Rock Band delivers four music games in one challenging rockers to master lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals or play collectively as a whole band, spanning all genres of rock and includes many master recordings from legendary artists.The Rock Band 2 soundtrack will feature over 100 songs with over 80 songs on disc plus an additional 20 bonus tracks which will be made available for free download this fall. This builds upon the unparalleled depth and diversity of Rock Band's original set list and its ever-expanding library of downloadable tracks. Comprised entirely of master recordings from some of rock's most prolific and untouchable artists, including AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Bob Dylan, Metallica, Pearl Jam and more, Rock Band 2 will deliver the most impressive and largest music catalogue of any music-based videogame ever.
The first-ever Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band competition kicks off in March when Harrah’s Entertainment properties become the first in the world to have official and permanent, fully-equipped Rock Band entertainment stages.
Throughout March and April, seventeen Total Rewards casinos (subject to regulatory approval) will host local, weekly Rock Band Competitions, allowing fans of the popular game to win an Xbox 360 and Rock Band bundle as well as other Total Rewards items and Rock Band apparel and accessories. Four regional competitions will then offer customers the chance to win more than $50,000 in prizes.
The ultimate winning band will be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to open for the legendary B-52’s at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on May 9th and will win $10,000 in prize money, making this the richest Rock Band competition in history. In addition, visitors at participating Total Rewards casinos across the country will be able to pick up their choice of guitar, bass, drums or vocals and rock out throughout the year during special Rock Band Nights.
“We’re thrilled to be working with such an energetic and iconic company like MTV Games to further help bring Rock Band to the masses through our Total Rewards venues,” said David Norton, chief marketing officer for Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. “We look forward to giving thousands of Rock Band fans a new reason to jam and take part in an event unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before.”
“Harrah’s is known for extraordinary entertainment and we are pumped to see the first of our fully equipped Rock Band stages hit Total Rewards casinos across the country,” said Christina Glorioso, vice president of sales and marketing partnerships for MTV Games. “The full scope of the Rock Band and Harrah’s program represents a great relationship between our two brands and will create significant value for our shared consumers.”
The local Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band Competition will be open at participating properties to pre-registered amateur acts, 21 years and older, on a first come first serve basis. The events will be hosted and promoted by local radio stations. The Rock Band game scoring system will be used to score the participating rock bands on skill and performance, and MTV Games will provide the pre-determined song list for all the competitions.
The winning band from each location will then have a chance to go head-to-head at celebrity-judged competitions in Las Vegas (April 16), Chicago Area (April 24), New Orleans (April 30), and Atlantic City (May 7).
The four winning bands, one from each regional competition, will then have a chance to compete for the championship title in Atlantic City on May 8th. The regional events and Atlantic City events will be produced by MTV Networks Special Events, and hosted and judged by MTV, Harrah’s, and local celebrities. Each band will compete on multiple Rock Band songs.
For more information and official rules on the competition, please visit http://www.harrahs.com/rockband.
The seventeen participating Total Rewards casinos include:
Eastern Region
- Bally’s Atlantic City
- Harrah’s Atlantic City
- Showboat Atlantic City
- Harrah’s Chester (Philadelphia)
Southern Region
- Harrah’s New Orleans
- Horseshoe Bossier City (Shreveport)
- Harrah’s Tunica (Memphis)
- Harrah’s Metropolis (Nashville)
- Horseshoe Southern Indiana (Louisville)
Central Region
- Harrah’s Joliet (Chicago)
- Harrah’s St. Louis
- Harrah’s North Kansas City
- Horseshoe Hammond (Chicago)
- Harrah’s Council Bluffs (Omaha)
- Caesars Windsor (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Detroit, MI)
Western Region
- Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
- Harrah’s Las Vegas
Rock Band 2 On-Disc Track List:
- AC/DC "Let There Be Rock" 1970s
- AFI "Girl's Gone Grey" 2000s
- Alanis Morissette "You Oughta Know" 1990s
- Alice in Chains "Man in the Box" 1990s
- Allman Brothers "Ramblin' Man" 1970s
- Avenged Sevenfold "Almost Easy" 2000s
- Bad Company "Shooting Star" 1970s
- Beastie Boys "So Whatcha Want" 1990s
- Beck "E-Pro" 2000s
- Bikini Kill "Rebel Girl" 1990s
- Billy Idol "White Wedding Pt. I" 1980s
- Blondie "One Way or Another" 1970s
- Bob Dylan "Tangled Up in Blue" 1970s
- Bon Jovi "Livin' on a Prayer" 1980s
- Cheap Trick "Hello There" 1970s
- Devo "Uncontrollable Urge" 1980s
- Dinosaur Jr. "Feel the Pain" 1990s
- Disturbed "Down with the Sickness" 2000s
- Dream Theater "Panic Attack" 2000s
- Duran Duran "Hungry Like the Wolf" 1980s
- Elvis Costello "Pump It Up" 1970s
- Fleetwood Mac "Go Your Own Way" 1970s
- Foo Fighters "Everlong" 1990s
- Guns N' Roses "Shackler's Revenge" 2000s
- Interpol "PDA" 2000s
- Jane's Addiction "Mountain Song" 1980s
- Jethro Tull "Aqualung" 1970s
- Jimmy Eat World "The Middle" 2000s
- Joan Jett "Bad Reputation" 1980s
