Atlantic Records, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., and Atlantic recording group P.O.D. announced today a groundbreaking collaboration to create the entertainment industry’s first-ever combined music CD/PlayStation(R)2 videogame release. The first one million copies of P.O.D.’s eagerly awaited new album, “PAYABLE ON DEATH,” will include an exclusive bonus PlayStation(R)2 DVD containing a custom videogame track from the critically acclaimed PlayStation 2 music game title, Amplitude, featuring a newly recorded, non-album P.O.D. track, “Space.” Playable only on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, this disc will also feature a 50-minute behind-the-scenes documentary, “Inside P.O.D. Culture,” and a special feature on Daniel Martin Diaz, the artist who created the paintings and sketches for the “PAYABLE ON DEATH” package.
Due in stores nationwide on November 4, this unparalleled two-disc package will carry a suggested list price of only $19.98, providing tremendous added value for P.O.D. and PlayStation 2 fans. The album will be stickered with the PlayStation 2 logo, quickly calling the retail consumer’s attention to the unique multimedia elements of “PAYABLE ON DEATH.”
“This is a breakthrough in the way we market music,” stated Atlantic Co-President Ron Shapiro. “As the lines between media are increasingly blurred, and the competition for the consumer’s attention is ever more fierce, the new P.O.D. release is a remarkable response to the challenges before us. With an extremely low price point, the added value is exceptional and the sales potential enormous. This is only the first in what we hope will be a series of truly innovative, consumer-driven projects designed first and foremost with the fans’ interests and desires in mind.”
“P.O.D. is the ideal group to spearhead this groundbreaking, cross-media approach to new releases,” added Atlantic Co-President Craig Kallman. “There is a striking correlation between their core audience and the most avid game players, and this fantastic package gives P.O.D. fans something truly unique and compelling that they can get nowhere else. By combining music, videogame, and DVD elements, we are able to cover all the bases and offer a complete, intimate, multimedia immersion in the world of P.O.D.”
“We pride ourselves on delivering first-rate content for both a unique and memorable interactive experience,” said Sharon Shapiro, Director, Promotions, Sony Computer Entertainment America. “Through our promotion with Atlantic Records, PlayStation 2 and P.O.D. fans will experience for the first time, a one-of-a-kind medium that fully delivers innovative entertainment for the consumer to listen and re-create what they hear.”
P.O.D. lead vocalist Sonny commented: “This idea came out of us wanting to do everything possible to give back to our fans. With all the talk about downloading and CD prices, all we’ve ever cared about is giving our fans the best. We’ve been working for most of the year to release a fully playable video game with our record. We were very fortunate that Atlantic and Sony were willing to take this risk with us, especially keeping all of this below $20. ‘PAYABLE ON DEATH’ is our best record ever and with the PlayStation 2 game, the art cards and all the other things we’re doing, our fans will get something big… something never done before in music.”
Created by acclaimed music videogame developer Harmonix Music Systems, the custom P.O.D. videogame track featuring the new song, “Space” in the exclusive version of the PlayStation 2 title, Amplitude, takes advantage of the consumer’s videogame/rhythm skills and allows them to recreate the song via the PlayStation 2 DUALSHOCK analog controller and make music. Unlike other videogames where music is the background, in Amplitude, the music is the game. In Amplitude, the concept of the game is to allow anyone – regardless of musical ability – to build, remix, and rearrange the song’s individual tracks, in effect to “jam” with the music. In addition to the “Game Play” and “Remix Modes,” fans can freestyle and scratch, DJ-style, on top of the music. As with all videogames, the bonus disc cannot be copied, downloaded, or file-shared. The full version of Amplitude is currently available for PlayStation 2 nationwide and features more than 25 tracks from various artists across all music genres for players to interact with both in offline and online gameplay.
The “PAYABLE ON DEATH” music CD itself will also include enhanced elements, including excerpts from the “Inside P.O.D. Culture” documentary, plus a “key” to unlock a special bonus web site which will allow consumers exclusive access to download the song “Space.”
As a further bonus for purchasers of “PAYABLE ON DEATH,” each of the first million copies of the album will include one of three “art cards” created by cover artist Daniel Martin Diaz. In addition, approximately 1,500 cards (500 of each design) have been hand-signed by all four band members and will be randomly inserted into the production run.