Rock Hard: 1977, the cult game where you claw your way to rock stardom in the dog days of the 1970s, is getting its first expansion, and it lands at one of the biggest shows of the year. Ear Candy debuts at Gen Con 2026 in late July before reaching UK shops, with UK retailer Zatu already taking pre-orders ahead of a 15 August 2026 release.
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Start organising for freeIf you missed the original, Rock Hard: 1977 was the surprise darling of Gen Con 2024. It was designed by Jackie Fox, former bassist of pioneering 70s band The Runaways, which gives the theme a lived-in authenticity most music games never get near. Smithsonian Magazine named it one of the best board games of 2024, calling it "a charming game, full of quirks and in-jokes, about the highs and lows of the creative process," and Paste's Keith Law reckoned it was the best game he saw at the show. It sold out its 600-copy Gen Con run on day one.
The base game is a 2-5 player race across nine rounds, April to December 1977, where you build your chops, write songs and chase record deals, fuelled by a cheeky "candy" mechanic that buys extra actions at the risk of a crash. Ear Candy bolts new ambition onto that: two new characters, two new managers, two new types of candy, and fresh cards for every deck. The headline addition lets you spend your life experiences writing 45 RPM singles, then promote them up a Hit List chart for extra victory points.
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Find events near youIt is still a 2-5 player game running 60 to 90 minutes. If your group has a soft spot for thematic mid-weights, this is one to pencil in. Time to get the band back together and find a game night near you.
Sources: ComicBook | BoardGameGeek | Wikipedia | Zatu