- Journey "Anyway You Want It" 1970s
- Judas Priest "Painkiller" 1990s
- Kansas "Carry On Wayward Son" 1970s
- L7 "Pretend We're Dead" 1990s
- Lacuna Coil "Our Truth" 2000s
- Linkin Park "One Step Closer" 2000s
- Lit "My Own Worst Enemy" 1990s
- Lush "De-Luxe" 1990s
- Mastodon "Colony of Birchmen" 2000s
- Megadeth "Peace Sells" 1980s
- Metallica "Battery" 1980s
- Mighty Mighty Bosstones "Where'd You Go" 1990s
- Modest Mouse "Float On" 2000s
- Motorhead "Ace of Spades" 1980s
- Nirvana "Drain You" 1990s
- Norman Greenbaum "Spirit in the Sky" 1960s
- Panic at the Disco "Nine in the Afternoon" 2000s
- Paramore "That's What You Get" 2000s
- Pearl Jam "Alive" 1990s
- Presidents of the USA "Lump" 1990s
- Rage Against the Machine "Testify" 1990s
- Ratt "Round & Round" 1980s
- Red Hot Chili Peppers "Give it Away" 1990s
- Rise Against "Give it All" 2000s
- Rush "The Trees" 1970s
- Silversun Pickups "Lazy Eye" 2000s
- Smashing Pumpkins "Today" 1990s
- Social Distortion "I Was Wrong" 1990s
- Sonic Youth "Teenage Riot" 1980s
- Soundgarden "Spoonman" 1990s
- Squeeze "Cool for Cats" 1970s
- Steely Dan "Bodhitsattva" 1970s
- Steve Miller Band "Rock'n Me" 1970s
- Survivor "Eye of the Tiger" 1980s
- System of a Down "Chop Suey" 2000s
- Talking Heads "Psycho Killer" 1970s
- Tenacious D "Master Exploder" 2000s
- Testament "Souls of Black" 1990s
- The Donnas "New Kid in School" 2000s
- The Go-Go's "We Got the Beat" 1980s
- The Grateful Dead "Alabama Getaway" 1980s
- The Guess Who "American Woman" 1970s
- The Muffs "Kids in America" 1990s
- The Offspring "Come Out & Play (Keep 'em Separated)" 1990s
- The Replacements "Alex Chilton" 1980s
- The Who "Pinball Wizard" 1960s
Bonus Material
- Abnormality "Visions" 2000s
- Anarchy Club "Get Clean" 2000s
- Bang Camaro "Night Lies" 2000s
- Breaking Wheel "Shoulder to the Plow" 2000s
- The Libyans "Neighborhood" 2000s
- The Main Drag "A Jagged Gorgeous Winter" 2000s
- Speck "Conventional Lover" 2000s
- The Sterns "Supreme Girl" 2000s
- That Handsome Devil "Rob the Prez-O-Dent" 2000s
** The Rock Band 2 on-disc track list is comprised entirely of master recordings.
Rock Band 2 raises the bar in music gaming innovation with new features to rock the world:
- Local and global online modes to connect the entire Rock Band community
- World Tour mode, now online, simplifies the best of gameplay from the original Rock Band by fusing Solo Tour and Band World Tour modes and cranks it up a notch with an all new collection of opportunity gigs, challenges, cities, venues and hirable staff
- Tour Challenges that offer rockers a chance to play through mini-campaigns focused on the best songs by instrument, decade, genre, artist, album and more
- Battle of the Bands mode challenges players to go head to head against other bands in constantly refreshed contests* created by Harmonix (*internet connection required)
- Quickplay makes it easier than ever to get in and jam without hassle while allowing for new prefab characters or customized characters that can play on any instrument plus lets you make your own set lists and organize your song lists in a variety of categories (genre, era, etc.)
- Customizable Set Lists keep the music rolling and your band rocking in Quickplay mode
- Drum Trainer mode gives players the fundamentals of different beats and fills, translating gameplay into real drumming skills
- Character Creator completes your look with all new choices in clothing, accessories, tattoos, hairstyles, instruments and more to keep your unique rock avatar playing the full rock part
- Backwards compatibility with all Rock Band downloadable music content released to date
- Disc Export Feature gives owners of the original Rock Band the ability to export most of the Rock Band disc tracks and upgrade them into Rock Band 2 gameplay-the first time ever in videogame history!
From the solid officially licensed Rock Band 2 instruments to the expanded third party options, Rock Band 2 introduces new and improved choices that promise to deliver unsurpassed realism. In addition, Harmonix and MTV Games have become the first companies to officially support third party instruments and accessories in a music videogame.
Achieve ultimate stardom with the upgraded functionality and smooth new look of the official Rock Band 2 instruments.
- Fender Stratocaster Controller takes on a new authentic look plus adds a reinforced strum bar, quieter buttons, wireless functionality and a built in calibration tool that automatically sets your AV setup to an ideal setting for maximum rock.
- Drum set goes wireless while also featuring quieter, velocity sensitive drum pads and a metal reinforced pedal.
- Microphone showcases authentic styling and weight.
Kick up the intensity with officially licensed third-party instruments from Mad Catz:
- Fender Telecaster Controller features soft buttons with lower action to help you shred faster than ever.
- Fender Bass Controller, the first bass guitar controller ever, takes the shape of the Fender P-Bass with extended length, tuning pegs and a split strum bar to replicate finger-bass style picking.
- Full-sized Squire Stratocaster Guitar Controller multiplies the authentic guitar experience by featuring a controller built into an actual Squire Stratocaster body.
- Cymbal Expansion Pack is a straightforward but amazing upgrade to the Rock Band 2 drum set featuring add-on cymbals.
Take Rock Band 2 instrument authenticity to a whole new level with a high-end peripheral from ION:
- ION Drum Rocker, a real electronic drum kit that functions as a game controller, brings the Rock Band fantasy to life featuring a simple substitution that takes the drum kit from a controller to a real instrument.
Rock Band 2 is currently available on Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and Wii.
More articles about Rock Band