All You Need Is Rock

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

“Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” didn't set out to transform the struggling music industry, but they are doing exactly that by letting tech-savvy music fans simulate the experience of being rock stars onstage.

Since their introduction in 2005 and 2007, respectively, they have become a $3 billion success story at the same time that record stores are closing, the album in physical form is dying and illegal downloading of music continues to surge. A cultural phenomenon, “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” have enabled veteran groups such as Mötley Crüe and relative newcomers like DragonForce to expand their audience and boost their sales.