From the solitary dreams of bedroom pop stars strumming air guitars to the roaring crowds of stadium concerts, the fantasy of rock stardom has always captivated. Before the digital age fully took hold, that dream often began with a hairbrush microphone and a boundless imagination. Then came the mid-2000s, and with it, a revolution in home entertainment that brought the rock band experience, most notably through plastic guitars, right into our living rooms.
The PlayStation 2 era marked the arrival of Guitar Hero, a game that, alongside its iconic guitar controller, redefined social gaming. Bundling a miniature plastic Gibson SG guitar, Guitar Hero unleashed a torrent of button-mashing musical fun with 47 electrifying tracks. It wasn’t about learning chords or scales in the traditional sense, but mastering those plastic rock band guitars felt incredibly close to the real deal for millions. Game nights transformed into high-energy, head-banging parties where everyone could become a guitar hero.
As the phenomenon exploded, so did the setlists, drawing in legendary artists like Aerosmith, Van Halen, and Metallica, each contributing their anthemic catalogs. The hunger for more instruments grew, and in 2007, Rock Band answered the call. Expanding the ensemble, Rock Band added plastic drums, bass guitars, and even vocals to the mix, perfecting the virtual band experience. These plastic instruments, especially the rock band guitars and drum kits, became must-have peripherals, driving the music game boom to unimaginable heights. It seemed like the encore would play on forever.
However, like many meteoric rises, the music game craze eventually faded. The definitive story of this era, The Oral History of Guitar Hero, Rock Band and the Music Game Boom, now captures this exhilarating yet short-lived phenomenon. Expanding upon Blake Hester’s acclaimed 2021 Vice history of Guitar Hero, this book broadens its scope to encompass the entire Rock Band saga. From the initial spark of an idea to the dizzying heights of popularity, and the subsequent quieter times, the book leaves no fret button unpressed. It explores the evolution of these games, right down to the overwhelming mountain of plastic peripherals that once filled homes.
Featuring die-cut tabbed pages and drawing upon countless hours of interviews with key figures, including designers and developers like Ryan Lesser, Rob Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, and Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos, the book delivers the complete inside story. These creators recount the wild ride of the music game boom, offering a nostalgic journey for anyone who remembers the thrill of nailing that first flawless five-button guitar solo on their plastic rock band guitar. This is video game history, amplified to eleven, a testament to the unforgettable era of plastic rock band guitars and the games that brought music into our hands.
