Marking 20 years after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
