Beatles: We love you, yeah, yeah, no…?

Well, The Beatles: Rock Band not only failed to reach the top of the all-formats/full-price games charts, but only debuted in a surprisingly modest fourth place. What is that all about, we’re wondering?

Is the Great British public finally growing tired of The Beatles? After all, everyone loves the Fab Four to some extent or other, don’t they? But could it be that the Beatles' output, as unarguably awesome as it is, is just a little too cosily familiar for its own good?

You might also argue that their timeless material is at least forty years old, thus of limited interest to, y’know, the kids. That might help to explain why Guitar Hero 5, with its sizeable collection of more contemporary tracks, is number one on this week’s games charts instead. Then again, if it’s all about the limited appeal of vintage material how come Vera Lynne – a 92 year-old wartime songstress, lest we forget – is top of the album charts? 

Maybe it’s all to do with the expense involved? The £170 bundle is surely desirable but only includes half the kit required to fully replicate The Beatles big band experience – you’d need to fork out a further £180 to purchase plastic renditions of George Harrison’s slick Gretsch Duo-Jet guitar or John Lennon’s iconic Rickenbacker.

Nope, we’re scratching our heads about this one – particularly as the weeks preceding the game’s release were awash with stellar reviews and fittingly Fab front covers in the mainstream and specialist press. Most other games afforded such universal praise would have rocketed straight to top of the games charts. Alas, not so for The Beatles: Rock Band.

So over to you – if you were thinking about buying The Beatles: Rock Band but didn't, or you simply never had any intention of doing so in the first place, perhaps you can explain why. And one final question - Vera Lynne: Rock band - who's up for it...?