Harmonix

June 15, 2009 - Harmonix and MTV Games today announced 25 tracks from artists including Soundgarden, Motley Crue, Rush and from artists performing at this year's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival coming this week to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content for the Wii system.

Bonnaroo is a four-day annual festival in Tennessee. Named the "Best Festival" by Rolling Stone in 2008, Bonnaroo is well known for its extensive and diverse musical line-up. Now, music lovers and gamers can experience part of that line-up with Rock Band. Master recordings from Ben Harper and Relentless7, Phish, Coheed and Cambria, Shooter Jennings and TV on the Radio will be made available June 16, in the Rock Band Music Store on Wii.

Rock Band is taking care of country fans on Wii this week as well, with tracks from Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, The Dixie Chicks and Miranda Lambert available June 16 in the Rock Band Music Store on Wii. Read more

Iron Maiden master recordings made available as downloadable content for Rock Band Music Store for the first time

May 29, 2009 – Metal lovers take notice! Harmonix Music, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, along with distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc., today announced that 12 tracks from Iron Maiden, one of the world's most successful rock bands, will be added June 9 to the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and the Wii system.

The release of these downloadable tracks coincides with the U.S. release of Flight 666 on Blu-ray and DVD as well as a double-CD soundtrack album and limited edition double-vinyl picture disc. Flight 666 documents the first leg of Maiden's legendary SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME WORLD TOUR, which took them 50,000 miles around the planet, playing 23 concerts on five continents in just 45 days. One of the stars of the movie is the band's customized Boeing 757, Ed Force One, which carried the band, all their crew and 12 tons of stage equipment and was piloted by Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, a fully qualified and active Airline Captain with Astraeus Airlines.

Live recordings of "Aces High," "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "Fear of the Dark" and "Iron Maiden," featured on Flight 666, are among those available for download in the Rock Band Music Store June 9. The other eight songs were amongst those featured on the band's Somewhere Back in Time World Tour during the first leg of which Flight 666 was filmed. This will mark the first time master recordings from Iron Maiden have been made available on Rock Band games.Read more

May 26th, 2009 – Harmonix and MTV Games, along with distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc., announced that Rock Band Unplugged for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system ships to stores in North America and Europe today!

Developed by Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio, Rock Band Unplugged creates a full band experience in the palm of players' hands by combining traditional beatmatch gameplay with key elements from both Rock Band and Rock Band 2. The hands are the "peripherals" in Rock Band Unplugged allowing players to take direct control of the lead/bass guitars, drums and vocals. In addition, players can capture a deep and interactive Rock Band experience by taking their band on the road in World Tour mode, practicing their chops in the Band Warmup Mode, or by taking on the most extreme musical challenge imaginable in Band Survival mode. Read more

May 19, 2009 -- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks, along with distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc., today announced the release of Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock. The standalone software is available now at retail stores nationwide for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and Wii system. The suggested retail price for Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock is $29.99.

Featuring an outstanding mix of favorite classic rock hits,Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock features 20-songs from mega artists such as The Who, Rush, Boston, Police, Steve Miller Band, George Thorogood and more!

Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock, like all Rock Band software, is compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero and other music instrument controllers. Read more

May 11, 2009 - Harmonix and MTV Games announced today a massive array of new tracks coming this week to the Rock Band Music Store catalogue of downloadable content for the Wii system, including 25 hit songs from artists like Silversun Pickups, Duran Duran, The Pretenders, Mötley Crüe and many more.

As previously announced, Wii Rock Band 2 owners will also gain access this week to three tracks from Social Distortion, two tracks from Disturbed, two tracks from Steely Dan and singles from Elvis Costello and The Replacements.

British post-punk pioneers Siouxsie & The Banshees offer three tracks to Wii music fans including "Hong Kong Garden," from Once Upon A Time: The Singles (1981), "Kiss Them for Me," the lead single from the band's tenth album, Superstition (1991) and "The Killing Jar," from Peepshow (1988). Read more

April 21, 2009 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games are joining forces with the LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks, to merge two of the most popular videogame franchises with the creation of LEGO Rock Band. The unique family-friendly music experience is currently in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game, which will allow families, tweens and teens to experience a wild journey to rock stardom where they can "Build a Band and Rock the Universe," will be available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Wii home videogame console. LEGO Rock Band for Nintendo DS will be co-developed by TT Games and Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio. All versions are scheduled for release holiday 2009.Read more

April 10, 2009 - Harmonix and MTV Games announced today that Chinese Democracy, the sixth and most recent album from Guns N' Roses, will be released in its entirety to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content on April 14, 2009.

The highly anticipated November 2008 release of Chinese Democracy was Guns N' Roses' first official music release in 15 years. It debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart, at #2 on the UK Albums chart and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on February 3, 2009. Chinese Democracy has already sold nearly three million copies.

Formed in the early 80s in Los Angeles, Guns N' Roses has sold an estimated 100 million albums worldwide. The band’s 1987 major label debut Appetite for Destruction, featuring the hits "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child o' Mine," has sold in excess of 28 million copies and remains to this day the fastest-selling debut album in history. Read more

April 8, 2009 - Harmonix, MTV Games, and Electronic Arts announced plans today to release Rock Band Unplugged for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system. Rock Band Unplugged, developed by Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio, and based on the award-winning Rock Band series of games, will launch simultaneously in both North America and Europe June 9, 2009. The game will launch exclusively on the PSP system with software retailing for $39.99 in North America.

"Rock Band Unplugged reinvents band gameplay while staying true to the authentic feel of the Rock Band console games," said Bob Picunko, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games for MTV Games. "Harmonix delivers innovation with every game they develop and we are excited to continue our long-list of industry firsts with the Rock Band in-game wireless music store on the PSP system."

Rock Band Unplugged creates a full band experience in the palm of your hand by combining traditional beat match gameplay with key elements from both Rock Band and Rock Band 2, such as overdrive and chords. Your hands are the "peripherals" in Rock Band Unplugged allowing you to take direct control of the lead/bass guitars, drums and vocals. In addition, players can expect a rich Rock Band experience with fully functional modes like World Tour, Band Survival and Warm Up and a robust character creator for full customization! Read more

March 10, 2009 - Harmonix and MTV Games just announced the addition of fourteen tracks, ranging across nearly all genres of rock, to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content for Wii home videogame console from Nintendo. The lineup includes music from metal icons Metallica, songs from alternative bands Radiohead and Sonic Youth, as well as tracks from classic rock artists KISS and David Bowie. Rock Band Wii owners will also have access to music from punk band The Clash and rock bands Wolfmother and Garbage.

In addition, the offering features songs from five alternative country acts including Drive By Truckers, Lucinda Williams, Neko Case, Old 97s and Steve Earle. Read more