There have been several important dates in the history of The Who: May 23, 1969 – Iconic rock album Tommy is released and rockets to No. 4 on the U.S. charts. May 31, 1976 – The Who’s second concert at Charlton football ground earns them an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the “world’s loudest rock band.” July 13, 1985 – The Who re-form to perform at Live Aid and whip Wembley Stadium into an absolute frenzy.

Now, July 15, 2008 joins these dates, as a dozen classic songs by The Who get new life as Rock Band game levels. MTV Games and Harmonix announced today that many of the legendary group's greatest hits will be added to the Rock Band catalog of downloadable content with the release of “The Best of The Who: Rock Band Edition.”

“We’re really pleased to have our songs featured in Rock Band,” said Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who. “It allows our established fan base to interact with our music in a way that’s fresh and exciting, while also exposing our songs to new audiences.”

“I’m a fan of Rock Band,” said Who guitarist Pete Townshend. “I play the game with my son and girlfriend and love the way it brings different generations together through music. I like the idea that people of all ages will be having fun playing our songs.”

“We are very excited to be working so closely with Roger and Pete on this release for Rock Band,” said Paul DeGooyer, SVP Electronic Games and Music, MTV. “The Who is consistently one of our most requested bands, and it is great to be able to bring this exclusive compilation of their music to the Rock Band community.”

The 12 songs were selected by Harmonix and MTV Games in consultation with Townshend and Daltrey. The tracks represent the meaty, beaty, big and bouncy best of The Who, including classics such as “Amazing Journey,” “Baba O'Riley” and “Sea & Sand,” three songs from the classic Live At Leeds album (including a special Rock Band edit of “My Generation”) and more.

Each track will be available for $1.99 at the PLAYSTATIONStore and the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) or $19.99 (1600 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for the entire collection of tracks.

The release of The Who’s Greatest Hits through Rock Band coincides with the“VH1 Rock Honors” celebration honoring the legendary rock band. Premiering on Thursday, July 17 at 9pm on VH1, VH1 Classic and MHD, the show will celebrate The Who’s monumental legacy with a two-hour tribute saluting the music and lasting impact of this groundbreaking band. The sweeping influence of The Who will be expressed through spoken tributes, filmed packages and performances by some of today’s premiere rock acts as well as the legends themselves. The night will feature tribute performances by Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, The Flaming Lips, Incubus and Tenacious D as well as an electrifying grand finale performance from The Who.

Release date: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 (Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PLAYSTATION Store)

TRACKS: The Who 12 Pack

“Amazing Journey”
“Baba O'Riley”
“Behind Blue Eyes”
“Eminence Front”
“Going Mobile”
“Leaving Here”
"My Generation” (Live at Leeds)
“Real Good Looking Boy”
“Sea & Sand”
“Summertime Blues” (Live at Leeds)
“Who Are You”
“Young Man Blues” (Live at Leeds)

(All tracks utilize the original master recordings)