Guitar Center, the world’s largest music retailer, announced that its On-Stage winner, THE LAST VEGAS, topped iTunes critics’ 2009 Rock Singles Of The Year List with their hit single 'I’m Bad' (Eleven Seven Music). Recently, Guitar Center partnered with MÖTLEY CRÜE, the world’s most notorious rock band, on its undiscovered music program Guitar Center On-Stage, through which one band, The Last Vegas, received an opening slot on Mötley Crüe’s 2009 U.S. tour, $25,000 cash, $20,000 in exclusive gear from Gibson Guitar, management from Tenth Street Entertainment, and a recording deal from Eleven Seven Music, Mötley’s Crüe’s management and record label. Due in part to Guitar Center’s commitment to the support of aspiring artists, the band has risen to the top of the most popular digital music store in the world’s annual “best-of” list in just one year. The chart topping single can be purchased at and its music video can be viewed below:

“We cannot thank Guitar Center enough for kick-starting our careers with its On-Stage program,” said Chad Cherry, lead singer of The Last Vegas. “From the moment we won their extremely generous prize and were hand-selected by Mötley Crüe to open for them on tour, our lives have been sent into a whirlwind of rock and roll. Look at us now; we’re sitting on top of the iTunes charts and it all started with Guitar Center.”

The Last Vegas has built an impressive touring history throughout arenas, clubs and theaters in 2009.

Guitar Center On-Stage is just one of many Guitar Center initiatives created to foster growth and success within the music community, including its annual King of the Blues and Drum-Off competitions, among others. Guitar Center's King of the Blues is a nationwide amateur guitar skills competition with the goal of finding the next great undiscovered blues guitar player. Drum-Off is an annual drumming competition that, now in its 21st year, has been a launching pad for many drummers, including Cora Coleman-Dunham and Tony Royster Jr, two Drum-Off winners who have gone on to become highly acclaimed professional drummers (with PRINCE and JAY Z respectively).

“Guitar Center prides itself on helping musicians pursue and accomplish their dreams and The Last Vegas are the perfect Cinderella story,” said Norman Hajjar, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Guitar Center. “The Last Vegas has gone above and beyond the achievements we had hoped for when we started the Guitar Center On-Stage program and we can’t wait to see where they’re headed.”