When a field is as new and unproven as the Rock Band Network, one of the most important questions anyone can ask before diving into it is, “What’s in it for me?” If your return on investment is going to be minimal or even nonexistent, what’s the point of investing?

At the same time, when a field is as new, exciting and has as much potential as the Rock Band Network, the other most important question to ask is, “How do I get in there asap?!”

When you’re in a band, you absolutely need to have a loyal fan base. Without people who listen to, enjoy, and most importantly, buy your music, you’re not going to get very far. When targeting potential new fans, it’s important to consider your demographic. Some bands may cater more toward older dudes who ride motorcycles while some may be better suited for young girls who buy school supplies with pictures of their biggest crushes on them. Despite the wide variety of music fans out there, there’s one major quality that every band has to look for in potential new fans: disposable income.

Consider the introduction of online music stores like iTunes and Amazon. Rather than relying on brick and mortar music stores to lure customers, bands were given the opportunity to have their music displayed on the computer screens of millions of people with disposable income. Fans could find their favorite bands with a simple search and buy albums with a single click. It started to revolutionize the way musicians made a living and it’s still not finished. That’s where the Rock Band Network comes in.

Imagine if, when the iTunes store first launched, only a handful of independent bands’ albums were available. Imagine how many sales would have resulted for those bands based purely on the novelty of purchasing music online. While the Rock Band music store has been open for a while, up to this point it has only offered music by major label bands. When the new store launches in November, it will be the first chance for people with disposable income to log on and buy songs by brand new, undiscovered bands.

Where this experience differs completely from iTunes, however, is that after they buy these songs, rather than the static experience of simply listening to them, they get to play the songs themselves! They learn how the songs were built, they focus on each individual part and they get to pretend to be you! If they dig your music enough in the game, it’ll be stuck in their heads when they’re commuting to work or mowing the lawn…and you know what that means. They’ll be more likely to buy your album and stick it on their iPods. Not only did you just make a new fan, you made a new fan who knows more about your music than most of your other fans do and you made multiple sales. Is there a down side?

Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that your music will make it into the store. There is a certain standard to which all recordings in the Rock Band store will be held, but if you think your music is fit to be sold, there’s no reason not to get involved as soon as possible.