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Date: Tuesday, February 9th 2016 11:32am CST Categories:Press Releases, Digital Media News Posted by:Seibertron | Credit(s): Hasbro Studios and Sony Music Entertainment
Reaching out today to share some exciting news from Hasbro Studios, who just announced the first-ever album inspired by the Transformers franchise. Transformers Roll Out was made available for digital pre-order this morning, with two singles off the compilation (Mount Holly’s “Roll Out” and Crash Kings’ “Gigantik”) available for purchase and on streaming services. On April 15th the full album will be available on all major digital providers, with a limited edition CD and vinyl will be offered exclusively through FYE stores.
We’ve provided more details and a download link for the album’s cover art for you below, but please let us know if you have any questions!
Transformers Roll Out heralds the global pop-culture Transformers phenomenon, featuring a collection of hit original songs inspired by the Hasbro Transformers franchise from leading established and up-and-coming alternative, rock and alt-pop artists, morphing together to create an epic portfolio of hard-hitting tunes that truly embodies the soul of the Hasbro Transformers brand. The album will include tracks from chart topping rock band 'Bush' and front man Gavin Rossdale, lending powerhouse vocals in "This House is on Fire" and will also feature up-and-coming alt-rock group Mount Holly on the album's lead title track "Roll Out." Transformers Roll Out is being released on Sony Music's RED Associated labels and is available for digital pre-order on Feb 9th at iTunes: http://smarturl.it/Trans4mersRollOut_AM
Artists contributing to Transformers Roll Out (with track titles) include:
Here's something Transformers-shaped for the more musically inclined among you: a collaboration between Hasbro and Sony, featuring a number of artists, resulting in Transformers: Roll Out - a music album with tracks inspired by our favourite giant transforming robots! Read more about it below, here, and check out two of the tracks embedded below.
Hasbro Studios and Sony Music Entertainment will release a new album of music entirely inspired by the Transformers franchise including alt-rockers Bush, Mount Holly, MEW and more.
Transformers Roll Out will be released April 15 with pre-order starting Tuesday (Feb. 9). Fittingly, upon its release, limited edition CD and vinyl will be offered exclusively through FYE stores.
"The release of Transformers Roll Out truly demonstrates the pop culture power of the Transformers franchise," Hasbro chief content officer Stephen Davis said in a statement. "With generations of audiences celebrating the brand across television, film, digital entertainment, consumer products and now music, this could not be a more exciting time for Hasbro and the Transformers brand with such a unique project that really delivers on the More Than Meets the Eye brand promise."
Starting Tuesday, as well, the compilation released Mount Holly's "Roll Out" and Crash Kings' "Gigantik" lead singles off the set. Listen to those here with a complete album track list below.
Hasbro has published their Q4 and year end earnings today. The boy toys category is where there was the greatest increase of revenue over last year and that was due to Star Wars, Nerf and Marvel. This is great since it offset the decrease in Transformers sales which is routine in a non movie year.
Here are the highlights:
2015 full-year net revenues increased 13%, absent a negative $394.5 million impact of foreign exchange; Including the impact of foreign exchange, revenues increased 4% to $4.45 billion;
2015 revenues grew in all major operating segments and regions, absent the impact of foreign exchange; Including the impact of foreign exchange, the U.S. and Canada segment revenues increased 10%, International segment revenues declined 3% and Entertainment and Licensing segment revenues increased 11%;
Boys, Preschool and Games category revenues increased both as reported and absent the impact of foreign exchange; Franchise Brand revenues increased 7% absent the impact of foreign exchange, but declined 2% including the impact of foreign exchange;
2015 operating profit increased 9% and net earnings increased 9% to $451.8 million or $3.57 per diluted share; Adjusted net earnings increased to $445.0 million or $3.51 per diluted share, excluding the sale of manufacturing operations;
In 2015 Hasbro returned $310.7 million of cash to shareholders; Generated $552.4 million in operating cash flow for the year.
Category Breakdown
Full-year 2015 Boys category revenues increased 20% to $1.78 billion. Franchise Brand NERF revenues increased along with STAR WARS, JURASSIC WORLD and MARVEL. This growth more than offset the decline in TRANSFORMERS, which faced difficult comparisons versus 2014's theatrical release of TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION. The Boys category grew 30% absent the impact of foreign exchange.
