EA And Rhino Pump Up The Volume With 'EA Sports Throwback Trax Powered By Rhino'

Exclusive Music Catalogue to Debut in Top-Selling Franchise Madden NFL 2005

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world's leading interactive entertainment software company and Rhino Records, the world's leading catalog music label, today announced EA Sports Throwback Trax Powered by Rhino. Starting with the release of the best-selling football game, Madden NFL 2005, Rhino will be the exclusive provider of catalog music for EA Sports titles, making Throwback Trax the latest feature in the award-winning EA TRAX music initiative. While EA TRAX remains focused on breaking new artists in the games, Throwback Trax enhances the musical experience of the game by allowing sports fans to discover and rediscover some of the best music of the 1980s and early 1990s. Fully integrated into the EA Sports in-game jukebox, the new offering will deliver a limited number of Rhino catalog songs. Some of the most notable artists on the Rhino label are House of Pain, Pantera, MC Lyte, Faith No More, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cure, and Violent Femmes among others.

Throwback Trax will have game fans cranking up the volume while playing their favorite EA Sports games this fall. The new music line-up will appear in EA blockbuster titles including NBA Live 2005, FIFA Soccer 2005, NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup, EA Sports Rugby 2005 and NHL 2005. Others will follow.

Throwback Trax expands the EA TRAX music initiative that began in 2002. Representing a musical breakthrough in videogames, EA TRAX is an in game jukebox that showcases new songs from established artists and breaks new artists through a series of promotional partnerships between EA and major music labels. Some of the artists that debuted their music in 2003 EA games include Blink 182, Chingy and Jet. EA TRAX can claim the first-ever RIAA certified platinum videogame soundtrack and the most successful videogame soundtrack of all time from NBA Live 2003, that featured songs by Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Fabolous, Just Blaze and others.

"EA Sports Throwback Trax Powered by Rhino opens up the musical experience within the game and gives today's players a chance to rediscover and experience these unforgettable tunes all over again," says Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music at EA. "Rhino is a perfect partner because they have the richest, most diverse catalogue of songs. If it is cool, it is part of their roster. And now, it is in our games."

"Music discovery is about being turned on to a great song that you've never heard before, whether it's brand new, or a timeless track," says David Dorn, Senior Vice President of New Media Strategy for Rhino Records. "Music is an essential part of the gaming experience and gaming is an essential vehicle today for music discovery. We're obviously thrilled to be working with EA to bring the best music of the past back to those who were there the first time, and to expose today's younger gamers to something that, for them, will be completely new and cool."

Madden NFL 2005 featuring the first two songs from Throwback Trax ships in August 2004.

Source: Rhino Records