Gorillaz’ third album “Plastic Beach” out today

Gorillaz’ third album, the already globally acclaimed Plastic Beach, is released today in the U.S. on EMI’s Virgin Records.

The physical and digital deluxe editions of Plastic Beach promise to surpass anything previously hatched from the Gorillaz imaginarium: The iTunes LP version of Plastic Beach includes the record-breaking “Stylo” video and a Making of “Stylo” documentary; a video collection of Gorillaz animation, Plastic Beach trailers and six exclusive films set to album tracks; a still gallery featuring original Gorillaz art and images exclusive to iTunes; a Gorillaz interactive game; and an Online Extras section providing access to Gorillaz live concert performances and additional exclusives. The iTunes deluxe edition of the record also features the bonus tracks “Pirate’s Progress: and “Three Hearts, Seven Seas, Twelve Moons.”

The physical “Experience Edition” of Plastic Beach includes such bonuses as a Making of Plastic Beach DVD, ability to stream live Gorillaz performances, and a special access card unlocking a world of exclusive and interactive online content to be revealed over time.

Having already been hailed with a 4-star Rolling Stone review and an Entertainment Weekly Must List plug, Plastic Beach’s first single, “Stylo,” was unveiled in its video incarnation Tuesday March 2 on YouTube. The “Stylo” world premiere instantly became the most successful official music video premiere in YouTube Music Tuesday history, generating over 900,000 views in its first 24 hours, since breezing past the million view mark and surpassing previous record holders U2 and Weezer. The “Stylo” video can also be seen on VH1, MTV, MTV2, MTVU, Logo, and Fuse.

Elsewhere, the NPR Music Exclusive First Listen for Plastic Beach was the #1 most popular story on NPR.org in its first 24 hours.

Plastic Beach is the first Gorillaz album produced entirely by Damon Albarn and features a roster of guest stars including Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Lou Reed, The Clash’s Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, The National Orchestra for Arabic Music and many more. Gorillaz a/k/a Murdoc Niccals, 2D, Noodle and Russel Hobbs were co-created by Albarn and visual artist Jamie Hewlett over ten years ago, and unleashed on the world with their self-titled 2001 debut album, which has sold nearly two million copies in the U.S. The band’s 2005 follow up, Demon Days, featured the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocal Grammy winner “Feel Good Inc.” and sold in excess of two million copies in America. Gorillaz will headline the April 18 final day of this year’s Coachella festival in Indio CA, which will be the first live Gorillaz experience in the States since the Demon Days Live sold out five-night run that took place in April 2006 at Harlem’s Apollo Theater.