About Foreign Exchange
For those wondering why the exchange is such a big deal in the highlights section, it's because a strong American dollar affects negatively on American companies selling products elsewhere in the world. For instance, looking at the Canadian exchange, the initial contracts were drawn up while the exchange was about the same or close. A deluxe Transformer toy priced at $17.99 will bring you back USD $17.99 in the US regardless, but in Canada, it would be priced the same $17.99 in Canadian dollars. With the American dollar getting stronger, that CDN $17.99 ends up becoming USD $12.94, thus lowering Hasbro's revenue (I am using retail prices, but we can extrapolate to the loss Hasbro has when retailers like Toysrus pay for the contracted amount later when the exchange is lower).
Welcome to the latest episode of the Seibertron.com Twincast / Podcast. This episode comes at you maximized with host Scotty P, plus reliable shipmates Megatronus, RodimusConvoy13, Rotorstorm, and Tigertrack.
Episode #136 "The Gathering" is available directly and in our RSS Feed and should appear on iTunes and Stitcher Radio within 24 to 48 hours of when you see this news post.
We once again get warmed up by taking a look at some of your listener questions, and this gets started out by a pressing, sticky issue from News Staff member WilliamJames88. Hopefully this one turns out with a level orientation.
Half measures
SillySpringer keeps us rolling with a question about brick and mortar retail. The cast discusses their frequent hunting spots, and we also try to take a quick look ahead at the spring retail season to come.
Reveal the Shtore. For the hunting. What?
Longtime friend of the show Sabrblade offers up our next question. This question is best digested with full context, so to get that, be sure to not only check out our last episode, "The Road to Multiverse" if you haven't already, but read through the discussion that followed! Oh, and yes, you can certainly keep it going if you'd like.
Fiction leads to enabling. Enabling leads to toys. Toys lead to suffering FUN.
Talk then shifts to current events a bit, and things start to get beastly with our thoughts on Sins of the Wreckers Issue 3. What mad theories await, and which of them makes a certain host's expectations of delayed gratification even more painful? Tune in to hear some fun thoughts about the series and this issue while we patiently await the conclusion.
You mean you didn't read Spotlight: Springer: Origin Backstory Journey Formation? Wait a minute...
The beasts take a back seat (mostly) for just a moment, as we wrap up current events chatter by taking a look at the continuing saga of Titans Returns leaks. With Toy Fair just around the corner, what surprises may still be in store?
Chokon Power! Wait a minute...
After this, it's time for a new segment: a "Pick One" throwdown! This episode's clash is between Combiner Wars Bruticus and Combiner Wars Superion, and each cast member can pick which of these they prefer and use any version to justify it. A surprisingly specific example leads to a winner, and if you'd like to go ahead and spoil it, check out the amazing Seibertron.com Gallery of the consensus pick here.
Which bot will win the Rumble and head to Wrestlemania to face HHH? Wait a minute...
DAWN OF THE RE-WATCH! For the 20th Anniversary of Beast Wars, which is now upon us, the cast embarks on the Axalon for a re-watch of the Beast Wars TV series - or at least the first episode. Join us on a march down memory lane, as we experience the first skirmish of the Beast Wars once again. Be sure to let us know your thoughts on this segment, because it might be sticking around for quite a while. If you'd like to follow along, don't forget that Shout! Factory's DVD set of the series is still available at a great price.
Look, Laser Discs might be an old format, but isn't this a bit exaggerated?
The show isn't quite over after that, as we then take a gander at some of our favorite board topics from the past few weeks. Follow along as we check out each podcasters pick:
That wraps up another episode, we sincerely hope you enjoyed the show.
Don't forget, the show only gets better if you tell us how. Drop us a review on iTunes and be sure to tell us what you love, what you hate, and what you want to hear!
Not on the show to give your take? Probably not, so don't forget to keep the discussion going on the Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums by simply replying to this post!
Got a question for the Twincast? We take all of them, we just don't take them all seriously! Leave a question in the Ask the Twincast thread and, if it makes the cut, it may get read and answered on the show.
