MTV Games - Rock Band Network
Brooklyn-based Black Gold named Artist of the Month.
CAMBRIDGE, MA and NEW YORK, NY – Nov. 10, 2010 - Harmonix Music Systems and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with T-Mobile USA, Inc., the official mobile partner of the Rock Band Network, today announced that Brooklyn-based Black Gold are the Rock Band Network’s November “T-Mobile Artist-of-the-Month”.
“Black Gold’s infectious rhythms and melodies made them a standout choice for the Rock Band Network’s November T-Mobile Artist-of-the-Month,” said Cheryl Gehbauer, Senior Director of Music for MTV Games. “Whether recording in the studio or hitting the road on tour, the band represents the independent, driving spirit of the Rock Band Network.”
As the November “T-Mobile Artist-of-the-Month,” Black Gold will be featured for one month in promotions throughout the Rock Band Network Music Store and on the official game website, http://www.RockBand.com, including the RBN content hub at http://t-mobile.rockband.com, a rich source of information about Rock Band Network, including Inside RBN, a source for consumers to discover new music, and Creators Club, a source for artist/authors/labels to find out more about the RBN authoring process.
Brooklyn-based indie rock ensemble Black Gold features the talents of lead vocalist/keyboardist Eric Ronick and drummer/guitarist/vocalist Than Luu. Both former touring members of such bands as Ambulance LTD and Panic at the Disco, Ronick and Luu formed Black Gold in 2006. The band, rounded out by Alistar Paxton (guitar) and Kerry Wayne James (bass), released its debut album, Rush, in 2009 and is back in the studio now, working on new material. Their hit single, “Plans & Reveries,” is available in the Rock Band Network.
For more information about Black Gold and the T-Mobile Artist-of-the-Month Program, head to http://t-mobile.rockband.com.
About the Rock Band Network
The Rock Band Network, launched March 4, 2010, gives Rock Band fans and music lovers a new avenue to discover music and provides musicians and labels the opportunity to produce and promote tracks for the Rock Band platform. This ground-breaking initiative gives musicians, publishers and record labels the ability to author their original recordings into gameplay files to promote and sell their music as playable Rock Band tracks through the RBN Store.
Artists who submit songs for the Rock Band Network Music Store are able to choose from multiple pricing tiers for individual tracks and receive a royalty of 30 percent of the retail selling price (excluding tax) for every track purchased through the RBN Store. There are currently more than 630 songs available for purchase in the RBNStore from artists including Third Eye Blind, Seether, Drowning Pool, Five Finger Death Punch, Flight of the Conchords, Attack Attack!, Flogging Molly, Clutch, The Shins, The Hold Steady, The Main Drag, Bang Camaro, of Montreal, Jonathan Coulton, Band of Skulls, Apples in Stereo, Band of Horses and many more. There are more than 400 artists in the RBN pipeline, with additional tracks on the way.
With more than 2,000* songs available on the Rock Band platform, the Rock Band Network Music Store has helped boost the number of available songs, further securing MTV Games and Harmonix’s position as the leading provider of downloadable content for music-based video games.
For more information and official “T-Mobile Artist-of-the-Month” contest rules, please visit www.rockband.com/t-mobile.
Artists interested in submitting their songs to Rock Band Network, please go to www.creators.rockband.com for more instructions on how to get involved.
*Available on-disc, via download and disc export. Internet connection and key purchase required. Wii has more than 1,500 song tracks available for purchase on the Rock Band platform on-disc, via song import, and download. Not applicable to Nintendo DS.
###
About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.
About MTV Games
MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.
About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc
Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit www.harmonixmusic.com.
About T-Mobile
T-Mobile USA strives to help customers enrich their personal relationships and stay connected through wireless communications with their friends and family. The value of its plans, the breadth of its coverage, the reliability of its network, and the quality of its customer service are meant to help people stay connected with those most important in their lives. For more information about T-Mobile, visit http://www.t-mobile.com.
© 2010 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Harmonix, Rock Band, Rock Band 2, Rock Band 3, Rock Band Network and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., a MTV Networks company. Rock Band, Rock Band 2, Rock Band 3 and Rock Band Network developed by Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. MTV: Music Television, MTV Games and all related titles and logos are trademarks of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Microsoft, Xbox. Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
PRESS CONTACTS:
For MTV Games / Harmonix:
Mariana Agathoklis
Phone: 212-846-5755
Email: mariana.agathoklis@mtvstaff.com
Stephanie Myers
Phone: 617-491-6144 ext 111
Email: stephanie.myers@harmonixmusic.com
For T-Mobile
T-Mobile Media Relations
Phone: 425-383-4002
Email: mediarelations@t-mobile.com