Ageing rock monsters Mötley Crüe have released a brand spanking new single through MTV Games', Harmonix's and Electronic Arts' Rock Band.

The news is certainly a coup for Rock Band in its ongoing challenge to Guitar Hero's rock 'n' roll gaming throne. There has been much rumbling about the revenue streams opened up by gaming to the music industry, but this is the first time a band has gone so far to launch a single through a game.

The track in question is dubbed Saints of Los Angeles and comes from the Mötley Crüe's forthcoming album. It will set US gamers back $0.99 (£0.50) or 80 Microsoft Points, depending on their console of choice. It's available now over Xbox Live. It will find its way onto the PlayStation Network on April 17th.

Alas, it won't be available as a download to Wii owners come the game's June 22nd US release on Nintendo's platform due to the decision not to provide Rock Band DLC on the console.

On other platforms, however, more than 6 million songs have been downloaded for Rock Band.

Whether the move, or anything else EA can throw at us, will be enough to convince UK gamers to tear themselves away from Guitar Hero III is a big question facing the publisher right now. It could well be facing an uphill struggle in convincing UK console owners to fork out a whopping £180 if they want to buy Rock Band with all its peripherals.