Fellow Seibertronians, hot on the heels of the season 2 announcement, and courtesy of our very own ScottyP, we now know that the Transformers RID season 1 is to be released onto dvd from Shout! Factory. Transformers: Robots In Disguise Season 1, which can be pre-oredred here for $25, is slated to be released on May 10, 2016, have 4 discs, a run-time of 9.5 hours, and have a list price of $30. The dvd cover has been mirrored and can be seen below along with the synopsis for the dvd.
Are you excited for this news? Are you going to pre-order it now, let us know in the comments below.
From the gang of writers over at the Machinima Transformers Combiner Wars animated series, we have an update on the status of the scripts and writing for the show: all scripts are in, and Eric Calderon, George Krstic and FJ DeSanto have been shooting some behind the scenes material, probably for both promotion and extra additions to the show! No news yet on the animation side of things, but we will update you as soon as we know.
The TRANSFORMERS are coming to Machinima. In an agreement between Machinima and Hasbro, the TRANSFORMERS world will be brought to life on the many2many programming service that kicks off right smack in the middle of The Combiner Wars. The series introduces new lore and all-new characters that, combined with the characters fans have known for decades, will bring the TRANSFORMERS storytelling in a new direction as the Machinima series will deliver raging action and signature humor to legions of TRANSFORMERS fans.
Fellow Seibertronians, hot on the heels of the Meet the Autobots video - which featured clips from Transformers RID Season2 - we get our first teaser trailer for season 2. Although, it can only be watched on YouTube, we also get an interesting post on Kirk Van Wormer's Twitter account that seems to simultaneously announce and confirm a season 4 of RID, despite there being no news of a season 3 at this point - we have screencapped the message below, in case of changes from on high.
Are you excited for season 2 of RID? Even more so for another 2 after that? Check out the trailer, and leave your thoughts on this announcement in the comments below.
Via a piece in The Hollywood Reporter, we have some news concerning the creation of a new live Transformers attraction/show, set to arrive in China by 2017. Transformers Live will be a 'cross between an action-adventure spectacle, a theme park attraction and a theatrical show' - you can read more about it below, or head here for the full article!
Optimus Prime and his band of Autobots are set to assemble in the real world — in China.
DMG Entertainment, the China-U.S.-based movie studio and co-producer of Point Break and Iron Man 3, has reached a deal with Hasbro to create Transformers Live. The robotics spectacle, expected to debut in an undisclosed Chinese city in 2017, will be the world's first live-action attraction featuring the toy brand's iconic characters.
The show will be produced by S2BN Entertainment, the live entertainment company behind Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, The Marvel Experience and Rock of Ages.
“Transformers Live will be a cross between an action-adventure spectacle, a theme park attraction and a theatrical show," said Michael Cohl, chairman of S2BN Entertainment, in a statement.
The partners will build a semi-permanent 4,500-capacity venue to house the spectacle, which will deploy a fusion of proprietary robotics technologies, high-tech projection systems and aerial stunt sequences. Sources close to the deal say Beijing is the most likely destination for the show.
"Fans will experience intense action, beautiful visual moments, an emotionally engaging story, lots of humor and rousing music," Cohl added.
You have to give it to Takara, they know how to be ready for an occasion. They are really taking the Beast Wars 20th Anniversary seriously and this latest action of theirs speaks volumes. Takara has just launched its own site for the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Beast Wars. Of course, there is not much there yet aside from links to previous articles, such as the line drawings for Masterpiece Beast Convoy (Optimus Primal).
Also, it goes without saying that the site is in Japanese and features a lot of text in photos which cannot be translated. The videos are also region locked. This was brought to our attention by fellow Seibertronian, Primal Sabbath!
Via Seibertronian ScottyP, we now have Amazon Japan orders up for Re-releases of the DVD collections for Transformers Micron Legends (Armada), Super Link (Energon) and Galaxy Force (Cybertron)! All 3 are priced at 19,440 yen (approximately $165 USD). They are scheduled for release on March 24th (Armada), April 22nd (Super Link) and May 25th (Galaxy Force). The links and DVD cover images can be found below.
So will you guys be headed out to pick up these DVD collections? Sound off in the comments section below and stay tuned to Seibertron.com for all of your Transformers news.
* Price and quantities subject to change. Shipping costs, taxes and other fees not included in cost shown. Refer to listing for current price and availability.
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