Beating our E3 coverage to the punch (we're sitting on some nice, embargoed previews right now), Activision has revealed a ton of information about Guitar Hero 5.

Some of it you learned late last week, including the game's biggest new feature -- the ability to drop in and drop out of songs on the fly. They're calling it "Party Play," and it lets you step into the action simply by signing in with your instrument of choice at any point in a song, even letting you select the difficulty level. When we say "instrument of choice," we really mean it; you can play instruments in just about any combination you want -- four vocalists, or two drummers, one bassist, one vocalist, for example.

The game also will feature new competitive modes, which developer Neversoft is calling "RockFest." It looks like the specific details of these five new competitive modes will have to wait until E3, but we can tell you they'll be playable both on and offline. Cooperative band play has also been given a tweak, including one new feature called "Band Moments," in which players will be rewarded for nailing specific sections in unison.

As far as the set list is concerned, Guitar Hero 5 is said to have the "strongest, most varied set list to date." Of course, that's what they always say, but maybe they mean it this time. The game will feature 85 bands including Kings of Leon ("Sex on Fire"), The Rolling Stones ("Sympathy for the Devil"), The White Stripes ("Blue Orchid"), Santana ("No One To Depend On"), Vampire Weekend, Tom Petty ("Runnin' Down a Dream"), Johnny Cash ("Ring of Fire"), Bob Dylan ("All Along the Watchtower") and 25 other bands that Activision says will be making their videogame debut. And here's some good news -- all of the tracks will be unlocked from the get-go.

Based on these details, the game definitely is looking strong. If we can push past the inevitable rocker-chick booth babes at E3, we hope to get some hands on time soon.

GUITAR HERO® 5 TO EMPOWER FANS TO ROCK THE WAY THEY WANT WITH THE BIGGEST ARTISTS AND WIDEST ARRAY OF TODAY'S ROCK TUNES AND CLASSIC HITS

The White Stripes, Kings of Leon, The Rolling Stones, Santana and Johnny Cash Among the Artists Featured in Guitar Hero 5; Innovative Social and Competitive Gameplay Features Designed for All Levels of Expertise, Puts More Fun and Control in the Hands of Music Lovers

Santa Monica, CA – May 18, 2009 – Guitar Hero continues to re-define the music and gaming experience this Fall with the release of Guitar Hero 5. Featuring the best variety and biggest rock stars of today combined with classic rock anthems, Guitar Hero 5 is the latest installment of the world’s most popular music game. For the first time ever, players can customize the make-up of their band by rocking with any combination of instruments in-game: whether it be two guitars and two drums, or three guitars and a microphone, any combination is possible, allowing players to experience music their own way. Brand new, innovative, easy-to-use gameplay modes like Party Play and RockFest put fun, competition and control at center stage as fans tailor the Guitar Hero experience to match their personal style and interests. For extended hours of entertainment, downloadable content from Guitar Hero® World Tour will be compatible with the game and will automatically be updated to include all of the upgrades and enhancements of Guitar Hero 5.*

Guitar Hero 5 features the strongest, most varied set list to-date comprised of master tracks from 85 of the hottest bands of today and the biggest classic acts including; Kings of Leon, The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, Santana, Vampire Weekend, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, plus more than 25 artists from a variety of music genres that will be making their music video game debut.

“Guitar Hero is the music platform for today because it celebrates the social nature of music and brings fans closer to the music and artists they love while allowing them to share and discover music with their friends, family and online communities,” said Dan Rosensweig, president and chief executive officer of Guitar Hero.

Among the first-time-ever features of Guitar Hero 5 are: Party Play, where players can jump in or drop out of gameplay seamlessly; RockFest, a comprehensive competitive experience available featuring five new head-to-head modes playable online or in your living room; and the ability to play the entire set-list from the first time the game is turned on.

Guitar Hero 5 refines the player experience, enhances the art style and redesigns core features such as GHMusic StudioSM, making it the most accessible, fun-to-play and authentic experience for seasoned music gamers as well as first-time players. New innovations such as Band Moments, where bands are rewarded for hitting special note streams together and song challenges where gamers are tasked to play through a song a specific way, add a new competitive layer of excitement and accomplishment to the music rhythm genre.