Throughout the '00s and early '10s, games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero exploded in popularity. But since then, players haven't heard much from the band simulation genre.
Guitar Hero Live bombed hard, a sign that the genre is all but dead. The band-oriented, live instrumental music that dominated the charts for decades is also suffering. This is the type of music that historically comprised Guitar Hero and Rock Band setlists. But today, it's rare for a song recorded with live instruments to impact the mainstream.
The music industry has changed over the past decade. This classic style of rock 'n' roll music is no longer fashionable. In turn, this has phased out rhythm games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero.
For many people, these types of games were formative parts of their gaming lives. They capture the essence of a live performance. Ultimately, they thrust players into a celebration of something that plays a role in everyone's lives: music.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Rock Band's time in the spotlight did exactly that.
Rock'n'roll dominated the mainstream for almost fifty years. Throughout its lifespan, it gave listeners timeless albums, countless classics and authentic artistry. Think back to '60s bands like The Beatles, The Doors and The Rolling Stones. The '70s hard rock era followed, highlighted by groups like Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd. This transitioned into the hair metal '80s with acts like Guns 'N' Roses and Van Halen. Grunge music of the '90s, led by Nirvana, came next. And then there was the indie rock scene of the '00s.
Suffice it to say guitar-led, band-oriented rock music has had a strong run. Unfortunately, that time has passed. A look at today's music charts seldom shows rock songs anywhere on the list.
The world has changed. A lot of people assume rhythm games became less popular because they became stale. In actuality, the main genre that provided the base for those games was getting stale at the same time.
Singer-songwriter music still has a huge place in the musical landscape. But today, "forming a band" happens much less often. This is in part due to high expectations in the digital age and the incredible capabilities of today's technology. Instead, solo musicians release entire albums from a single MacBook laptop. 2019's most successful artist is a rapper named Drake. Rocking out with the band isn't as cool as it used to be.
Is rock music dead in the literal sense? No. There are still excellent bands making new music, recording with actual instruments and releasing quality albums. In a way, the fact that these groups remain outside of the mainstream makes them all the more special. Fans tend to appreciate music from groups they don't hear on the radio every day.
But rock music in the mainstream? It's nothing spectacular. Whenever rock does creep back into the limelight, it seems uninspired or derivative. The genre's relevance is a far cry from its prominence decades before.
As a result of the decline in rock music, the potential for games like Rock Band has declined as well. These games are limited in their ability to remain relevant. The rock genre stands much taller on its past than it does on its present. After a slew of Rock Band and Guitar Hero releases, the games burned through thousands of songs. It became difficult to put together another tracklist good enough to get people excited. Unfortunately, these games' developers could look only to the past as the present wasn't providing them with enough relevant material to support Rock Band. There's only so many songs out there that can provide a fresh take for a rhythm game.
That said, music is always evolving. Although hip-hop and pop music dominate today's charts, these genres show rock influence. Artists like Post Malone, who recently featured Ozzy Osbourne on his latest album, exemplify this influence. With that in mind, it's completely possible that rock music, or some reincarnation of the genre, will once again return to popularity. This could lead to a revival of rhythm games at the same time. As music evolves, music-based video games can evolve right along with it.