Sims 4 Music Den Kit Review: Retro Style and Unfulfilled Dreams of Bands
On July 23, 2026, the developers of The Sims 4 released a new official kit – the Music Den Kit. Unlike recent brand and creator collaborations, this set was created directly by the Maxis team and is dedicated to creating a musical space.
The kit includes 27 Build Mode items, including five new instruments in a retro-futuristic style, as well as a bonus – 200 Moola with purchase until October 22, 2026. But, as often happens with new releases, the community's reaction has been mixed: players are once again talking about what's still missing from the game.
What's Inside the Music Den Kit?
The kit is dedicated to creating a cozy musical space – a room for listening and creativity. The style is retro-futurism with warm plastic tones and dark wood accents.
Key items:
Five musical instruments: a new keyboard, a violin, a guitar, as well as a children's violin and an electric guitar in a retro style. All instruments have a unique design that matches the overall aesthetic of the kit.
Furniture: a sofa, an armchair, a coffee table, a storage console, a guitar case ottoman, modular cabinets and shelves.
Decor: vinyl records, cassettes, sheet music, a metronome, a microphone, a music stand, a glowing neon sign, acoustic panels, posters, and a guitar display case.
Audio equipment: a reel-to-reel stereo and a turntable.
It's important to note: these are not new types of instruments, but new designs for existing ones. There is no drum kit, saxophone, or cello in this set.
Price and Bonus Moola
The kit costs $4.99 USD (or 500 Moola for console players). If you purchase before October 22, 2026, you receive a bonus of 200 Moola, which can be spent in the Marketplace on other sets.
You can buy the Music Den Kit on all platforms: PC and Mac (EA App, Steam), as well as on PlayStation and Xbox consoles (through the Marketplace for Moola).
Why Are Players Disappointed? The Community's Main Complaint
The most common argument in discussions on Reddit and other social media: players wanted new instruments, but got "reskins" of old ones.
"I wish we had new instruments rather than just repainted versions of existing ones" – one of the most popular comments on Reddit.
Another user writes: "We're still waiting for a band expansion… and we get this."
Many fans have been asking for years to add drum kits, wind instruments, and the ability to form musical bands. On Reddit, user moniefeesh sarcastically noted: "Sims 4 players: WE WANT BANDS! EA: We have bands at home." The replies to this post contain hundreds of comments from players who agree.
On one forum, it was also noted that this is the first new violin in the game since its launch in 2014. On one hand, this is an achievement. On the other, it's a reminder of how few new instruments have appeared in 12 years.
What Do Builders Say?
Nevertheless, the kit does have its fans. Those who love building and decorating appreciate the cohesive design and the abundance of useful clutter. Unlike some collaborations (for example, the SpongeBob one), the Music Den Kit blends easily with items from the base game and other packs.
Players also noticed that the record display and vinyl crate would be perfect for creating a music store using the Businesses & Hobbies expansion pack.
Bonus Moola: A Gift or a Marketing Move?
The bonus 200 Moola with purchase has drawn mixed reactions. On one hand, it's a nice bonus – you can spend it on other sets in the Marketplace. On the other hand, part of the community fundamentally does not support the Marketplace and Moola currency, and for them, this bonus has no value.
"Those players still buy expansions and kits, but they have no plans to buy content from the Marketplace. For them, free Moola is useless, even if it's included in the price," one review notes.
Is It Worth Buying?
If you're a builder and love retro-futuristic style – the kit will please you. The cohesive design and new decor items will help you create unique spaces.
If you were expecting new instruments or mechanics – you'll be disappointed. This is a decorative kit that doesn't add new careers or gameplay systems.
The average rating in reviews is 7.5 out of 10. The kit "knows its lane and stays in it," but could have offered more.
The Music Den Kit is a stylish, cohesive building kit that gives players beautiful instruments and decor in a retro-futuristic style. But it has also become another reminder that fans of The Sims 4 have been waiting for years for a deep music expansion with bands and new instruments. While EA and Maxis release "reskins," the community continues to ask: "But where are the bands?" Perhaps someday new functional items will appear in the Marketplace. Although, considering that creators use models of already existing in-game items for their work – it's unlikely that anything radically new will appear.
