It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
