Rock Band
Start a band in your living room
Harmonix expanded the Guitar Hero concept to full bands, letting four players perform together on drums, bass, guitar, and vocals.
Overview
Harmonix created Guitar Hero, then departed to build something bigger. Rock Band added drums and vocals to the plastic instrument formula, allowing four players to form complete bands. Living rooms became rehearsal spaces. Non-gamers picked up instruments. For a few years, Rock Band parties were cultural events, and the game became one of the highest-grossing franchises in history.
Fast facts
- Developer: Harmonix.
- Publisher: MTV Games / Electronic Arts.
- Instruments: guitar, bass, drums, microphone.
- DLC library: thousands of songs.
- Hardware: instrument peripherals sold separately or bundled.
- Sequels: Rock Band 2, 3, 4, plus spin-offs.
The band experience
Social gaming at its peak:
- Four players: simultaneous co-operative performance.
- Roles: different instruments require different skills.
- Score system: band success depends on everyone.
- Party essential: accessible to non-gamers.
Cultural moment
Why it mattered:
- Mainstream crossover: parents played with kids.
- Music exposure: introduced players to new artists.
- Revenue peak: billions in sales at height.
- Decline: genre fatigue led to market collapse.