With a potential to showcase a new song to 200m people at the slide of an iphone, or to launch a catalogue song back into the charts, Say What?! has grabbed the attention of Sony Music Entertainment.

The major label has signed a 6-month exclusive deal to provide tracks to the game including the Calvin Harris hit 'Ready For The Weekend', which will be free to download at launch (today).

Say What?! is an effective new distribution platform, which also provides powerful real‐time analytics data on consumers and their music habits. It taps into the social gaming phenomenon and provides a new revenue stream for digital music with each downloaded track chart eligible. On launch, the game will be cross‐promoted to 20 million users via the Future Games Network.

"We're really excited about the launch of Say What?!” says Katie Szolnoki ‐ Synchronisation Licensing ‐ Film and Games, Sony Music Entertainment, “It's not only a great game and something our artists are really keen to be involved in, but it's a revolutionary new business model for us and a great way to reach out to the ever increasing gaming audience on mobile phones."

“Apple recently announced their 15 billionth app download,” adds Chris Lee, Joint MD of 8linQ, the studio who developed the game, “the iPhone and iPad market place is an incredible opportunity for artists and labels to reach new consumers. However, over half of App consumption on these platforms is games. This is where Say What?! comes in. Our joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment, means we're not just licensing their music, we're working together to evolve new and exciting business models for music distribution and awareness through games.

Say What?! provides them with the opportunity to sell music and promote artists within the game. With such a large potential audience, and the game being OCC eligible, songs are likely to make the charts, or rechart. And with such a wide demographic using apps like this, everyone from Kasabian to The Nolans will benefit.”

“The data produced can tell a label what consumers are buying in real time, providing instant feedback on what tracks and artists are popular – we can have a new track available to buy in the store within 24 hours of receiving clearances. It can put new artists in front of music fans, provide a platform for established artists’ new music and reinvigorate catalogue tracks. It's going to be exciting to see how powerful games can become for music on these platforms."

Say What?! the new music game for iPhone, launches today (10th August 2011). It is a revolutionary and addictive new music app, which makes music interactive, fun, challenging, competitive and social for everyone – with no skills required. All players have to do is match the lyrics of the song to items on a speeding conveyor belt, but they have to be fast and think laterally, especially in the cryptic version of the game. You can also challenge your friends, other fans and the artists themselves.

Behind the fun exterior Say What?! also produces powerful real time data for the music industry, including how many consumers buy an artists’ track, how often they play the track, when they play the track and where in the game players stop playing. Each download of the track counts towards the digital download charts and so can be used to launch new artists and re‐launch catalogue tracks.

The game will launch with a free track from Calvin Harris and also features songs from a diverse range of artists including Kasabian, the Zutons, Scouting for Girls, the Hoosiers, Toploader and the Nolans, with new tracks added weekly. The game will also launch with songs from three brand new artists from new record label, Music In Colour; Gudny, Mercston and Gus Warriner.

The Say What?! App and three tracks are now available for free via the App Store, with many more songs available to buy for £1.49 and cryptic level for 69p.

Say What?! was developed by interactive music company 8linQ, whose aim is to change the way people consume music, by making music interactive, engaging, challenging, social and competitive, which they believe in turn will also help reduce the incidence of piracy.

Say What?! will be available on ipad this month.