Rock Band 2

The original Rock Band took music and gaming to a whole new level, made air guitar obsolete, and gave millions of aspiring musicians and professionals alike the chance to play and sing to some of the most popular songs in history. The Rock Band 2 video game is here, and it rocks even harder. The second phase of this popular gaming platform will continue creating living-room superstars and rockin' good times.

More Music:
An all-master soundtrack of classic songs spanning 40 years of rock 'n' roll history. Major record labels and leading music publishers have signed on to provide unrivaled access to master recordings as performed by the artists who rocked them out in the first place. The genres represented on Rock Band 2 include punk, metal, alternative, southern and classic rock, new wave, and n¼-metal. You'll get artists as varied as AFI, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Duran Duran, The Who, Ratt, Soundgarden, and Bang Camaro. And, just like the original release, the song list will continue to grow with constantly downloadable tunes.

More online options:
With Rock Band 2, you can connect with other Rock Band players from across the street or across the planet. The Battle of the Bands feature lets you compete with everyone on your Friends List or hook up with bands all over the world. You can check out Rockband.com to challenge others or find out when another band has challenged you. The video game also allows you to play in 59 venues in 24 cities for a virtual world tour. The non-linear structure of the game allows you to jump between sets when you're stuck on a song, and come back when you know you're ready.

Other gameplay features
There's also opportunities to get your character more cash by playing opportunity gigs where you can play for the big payoff, like recording a music video on a soundstage. You can also hire staff from merch sellers and promoters to lawyers to advance your career.

A in-game store sells thrift and retro clothing and when creating and updating your character you can choose from a variety of new faces, hairstyles, and accessories like facial masks and piercings.

The Drum Trainer section teaches you how to really play drums. Browse a library of fills and samples to practice and progress through increasingly tricky parts to build skills, or play along to any song. Note: For Xbox 360 and PS3 users, the Freestyle mode lets you jam with any tunes in your media player.

Full backwards compatibility:
Any downloadable songs you've bought since Rock Band's original release will automatically join your Rock Band 2 songlist.

From heavy metal to classic rock to essential punk, the Rock Band 2 video game offers another generation of music lovers a better way to create their own musical memories. Pick a musical instrument, pick your song, and enjoy the rush.