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DJ Heroes, country tracks, sequels and spinoffs, the fall and winter of 2009 are sure to be a busy season for music-based video games (not to mention a big test of the genre’s staying power in the face of significant brand dilution).  On September 1st, there’s Rock Band 5 (see Artist list below), then there’s DJ Hero, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, Lego Rock Band and more.  There’s something for different ages, and for fans of different genres, for everyone, maybe.  But far and away, on many lists at least, the most anticipated curiosity to grab the limelight and grace the marquee will be the Beatles: Rock Band.

First announced in November, the game was (in a way) years in the making, decades even, if you truly count the permission challenges necessary to get the Beatles song catalog authorized and approved for digital remastering and release. iTunes didn’t get it nor did Amazon Mp3. The first Beatles tracks to legally cross the digital divide will be in a game that EA, MTV Games and Harmonix managed to tie up.

Little by little details have been trickling out.  The producer’s behind it. Teasers about the concept. Images of instruments and a release date. Today, just before the official kick off of the gaming industries monster trade show, E3, Microsoft pumped up the buzz with the biggest data dump yet.

During a press briefing aimed at capturing audience attention before the show even gets a chance to catch up, Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos and president of MTV Networks Van Toffler took to Microsoft’s stage and aired footage of the game.

The game will follow the band’s storied career with graphics and venues representing the different stages.  Some of the venues will include the Cavern Club, The Ed Sullivan Theater, Shea Stadium, and Abbey Road.  (see thumbnails)

For singers, multiple participants can join together in three part harmony to mimic some of the Beatles musical style.

Also disclosed were ten official songs: I Feel Fine, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Day Tripper, Taxman, I Am The Walrus, Back in the USSR,  Octopus’s Garden, Get Back, I Saw Her Standing There and Here Comes the Sun.

"All You Need Is Love" will be available for download exclusively via Microsoft’s Xbox Live. The proceeds from all of those downloads will be donated to the charity, Doctors Without Borders.

Other songs, and full albums, will be available for download across platforms.

Surviving Beatles Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were both on hand to share their comments (Yoko Ono, John Lennon’s widow, and Olivia Harrison,  George Harrison widow also took a moment on stage).

Added details about the game can be found on the game’s official site. Curious about the 9.09.09 release date and the sometimes bizarre ties to the Beatles and Number 9, check out the second half of this prior Metue article.

And in other music game news….
Trying to steal some spotlight from a news day Rock Band hoped to capture, Activision has released a list of Guitar Hero 5’s official artist roster. The bands are:

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