After news that the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 4 will feature a Shazam style in game service to let you buy tracks from the soundtrack directly off Amazon download store, comes word that ageing rockers Def Leppard will be releasing their new album first through Guitar Hero 3.

After news that the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 4 will feature a Shazam style in game service to let you buy tracks from the soundtrack directly off Amazon download store, comes word that ageing rockers Def Leppard will be releasing their new album first through Guitar Hero 3.

Earlier this week, Rockstar, makers of GTA4, announced that gamers would be able to use an in game service called Zit, similar to real-life Shazam, that would let them dial up their virtual mobile phone whenever a song was playing on one of the in game radio stations and get a virtual text back telling the name of the song. All par for the course as far as Rockstars commitment to ultra realism in their games goes (and the name "Zit - We'll Spot The Song For You" providing their endless in game humour) but then they went one further.

They announced that, in combination with Amazon Downloads, tagging a track would add it to your Rockstar Social Club (a website that tracks game stats and information) playlist. From there you would have the option of purchasing a DRM-free copy of the song in MP3 format directly from Amazon. It's a pretty unique but interesting way of promoting music via video-games, especially considering compilers of the soundtrack will include Femi Kuti, Karl Lagerfield and Francois K. Here's a promotional Flash video of the item:

We've also seen many unique ways that bands have tried to promote their new music recently, from pay what you want album releases, to bedding in with alcoholic drinks companies. But this must be the first case of a band promoting their single through an advance videogame release. A few weeks ago, during a radio interview, Def Leppard announced that their new single would be released as an game track for air-strumming masterpiece, Guitar Hero 3.

Its a bit of an unusual move, but it could be a great idea - release a single to rock loving gamers who will buy it, and then for weeks after, will spend their time actually playing along to the song in the game! Guitar Hero 3 is extremely popular, selling over 1.4 million copies in its first month of release alone, and already noted examples of digital sales being boosted by inclusion in the game, so a deft move by the Def then.

We at Bodytonic are looking forward to the inevitable "DJ Hero", although rumours that you will score high not by mixing well, but by high fiving a lot, have us worried.