The world’s biggest live championship of popular music aims to search out and bring the best un-manufactured talent in the world to a wider audience. GBOB Challenge - The Global Battle of the Bands GBOB International was formed to launch the GBOB Challenge, a global live music competition for unmanufactured bands playing their own, original music. From 16 countries in 2004 to 26 countries in 2008, the GBOB Challenge has grown year on year and to date has involved more than 40,000 musicians. In just five years it has become the world’s biggest and most respected live music competition. In 2009 the GBOB Challenge is on track to involve 12,000 musicians from over 30 countries, more than 200 concerts and a live audience in excess of 2 million. In addition, exposure via TV, radio, print, internet and viral grass roots marketing will engage millions more. The GBOB Challenge has already gained a reputation for breaking new bands. Previous winners have since signed deals with Warner Brothers, Universal and EMI as well as production deals with leading producers including Jim Lowe (Stereophonics, Charlatans etc.) and Danny Saber (U2, David Bowie etc.). GBOB has very quickly gained a reputation for helping to break new bands and we intend to carry on doing so. Forget about artificial Pop Idol-style competitions and all the other glorified karaoke rubbish out there, this is the real deal for real bands playing real music - live…There are just two rules: no cover versions and no pre-recorded music. Every year local qualifying heats and national finals take place in countries around the world, with the eventual winners of these going forward to the GBOB Challenge World Final in December each year.