Marking two decades after the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play 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 evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
