band by Harmonix is going to be. I think it will have as big an influence on the music industry as the iPod had.

Just think of it, it is a platform to sell songs that you, as a consumer, have to buy from the publisher in order to use, and listen to. You can't download them from the Internet. This is a perfect platform for the music industry, and the day isn't far when a known band will publish it's next album along side with a Rock Band album for people to play on their consoles at home. Remember these words, Rock Band is the next hot thing in music!

I see big shows where bands are competing against each other by preforming songs on a big screen (This is already happening with guitar hero). I see band releasing music on Rock Band, I see Harmonixs turning into an indie music publisher releasing albums of small bands simultaneously on Rock Band and other media, gaming will start to trickle down to the masses, people will start to notice gaming and embrace it, I see people that always wanted to be in a band playing Rock Band, and by that becoming a part of the gaming world. This game will be known to as many people that know of the iPod, this game will be known to anybody who listens to music - all of us.

Mark my words. (and go buy stocks ;))