EA is hosting a competition in conjunction with a few other companies to give a talented musician a chance to get a record deal with EMI Records and their song being featured in a future EA game. The competition is open to all unsigned bands or artists in the Asia-Pacific region, meaning Australia. Personally, I have no musical talent in my whole body, but for those who are more musically talented this might be the thing that gives you a shot at the big time. Full Press Release Inside.

“EA Amplify Artist Search” contest offers a chance to win an EMI record deal, a track in EA’s upcoming game, and a host of prizes to all aspiring artists looking for a big break. Sydney. May 14, 2007 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company, today announced the launch of “EA Amplify Artist Search”, a pan-regional searcfor the hottest emerging bands from the Asia Pacific region, hosted in collaboration with partners EMI, The Edge96ONE (Australian Radio Network), Gibson, Microsoft, and Motorola. The competition is open to residents of Australia and New Zealand, and is now accepting entries on EA’s music community portal (“EA Amplify” www.EAamplify.com). “EA Amplify Artist Search” contest welcomes all unsigned bands or artists from across the Asia Pacific region to showcase their music and profile on the EA Amplify Web site, and compete for the Regional Grand Prize—which could be the break-through into the big time that they were dreaming of! Winning band of the Regional Grand Prize will have a chance to sign a record deal with major record label EMI, as well as get their track in one of EA’s upcoming blockbuster videogames for worldwide release. Regional Grand Prize winner will be selected out of Country Finalists (Finalist and Runner-up Finalist) from each participating country. In addition to proceeding to Regional Grand Prize selection, Country Finalists will receive a host of glamorous prizes provided by Artist Search partners, including Epiphone Les Paul Custom Guitar from Gibson, Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, and MOTOROKR E2 mobile phone from Motorola. The competition will be supported on radio exclusively by The Edge96ONE FM. “Making our games culturally relevant to each country through inclusion of local music and celebrities has been a key focus for EA in Asia over the past year —and EA Amplify Artist Search takes this initiative a step further,” said Jon Niermann, President, EA Asia Publishing. “We hope to generate a lot of excitement for this regional competition among music and videogame communities alike.” “Many of the biggest bands around the world have been first discovered through EA videogames, and now we are expanding the opportunity to unsigned bands with EA Amplify Artist Search,” said Steve Schnur, worldwide executive of music and marketing for EA. “There are amazingly inspirational musical talents in the Asia Pacific, and I look very forward to meeting them through this contest.” ""At EMI Music Australia we have always been incredibly proud of our local artist roster. By partnering with EA for the EA Amplify Artist Search we hope we can discover, market and promote the next generation of exciting Australian talent. And as the global music industry continues to evolve and re-invent itself, this is an initiative we totally embrace,"" said John O'Donnell, Managing Director at EMI Music Australia. For more information about Artist Search, see additional information below and check out the EA Amplify music community portal (www.EAamplify.com) to view complete Contest Official Rules.