Fuckin. A. EA and Harmonix have just announced that Rock Band will feature two very important things. The first is that entire albums will be made available for download as playable entities, with The Who's Who's Next to be the first offered. Which is awesome. Awesomer is news that Metallica are onboard for the game, with Enter Sandman to ship on the game's pack-in disc and further tracks to ship as downloads. Give me a playable Master of Puppets, Harmonix, and I might just get a little crazy. Epic duet of press releases after the jump.

Metallica Lets Fans Dig Deeper with Rock BandTM

Harmonix, MTV Games and the Superstar Band Bring Multiple Tracks to Rock Band Videogame

Game Disc to Feature The Band's Iconic Hit "Enter Sandman"

SANTA MONICA, CA - July 11, 2007- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, MTV Games, a division of MTV Networks which is a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), and rock icons Metallica announced today a deal that will showcase the incredible depth of the band's music in the highly anticipated videogame Rock Band™. The Grammy-award winning thrashers are making key tracks from their celebrated catalog available as digitally-distributed game levels. The incomparable metal song "Enter Sandman," will ship on the game's disc this holiday season.

"Metallica is one of the best loved bands in the world and their albums redefined hard rock and metal. Its one of the bands we had to bring to the Rock Band experience," said Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO of Harmonix. "Rock Band will allow gamers to jam with the guys through their long, successful career, from young, raw talent to mega stars, playing the hard-rocking sounds that the band is known for."

Distributed by Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), Rock Band is a new platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before. Offering four music games in one - Rock Band challenges rockers to master the lead/bass guitar, drums, and vocals or play in a cooperative band experience. Built on unprecedented deals with the world's biggest record labels and music publishers, the music featured in Rock Band will span all genres of rock and include many of the master recordings from the greatest songs and artists of all time.

Best known for its thrash-metal sounds, Metallica's 11 albums have sold more than 95 million copies over their 26-year career. Easily one the most influential and intense metal bands of all time, the range of Metallica songs that will be available to Rock Band players will allow them to play along as the history of the genre unfolds.

"Enter Sandman," the first single from the band's self-titled album and one of the best known tracks, is a staple at Metallica's live concerts. VH1 ranked it as the 22nd in its "40 Greatest Metal Songs of All Time."

"Our goal was to bring a deep musical experience to Rock Band by providing not just one song by a player's favorite artist, but a carefully-chosen career-spanning array," stated Paul DeGooyer, MTV's Senior Vice President, Audio, Home Video and Games. "Metallica has never been afraid to let their fans get closer, and now those fans will be able to inhabit this incredible music in a completely new way."

Rock Band is slated for release on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system this Holiday 2007. For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.
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MTV Games & Harmonix Announce Upcoming Rock BandTM To Become First Videogame Ever to Offer Digitally-Distributed Game Levels Based On Full-Length Albums

Developer Will Publish New Downloadable Content Every Week After Game's Release

Who's Next by Legendary Universal Music Group Artist The Who, to be First Album Available for Download; First 16 Rock Band Songs Officially Announced

SANTA MONICA, CA - July 11, 2007- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a division of MTV Networks which is a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), announced today that one of the most influential records in rock history, The Who's iconic Who's Next, will become the first full length album available as a digitally-distributed game level for the upcoming videogame Rock Band™ - a first ever offering for a videogame. In addition to announcing full-length album availability, MTV Games and Harmonix also announced the first 16 Rock Band songs, spanning every genre of rock from alternative to classic to heavy metal. As previously announced Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) will serve as the exclusive distribution and marketing partner for Rock Band, managing distribution for the game in US, Europe and Australia.

"Offering entire albums for play on the Rock Band platform is a monumental step forward in Harmonix's ever present quest to provide new ways for people to interact with music and creating the most authentic music experience possible," stated Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO, Harmonix. "This will give players the opportunity to play through the entire album set list of arguably some of the most influential rock albums of all time and brings them one step closer to what it feels like to be a true rock star."

Who's Next will be the first album available for Rock Band owners to purchase soon after the game's release with new content planned every week following Rock Band's launch this Holiday. Universal Music Group along with other top record labels and music publishers announced earlier this year an unprecedented partnership with Harmonix and MTV to provide music for Rock Band, with this artist being the first of many being announced in the months ahead.

"Rock Band empowers users to interact with the music they love in a completely new way. This type of consumer engagement is vital in today's marketplace. We fully support licensing opportunities that allow consumers to have their music their way and it's a home run because of its cultural relevance," said Mike Davis, EVP/GM, Universal Music Enterprises.

"The Who's Who's Next is crystallized as one of the great moments in music history," stated Jeff Yapp, EVP, MTV Program Enterprises. "This is the first of many legendary albums available for download in Rock Band as a digitally-distributed game level. This enables us to connect music fans and gamers with the artists and songs they want to play so they can experience these historic moments through Rock Band."

The Who's Who's Next (1971 Release)

1. "Baba O'Riley"
2. "Bargain"
3. "Love Ain't for Keepin'"
4. "My Wife (Entwistle)"
5. "The Song Is Over"
6. "Getting in Tune"
7. "Going Movile"
8. "Behind Blue Eyes"
9. "Won't Get Fooled Again"

Influential British rock band The Who, featuring legendary guitarist Pete Townshend, has agreed to make its 1971 album Who's Next the first downloadable album available for Rock Band gamers. Considered by many to be The Who's greatest album, Who's Next has also been named one of the best albums of all time by VH1 (#13) and Rolling Stone (#28).