Video: Rhapsody, MTV and VH1 Give Green Day Fans More With Promotion of ’21st Century Breakdown’

– Rhapsody, MTV and VH1 streaming new Green Day album one week prior to release

– Two exclusive tracks available from Rhapsody on May 15

– Rhapsody debuts new creative direction in Green Day TV advertisement

SEATTLE and NEW YORK, May 8 /PRNewswire/ — In advance of the Friday, May 15th release of Green Day’s forthcoming Reprise Records album, “21st Century Breakdown,” Rhapsody(R), MTV and VH1 are working to give fans even more access to Green Day content. The entire album will be available to preview a week prior to its release though Rhapsody’s streaming music service (www.rhapsody.com/greenday) and from MTV and VH1′s “The Leak” (http://theleak.mtv.com, http://theleak.vh1.com), free of charge. On Friday, May 15th, Rhapsody will also be bundling two exclusive tracks with purchases of the new album on Rhapsody.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/realnetworks/38376/

“It’s great to have Rhapsody, MTV and VH1′s support in spreading the word about 21st Century Breakdown,” says Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. “The television spot we shot with Rhapsody is creative and eye-catching, and we hope will get fans excited about our new single, ‘Know Your Enemy.’ It’ll also give people a glimpse into our history and who we are as a band.”

New Rhapsody TV spots featuring Green Day and the title track, “Know Your Enemy” debuted today across MTV Networks. The spots use a new creative treatment intended to engage viewers more directly with the band through a collection of original footage featuring elements from the bands history which should appeal to a broader audience and energize more dedicated fans.

“Working with Green Day, MTV and VH1 on this campaign is a great example of how we can make a broad impact while still preserving the personality of the artist we’re working with,” said David Krinsky, general manager of label relations for Rhapsody America. “Our new creative direction in the TV spots allows us to spotlight an artist’s new release with a clever nod to their history, much as Rhapsody itself does. We’re proud to have this improved platform for artists’ voices and to be the source of so much new music for Green Day fans.”

Promotion Details

• Beginning today, users can stream the new album in its entirety at Rhapsody (www.rhapsody.com/greenday) and MTV’s “The Leak” (http://theleak.mtv.com, http://theleak.vh1.com).
• On May 15, two exclusive tracks – live versions of “Know Your Enemy” and “The Static Age” – will be available to Rhapsody subscribers. These exclusive tracks will also be available for purchase in the Rhapsody MP3 Store at www.rhapsody.com/mp3.
• In addition, Rhapsody debuted a new creative direction with Green Day for its TV advertisements to engage fans with the band and the music service on a deeper level. The commercial is available online at www.youtube.com/rhapsodyblog.

ABOUT RHAPSODY

Rhapsody(R) is an integrated and immersive digital music experience accessible to consumers via their computer, portable music device and their Verizon Wireless mobile phone. Rhapsody is the exclusive digital music service for RealNetworks(R), Inc. and for MTV Networks’ music and pop-culture brands in the United States. Rhapsody is a service of Rhapsody America LLC, a joint venture between and MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA) (NYSE: VIA.B) and RealNetworks (Nasdaq: RNWK).

ABOUT MTV

MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 27 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries — giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV is the number one rated full-day ad-supported cable network for P12-24. Online, MTV.com averaged 8.5 million monthly unique visitors during the first quarter of 2009 — up +6% from Q4/2008 and up +6% year-over-year. Total video streams for the first quarter of 2009 increased 21% over the same time period last year. And MTV’s successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA; VIA.B), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in… www.mtvpress.com.

About VH1

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 95 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

ABOUT GREEN DAY

Green Day – vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool – were three kids from working-class backgrounds who came of age in the underground punk scene in Berkeley, California. Even though they had released two records prior (1039 / Smooth Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk), they announced their arrival with 1994′s Dookie, a blast of punk-pop that spoke to bored teenagers everywhere. The album eventually sold 15 million copies worldwide, earned the band their first Grammy Award and inspired a raft of imitators. Over the years, Green Day continued to top the charts with their subsequent studio albums Insomniac, Nimrod, and Warning while entertaining millions of fans with their frenetic live shows. But it was their landmark 2004 album American Idiot that launched Green Day into the stratosphere. An artistic leap forward, American Idiot is a punk rock opera and sarcastic middle-finger salute to the Administration that captured the cultural and political landscape at that time. “Jesus of Suburbia” set the tone by telling a tale of choosing between self-destruction and redemption that resonated with listeners of all ages, nationalities, and political persuasions. American Idiot debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart and went on to sell more than five million copies in the U.S. and 12 million worldwide. It spawned five hit singles, earned seven Grammy nominations (winning two including Rock Album of the Year) and raised the bar for modern rock and roll. On Friday, May 15, 2009, Green Day will release 21st Century Breakdown and launch a world tour soon after.

SOURCE Rhapsody