MLB 2K8 soundtrack revealed, brings indie to the masses

It’s time to put on your music critic caps, people: 2K Sports has just divulged the details on the seventeen-track song list for MLB 2K8. (The press release, including the full soundtrack, can be found after the jump.) This will give you a head start on getting to know the music that will quickly become entrenched in your brain, so much so that you’ll be screaming “CLEVELAND ROCKS” in your sleep. Or maybe that’s just me.

2K Sports teamed up with Pitchfork Media, an online music magazine that focuses on indie music, to select the soundtrack. Pitchfork chose 7 of the 17 songs in the game, which are labeled as “Pitchfork Picks” (it’s got a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?). And in a further show of support for independent musicians, 2K Sports is going to join the 3rd Annual Pitchfork/Windish Agency day party at South by Southwest (SXSW) this year, a week of festivals and conferences that begins next weekend.

As for the soundtrack itself, I didn’t recognize any of the songs on it until c-blogger power-glove alerted me to the presence of “Cleveland Rocks” by The Presidents of the United States of America. Apparently, that was the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. But the game’s Executive Producer, Ben Brinkman, called the soundtrack “diverse” and “cutting-edge” in an earlier conference call, so maybe I need to broaden my music and sitcom horizons. Perhaps our own Reverend Anthony would be able to help me with that…?

2K Sports Announces In-Game Soundtrack and Music Partnership with Pitchfork Media for Major League Baseball® 2K8

Pitchfork Media and 2K Sports join forces to rock stadiums in Major League Baseball 2K8 and at

South by Southwest (SXSW 2008)

New York, NY – February 29, 2008 – 2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today a partnership with renowned and influential music outlet Pitchfork Media in support of the highly anticipated title, Major League Baseball 2K8. Pitchfork has made a name for itself since its inception in 1996 as the de facto online source for quality and discerning music reviews and news. The Pitchfork staff also shares passion for the game of baseball and it is the combination of their passion for music and baseball that makes them the perfect partner in constructing a truly epic soundtrack for Major League Baseball 2K8.

2K Sports has invited Pitchfork Media to select half of the music to be featured in Major League Baseball 2K8, guaranteeing that, along with the deepest and most authentic baseball simulation experience available, fans will also be able to enjoy a cutting-edge selection of the hottest music around – including artists such as Modest Mouse, Peter Bjorn & John, The Cure, The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Each artist and song selected for the game by Pitchfork Media will be denoted as a “Pitchfork Pick,” and will include additional bio information as well.

In the shared spirit of promoting independent artists and music, 2K Sports will join the 3^rd Annual Pitchfork/Windish Agency day party at the SXSW 2008 conference in Austin, Texas on Friday, March 14^th. The lineup will include Major League Baseball 2K8 “Pitchfork Pick” and garage-rock mainstay Jay Reatard performing alongside other breakout acts. Featuring over fifty stages and venues in downtown Austin, SXSW 2008 showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe and is known as one of the premier and most influential music events of the year.

“Pitchfork Media is a respected and reliable part of the independent music community and an integral part of the lives of hundreds of thousands of music enthusiasts worldwide,” said Tim Rosa, director of brand and lifestyle marketing at 2K Sports. “This is the first time Pitchfork Media has partnered with a videogame publisher, which is exciting since we share the same dedicated passion for highlighting new artists and being involved in independent music. We’ve always respected their impeccable taste and no-holds-barred voice in the music industry because it complements our approach to games – we both want to push our respective industries further by supporting independent substance over mainstream smoke.”

“Baseball and video games are two of Pitchfork’s favorite hobbies, so the opportunity to select music for Major League Baseball 2K8 is a dream come true,” said Chris Kaskie, associate publisher at Pitchfork Media. “Partnering with 2K Sports is a natural fit for Pitchfork, as they’re a like-minded company that shares a passion for music and a desire to promote forward-thinking and exciting new projects instead of following a more traditional path. We’re thrilled to work with 2K Sports to select one half of the Major League Baseball 2K8 soundtrack, and can’t wait to play the game.”

Below is the list of songs that will be included in the soundtrack of Major League Baseball 2K8.

• Battles — Atlas**
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club — Need Some Air
• Blitzen Trapper — Wild Mountain Nation**
• Dinosaur Jr. — Almost Ready**
• Jay Reatard — My Shadow**
• Kasabian — Reason Is Treason
• LCD Soundsystem — Watch The Tapes**
• Modest Mouse — Dashboard
• Peter Bjorn & John — The Chills
• The Cars — Moving In Stereo
• The Cool Kids — 88**
• The Cure — Never Enough
• The Flaming Lips — The W.A.N.D. – no MF edit
• The Hold Steady — Stuck Between Stations**
• The Presidents Of The United States Of America — Cleveland Rocks
• The Revolution Fox Experiment — Hyper Charlie
• The Strokes — Someday

** Denotes a “Pitchfork Pick” selection

Major League Baseball 2K8, rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, will be available in retail stores on March 4, 2008 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Wii™ home video game system.

For more information about Major League Baseball 2K8, please visit www.2Ksports.com.